Nikhil Agarwal – Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson
The book I’m recommending is Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson. A critique of liberal policies by two liberals, the book explains perfectly why government-led development and infrastructure projects are doomed for failure in a pluralistic, democratic society like ours. A great read for any Californians who are still waiting for California to complete construction on the bullet-train to nowhere.
Tim Anaya – Thursday Murder Club (series) by Richard Osman
Whether Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes or something more contemporary, I love a good mystery. This year, I read several great mystery series including the Susan Ryeland mysteries (aka Magpie Murders), two which have been turned into mini-series on Masterpiece Mystery. By far, my favorite mysteries that I’ve read this year are the Thursday Murder Club series, authored by Richard Osman. There are five books in the series, which chronicle the murder investigations undertaken by a group of seniors who are club members of a weekly club investigating cold cases at a retirement home in England. Not surprisingly, the cold cases become extremely hot in each novel. Start with the first book, then check out the terrific Netflix movie adaptation starring Helen Mirren, Ben Kingsley, Pierce Brosnan and Celia Imrie.
Laura Dannerbeck – Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
It’s a beautiful story of twin boys born to an Indian nun and a British surgeon in Ethiopia. The secrecy surrounding their birth, their innate interest in pursuing medicine and the dynamics that evolve within their family nearly destroy every bond created. What started as a very endearing relationship between the boys became fraught by fierce competition, misunderstandings, and betrayals. Storytelling at its best. Highly recommended.
Steven Greenhut – Southern Man by Greg Iles
A great read for political junkies who want to take a break from the latest national drama by reading something with current-affairs overtones, but that is nevertheless fictional. It’s a crime thriller that also throws history, geography and murder into the mix. It’s unsettling and heavy-handed at times on political themes, but it is, as the book-review cliche goes, a real page turner. The nearly 1,000 pages go by quickly.
Rowena Itchon – The Director by Daniel Kehlmann, Ross Benjamin (translator)
The Director is a novel about G.B Pabst, one of the 20th century’s most gifted film directors. An Austrian by birth, he flees to Hollywood during the Nazi advance in Europe. Returning to Austria (now renamed Ostmark) to assist his elderly mother, he becomes trapped in the country whose borders have now closed. Threatened by the Nazi regime, he is co-opted into producing propaganda films for the Third Reich. This is a spellbinding novel about the ruthless attempt of a totalitarian regime to control art and culture – its choking grip destroying the lives of artists, intellectuals, and crafts people. The novel is a lesson for all who cherish intellectual and artistic freedom.
Lance Izumi – The Miracles Among Us: How God’s Grace Plays a Role in Healing by Marc Siegel
People may know Dr. Marc Siegel as the resident medical authority on Fox News, but he has just written a book that is about faith as much as it is about science. In this book he profiles people whose recovery from dread medical conditions was impacted by the spiritual world, including one man’s near-death experience where he saw his deceased father who gave him comfort and information that was virtually unknown to anyone in his family. A great book of hope, faith, and inspiration for the Christmas and holiday season.
Kerry Jackson – Strangers in Time by David Baldacci.
Baldacci, one of the more prolific novelists of our time, departs from his usual legal and suspense thrillers and whodunits with this book. Set in 1944 London that has been devastated by the blitz, the plot puts together three unlikely survivors, a poor teenage boy who has lost both parents, a girl who’s a bit older and is higher on the social order but has also lost her family, and the owner of a book store who has lost his wife. Baldacci combines history, intrigue, sorrow and hope to turn out one his best.
Pam Lewison – The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul by Deborah Rodriguez
Somerset Maugham said, “To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life.” This book is set in Afghanistan during the height of the Taliban’s authority. It weaves a story of hope, friendship, and light in times of bombings, strife, and fear. I like stories that give us a way to look for silver linings.
Sally Pipes – My Fight for Canadian Healthcare: A thirty-year battle to put patients first by Dr. Brian Day
My recommendation for the Christmas reading list this year is My Fight For Canadian Health Care: A 30-Year Battle To Put Patients First (2025), which I reviewed in “Where Health Care Went to Die” in the Claremont Review of Books in Summer 2025. The author is noted Canadian orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Brian Day, who has lost his agonizing battle to bring some much-needed competition to Canada’s disastrous single-payer health care system. His famous and successful private Cambie Clinic based in Vancouver, B.C., was used not only by patients who were facing very long waiting lists but by politicians of all political stripes.
We do not need to pursue an experiment in universal, government-run health care in this country. We would find ourselves, like in Canada and the U.K., facing long waits for care, a shortage of doctors, and a lack of access to the latest medical treatments and procedures. Brian Day has given us a strong warning of what not to do in America.
Steve Smith – Love Thy Neighbor – A Story Of War by Peter Mass
They say every generation gets their war. Mine was in Bosnia, where I served with the United Nations. 2025 is the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Dayton Agreement ending the war. Love Thy Neighbor is the best account I’ve read of that terrible time.
Ben Smithwick – The Wounded Generation by David Nasaw
David Nasaw’s The Wounded Generation (Penguin Press, 2025) offers an eye-opening and essential re-examination of post-World War II America, moving beyond the simplistic myth of the “Greatest Generation.” Drawing on extensive primary sources, this richly informative history illuminates the personal traumas, mental health crises, and social challenges faced by veterans and their families upon returning home. This book is a perfect holiday gift for any history enthusiast, providing a deeper understanding of the war’s unacknowledged cost.
