Where We Keep the Light: Stories from a Life of Service

by Josh Shapiro

A grounded and intimate portrait of life by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro

Where We Keep the Light is the story of public service and personal faith. From an early age, Josh Shapiro learned and practiced the power of showing up, listening, and executing, to make people’s lives a little better. In the pages of this account of his life, Shapiro relates powerful stories about his family, his faith, and what matters to Americans tired of all the divisiveness and distrust in our leaders.

Reflecting on what he’s learned by knocking on doors, serving his community, and tackling the tough problems that no one wanted to touch in new and different ways, Shapiro reminds us that government can be a force for good, that conventional wisdom is rarely wise, and there’s more that unites Americans than divides us.

Shapiro is answering a call to service at a time when we need leaders like him to step up. Where We Keep the Light is a must-read account of his life and what lies ahead.

Genres: Memoir, Politics, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Biography, Biography Memoir, History

272 pages, Hardcover

Published January 27, 2026

Reviews

[Ken Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve known Josh since 1999 when he was Chief of Staff to my political mentor, Joe Hoeffel and attending Georgetown Law School at night. Two things I’ve always known about Josh since the day we met, he loved Lori and he was dedicated to public service (this was before he became a father). This book shows both and also his commitment and love for his children. Among Josh’s super powers is his empathy and ability to listen and connect with people. But he doesn’t just listens, he gets stuff done. I’ve proudly voted for Josh in every race he’s run since 2011 because he’s a great public servant but an even better person. His family is his North Star and this book shows that.

Shapiro for America!

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the writing: A little clunky at first, but he found his rhythm, and I found it super enjoyable. Some political books can just be look at how awesome I am, while this had genuinely interesting stories.

On the content: I actually got so emotional. I do not align with many of Shapiro's views, but you can tell he genuinely cares about his constituents, and I firmly believe we need more people like him in politics. I also loved how he explained his evolving thoughts on issues and policies and was not scared to admit when he was wrong. At the end he also had a great PA pride moment which I am always a sucker for.

[Josh Nisley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is clearly a get-to-know-me memoir in advance of a presidential run and at times reads like a stump speech, but Shapiro seems like a genuine mensch despite the politician’s politician persona. I was especially impressed by the obvious depth and sincerity of his Jewish faith.

[Moira · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a fan of Shapiro in general and believe he has a lot to offer as a public official. I went into this knowing this book is just the standard run up to a presidential campaign release, but it honestly put a damper on my stance.

Most things in this book are surface level, it written in a way that is clearly just checking boxes of the political issues that will be present in a campaign. Showing his stance and experience with each one.

I really struggled with the tone. The writing came off as pompous with a bit of self-deprecating to try to bring it back down, but it didn't work for me. This is very different from other ways I have heard him speak and my overall view of him, so it made the entire book a struggle for me.

[Jan McAdams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where we keep the light

I loved this book! So refreshing to read in these sad times in our country "leadership". What a wonderful example of how humanity should look. Josh Shapiro for president - PLEASE!

I have already recommended this read to everyone I know. I wish the book had more pages to read. I will re-read this daily as sort of a daily devotional.

[Nina Krasnoff]

Read so I could talk to my dad about it. This is very much an “I want to run for president” book, and so every story is twisted in order to present another reason he would be a good president. This does not make for the most enjoyable reading experience. But, if he does run for president, I’m glad I’ll have a clear understanding of his stances.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Unfettered and it made me like John Fetterman even more. I read 107 Days and it helped me to like Kamala Harris. I was expecting the same for this book. It did not! Shapiro came across as a very conceited and pompous person. Give me the ball! Give me the ball! I am the smartest in the room, listen to me. When he told stories that appeared to be him trying to be like the Everyman he was running into Glass or climbing ladders upside down. I think he thinks to relate to the common person you must be an idiot. I could not relate to the man who traded his car in to avoid cleaning it. I felt like this book was full of him whining and bragging. All that being said at the end of the book when he talks about the woman in the church and he helped and linked that to his present circumstance after the fire, I did get choked up. What happened to him and his family was terrible and heartbreaking. I wish him a long life that is absent of anti-Semitism. I just prefer that life to not be as my Governor or President.

[Suzette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed learning more about Josh Shapiro. He seems like a decent human being who actually cares about his constituents. Such a rare trait in our leaders from both parties who seem to spend more time fighting with each other than taking care of the American people.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty standard get to know the politician before he runs for another office book. Shapiro comes across as genuine, hard working, family focused and profoundly and proudly Jewish. He’s done much good for the people of Pennsylvania. Could he do the same for the nation?

[Zoe Zeid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing audiobook!!!!!! I had no idea Josh Shapiro was so Jewish!!! I loved hearing about how he uses his faith in making decisions and I liked how he talked about how his Jewish values and customs aren't something he does, they are just part of his normal life. He clearly cares a lot about his constituents even if everything stated in the book is not 100% true. Looking forward to what Josh does next in both his personal life and political career.

[Bob Hand · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently saw Josh Shapiro speak in Erie and that’s what inspired me to listen to this book. Minor criticism: some of the phrasings are repeated, by that I mean I think the editor overlooked some repetition.

If you are to believe Shapiro’s telling, and there is no evidence you shouldn’t, there is really no good reason NOT to elect him to even higher office. His decision making is non-partisan and based on his beliefs and his conviction that Pennsylvania should be a better place for everyone.

I’m so used to reading rock and roll biographies that it’s kind of funny - I was waiting for a tawdry story or a narrow escape, maybe something dicey. Not in this book. Shapiro is pretty clean cut and I consider that to be a good thing.

[Rachel-RN · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5* rounded up

Josh Shapiro came on my radar when he was vested for the VP position in Kamala Harris's administration. And also the antisemitic attack on the governor's residence.
At times he is humble and other times he is braggadocios. Either way, he is clearly proud of his (as he should be) life in public service. Depending on how things shake out, I would anticipate him to be a contender for a certain nomination in 2028. I think he is fairly centrist in his views and probably would appeal to many. I have some issues with him, so he's not my first (or second) choice, but we shall see.

[Bonnie Edelenbos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a Josh Shapiro fan. I think he is a great person. This book gave me more insight into his life. Interesting and informative!

[Bonny · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Where We Keep the Light, Josh Shapiro offers a thoughtful, measured reflection on public service, faith, and what it means to “show up” for your community. Part memoir, part governing philosophy, the book traces his path from knocking on doors as a young volunteer to leading the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through complicated and often contentious moments.

I’ll admit whenever a prominent politician releases a memoir, especially one still relatively early in their national trajectory, it’s hard not to view it through a presidential lens. Writing a book can feel like a box that gets checked when someone is considering a future run for higher office. That said, even with that awareness, this was still a genuinely solid and engaging read.

What works best here is Shapiro’s emphasis on practical governance. He returns again and again to the idea that government can function well if leaders are willing to listen carefully, build coalitions, and tackle unglamorous problems head-on. His stories from the campaign trail and from his time in office feel grounded rather than grandiose. There’s a steady through-line of faith and family, but it’s presented in a way that feels personal rather than preachy.

As someone who doesn’t live in Pennsylvania but just next door in New Jersey, I found it interesting to read about issues that ripple across state lines, economic development, infrastructure, public safety, and the constant effort to restore trust in institutions. Even from a neighboring state, it’s clear that Shapiro takes the mechanics of governing seriously.

Is it a bit polished? Of course. Is there careful positioning? Absolutely. But that’s to be expected in political memoir. What elevates it to four stars for me is the tone: pragmatic, optimistic without being naive, and focused on the idea that more unites Americans than divides us.

If this book is part of laying the groundwork for a presidential run, it’s an effective introduction. Based on what I read here and in the news about his governorship, I think Mr. Shapiro would do a fine job as president. Here’s hoping that that happens.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this compelling memoir, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro shares stories about his childhood and political rise and the faith that drives his devotion to public service. He begins by telling the story of surviving an arsonist’s 2025 attack on the Governor’s Residence while he and his family slept after celebrating Passover, culminating with a strong condemnation of political violence. Knocking on doors in his race for Pennsylvania State Representative taught him the value of listening to voters’ problems. As Pennsylvania Attorney General, he sought justice for victims of the Catholic Church’s decades of child abuse and fought monopolistic healthcare company practices.

A pragmatist, Shapiro focuses on four issues that he hopes can unite voters: decent jobs, good schools, safe communities, and rights and freedoms. It remains to be seen whether he will run for president in 2028; he may have a hard time in the Democratic primary given leftwing distrust of his moderate positions on the environment and the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, among other issues. Regardless, Where We Keep the Light is an inspiring political memoir and an exciting page-turner.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s memoir during Pesach 5786 was a bit of a hit. He started the book by chronicling the antisemitic arson attack on his home right after last year’s first night Seder. Possibly the only thing that saved him and his extended family from worse harm was a closed door off the dining room. But this is also objectively a short turnaround time from writing to publication.

“I remembered that the Torah twice refers to the night of the Seder as ‘a night guarded by G-d,’” Shapiro wrote. “Harm did try to find its way in, but this night had, in fact, been guarded.” And yet, he admitted to being rattled: “The bubble burst that morning in the Charter Room. People did want to kill me. They were hoping to, and willing to try. They were willing to try and kill my family, too…On a holiday during which we shared our faith and celebrated our freedom. I didn’t want to live in fear, and we wouldn’t. But my illusion of safety and security was broken.”

As an American Jew, it can be difficult to parse the line between Shapiro’s centrality as a well-known public figure vs the rise of antisemitism making life more dangerous for all Jews in this country. Some of the criticism levied against the governor has to do with his shutting down of post-October 7/Gaza War protests on Pennsylvania campuses because of the danger he sensed towards Jewish members of the community.

“The number of people who came over to me, and said how scared they were, and how they found comfort in the fact that I could live openly with my faith and the position that I’m in put on me, and I guess I put this on myself, a feeling of responsibility,” Shapiro said to NPR. “To be open about who I am, to speak out about antisemitism, and to be purposeful about doing that work.”

Still, he ended his prologue with a shoutout to all the people who assisted and stood up for him and his family, and he introduced his book title as honoring light: “the central, definitive metaphor of my faith.” It’s a jumping off point to narrating the rest of his life: from his foundational years to a career he finds marked by unusual job choices, but all in the name of public service.

Shapiro’s memoir reminds me of reading Pete Buttigieg’s a few years ago: despite the negative climate (at my own synagogue Seder this year, a table member reared back when I told her I worked on Capitol Hill, until I assured her it wasn’t in politics—and this was a DC Seder!), they are firm believers in joining (or leading) government initiatives in the name of altruism. As a younger man, Shapiro briefly considered following his father into medicine, but the college coursework didn’t jive with him. Ultimately, politics fit his take-charge attitude.

Within these pages, Shapiro talked about running and serving as state senator, county commissioner, and attorney general of PA before taking over the governorship. When JTA sat down to review the memoir, they pointed out that the only race he lost was that of class president at his Jewish day school—to the now-CEO of their parent company, Ami Eden. :P https://www.jta.org/2026/01/30/politi...

Shapiro’s hardships were perhaps abstract. He opened up about his mother’s mental illness, which impacted his life, but not to the point of serious dysfunction. He talked about his somewhat sappy courtship of his wife, Lori, reaching all the way back to the 9th grade, and how she’s his rock, even when it may take a moment for him to consider her advice. Maybe his most relatable inner struggle is that of a 21st century father—with a series of high stress, demanding jobs, he did some uphill climbing in trying to prove they were the most important part of his life. Shabbat dinners offered a nice cornerstone, and Shapiro wasn’t above noting when his kids were impressed by his political wins. :P

And he had several political wins. The most prominent ones, especially to a national audience, would have to be his actions as AG—he was sworn in during Trump’s first term, and the president became a target of many lawsuits. Shapiro also went after corrupt business and the Catholic Church, in a harrowing and often secret case about bringing justice to multiple victims who were abused over decades. I could feel his strain most there, particularly when he had to keep his day-to-day anxieties secret from Lori. Granted, this also felt more poignant to me after reading JESUS WEPT by Philip Shenon.

The governor is also committed to moderate, center-left politics, reaching across the aisle during points of his career, and advocating for complicated, nuanced positions (see: police reform that fixes systemic issues while keeping police in positions to serve.) I can roll my eyes at all of the basketball metaphors and the repetition of “now, let’s get back to work!” but even I feel the hope when it comes to this sort of leadership.

I don’t know if Shapiro wrote this memoir to position himself for a more national career change (certainly other reviews debated the same question.) I do think he tried to “take back the narrative” regarding his consideration for Kamala Harris’s VP, not to say I don’t think he was being authentic. In fact, I appreciated the deep thought he gave to what the position would've entailed, and the complications of what Harris wanted out of the relationship. It ultimately felt wrong for him, but he wrote about without denigrating the former VP. He offered a little less explanation on the page about why the question from the vetting team about his relationship to Israel was so distasteful. In a more perfect world, perhaps it would be self-evident. But in this era of growing antisemitism, I’m grateful that JTA delved deeper into the issue than Shapiro did.

(Meanwhile, to nitpick more—I also agree with JTA that Shapiro used the word “faith” to describe his Jewish practice as a way of “translating” to a predominately Christian audience, when meanwhile most traditionally-affiliated Jews like himself would not use that word. So, the man does know how to reach out, I guess. :P)

Overall, I found this book to be thoughtful and grounding. Plus, it’s actually front list! :P Not sure if this one will be winning many awards—I hold out more hope for Rachel Goldberg-Polin’s memoir, which should be released later this month. That one will probably lead me to a long holds list at the library. This one didn’t…and I’m glad I got to read it (or listen to Shapiro narrate it, anyway) during Pesach.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great memoir by the current governor of Pennsylvania, as he talks about his life and his family, and his long career as a public servant. I really enjoyed it on audio, listening to him tell his story in his own voice.

If you are feeling depressed and cynical about the current state of politics in the US - this might be the antidote. Shapiro comes across as so authentic and someone who genuinely has spent his whole life in public service in a variety of roles, because he truly believes in helping people and making the world a better place. He is passionate and has strong and genuine beliefs, but also seems always open to listening to people and even changing his stance on issues. I also love that he doesn’t shy away from his Judaism or discussing antisemitism.

I know memoirs like this are often just a precursor to a presidential run and if so - count me fully on board for Shapiro ’28.

[Clay H · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must read. If you follow democratic politics and or live in Pennsylvania chances are you have heard of Josh Shapiro. Shapiro has been Gov of PA since 2023 and by being so is one of the leading democratic voices in the country. He is also a leading voice in the Jewish community. He’s one of small number of Jewish governors currently serving. The book details a lot of how his faith is part of who he is and how he lives his life as a proud openly Jewish man and politician. The book is also clearly an introduction of himself to readers and voters. This book will be read by many before and during the 2028 presidential race..(he’s likely to run for President in 2028).

[Evan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written book about the life of the Governor, and hopefully future Presidential candidate, written in his own words with warmth and candor. While some of it reads like a politician's memoir, with detailed positions and policy decisions, much of it is very engrossing, like his account of the days in July/August 2024 when he was vetted for VP.  We could certainly use more national leaders like Josh Shapiro, smart and practical, with a moral compass, strong convictions, and empathy.

[Jonathan Karron · Rating 4 out of 5]

What i know about Josh from his interviews and media appearances, I like, and this was a chance to learn more about him. He’s always come across as very articulate and poised to me.

This book reinforces all of that. He comes across as a bit of a goody-two-shoes, which is fine. And also a devoted family man and a man of faith. He outlines a bit about his life, his career and how he arrived at some of the big decisions in his personal and political life.

This to me feels very much like a book someone writes before running for President. I’ll definitely give him some consideration as I evaluate him and whatever other candidates decide to run.

3.75 stars, rounded up to 4.

[Nicole]

Josh Shapiro writes of many situations where it was key to hear all sides, and speak to people on the other side of the aisle. I didn't know too much about him before reading this book, and appreciate knowing more. I'm much more interested in the possibilities and potential for the 2028 presidential race!!

It was very interesting to read about how the vetting process went for VP in 2024.

I listened to the audio, which was read by Josh Shapiro, which probably made the book more personalized.

[Steve Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where we Keep the Light (Shapiro)

I knew I like this guy from the little snippets I had seen and read, but his book is 10 times the inspiration I had before and all the inspiration I hoped for. I desperately hope he runs for President in 2028 and so does Chris Sununu. I would love to finally be able to vote again knowing I could be happy with either choice, instead of voting against the evil of two lessers. RUN JOSH!

[Evelyn Petschek · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and heartwarming memoir. A politician and public servant who takes the public trust seriously, so refreshing to hear of bipartisanship in our increasingly divided world. A politician with charity and kindness at the forefront. Wonderfully narrated by the author.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed listening to this book by my Pennsylvania governor. It was so interesting to learn about how he came to be in politics, all the positions he’s held and some of the important things he’s done in my state. Always love listening to a book read by the author.

[Stephanie]

what to say, what to say.....

he's a great storyteller and an even better politician (I mean that genuinely)

[Bill H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Josh Shapiro

An extraordinary and inspirational biography of faith in action ! A candid and powerful portrayal by this courageous ,compassionate and dedicated man.

[Rachel Mattis · Rating 5 out of 5]

What. A. Mensch. Shapiro is one of the most logical, nuanced, and levelheaded politician I’ve ever heard.

[Madeleine McGrath · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay yeah cool sounds good I’ll move to Harrisburg for the reelection. Wow I loved this book.

[Shirley JP · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so appreciative of this book and the heartfelt sincerity and transparency shared by the Governor.

…This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man…

– William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 3.

[Louise DeMatteo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A life of faith and service to others and an all around decent human being,… and also a politician! A combination we see so seldomly these days. Here’s hoping our children look at Josh Shapiro and see what a leader should be and be inspired to follow in his footsteps.