Like other O’Connor works of late, this is kind of History Lite, with an exceptionally excessive ‘rah-rah’ approach to many of the personages depicted even they’re anti-abolitionists, corrupt politicians or exploitative industrialists. On the other hand, the book makes for a good quick reference guide to the varied personalities who populate Boston’s history. One improvement I would like to see is to arrange the biographies chronologically as opposed to alphabetically. Still there are more than a few Eminent Bostonians of whom I’d like to learn more:

Abigail Adams – thoughtfully patriotic woman of the Revolution / early Federal period

Emily Greene Balch – peace activist

Melnea Cass – civil rights and social justice leader

Allan Crite – self-educated artist

Mary Dyer – Quaker, proponent of freedom of religious conscience

Isabella Stewart Gardner – eccentric socialite and art collecter

Anne Hutchinson – religious leader

Elma Lewis – educator

Martin Lomasney – politician,

“The great mass of people are interested in only three things – food, clothing, and shelter. A politician in a district like mine sees to it that his people get these things. If he does, the he doesn’t have to worry about their loyalty and support.” (p. 166)

Robert Morris – lawyer and bridge-builder between African- and Irish – American communities.

Julia O’Connor – union activist

John Boyle O’Reilly – journalist and social activist

Mary Kenney O’Sullivan – union activist

Preston “Sandy” Sandiford – jazz musician

Lucy Stone – suffragist and feminist

Kip Tiernan – founder of Rosie’s Place ( )