My Top Ten Books of 2025 By Alec Hill

Books are Gifts to Open Again and Again

Harry Truman once wrote: “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” In that spirit, here are my best books of the year.

• Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela  

Hearing Mandela’s voice in his autobiography struck a deep chord within me. How could he endure prison for 27 years and then display such kindness – even love – towards those who put him there? A remarkable story of resilience, dignity, and grace. Truly a heroic figure.

• The Patient Ferment of the Early Church by Alan Kreider

Persecuted and mainly constituted of lower-class members, how did the early church evolve from a minor sect in the Roman Empire to become the largest religion in the world? The author cites a slow-moving “fermenting” process that produced mature disciples. A unique slant on church history that also provides a roadmap for the future.  

• Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI by Ethan Mollick

Looking for a primer on artificial intelligence? This is your book. Written by a Wharton professor, it is eminently readable for AI neophytes like me. Both positive and negative aspects of AI are explored. I was particularly taken by chapters on AI’s bias, creativity, lack of ethical boundaries, and potential impact on jobs.

• Patriot by Alexei Navalny

This memoir deeply moved me. Knowing that he might face death upon reentering Putin’s Russia in 2021 – having been poisoned a few years earlier – Navalny decided to do so anyway. In his final years, he discovered Jesus through the Sermon on the Mount. His murder created both global sorrow and outrage.

• Lights Out: Pride, Delusion, and the Fall of General Electric by Thomas Gryta and Ted Mann

At the turn of the millennium, GE was flying high. Earnings from the conglomerate’s various product lines were strong, and the company was an American icon. But two decades later, GE as we knew it no longer existed. What happened to precipitate such a calamitous collapse? An organizational morality tale of ego, abuse of power, and self-deception.

• The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

The novel focuses on two families – one Jewish and the other Black – in a small Pennsylvanian town a century ago. McBride, a master storyteller, spins an intricate tale of poverty, racism, and hope. His ability to simultaneously dispirit and inspire readers is remarkable.

• The Last Days of the Incas by Kim MacQuarrie

Francisco Pizzaro’s conquest of the Inca empire is troubling on so many fronts – cruelty, deceit, and incredible suffering. What makes it particularly difficult for Christians is that it was all done under the image of the cross. What could be more ironic than a crucified savior being mingled with the avarice of conquistadors?

• Romans by John Stott

Every decade, I try to reread this commentary. No one brings Paul’s epistle to life better than Stott. Cutting through webs of complexity, he brings clarity to even the most challenging passages. And when he is uncertain about interpretation, he lays out viable options for readers to consider.   

• The Crusades of Caesar Chavez by Miriam Pawel

Before reading this rich biography, I imagined Chavez as a saintly Catholic who sacrificed himself, ala Christ, for the sake of his people. While the sacrificial aspect is mainly true, his Christian faith was relatively negligible. He took vengeance on perceived enemies and swore like a sailor. His main hero was Gandhi, not Jesus.

• The Bielski Brothers by Peter Duffy

In a little-known history, three Belarusian Jewish brothers built a forest community of 1,200 rescued Jews. Over three years, they saved nearly as many people as Oskar Schindler (made famous by a Steven Spielberg film). It is an incredible story of courage, community, and sacrifice.

Alec Hill is the President Emeritus of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship USA.

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