302 ratings | 62 reviews | avg rating:4.47

Bill’s Year In Books

Bill’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at Bill’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

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Bill Thorness’s Followers (13)

Bill’s Bookshelves

to-read (77)
currently-reading (5)
read (325)
did-not-finish (0)
classics (9)
gardening (31)
my-all-time-faves (10)
seattle-area-authors (105)
writing-editing (10)
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Bill’s Friends (97)

Peter Rock

349 books | 269 friends

Jonathan

91 books | 1,839 friends

Janet Buttenwieser

428 books | 103 friends

Jill

2,399 books | 32 friends

Kevin

1,518 books | 80 friends

Dave Boling

1 book | 118 friends

William Rowden

49 books | 30 friends

Mitchell Below

352 books | 22 friends

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Bill Thorness

Goodreads Author

Born

in Williston, North Dakota, The United States

Website

http://www.billthorness.com

Genre

Nonfiction, Memoir, Travel

Member Since

July 2012

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Bill Thorness's most recent book is All Roads Lead to Rome: Searching for the End of My Father's War a memoir where the author crosses continents and history to retrace his father’s steps on the battlefields of World War II. All Roads Lead to Rome (December 2024, University of Nebraska Press) was named an Independent Book Awards 2025 finalist.

A Seattle-based author, editor and freelance writer, Bill currently focuses on travel, lifestyle and history.

Visit Bill's website billthorness.com and read his Substack newsletter Annotations.

Memoir:
All Roads Lead to Rome: Searching for the End of My Father's War

Join his Goodreads book group related to WWII, focused on the First Special Service Force, the subject of his memoir.

Cycling:
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Combine Editions
Bill Thorness’s books

Average rating: 4.19 · 108 ratings · 21 reviews · 10 distinct works • Similar authors

	Cool Season Gardener: Extend the Harvest, Plan Ahead, and Grow Vegetables Year-Round 4.19 avg rating — 32 ratings — published 2013 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Cycling the Pacific Coast: The Complete Guide from Canada to Mexico 4.65 avg rating — 26 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Biking Puget Sound: 50 Rides from Olympia to the San Juans by Bill Thorness (Goodreads Author), Bill Woods 3.67 avg rating — 21 ratings — published 2007 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Edible Heirlooms: Heritage Vegetables for the Maritime Garden 4.13 avg rating — 15 ratings — published 2009 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	POWER: How J.D. Power III Became the Auto Industry’s Adviser, Confessor, and Eyewitness to History by Sarah Morgans, Bill Thorness (Goodreads Author) 3.43 avg rating — 14 ratings — published 2013 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Biking Puget Sound: 60 Rides from Olympia to the San Juans, 2nd Edition really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 8 ratings — published 2014 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	All Roads Lead to Rome: Searching for the End of My Father's War 4.33 avg rating — 6 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	POWER: How J.D. Power III Became the Auto Industry's Adviser, Confessor, and Eyewitness to History by Bill Thorness (Goodreads Author), Sarah Morgans, Bill Griffeth (Foreword) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Building green: energy efficiency takes root at habitat for humanity.(Currents): An article from: E 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Avoid environmental case creep into first-party property areana 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Bill Thorness…

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Bill Thorness's Blog

Named an Indie Book Award finalist!

I'm proud to report that my book All Roads Lead to Rome: Searching for the End of My Father's War has been named an Independent Book Awards 2025 Finalist.
It's gratifying to have recognition for a project that was ten years in the making.
Thanks very much to my publisher, Potomac Books at the University of Nebraska Press, and the editors and readers who helped me craft my story.

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Published on June 25, 2025 09:30 • Tags: all-roads-lead-to-rome, independent-book-awards, memoir, thorness

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Bill is Currently Reading

Bill Thorness is currently reading

So Far Gone

by Jess Walter

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Mar 18, 2026 12:03PM

Bill Thorness is currently reading

A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness

by Michael Pollan (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Mar 18, 2026 12:03PM

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The Gardener's Bed-Book: Short and Long Pieces to Be Read in Bed by Those Who Love Green Growing Things (Modern Library Gardening)

by Richardson Wright

bookshelves: currently-reading, gardening

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Feb 24, 2026 05:51PM

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Bill Thorness started reading So Far Gone by Jess Walter	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Mar 18, 2026 12:03PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of So Far Gone by Jess Walter. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — So Far Gone by Jess Walter <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Bill Thorness is currently reading A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness by Michael Pollan (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Bill Thorness rated a book it was amazing The Laughter by Sonora Jha (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Wryly funny and deeply observant, this book challenged me to consider our cultural path. Long after I've finished it, The Laughter is still on my mind. ...more
Mar 18, 2026 12:01PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Laughter by Sonora Jha. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Laughter by Sonora Jha <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Bill Thorness rated a book it was amazing Slow Time by Waverly Fitzgerald (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Bill Thorness rated a book really liked it Vigil by George Saunders	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Feb 24, 2026 05:52PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Vigil by George Saunders. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Vigil by George Saunders <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Bill Thorness rated a book it was amazing The Name of This Band Is R.E.M. by Peter Ames Carlin (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Bill Thorness is currently reading The Gardener's Bed-Book: Short and Long Pieces to Be Read in Bed by Those Who Love Green Growing Things (Modern Library Gardening) by Richardson Wright	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Feb 24, 2026 05:50PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Laughter by Sonora Jha. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Laughter by Sonora Jha <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Bill Thorness has read How Can I Help?: Saving Nature with Your Yard by Douglas W. Tallamy	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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