“Abundance” seemed to be everywhere this year.
The book by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson was the talk of certain political circles, particularly among Democrats as their party took its turn in the political wilderness. The book pitches a “liberalism that builds” in various sectors, housing and beyond. Barack Obama called it a “blueprint for reforming government so it can deliver for working people.”
Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll recently quipped that half of Gov. Maura Healey’s cabinet is reading the book. Local elected officials were reading it too: In a social media post, Boston City Councilor Enrique Pepen touted it as his subway read.
After hearing that, I had some trepidation about reaching out to people on and off Beacon Hill about what they read this year. The rules were: It didn’t have to be a book published this year, it didn’t have to relate to politics, and it could be fiction or non-fiction. If “Abundance” was indeed their favorite book of 2025, I asked that the runner-up be included.
Some went with a classic – City Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata, who is pregnant, touted the guide “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” – while others went with something fresh off the printing press, like Senate President Karen Spilka who chose the latest in a crime fiction franchise, “The Girl With Ice in Her Veins.”
Healey picked two books: “James,” by Percival Everett, and “North Woods,” by Daniel Mason. “James” revisits Mark Twain’s “Huck Finn,” from the perspective of the fugitive slave Jim. “To me, ‘James’ was a story of connection, resilience, and strength,” she said. “But it was also about how easy human beings can form judgments about others without understanding or knowing the whole person.”
She also picked the historical fiction book “North Woods” partly because it was set in Massachusetts. “But it was also a favorite because I grew up in a very old house surrounded by an apple orchard that – similar to the one in the book – had so many stories and ghosts of people who lived there for over four centuries.”
For Driscoll, “Abundance” was indeed her top favorite. “It hits the nail on the head about how we need to focus on outcomes when it comes to policymaking and think about regulation reform as a way to fast-track housing,” she said.
Her runner-up: “The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century,” by Thomas Friedman. “It touches on how globalization has changed the way we talk about the world and how we have to adapt to the idea that the world has ‘flattened’ making us more economically interconnected than ever before,” she said.
We also asked former Gov. Deval Patrick, Healey’s rivals for the Corner Office, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and others for their top reads of the year. Here’s what they said.
Former Gov. Deval Patrick
He’s reading “The Seven Sisters” series by Lucinda Riley after his wife Diane raved about it. “I’m on book two of eight, and it’s a lot of fun. It seems to be about searching for love, and how hard it is to take a chance on the search. And how rewarding. Living with an open heart runs the risk of repeated disappointments — until kindness and generosity and grace appear and make you realize this is how it’s supposed to work.”
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu
“Boston and the Making of a Global City,” by James C. O’Connell. “I’ve been diving into Boston history as we get ready for America’s 250th and Boston’s 400th. This one was sent to me by my dear late friend, Nick Mitropoulos,” a veteran political operative who passed away in September.
Mike Kennealy, former Charlie Baker cabinet chief and GOP candidate for governor
“The best book I read this year was an older one, but it’s called ‘What It Takes’ by Richard Ben Cramer — a reminder that behind every campaign are real people, real families, and real motivations that shape who we become as leaders. It’s a masterclass in character, grit, and the unseen demands of public service. For anyone who cares about the future of our Commonwealth, it reinforces why we need leaders who are grounded, resilient, and driven by something bigger than themselves.”
Brian Shortsleeve, former MBTA administrator and GOP candidate for governor
“Amp It Up: Leading for Hypergrowth by Raising Expectations, Increasing Urgency, and Elevating Intensity,” by businessman Frank Slootman, is his pick. “The book is engaging because it combines real-world business stories from a world-class entrepreneur with practical advice on how organizations can raise performance standards, sharpen focus and improve results. It has an emphasis on urgency and intensity, which helps leaders create momentum, avoid complacency and drive change in organizations.”
Michael Minogue, GOP candidate for governor and former medtech executive
He chose “Killing England,” by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard. The book “describes the brutal struggle for American Independence and that we were the underdogs until the last battle,” a campaign spokesperson said.
Sen. Lydia Edwards, co-chair of Judiciary Committee
“The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story” by Nikole Hannah-Jones, who takes a look at discrimination and oppression in American history. “This book connects a lot of the dots from the very beginning, how it was intentional. She brings the receipts. To me, it’s not just a book, it’s a playbook on how policy has caused harm, and how it can undo harm.”
Joan Vennochi, Boston Globe columnist
She was inspired to re-read the late Ted Kennedy’s 2009 memoir, “True Compass” after a visit to the Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate in Dorchester. “Although it falls short in addressing Chappaquiddick, it’s more introspective about Kennedy’s personal challenges than I remembered. It’s also a worthy testament to a more collegial time in Washington, when senators worked across party lines to get things done,” she wrote. “I also recommend ‘The Presidents vs. The Press,’ by Harold Holzer – a reminder that animosity between presidents and journalists goes back to George Washington, although the current state is in a class by itself.”
Lee Pelton, president and CEO of the Boston Foundation
Like Healey, he also picked two books, and one of them was “James.” Recalling Everett, the author, saying, “I do not view the work as a corrective, but rather I see myself in conversation with Twain,” Pelton adds, “While this might have been Everett’s intent, the novel’s biting and hilarious satire suggest otherwise. James becomes his own man in a way that was impossible for Twain’s Jim.” Pelton’s second pick was “In Bohemia: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Kindness,” by Katie Swenson. “Bohemia is both a place where the author lived with her fiancé and a searingly honest, detailed, and deeply emotional account of their love and her subsequent loss and grief following his death.”
Paul Craney, executive director of Mass Fiscal Alliance
Craney chose the Bible. When asked which version he called the King James version “very rich,” but added he isn’t picky. “It’s the most important book anyone can read and it never goes out of date. As we all anticipate the Christmas holiday, there is no better time to be curious for what the Good Book has to say.”
Shannon O’Brien, chair of the Cannabis Control Commission
O’Brien recently started “The Undoing Project,” by Michael Lewis, which “explores the psychology of judgement and decision making,” she said in an email. “When I was State Treasurer, I read ‘Liar’s Poker’ and loved how Lewis wove a great story about 1980’s Wall Street culture and later read the ‘Big Short’ which is an interesting look at the corruption that led to the mortgage finance collapse.”
Steve Poftak, CEO of Boston Municipal Research Bureau
For Poftak, it was a tie between two Eastern European writers: “Herscht 07769” by László Krasznahorkai and “Time Shelter” by Georgi Gospodinov. “The first book was one that I thought was very obscure but then the author went and won the Nobel Prize. It’s an amazing book but a challenging read — 406 pages, one sentence, no paragraphs, no chapters. The second is a fascinating meditation on memory and loss; its central conceit is a sanitorium that offers treatment to Alzheimer’s patients in the form of floors dedicated to various decades in the past.”
Tom McGee, chair of MBTA board of directors
McGee picked “The Revolutionary: Sam Adams,” by Stacy Schiff. “It talks about Sam Adams and how he was the linchpin or the key, more so than everybody realizes, to what happened up to the Revolution and beyond, and what he did, his voice and how relevant all of those issues are today.”
As for me, I’m still making my way through Ron Chernow’s “Mark Twain,” which is long but enjoyable, like a riverboat cruise. So my favorite book this year is Amy Reading’s “The World She Edited,” about the life of Katharine S. White, a top New Yorker editor who grew up in Brookline. Let me know your favorite book of the year: gin@massterlist.com.