Welcome to Part II of our series highlighting the best of 2025: the awarding of Topsfield, Massachusetts’ most prestigious literary awards of the year, The Golden Goulds (named after our benefactor, George L. Gould). In Part I, we highlighted the borrowed titles of the year in Topsfield (the “People’s Choice”). Now, we highlight what the Topsfield Library staff considered their favorites of the year. Only the best of the best will win…so, who will it be?! Fiction The Bee Sting by Paul Murray “Secret pasts, forbidden desires, and shattered illusions figure into this ambitious family drama from Paul Murray…” -Publisher’s …Read More

People of Topsfield: the end of the year can only mean one thing. The awarding of Topsfield, Massachusetts’ most prestigious literary awards of the year, The Golden Goulds. The Golden Goulds are awarded in two parts: this post will celebrate the most checked out books of 2025, celebrating the people’s choice for books of the year. Our next post Golden Goulds post, after the New Year, will highlight staff choices for the best of the previous year. The Golden Goulds are named after the library’s benefactor George L. Gould. Only the best of the best will come away with a Golden Gould …Read More