12:00: Rochester and Western New York's favorite books of 2025, part 1
1:00: Rochester and Western New York's favorite books of 2025, part 2
What was at the top of your reading list this year? As 2025 draws to a close, we bring back an annual tradition: conversations about favorite books! During part one of this two-part episode, our guests share their favorite books that they read in 2025. We also want to hear from you.* Fiction, nonfiction, adult, YA, or kids' books — we discuss it all. Our guests:
- Emily Clasper, director of the Rochester Public Library and Monroe County Library System
- Laquanda M. Fields, "the fab librarian" and libraries fellow at NC State University Libraries
- Michael Solis, executive director of Writers & Books
- Justin Murphy, freelance journalist, author of "Your Children are Very Greatly in Danger: School Segregation in Rochester, New York," and research and communications coordinator at Our Local History
- Mona Seghatoleslami, music director, host, and producer for WXXI Classical 91.5 FM
*Note: You can interact with the program live by calling 844-295-TALK, by emailing connections@wxxi.org, or commenting on the WXXI News YouTube channel.
Then in our second hour, we continue the conversation about Rochester and Western New York's favorite books of 2025. Our guests:
- Jim Byrne, adult programming librarian at the Henrietta Public Library
- Emily Hessney Lynch, owner/founder of Serve Me the Sky Digital; host of the podcast, "It's a Lot;" and adjunct professor at Nazareth University
- Adrienne Pettinelli, director of the Henrietta Public Library
- Linda Sue Park, Newbery medalist and author of "A Long Walk to Water" and "Prairie Lotus," among others
- Leslie C. Youngblood, author of "Love Like Sky" and "Forever This Summer," among others, and writer and academic advisor at the University of Rochester
"Connections with Evan Dawson" is livestreamed each day on the WXXI News YouTube channel. Watch here.
