Summer catch-up: 20 of the best non-fiction books so far in 2025

From sports biographies and self-help to nature and celebrities, here are some tips for holiday reading 

Pure Gold, by Eamon Carr; Homework by Geoff Dyer; and Busy and Wrecked by Dermot Whelan.

1. Pure Gold: Memorable Conversations with Remarkable People by Eamon Carr 

Eamon Carr, lyricist and drummer with Horslips, amongst other polymathic gifts, has gathered the best celebrity interviews from his years as a journalist. The collection describes how the interviews unfolded with giants from the era like J.P Donleavy, Rudolf Nureyev, Shane MacGowan and Jack Charlton. Written with his wry, entertaining voice, and full anecdote, it’s a book to be devoured.