The last email I sent to this list disclosed what was then my upcoming heart surgery. It happened! And it went according to textbook. I was told I was a “boring” patient by the nursing staff, with a laugh, because I had no medical issues while in the hospital for several honestly delightful days.

I’m now nearly six weeks post-surgery, and feel a reasonable percentage of back to normal. I’m still building stamina, in bed a couple hours more than usual most nights, but mentally getting close to pre-surgery cognition. It’s a process. Thanks for being here for the journey.

2025 in Quick Review

I sold out of How Comics Were Made. People bought a huge number of copies of Six Centuries of Type & Printing (still in stock!). Andrews McMeel Publishing released the second printing as How Comics Are Made in June. I learned I needed an aortic valve replacement.

I finished the editing work on Go Computer Now! The Story of Sphere Computers for my client Ben Zotto. Worked with Dan Perkins (a.k.a. Tom Tomorrow, creator of This Modern World) to build out a five-year collection of his weekly strip. Launched the campaign with Dan in early October; with Ben in mid-October. Ben’s campaign finished just before I headed in for surgery.

Ben’s book ships next year, and you can still get a copy now of the fascinating history of a personal computing pioneer (both the main founder and the company) that was almost entirely forgotten. Orders for Dan’s book, Our Long National Nightmare, are shipping now, but we have some print copies left and infinite ebook copies: buy at the ecommerce store I set up for him.

I took on the role of executive editor at Take Control in spring 2025, and then two new books and updated 12 others across the year, mostly around when Apple shipped its “26” updates. You can find all those books here. I also moved from Macworld, which retired the long-running Mac 911 column, to Six Colors, where I write “Help Me, Glenn!”

2026 in Preview

I have a book in planning for early 2026 that will be a revision and expansion of a number of essays and reported stories on type, printing, language, and culture that I’ve written over the last six years in several places, previously ungathered in one form. That will launch as a Kickstarter for an affordable copy in February or March.

I will also be seeking new editing and crowdfunding clients! I was reluctant to put the word out in 2025, once I knew I had major surgery upcoming, so continued to work with current clients. In 2026, I hope to release a book I have about 1/3rd done with my best crowdfunding planning advice—think structure, budget, rewards, and logistics rather than ideation, marketing, and PR, too.

Oh, So You Read This Far?

As a subscriber to this list who read all the way down, please enjoy these discounts:

• 10% off an entire Six Centuries order of one print book or more (before shipping fees) with: use coupon code GLENNLIST6 at the Stripe checkout. You can add an inscription, gift wrapping, and the audiobook with that same discount, or additional print copies.

• 10% off a signed copy of How Comics Are Made using coupon code HCAM10 at checkout. You can choose giftwrapping during checkout at no extra cost.

Thank you so much for your support in 2025, and I hope to have more to offer in 2026!

Happy New Year!

—Glenn