Top 2025 Politics Books: The Essential Reads

A History of Public Housing in America

Howard A. Husock’s “The Projects” (NYU, 240 pages, $29.95) offers a critical look at the history of public housing in the United States. The book is largely a narrative of failure, tracing how government efforts to address urban poverty often led to unintended consequences. When Franklin Roosevelt signed the law creating the Federal Housing Administration in 1934, there was an assumption that the government could solve any problem. This optimism grew into overconfidence by the time Harry Truman signed the Housing Act of 1949. The goal of these laws was to eliminate “slums,” leading to the destruction of many poor neighborhoods and their replacement with high-rise housing units.

Over time, these projects became symbols of failure. Mr. Husock, building on his earlier work “The Poor Side of Town” (2021), highlights the virtues of the slums that were replaced. These communities were self-organized, fostering a sense of pride and ambition among residents. In contrast, the housing projects often discouraged community and ambition, trapping residents for years or even decades. Today, the conditions in these projects are worse than the slums they replaced, with higher levels of squalor and crime. Rather than offering policy solutions, the book ends with a reflection on the scale of this failure.

A Critique of Legal Education

Readers may recall the controversy involving Ilya Shapiro, who left his position at Georgetown Law after being subjected to intense scrutiny over a tweet. In “Lawless” (Broadside, 272 pages, $29.99), Mr. Shapiro recounts this episode and expands on his critique of America’s elite law schools and the legal infrastructure surrounding them, particularly the American Bar Association. While many top law schools provide excellent training and employ dedicated faculty, Mr. Shapiro presents a series of troubling accounts. These include deans harassing speakers, students defaming those with differing views, and faculty obsessed with obscure academic theories. The book concludes with a list of practical reforms aimed at addressing these issues.

A Tale of Friendship and Rivalry

James Grant’s “Friends Until the End” (Norton, 496 pages, $45) explores the long friendship and eventual falling-out between two prominent British parliamentarians, Edmund Burke and Charles James Fox. Despite their differences—Burke, the son of a Dublin lawyer, was religious and moderate, while Fox, from a noble family, was more secular and extravagant—their shared opposition to the abuse of power kept them united for much of their careers. Their friendship was ultimately shattered by the French Revolution, as Fox supported the chaos in Paris, while Burke condemned it in his influential work “Reflections on the Revolution in France.” Although Mr. Grant does not explicitly draw parallels to modern political divides, the tension between conservatism and progressivism is evident.

The Complex Relationship Between Wealth and Power

In “The Power and the Money” (Regnery, 368 pages, $32.99), Tevi Troy examines the complex relationships between wealthy industrialists and U.S. presidents. The book covers historical examples such as the Warners’ efforts to influence the New Deal, Henry Ford’s attempts to sway U.S. involvement in World War I, and Henry Luce’s shifting views on Roosevelt. More recently, the book has gained new relevance with the relationship between Elon Musk and Donald Trump, whose alliance and subsequent fallout illustrate the themes explored in the text. Mr. Troy shows that while some moguls sought to influence government, their efforts often backfired, leading to unexpected outcomes.

A Memoir of Captivity

Eli Sharabi’s “Hostage” (Harper Influence, 208 pages, $30), translated from the Hebrew by Eylon Levy, recounts his 491-day captivity in Gaza. Most of this time was spent in dark underground tunnels with other Israeli hostages, enduring minimal food and frequent beatings. The memoir includes harrowing descriptions of his surroundings, including a tunnel entrance located inside a mosque and another in a residential home. As he descends into one of these tunnels, he reflects on the fear and uncertainty he feels, comparing it to the biblical story of Jonah.

Upon his release, Mr. Sharabi learns that his wife and daughters had been killed on the day he was taken. Despite this, he chooses to express forgiveness rather than bitterness. “Hostage” is a powerful account of resilience and humanity in the face of extreme adversity.