Top 10 Books of November 2025 at Knyzhkovyi Lev
The bestselling book at Knyzhkovyi Lev in November 2025 was The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine by Serhii Plokhy.
The rest of the list combines Ukrainian literature, decolonial nonfiction, contemporary international fiction, books about sexuality, Christmas writing and cultural criticism.
1. The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine — Serhii Plokhy
Genre: Ukrainian history, nonfiction.
Harvard historian Serhii Plokhy traces Ukraine’s history from the medieval period to the modern era, explaining how competing empires shaped the country’s borders, politics and culture.
Best for: international readers who want a clear introduction to Ukrainian history.
No. 1 at Knyzhkovyi Lev in November.
2. How to Breathe Freely? A Guide to Decolonisation — Mariam Naiem
Genre: decolonial nonfiction.
Mariam Naiem examines how colonialism affects language, memory, identity and the way Ukrainians understand their own history.
Best for: readers who want to understand Ukraine beyond Russian imperial narratives.
3. Nightbitch — Rachel Yoder
Genre: contemporary fiction, feminist satire, body horror.
An exhausted mother begins to believe she is physically transforming into a dog. The novel uses surrealism and dark humour to explore motherhood, anger and identity.
4. WANT: Anonymous Letters — Gillian Anderson
Genre: sexuality, nonfiction.
Gillian Anderson collected anonymous letters from women around the world about sexual fantasies, desire, shame and intimacy.
5. Americanah — Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Genre: contemporary literary fiction.
A novel about migration, race, love and identity following two young Nigerians whose lives take them to the United States and Britain.
6. Christmas Classics
Genre: Ukrainian Christmas literature.
An anthology of 60 works by 25 Ukrainian writers, combining classic and contemporary Christmas stories.
Best for: readers looking for Ukrainian Christmas traditions and a seasonal gift.
7. From the Land of Rice and Opium — Sofiia Yablonska
Genre: Ukrainian travel writing.
Ukrainian writer, photographer and filmmaker Sofiia Yablonska describes her experiences in China and Indochina during the 1930s.
Best for: readers interested in Ukrainian women writers, travel literature and photography.
8. For Mum, For Dad — Karina Savaryna
Genre: contemporary Ukrainian fiction.
A novel about childhood trauma, eating disorders and the way food can become confused with safety and love.
9. Letitsiia Kuriata and All Her Imaginary Lovers — Vira Kuryko
Genre: contemporary Ukrainian fiction, magical realism.
A woman tells different lovers different stories about her father, mixing autobiography, fiction, humour, reportage and magical realism.
10. Susan Sontag: The Complete Rolling Stone Interview — Jonathan Cott
Genre: interview, cultural criticism.
Jonathan Cott’s full 1978 conversations with Susan Sontag cover literature, art, feminism, sexuality, illness, music and intellectual life.
What November Readers Chose
November’s ranking shows a strong interest in Ukraine, identity and nonfiction.
The month’s No. 1 title was an English-language history of Ukraine, followed by a Ukrainian book on decolonisation. Contemporary fiction remained diverse, ranging from Nightbitch and Americanah to new Ukrainian prose.
Where to Start
To understand Ukrainian history: The Gates of Europe.
For decolonial thinking: Mariam Naiem.
For contemporary Ukrainian literature: Vira Kuryko or Karina Savaryna.
For Ukrainian travel writing: Sofiia Yablonska.
For international literary fiction: Americanah.
