To conclude 2025, I am sharing this 25th Strook, which features the best of what I have drawn, read, and listened to this year.

Drawing

In my ocean series, I already sketched a whale shark, orca, and eagle ray. Last summer, I added a Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) to the collection.

With its distinctive shell, it was a very cool and challenging subject. As a true influencer, I recorded the intensive drawing process in a short video:

Along with the drawing, I also wrote a piece about the amazing navigational skills of sea turtles and other animals:

Reading

When it came to books, there was a lot to choose from. Hitler's rug made a big impression on me. I couldn't put down De Wisselwachter by Geert Mak. And Things Become Other Things by Craig Mod was the perfect book to read during a multi-day hike in Scotland.

But the perfect book for me was Al Wat Leeft (All That Lives) by Jason Roberts. About the 18th-century dream and race to describe all life on earth. Buffon in his Histoire Naturelle, and Linnaeus in his Systema Naturae.

In 2026, I will travel with my father in Paris, following in the footsteps of Comté de Buffon. A beautiful natural history trip with Jason Robert's wonderful biography as a guidebook.

Listening

With Nausicaä (Love will be revealed) by Cameron Winter still on repeat, there was Cobra by Winter's band Geese. My favorite song of 2025.

My favorite album was Snocaps, the project by Waxahatchee, her twin sister, and MJ Lenderman.

However, my most listened to album came from Rotterdam. The View From Up There, an atmospheric record by Nagasaki Swim.

All songs from Strook can be listened to as a playlist on Spotify. By saving the playlist, you can also follow the songs I add in the future:

What was your favorite book and/or album this year?

See you next year!