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Politics & Society

Most Recommended Books

The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright

The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright

“Reading this one book gives you an excellent grasp of the human story and the context from which al-Qaeda emerged.”

Audrey Kurth Cronin, Political Scientist

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On Liberty by John Stuart Mill

“On Liberty is the classic statement of traditional liberal values about the limits of state coercion. It’s an eloquent argument for personal liberty on the grounds that it’s the condition in which human beings are most likely to flourish and be happy.”

Jonathan Sumption,

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Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

“It shows the ways in which technology, our need for certain creature comforts and consumer culture can be used to manipulate us.”

Catherine Mayer, Politician

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Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell

“In terms of how technology is working in our modern surveillance powers, it’s a terrifyingly prophetic book in some of its implications for 21st-century human life. Orwell would deny that it was prophecy; he said it was a warning. But in fact, distinguished Orwell scholar Professor Peter Davis once made a list of all the things that Orwell got right, and it was a couple of fairly long paragraphs, and it was really rather terrifying.”

D J Taylor,

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Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell

“The reason why I am so fond of Homage to Catalonia, and see it as an even more relevant precursor to dissent, is that in it you can see a man of the Left learning to make the distinction that breaks down the Left with a big L into lots of little lefts. He comes to understand what Soviet power actually is, and that it is qualitatively different to the other sorts of Spanish left, or to European left-wing intellectuals or Labour in England.”

Timothy Snyder, Historian

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Browse book recommendations:

Politics & Society

  • Aid & International Development
  • American Politics
  • British Politics
  • Crime & Criminology
  • Feminism
  • Foreign Policy & International Relations
  • Gender
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  • Human Rights
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  • Race & Racism
  • Terrorism
  • War

We have a wide range of interviews recommending books on politics and society. Some cover international affairs, US foreign policy, US imperialism, US interventionism, global power and the EU; others take a more theoretical view of the world, looking at justice and the law, feminism, gender politics, the sociology of inequality, effective altruism, anarchism, and transitional justice to name a few. All recommend the very best political books.

We also have interviews dedicated to sex and society, climate change, women’s suffrage, constitutional arrangements on both sides of the Atlantic, espionage and covert action, millennials, free speech, and the psychology of war.

Nested within our politics and society sections are subcategories recommending books on US politics, international development, conflict and war, gender, human rights, journalism, migration, and terrorism among others.

    The Best Politics Books of 2020, recommended by Yascha Mounk

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    The Best Politics Books of 2020 - Twilight of Democracy by Anne Applebaum

    1

    Twilight of Democracy
    by Anne Applebaum

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    The Best Politics Books of 2020 - The Narrow Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson

    2

    The Narrow Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty
    by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson

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    The Best Politics Books of 2020 - The Great Demographic Illusion: Majority, Minority, and the Expanding American Mainstream by Richard Alba

    3

    The Great Demographic Illusion: Majority, Minority, and the Expanding American Mainstream
    by Richard Alba

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    The Best Politics Books of 2020 - Self-Portrait in Black and White: Family, Fatherhood and Rethinking Race by Thomas Chatterton Williams

    4

    Self-Portrait in Black and White: Family, Fatherhood and Rethinking Race
    by Thomas Chatterton Williams

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    The Best Politics Books of 2020 - A Promised Land by Barack Obama

    5

    A Promised Land
    by Barack Obama

The Best Politics Books of 2020, recommended by Yascha Mounk

Despite the challenge of authoritarian populism and a new divisiveness in political debate in many countries around the world there are reasons for optimism, argues political scientist Yascha Mounk, author of The People vs. Democracy. He talks us through his selection of the best politics books of 2020.

    The best books on Joe Biden, recommended by Ronald A. Klain

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    The best books on Joe Biden - What It Takes by Richard Ben Cramer

    1

    What It Takes
    by Richard Ben Cramer

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    The best books on Joe Biden - Matters of Principle by Mark Gitenstein

    2

    Matters of Principle
    by Mark Gitenstein

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    The best books on Joe Biden - Where the Light Enters by Jill Biden

    3

    Where the Light Enters
    by Jill Biden

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    The best books on Joe Biden - Promise Me, Dad by Joe Biden

    4

    Promise Me, Dad
    by Joe Biden

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    The best books on Joe Biden - The Cure at Troy by Seamus Heaney

    5

    The Cure at Troy
    by Seamus Heaney

The best books on Joe Biden, recommended by Ronald A. Klain

On January 20th, 2021, Joe Biden became the 46th President of the United States. Here Ronald A. Klain, the veteran lawyer who is once again serving as Biden's chief of staff, recommends books that show the man behind the public persona including his love of Irish poetry, the string of terrible personal tragedies that have affected his life and career, and his leading role in blocking a Supreme Court appointment that would've decimated abortion rights.

    The best books on Margaret Thatcher, recommended by Simon Heffer

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    The best books on Margaret Thatcher - Margaret Thatcher: The Authorized Biography, Volume One: Not For Turning by Charles Moore

    1

    Margaret Thatcher: The Authorized Biography, Volume One: Not For Turning
    by Charles Moore

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    The best books on Margaret Thatcher - Not for Turning: The Life of Margaret Thatcher by Robin Harris

    2

    Not for Turning: The Life of Margaret Thatcher
    by Robin Harris

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    The best books on Margaret Thatcher - One of Us by Hugo Young

    3

    One of Us
    by Hugo Young

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    The best books on Margaret Thatcher - Freedom and Reality by J Enoch Powell

    4

    Freedom and Reality
    by J Enoch Powell

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    The best books on Margaret Thatcher - The Road to Serfdom by Friedrich A Hayek

    5

    The Road to Serfdom
    by Friedrich A Hayek

The best books on Margaret Thatcher, recommended by Simon Heffer

Simon Heffer, journalist, historian and friend of Margaret Thatcher, recommends the best books to read to gain an understanding of the United Kingdom’s first female prime minister—and explains why she was the most influential British leader of the modern era.

    The best books on Veterans, recommended by Phil Klay

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    The best books on Veterans - The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth & Michael Hofmann (translator)

    1

    The Radetzky March
    by Joseph Roth & Michael Hofmann (translator)

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    The best books on Veterans - A Grain of Wheat by Ngugi wa Thiong'o

    2

    A Grain of Wheat
    by Ngugi wa Thiong'o

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    The best books on Veterans - Station Island by Seamus Heaney

    3

    Station Island
    by Seamus Heaney

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    The best books on Veterans - Native Guard by Natasha Trethewey

    4

    Native Guard
    by Natasha Trethewey

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    The best books on Veterans - Empire City by Matt Gallagher

    5

    Empire City
    by Matt Gallagher

The best books on Veterans, recommended by Phil Klay

While many of us in the West commemorate the contribution of war veterans and the soldiers who lost their lives on our behalf, there’s also a tendency to see war as something distant and unconnected with our daily lives. Here Phil Klay, veteran of the US Marine Corps and award-winning novelist, recommends books that help bridge that gap—and capture the complicated relationship between soldiers and the societies on whose behalf they fight.

    The best books on Ruth Bader Ginsburg, recommended by Amanda Tyler

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    The best books on Ruth Bader Ginsburg - My Own Words by Mary Hartnett, Ruth Bader Ginsburg & Wendy W. Williams

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    My Own Words
    by Mary Hartnett, Ruth Bader Ginsburg & Wendy W. Williams

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    The best books on Ruth Bader Ginsburg - Conversations with RBG: Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Life, Love, Liberty, and Law by Jeffrey Rosen

    2

    Conversations with RBG: Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Life, Love, Liberty, and Law
    by Jeffrey Rosen

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    The best books on Ruth Bader Ginsburg - I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy & Elizabeth Baddeley (illustrator)

    3

    I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark
    by Debbie Levy & Elizabeth Baddeley (illustrator)

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    The best books on Ruth Bader Ginsburg - The RBG Workout: How She Stays Strong . . . and You Can Too! by Bryant Johnson

    4

    The RBG Workout: How She Stays Strong . . . and You Can Too!
    by Bryant Johnson

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    The best books on Ruth Bader Ginsburg - Justice, Justice Thou Shalt Pursue by Amanda Tyler & Ruth Bader Ginsburg

    5

    Justice, Justice Thou Shalt Pursue
    by Amanda Tyler & Ruth Bader Ginsburg

The best books on Ruth Bader Ginsburg, recommended by Amanda Tyler

Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933—2020) spent her life working tirelessly for a more just society, says Amanda Tyler, Shannon C. Turner Professor of Law at Berkeley and former law clerk to the Supreme Court Justice. She recommends the best books to read about RBG: her life, her work, and even her personal training regime.

    The best books on State, Power and Violence, recommended by Geoffroy de Lagasnerie

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    The best books on State - Violence and the Word by Robert Cover

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    Violence and the Word
    by Robert Cover

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    The best books on State - The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander

    2

    The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
    by Michelle Alexander

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    The best books on State - Black against Empire: The History and Politics of the Black Panther Party by Joshua Bloom & Waldo E. Martin Jr.

    3

    Black against Empire: The History and Politics of the Black Panther Party
    by Joshua Bloom & Waldo E. Martin Jr.

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    The best books on State - Critique of Violence by Walter Benjamin

    4

    Critique of Violence
    by Walter Benjamin

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    The best books on State - The Birth of Biopolitics: Lectures at the Collège de France, 1978–1979 by Michel Foucault

    5

    The Birth of Biopolitics: Lectures at the Collège de France, 1978–1979
    by Michel Foucault

The best books on State, Power and Violence, recommended by Geoffroy de Lagasnerie

French philosopher and sociologist Geoffroy de Lagasnerie argues for a more realist political theory, one that fully acknowledges that state violence is the one thing in your life that you can never escape. His selection includes works by Michel Foucault and Walter Benjamin, as well as a history of the Black Panther Party.

    The best books on Global Cultural Understanding: the 2020 Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize, recommended by Patrick Wright

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    The best books on Global Cultural Understanding: the 2020 Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize - Imperial Intimacies: A Tale of Two Islands by Hazel Carby

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    Imperial Intimacies: A Tale of Two Islands
    by Hazel Carby

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    The best books on Global Cultural Understanding: the 2020 Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize - Insurgent Empire: Anticolonial Resistance and British Dissent by Priyamavada Gopal

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    Insurgent Empire: Anticolonial Resistance and British Dissent
    by Priyamavada Gopal

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    The best books on Global Cultural Understanding: the 2020 Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize - Lakota America: A New History of Indigenous Power by Pekka Hämäläinen

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    Lakota America: A New History of Indigenous Power
    by Pekka Hämäläinen

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    The best books on Global Cultural Understanding: the 2020 Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize - Gods of the Upper Air: How a Circle of Renegade Anthropologists Reinvented Race, Sex, and Gender in the Twentieth Century by Charles King

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    Gods of the Upper Air: How a Circle of Renegade Anthropologists Reinvented Race, Sex, and Gender in the Twentieth Century
    by Charles King

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    The best books on Global Cultural Understanding: the 2020 Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize - All Our Relations: Indigenous Trauma in the Shadow of Colonialism by Tanya Talaga

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    All Our Relations: Indigenous Trauma in the Shadow of Colonialism
    by Tanya Talaga

The best books on Global Cultural Understanding: the 2020 Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize, recommended by Patrick Wright

Every year the British Academy's Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize is awarded to the best nonfiction book that has contributed to 'global cultural understanding.' This year, the legacies of colonization and empire loom large. Patrick Wright, Emeritus Professor at King's College London and chair of this year's panel of judges, talks us through the books shortlisted for the £25,000 prize.

    The Best Political Books of 2019, recommended by John Harwood

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    The Best Political Books of 2019 - Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America by Chris Arnade

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    Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America
    by Chris Arnade

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    The Best Political Books of 2019 - The Economists' Hour: False Prophets, Free Markets, and the Fracture of Society by Binyamin Appelbaum

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    The Economists' Hour: False Prophets, Free Markets, and the Fracture of Society
    by Binyamin Appelbaum

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    The Best Political Books of 2019 - Transaction Man: The Rise of the Deal and the Decline of the American Dream by Nicholas Lemann

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    Transaction Man: The Rise of the Deal and the Decline of the American Dream
    by Nicholas Lemann

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    The Best Political Books of 2019 - American Carnage: On the Front Lines of the Republican Civil War and the Rise of President Trump by Tim Alberta

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    American Carnage: On the Front Lines of the Republican Civil War and the Rise of President Trump
    by Tim Alberta

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    The Best Political Books of 2019 - The War on Normal People: The Truth About America's Disappearing Jobs and Why Universal Basic Income Is Our Future by Andrew Yang

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    The War on Normal People: The Truth About America's Disappearing Jobs and Why Universal Basic Income Is Our Future
    by Andrew Yang

The Best Political Books of 2019, recommended by John Harwood

With the 2020 presidential race underway and a possible impeachment of President Trump on the horizon, 2019 has been an action-packed year so far in American politics. Here to discuss five new political books that break down how we got to where we are is CNBC editor-at-large John Harwood, whose razor-sharp analysis has put him at the forefront of our television screens and the nation’s political discourse.

    The best books on Popular Uprisings, recommended by Robert Poole

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    The best books on Popular Uprisings - Amritsar 1919: An Empire of Fear and the Making of a Massacre by Kim Wagner

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    Amritsar 1919: An Empire of Fear and the Making of a Massacre
    by Kim Wagner

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    The best books on Popular Uprisings - Sharpeville: An Apartheid Massacre and its Consequences by Tom Lodge

    2

    Sharpeville: An Apartheid Massacre and its Consequences
    by Tom Lodge

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    The best books on Popular Uprisings - The Making of the English Working Class

    3

    The Making of the English Working Class

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    The best books on Popular Uprisings - Citizens: A Chronicle of the French Revolution by Simon Schama

    4

    Citizens: A Chronicle of the French Revolution
    by Simon Schama

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    The best books on Popular Uprisings - Germinal by Emile Zola

    5

    Germinal
    by Emile Zola

The best books on Popular Uprisings, recommended by Robert Poole

Under what conditions do popular uprisings end in massacres? What's the best way for someone protesting against a government to get what they want? Robert Poole, Professor of History at the University of Central Lancashire and author of Peterloo: The English Uprising, recommends the best books on uprisings.

    The best books on The First Amendment, recommended by Suzanne Nossel

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    The best books on The First Amendment - The Soul of the First Amendment by Floyd Abrams

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    The Soul of the First Amendment
    by Floyd Abrams

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    The best books on The First Amendment - The Free Speech Century by Geoffrey R. Stone (Editor) & Lee C. Bollinger (Editor)

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    The Free Speech Century
    by Geoffrey R. Stone (Editor) & Lee C. Bollinger (Editor)

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    The best books on The First Amendment - Words That Wound: Critical Race Theory, Assaultive Speech, And The First Amendment by Charles R. Lawrence III, Kimberlè Williams Crenshaw, Mari J. Matsuda & Richard Delgado

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    Words That Wound: Critical Race Theory, Assaultive Speech, And The First Amendment
    by Charles R. Lawrence III, Kimberlè Williams Crenshaw, Mari J. Matsuda & Richard Delgado

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    The best books on The First Amendment - Speech Police: The Global Struggle to Govern the Internet by David Kaye

    4

    Speech Police: The Global Struggle to Govern the Internet
    by David Kaye

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    The best books on The First Amendment - Dare to Speak: Defending Free Speech for All by Suzanne Nossel

    5

    Dare to Speak: Defending Free Speech for All
    by Suzanne Nossel

The best books on The First Amendment, recommended by Suzanne Nossel

Frequently appealed to, less frequently understood, and by no means a free pass to say or write whatever you feel like: Suzanne Nossel, chief executive of PEN America, the nonprofit dedicated to free expression, talks us through the best books to better understand America's venerated First Amendment.

    The best books on The Far Right, recommended by Cas Mudde

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    The best books on The Far Right - Radical Right-Wing Populism in Western Europe by Hans-Georg Betz

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    Radical Right-Wing Populism in Western Europe
    by Hans-Georg Betz

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    The best books on The Far Right - Revolt on the Right: Explaining Support for the Radical Right in Britain by Matthew Goodwin & Robert Ford

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    Revolt on the Right: Explaining Support for the Radical Right in Britain
    by Matthew Goodwin & Robert Ford

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    The best books on The Far Right - The Politics of Fear: What Right-Wing Populist Discourses Mean by Ruth Wodak

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    The Politics of Fear: What Right-Wing Populist Discourses Mean
    by Ruth Wodak

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    The best books on The Far Right - The Extreme Gone Mainstream: Commercialization and Far Right Youth Culture in Germany by Cynthia Miller-Idriss

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    The Extreme Gone Mainstream: Commercialization and Far Right Youth Culture in Germany
    by Cynthia Miller-Idriss

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    The best books on The Far Right - Right-Wing Populism in America: Too Close for Comfort by Chip Berlet & Matthew N. Lyons

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    Right-Wing Populism in America: Too Close for Comfort
    by Chip Berlet & Matthew N. Lyons

The best books on The Far Right, recommended by Cas Mudde

There’s nothing new about the far right and the unpleasant views that its supporters espouse. What’s changed is that some of those views have been embraced by the political mainstream and are now viewed as normal. Political scientist Cas Mudde, Stanley Wade Shelton UGAF Professor at the University of Georgia, talks us through the best books on the far right.

    The Best Books on the Politics of Information, recommended by Henry Farrell

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    The Best Books on the Politics of Information - Red Plenty by Francis Spufford

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    Red Plenty
    by Francis Spufford

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    The Best Books on the Politics of Information - The Market System: What It Is, How It Works, and What To Make of It by Charles Lindblom

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    The Market System: What It Is, How It Works, and What To Make of It
    by Charles Lindblom

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    The Best Books on the Politics of Information - The Sciences of the Artificial by Herbert A. Simon

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    The Sciences of the Artificial
    by Herbert A. Simon

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    The Best Books on the Politics of Information - Radical Markets: Uprooting Capitalism and Democracy for a Just Society by E. Glen Weyl & Eric A. Posner

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    Radical Markets: Uprooting Capitalism and Democracy for a Just Society
    by E. Glen Weyl & Eric A. Posner

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    The Best Books on the Politics of Information - Uncanny Valley: A Memoir by Anna Wiener

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    Uncanny Valley: A Memoir
    by Anna Wiener

The Best Books on the Politics of Information, recommended by Henry Farrell

Our political systems evolved in an era when information was much harder to come by. What challenges does our current reality of information overload pose for democracy? How do we even start thinking about these questions? Political scientist Henry Farrell proposes key books for building a curriculum on ‘the politics of information,’ starting with a beautifully written novel.

    The best books on National Security, recommended by Juliette Kayyem

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    The best books on National Security - A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam by Neil Sheehan

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    A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam
    by Neil Sheehan

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    The best books on National Security - Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer

    2

    Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster
    by Jon Krakauer

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    The best books on National Security - Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital by Sheri Fink

    3

    Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital
    by Sheri Fink

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    The best books on National Security - The Hot Zone: The Chilling True Story of an Ebola Outbreak by Richard Preston

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    The Hot Zone: The Chilling True Story of an Ebola Outbreak
    by Richard Preston

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    The best books on National Security - The Submission by Amy Waldman

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    The Submission
    by Amy Waldman

The best books on National Security, recommended by Juliette Kayyem

National security isn’t just about foreign policy and counterterrorism, but has a broad set of concerns—including climate change, national disasters and pandemics. Juliette Kayyem, Senior Lecturer in International Security at Harvard and author of Security Mom, recommends books to get us all thinking about national security and the challenges we face.

    The best books on Migrant Workers, recommended by Mireya Loza

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    The best books on Migrant Workers - No Man's Land: Jamaican Guestworkers in America and the Global History of Deportable Labor by Cindy Hahamovitch

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    No Man's Land: Jamaican Guestworkers in America and the Global History of Deportable Labor
    by Cindy Hahamovitch

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    The best books on Migrant Workers - Defiant Braceros: How Migrant Workers Fought for Racial, Sexual, and Political Freedom by Mireya Loza

    2

    Defiant Braceros: How Migrant Workers Fought for Racial, Sexual, and Political Freedom
    by Mireya Loza

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    The best books on Migrant Workers - Managed Migrations: Growers, Farmworkers, and Border Enforcement in the Twentieth Century by Cristina Salinas

    3

    Managed Migrations: Growers, Farmworkers, and Border Enforcement in the Twentieth Century
    by Cristina Salinas

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    The best books on Migrant Workers - Migrant Citizenship: Race, Rights, and Reform in the U.S. Farm Labor Camp Program by Verónica Martínez-Matsuda

    4

    Migrant Citizenship: Race, Rights, and Reform in the U.S. Farm Labor Camp Program
    by Verónica Martínez-Matsuda

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    The best books on Migrant Workers - The Nature of California: Race, Citizenship, and Farming since the Dust Bowl by Sarah Wald

    5

    The Nature of California: Race, Citizenship, and Farming since the Dust Bowl
    by Sarah Wald

The best books on Migrant Workers, recommended by Mireya Loza

American society and American history marginalized migrant workers for too long. New scholarship shows that migrant workers were central to America’s cultural and economic development. Mireya Loza, a historian at Georgetown University and author of Defiant Braceros, talks us through the best books about migrant workers—and why their stories are integral to understanding the past and present of United States.  

    The Best Books for Long-Term Thinking, recommended by Roman Krznaric

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    The Best Books for Long-Term Thinking - Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson

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    Aurora
    by Kim Stanley Robinson

  • Read
    The Best Books for Long-Term Thinking - The Clock of the Long Now by Stewart Brand

    2

    The Clock of the Long Now
    by Stewart Brand

  • Read
    The Best Books for Long-Term Thinking - Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert

    3

    Stumbling on Happiness
    by Daniel Gilbert

  • Read
    The Best Books for Long-Term Thinking - Thinking in Systems by Donella Meadows

    4

    Thinking in Systems
    by Donella Meadows

  • Read
    The Best Books for Long-Term Thinking - A New Reality: Human Evolution for a Sustainable Future by Jonas Salk & Jonathan Salk

    5

    A New Reality: Human Evolution for a Sustainable Future
    by Jonas Salk & Jonathan Salk

The Best Books for Long-Term Thinking, recommended by Roman Krznaric

We would all love our economic and political systems to be less short-termist in approach, but how do we set about encouraging a more long-term ethos? Cultural thinker Roman Krznaric, author of The Good Ancestor, recommends five books to get us thinking about the long term, up to ten millennia in the future.

    The best books on Interracial Relationships, recommended by Tineka Smith and Alex Court

  • Read
    The best books on Interracial Relationships - The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

    1

    The Vanishing Half
    by Brit Bennett

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    The best books on Interracial Relationships - Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

    2

    Americanah
    by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

  • Read
    The best books on Interracial Relationships - Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

    3

    Born a Crime
    by Trevor Noah

  • Read
    The best books on Interracial Relationships - Caucasia by Danzy Senna

    4

    Caucasia
    by Danzy Senna

  • Read
    The best books on Interracial Relationships - The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

    5

    The Hate U Give
    by Angie Thomas

The best books on Interracial Relationships, recommended by Tineka Smith and Alex Court

You might think that books about interracial couples aren’t relevant unless you’re part of one or are close to someone who is, but nothing could be further from the truth. In Mixed Up: Confessions of an Interracial Couple, a fascinating audiobook narrated by Tineka Smith and Alex Court, the husband and wife duo tell the story of their own relationship and, in doing so, give the listener unique insights into racism and racial identity. Here, they recommend their top books on interracial relationships.

    The best books on The Slave Trade, recommended by William A. Pettigrew

  • Read
    The best books on The Slave Trade - The Interesting Narrative by Olaudah Equiano

    1

    The Interesting Narrative
    by Olaudah Equiano

  • Read
    The best books on The Slave Trade - Capitalism and Slavery by Eric Williams

    2

    Capitalism and Slavery
    by Eric Williams

  • Read
    The best books on The Slave Trade - The Rise of African Slavery in the Americas by David Eltis

    3

    The Rise of African Slavery in the Americas
    by David Eltis

  • Read
    The best books on The Slave Trade - Ouidah: The Social History of a West African Slaving Port 1727-1892 by Robin Law

    4

    Ouidah: The Social History of a West African Slaving Port 1727-1892
    by Robin Law

  • Read
    The best books on The Slave Trade - American Slavery, American Freedom: The Ordeal of Colonial Virginia by Edmund S Morgan

    5

    American Slavery, American Freedom: The Ordeal of Colonial Virginia
    by Edmund S Morgan

The best books on The Slave Trade, recommended by William A. Pettigrew

In the 17th and 18th century millions of Africans were shipped across the Atlantic to the Americas as slaves. This trade took place at the same time as ‘liberal’ ideas about the importance of human freedom took root in Great Britain and North America. Here, historian William A. Pettigrew recommends five books to help understand the slave trade, how it was established, why it flourished and why it was eventually abolished.

    The best books on Historical Change and Economic Ideology, recommended by Thomas Piketty

  • Read
    The best books on Historical Change and Economic Ideology - The Great Demarcation: The French Revolution and the Invention of Modern Property by Rafe Blaufarb

    1

    The Great Demarcation: The French Revolution and the Invention of Modern Property
    by Rafe Blaufarb

  • Read
    The best books on Historical Change and Economic Ideology - Gold and Freedom: The Political Economy of Reconstruction by Nicolas Barreyre

    2

    Gold and Freedom: The Political Economy of Reconstruction
    by Nicolas Barreyre

  • Read
    The best books on Historical Change and Economic Ideology - Citizenship between Empire and Nation: Remaking France and French Africa, 1945-1960 by Frederick Cooper

    3

    Citizenship between Empire and Nation: Remaking France and French Africa, 1945-1960
    by Frederick Cooper

  • Read
    The best books on Historical Change and Economic Ideology - Castes of Mind: Colonialism and the Making of Modern India by Nicholas B. Dirks

    4

    Castes of Mind: Colonialism and the Making of Modern India
    by Nicholas B. Dirks

  • Read
    The best books on Historical Change and Economic Ideology - The Emergence of Globalism: Visions of World Order in Britain and the United States, 1939–1950 by Or Rosenboim

    5

    The Emergence of Globalism: Visions of World Order in Britain and the United States, 1939–1950
    by Or Rosenboim

The best books on Historical Change and Economic Ideology, recommended by Thomas Piketty

Throughout history, social and economic inequalities have been fueled and justified by different ideologies. French economist Thomas Piketty’s latest book, Capital and Ideology, looks at the advent and fall of these ideologies, and how they could evolve in the future. He recommends five great books to better understand these complex and always-evolving ideas, and their consequences for the world.

    The Best Donald Trump Books, recommended by Tony Schwartz

  • Read
    The Best Donald Trump Books - Strangers in Their Own Land by Arlie Russell Hochschild

    1

    Strangers in Their Own Land
    by Arlie Russell Hochschild

  • Read
    The Best Donald Trump Books - American Carnage: On the Front Lines of the Republican Civil War and the Rise of President Trump by Tim Alberta

    2

    American Carnage: On the Front Lines of the Republican Civil War and the Rise of President Trump
    by Tim Alberta

  • Read
    The Best Donald Trump Books - Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff

    3

    Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House
    by Michael Wolff

  • Read
    The Best Donald Trump Books - Gaslighting America: Why We Love It When Trump Lies to Us by Amanda Carpenter

    4

    Gaslighting America: Why We Love It When Trump Lies to Us
    by Amanda Carpenter

  • Read
    The Best Donald Trump Books - The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump by Bandy Lee

    5

    The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump
    by Bandy Lee

The Best Donald Trump Books, recommended by Tony Schwartz

Around the world, people were taken aback when the populist candidate, a real estate developer and reality TV show star called Donald Trump, was elected as the 45th President of the United States. Here Tony Schwartz, Trump’s co-author on his bestselling book, The Art of the Deal, talks us through how that happened and why Trump is so mesmerising, even to those who oppose him.

    Best Books by Black Queer Writers, recommended by Robert Jones Jr.

  • Read
    Best Books by Black Queer Writers - The Color Purple by Alice Walker

    1

    The Color Purple
    by Alice Walker

  • Read
    Best Books by Black Queer Writers - Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin

    2

    Go Tell It on the Mountain
    by James Baldwin

  • Read
    Best Books by Black Queer Writers - The Blacker the Berry by Wallace Thurman

    3

    The Blacker the Berry
    by Wallace Thurman

  • Read
    Best Books by Black Queer Writers - Black Leopard, Red Wolf (The Dark Star Trilogy: Book 1) by Marlon James

    4

    Black Leopard, Red Wolf (The Dark Star Trilogy: Book 1)
    by Marlon James

  • Read
    Best Books by Black Queer Writers - B-Boy Blues by James Earl Hardy

    5

    B-Boy Blues
    by James Earl Hardy

Best Books by Black Queer Writers, recommended by Robert Jones Jr.

The novels of James Baldwin, Alice Walker, Wallace Thurman and James Early Hardy bring the America of the last two centuries vividly to life. Marlon James brings us a fantasy trilogy set in ancient Africa. Robert Jones Jr., author of The Prophets—a love story set on a plantation in the American South—talks us through his choices of the best books by Black queer writers.

    The best books on The Cold War, recommended by Archie Brown

  • Read
    The best books on The Cold War - The Cold War: A World History by Odd Arne Westad

    1

    The Cold War: A World History
    by Odd Arne Westad

  • Read
    The best books on The Cold War - For the Soul of Mankind: The United States, the Soviet Union, and the Cold War by Melvyn P Leffler

    2

    For the Soul of Mankind: The United States, the Soviet Union, and the Cold War
    by Melvyn P Leffler

  • Read
    The best books on The Cold War - Russia and the Idea of the West by Robert English

    3

    Russia and the Idea of the West
    by Robert English

  • Read
    The best books on The Cold War - The Enigma of 1989: The USSR and the Liberation of Eastern Europe Jacques Lévesque (trans. Keith Martin)

    4

    The Enigma of 1989: The USSR and the Liberation of Eastern Europe
    Jacques Lévesque (trans. Keith Martin)

  • Read
    The best books on The Cold War - Reagan and Gorbachev by Jack Matlock

    5

    Reagan and Gorbachev
    by Jack Matlock

The best books on The Cold War, recommended by Archie Brown

American military and economic superiority cannot explain why the Cold War came to an end in the late 1980s and early 1990s. According to the historian Archie Brown, you need to accept the primacy of politics and human agency both in the USSR and the West. He chooses five books to understand the Cold War and offers some broader reflections on the qualities of good political leadership—then and now.

    The Best Movies about Race, recommended by Greg Garrett

  • Read
    The Best Movies about Race - Gone with the Wind (Movie) by Victor Fleming (director)

    1

    Gone with the Wind (Movie)
    by Victor Fleming (director)

  • Read
    The Best Movies about Race - In the Heat of the Night (Movie) by Norman Jewison (director)

    2

    In the Heat of the Night (Movie)
    by Norman Jewison (director)

  • Read
    The Best Movies about Race - Do the Right Thing (Movie) by Spike Lee (director)

    3

    Do the Right Thing (Movie)
    by Spike Lee (director)

  • Read
    The Best Movies about Race - 12 Years a Slave (Movie) by Steve McQueen (director)

    4

    12 Years a Slave (Movie)
    by Steve McQueen (director)

  • Read
    The Best Movies about Race - Get Out (Movie) by Jordan Peele (director)

    5

    Get Out (Movie)
    by Jordan Peele (director)

The Best Movies about Race, recommended by Greg Garrett

Movies are a big part of American cultural life and also one of the country’s biggest cultural exports. As a result, movies play an important role in how Americans see themselves, including in attitudes to race. Here Professor Greg Garrett of Baylor University—film historian, cultural theologian and author of A Long, Long Way: Hollywood’s Unfinished Journey from Racism to Reconciliation—talks us through five movies that best illustrate how Hollywood has evolved in terms of race over the past century, from Gone with the Wind to Get Out.

    The best books on Women’s Suffrage, recommended by Susan Ware

  • Read
    The best books on Women’s Suffrage - The Myth of Seneca Falls by Lisa Tetrault

    1

    The Myth of Seneca Falls
    by Lisa Tetrault

  • Read
    The best books on Women’s Suffrage - The Concise History of Woman Suffrage by Mari Jo Buhle & Paul Buhle

    2

    The Concise History of Woman Suffrage
    by Mari Jo Buhle & Paul Buhle

  • Read
    The best books on Women’s Suffrage - All Bound Up Together: The Woman Question in African American Public Culture, 1830-1900 by Martha S. Jones

    3

    All Bound Up Together: The Woman Question in African American Public Culture, 1830-1900
    by Martha S. Jones

  • Read
    The best books on Women’s Suffrage - The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote by Elaine Weiss

    4

    The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote
    by Elaine Weiss

  • Read
    The best books on Women’s Suffrage - The Right to Vote: The Contested History of Democracy in the United States by Alexander Keyssar

    5

    The Right to Vote: The Contested History of Democracy in the United States
    by Alexander Keyssar

The best books on Women’s Suffrage, recommended by Susan Ware

How many suffragists can you name? Feminist historian Susan Ware, author of a new history of the American women’s suffrage movement, urges us to remember how important suffrage was in the fight for women’s rights, on the cusp of its US centennial—and reveals the story of women getting the right to vote didn’t just begin at Seneca Falls.

    The best books on Forensic Science, recommended by Jim Fraser

  • Read
    The best books on Forensic Science - The Killer of Little Shepherds: A True Crime Story and the Birth of Forensic Science by Douglas Starr

    1

    The Killer of Little Shepherds: A True Crime Story and the Birth of Forensic Science
    by Douglas Starr

  • Read
    The best books on Forensic Science - Murder and the Making of English CSI by Ian Burney & Neil Pemberton

    2

    Murder and the Making of English CSI
    by Ian Burney & Neil Pemberton

  • Read
    The best books on Forensic Science - The Red Parts: Autobiography of a Trial by Maggie Nelson

    3

    The Red Parts: Autobiography of a Trial
    by Maggie Nelson

  • Read
    The best books on Forensic Science - Killer in the Shadows: The Monstrous Crimes of Robert Napper by Laurence Alison & Marie Eyre

    4

    Killer in the Shadows: The Monstrous Crimes of Robert Napper
    by Laurence Alison & Marie Eyre

  • Read
    The best books on Forensic Science - Suspect Identities: A History of Fingerprinting and Criminal Identification by Simon A. Cole

    5

    Suspect Identities: A History of Fingerprinting and Criminal Identification
    by Simon A. Cole

The best books on Forensic Science, recommended by Jim Fraser

Jim Fraser, veteran forensic investigator and author of Murder Under the Microscope, selects five of the best books about forensic science. Forget what you think you know about the subject from crime fiction and television dramas, and bring a healthy scepticism: this line of work can be as much a craft as a science.

    The Best Books on the Mafia, recommended by John Dickie

  • Read
    The Best Books on the Mafia - The Two Mafias: A Transatlantic History, 1888-2008 by Salvatore Lupo

    1

    The Two Mafias: A Transatlantic History, 1888-2008
    by Salvatore Lupo

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    The Best Books on the Mafia - Men of Honour: the Truth about the Mafia by Judge Giovanni Falcone

    2

    Men of Honour: the Truth about the Mafia
    by Judge Giovanni Falcone

  • Read
    The Best Books on the Mafia - La Sicilia e gli Alleati: Tra Occupazione e Liberazione by Manoela Patti

    3

    La Sicilia e gli Alleati: Tra Occupazione e Liberazione
    by Manoela Patti

  • Read
    The Best Books on the Mafia - Mafia Life: Love, Death and Money at the Heart of Organised Crime by Federico Varese

    4

    Mafia Life: Love, Death and Money at the Heart of Organised Crime
    by Federico Varese

  • Read
    The Best Books on the Mafia - Mafia Women by Clare Longrigg

    5

    Mafia Women
    by Clare Longrigg

The Best Books on the Mafia, recommended by John Dickie

The three biggest Italian mafias remain a powerful presence, with tentacles reaching deep inside Italian business and politics, but our understanding of them is marred by myths and misconceptions. Professor John Dickie of University College London, author of three books on the mafia, recommends what to read to get a better understanding of what the mafia really is.

    The best books on Auschwitz, recommended by Mary Fulbrook

  • Read
    The best books on Auschwitz - Auschwitz and After by Charlotte Delbo

    1

    Auschwitz and After
    by Charlotte Delbo

  • Read
    The best books on Auschwitz - Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

    2

    Man's Search for Meaning
    by Viktor Frankl

  • Read
    The best books on Auschwitz - The Search: The Birkenau Boys by Gerhard Durlacher

    3

    The Search: The Birkenau Boys
    by Gerhard Durlacher

  • Read
    The best books on Auschwitz - The Frankfurt Auschwitz Trial, 1963-1965: Genocide, History and the Limits of the Law by Devin O Pendas

    4

    The Frankfurt Auschwitz Trial, 1963-1965: Genocide, History and the Limits of the Law
    by Devin O Pendas

  • Read
    The best books on Auschwitz - Underground in Berlin: A Young Woman's Extraordinary Tale of Survival in the Heart of Nazi Germany by Marie Jalowicz-Simon

    5

    Underground in Berlin: A Young Woman's Extraordinary Tale of Survival in the Heart of Nazi Germany
    by Marie Jalowicz-Simon

The best books on Auschwitz, recommended by Mary Fulbrook

Why were so few of the Nazis involved in running Auschwitz brought to justice? Why did some Germans during the Holocaust risk death to hide Jewish people from Nazi persecution, while others were passive bystanders? Historian Mary Fulbrook—author of Reckonings, which won the 2019 Wolfson History Prize—recommends essential reading for understanding Auschwitz and its aftermath.

    The Best Antiracist Books for Kids, recommended by Paula Young Shelton

  • Read
    The Best Antiracist Books for Kids - In Your Hands by Brian Pinkney (Illustrator) & Carole Boston Weatherford

    1

    In Your Hands
    by Brian Pinkney (Illustrator) & Carole Boston Weatherford

  • Read
    The Best Antiracist Books for Kids - The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson & Rafael López (Illustrator)

    2

    The Day You Begin
    by Jacqueline Woodson & Rafael López (Illustrator)

  • Read
    The Best Antiracist Books for Kids - I Am Enough by Grace Byers & Keturah Bobo (Illustrator)

    3

    I Am Enough
    by Grace Byers & Keturah Bobo (Illustrator)

  • Read
    The Best Antiracist Books for Kids - Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale by John Steptoe

    4

    Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale
    by John Steptoe

  • Read
    The Best Antiracist Books for Kids - Milo's Museum by Purple Wong (Illustrator) & Zetta Elliott

    5

    Milo's Museum
    by Purple Wong (Illustrator) & Zetta Elliott

The Best Antiracist Books for Kids, recommended by Paula Young Shelton

Understanding the African American experience is not just about learning about suffering, it’s also about celebrating a vibrant culture and its roots across the millennia. Paula Young Shelton, author of Child of the Civil Rights Movement, recommends the best antiracist books for kids.

    The best books on Impeachment, recommended by Michael J. Gerhardt

  • Read
    The best books on Impeachment - High Crimes and Misdemeanors: A History of Impeachment for the Age of Trump by Frank O. Bowman III

    1

    High Crimes and Misdemeanors: A History of Impeachment for the Age of Trump
    by Frank O. Bowman III

  • Read
    The best books on Impeachment - Impeachment in America by N. E. H. Hull & Peter Charles Hoffer

    2

    Impeachment in America
    by N. E. H. Hull & Peter Charles Hoffer

  • Read
    The best books on Impeachment - Constitutional Grounds for Presidential Impeachment by United States Congress

    3

    Constitutional Grounds for Presidential Impeachment
    by United States Congress

  • Read
    The best books on Impeachment - Impeachment: The Constitutional Problems by Raoul Berger

    4

    Impeachment: The Constitutional Problems
    by Raoul Berger

  • Read
    The best books on Impeachment - Impeachment: A Handbook by Charles L. Jr. Black

    5

    Impeachment: A Handbook
    by Charles L. Jr. Black

The best books on Impeachment, recommended by Michael J. Gerhardt

In the 1998 Clinton impeachment proceedings, only one legal scholar was called as a joint witness: Michael J. Gerhardt, now a Professor of Law at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a prolific expert on subjects of constitutional history, the legislative process, and impeachment. With the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump well underway, he recommends five books crucial to understanding the subject.

    The best books on The Kurds, recommended by Peter W. Galbraith

  • Read
    The best books on The Kurds - My Father's Paradise: A Son's Search for His Family's Past by Ariel Sabar

    1

    My Father's Paradise: A Son's Search for His Family's Past
    by Ariel Sabar

  • Read
    The best books on The Kurds - A Modern History of the Kurds by David McDowall

    2

    A Modern History of the Kurds
    by David McDowall

  • Read
    The best books on The Kurds - Blood and Belief: The PKK and the Kurdish Fight for Independence by Aliza Marcus

    3

    Blood and Belief: The PKK and the Kurdish Fight for Independence
    by Aliza Marcus

  • Read
    The best books on The Kurds - A Problem from Hell by Samantha Power

    4

    A Problem from Hell
    by Samantha Power

  • Read
    The best books on The Kurds - Invisible Nation: How the Kurds' Quest for Statehood Is Shaping Iraq and the Middle East by Quil Lawrence

    5

    Invisible Nation: How the Kurds' Quest for Statehood Is Shaping Iraq and the Middle East
    by Quil Lawrence

The best books on The Kurds, recommended by Peter W. Galbraith

The Kurds lost 11,000 lives fighting Islamic State and hoped the West would support them in their quest for nationhood. But as the Kurdish saying goes, ‘The Kurds have no friends but the mountains.’ Author and diplomat Peter W. Galbraith, a longtime advocate of the Kurdish people, recommends the best books on the Kurds—and predicts that one day there will be an independent Kurdistan.

    Best Books of 2019 on Global Cultural Understanding, recommended by Ash Amin

  • Read
    Best Books of 2019 on Global Cultural Understanding - The Lies That Bind: Rethinking Identity by Kwame Anthony Appiah

    1

    The Lies That Bind: Rethinking Identity
    by Kwame Anthony Appiah

  • Read
    Best Books of 2019 on Global Cultural Understanding - How the World Thinks: A Global History of Philosophy by Julian Baggini

    2

    How the World Thinks: A Global History of Philosophy
    by Julian Baggini

  • Read
    Best Books of 2019 on Global Cultural Understanding - A Fistful of Shells: West Africa from the Rise of the Slave Trade to the Age of Revolution by Toby Green

    3

    A Fistful of Shells: West Africa from the Rise of the Slave Trade to the Age of Revolution
    by Toby Green

  • Read
    Best Books of 2019 on Global Cultural Understanding - Maoism: A Global History by Julia Lovell

    4

    Maoism: A Global History
    by Julia Lovell

  • Read
    Best Books of 2019 on Global Cultural Understanding - Remnants of Partition: 21 Objects from a Continent Divided by Aanchal Malhotra

    5

    Remnants of Partition: 21 Objects from a Continent Divided
    by Aanchal Malhotra

  • Read
    Best Books of 2019 on Global Cultural Understanding - Latinx: The New Force in American Politics and Culture by Ed Morales

    6

    Latinx: The New Force in American Politics and Culture
    by Ed Morales

Best Books of 2019 on Global Cultural Understanding, recommended by Ash Amin

Every year the British Academy’s Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize is awarded to a nonfiction book that has contributed to ‘global cultural understanding.’ Cambridge professor Ash Amin, chair of this year’s panel of judges, talks us through the fabulous books that made the 2019 shortlist and explains why they’re so important.

    The best books on White Supremacy, recommended by Kathleen Belew

  • Read
    The best books on White Supremacy - What Comes Naturally: Miscegenation Law and the Making of Race in America by Peggy Pascoe

    1

    What Comes Naturally: Miscegenation Law and the Making of Race in America
    by Peggy Pascoe

  • Read
    The best books on White Supremacy - Whiteness of a Different Color: European Immigrants and the Alchemy of Race by Matthew Frye Jacobson

    2

    Whiteness of a Different Color: European Immigrants and the Alchemy of Race
    by Matthew Frye Jacobson

  • Read
    The best books on White Supremacy - Eugenic Nation: Faults and Frontiers of Better Breeding in Modern America by Alexandra Minna Stern

    3

    Eugenic Nation: Faults and Frontiers of Better Breeding in Modern America
    by Alexandra Minna Stern

  • Read
    The best books on White Supremacy - From the War on Poverty to the War on Crime: The Making of Mass Incarceration in America by Elizabeth Hinton

    4

    From the War on Poverty to the War on Crime: The Making of Mass Incarceration in America
    by Elizabeth Hinton

  • Read
    The best books on White Supremacy - The Injustice Never Leaves You: Anti-Mexican Violence in Texas by Monica Muñoz Martinez

    5

    The Injustice Never Leaves You: Anti-Mexican Violence in Texas
    by Monica Muñoz Martinez

The best books on White Supremacy, recommended by Kathleen Belew

Defined by University of Chicago historian Kathleen Belew, white supremacy is a “broad system of laws, norms and customs that create a society with unequal opportunities for people based on race”. It persists to this day, and has surprising intersections with issues of labor and women’s reproduction. Here, she recommends books for coming to grips with the history of this complex topic.

    The best books on Maoism, recommended by Julia Lovell

  • Read
    The best books on Maoism - Mao’s Last Revolution by Michael Schoenhals & Roderick MacFarquhar

    1

    Mao’s Last Revolution
    by Michael Schoenhals & Roderick MacFarquhar

  • Read
    The best books on Maoism - Maoism at the Grassroots edited by Jeremy Brown and Matthew D. Johnson

    2

    Maoism at the Grassroots
    edited by Jeremy Brown and Matthew D. Johnson

  • Read
    The best books on Maoism - Red Star over China by Edgar Snow

    3

    Red Star over China
    by Edgar Snow

  • Read
    The best books on Maoism - The Bullet and the Ballot Box: The Story of Nepal's Maoist Revolution by Aditya Adhikari

    4

    The Bullet and the Ballot Box: The Story of Nepal's Maoist Revolution
    by Aditya Adhikari

  • Read
    The best books on Maoism - A Critical Introduction to Mao by Timothy Creek

    5

    A Critical Introduction to Mao
    by Timothy Creek

The best books on Maoism, recommended by Julia Lovell

While researching Maoism, China expert Julia Lovell battled against two incorrect assumptions: “firstly that Maoism is a story of China; and secondly that Maoism is a story of the past.” Here she recommends five books for coming to grips with the global, still-relevant impact of Maoism.

    The best books on True Crime, recommended by Cara Robertson

  • Read
    The best books on True Crime - Studies in Murder by Edmund Pearson

    1

    Studies in Murder
    by Edmund Pearson

  • Read
    The best books on True Crime - Classic Crimes by William Roughead

    2

    Classic Crimes
    by William Roughead

  • Read
    The best books on True Crime - The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale

    3

    The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher
    by Kate Summerscale

  • Read
    The best books on True Crime - Iphigenia in Forest Hills: Anatomy of a Murder Trial by Janet Malcolm

    4

    Iphigenia in Forest Hills: Anatomy of a Murder Trial
    by Janet Malcolm

  • Read
    The best books on True Crime - Crime and Punishment in American History by Lawrence Friedman

    5

    Crime and Punishment in American History
    by Lawrence Friedman

The best books on True Crime, recommended by Cara Robertson

Why do women kill? What does violence tell us about human nature? How do the methods of the criminal justice system speak to an era? Cara Robertson—a lawyer, author and expert on the famous Lizzie Borden case—picks five true crime books that deal in murder, individual psychology, public trials and justice.

    The best books on Justice and the Law, recommended by The Secret Barrister

  • Read
    The best books on Justice and the Law - A Time To Kill by John Grisham

    1

    A Time To Kill
    by John Grisham

  • Read
    The best books on Justice and the Law - The Rule of Law by Tom Bingham

    2

    The Rule of Law
    by Tom Bingham

  • Read
    The best books on Justice and the Law - The Children Act by Ian McEwan

    3

    The Children Act
    by Ian McEwan

  • Read
    The best books on Justice and the Law - Why We Get the Wrong Politicians by Isabel Hardman

    4

    Why We Get the Wrong Politicians
    by Isabel Hardman

  • Read
    The best books on Justice and the Law - Law and Disorder: Confessions of a Pupil Barrister by Tim Kevan

    5

    Law and Disorder: Confessions of a Pupil Barrister
    by Tim Kevan

The best books on Justice and the Law, recommended by The Secret Barrister

The English legal system is struggling to ensure justice. Drastic government cuts and disastrous reforms have led to innocent people being let down by the system again and again. Reporting anonymously from the front line, The Secret Barrister sees it as their duty to keep the public informed. Here they discuss the books that have shaped the way they think about justice and its relation to the law.

    The best books on Fascism, recommended by Ruth Ben-Ghiat

  • Read
    The best books on Fascism - Anatomy of Fascism by Robert O. Paxton

    1

    Anatomy of Fascism
    by Robert O. Paxton

  • Read
    The best books on Fascism - Fascist Spectacle by Simonetta Falasca-Zamponi

    2

    Fascist Spectacle
    by Simonetta Falasca-Zamponi

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    The best books on Fascism - The Origins of Nazi Violence by Enzo Traverso & Janet Lloyd

    3

    The Origins of Nazi Violence
    by Enzo Traverso & Janet Lloyd

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    The best books on Fascism - The Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt

    4

    The Origins of Totalitarianism
    by Hannah Arendt

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    The best books on Fascism - Family Lexicon by Natalia Ginzburg

    5

    Family Lexicon
    by Natalia Ginzburg

The best books on Fascism, recommended by Ruth Ben-Ghiat

In an era of Trumpism and fake news, the word ‘fascist’ is thrown around with increasing ease and little attention paid to its origins and history. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, political commentator and historian at New York University, recommends the best books for understanding fascism’s history and recognizing it today.

    The Best Politics Books of 2018, recommended by Stephen Bush

  • Read
    The Best Politics Books of 2018 - How Democracy Ends by David Runciman

    1

    How Democracy Ends
    by David Runciman

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    The Best Politics Books of 2018 - Punch and Judy Politics by Ayesha Hazarika & Tom Hamilton

    2

    Punch and Judy Politics
    by Ayesha Hazarika & Tom Hamilton

  • Read
    The Best Politics Books of 2018 - The Perils of Perception by Bobby Duffy

    3

    The Perils of Perception
    by Bobby Duffy

  • Read
    The Best Politics Books of 2018 - Fall Out: A Year of Political Mayhem by Tim Shipman

    4

    Fall Out: A Year of Political Mayhem
    by Tim Shipman

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    The Best Politics Books of 2018 - Chernobyl: History of a Tragedy by Serhii Plokhy

    5

    Chernobyl: History of a Tragedy
    by Serhii Plokhy

The Best Politics Books of 2018, recommended by Stephen Bush

2018 has been a year full of alarming political developments, but it has also proven fodder for an excellent crop of political books. Stephen Bush, special correspondent at the New Statesman, selects five of the best politics books.

    African American History Books, recommended by Imani Perry

  • Read
    African American History Books - Black Reconstruction in America by WEB Du Bois

    1

    Black Reconstruction in America
    by WEB Du Bois

  • Read
    African American History Books - Exodus: Religion, Race and Nation in Early Nineteenth-Century Black America by Eddie S Glaude Jr

    2

    Exodus: Religion, Race and Nation in Early Nineteenth-Century Black America
    by Eddie S Glaude Jr

  • Read
    African American History Books - Hammer and Hoe: Alabama Communists During the Great Depression by Robin D G Kelley

    3

    Hammer and Hoe: Alabama Communists During the Great Depression
    by Robin D G Kelley

  • Read
    African American History Books - Hands on the Freedom of the Plow: Personal Accounts by Women in SNCC Faith S. Holsaert, Martha Prescod, and others (eds.)

    4

    Hands on the Freedom of the Plow: Personal Accounts by Women in SNCC
    Faith S. Holsaert, Martha Prescod, and others (eds.)

  • Read
    African American History Books - Creating Black Americans: African-American History and Its Meanings, 1619 to the Present by Nell Irvin Painter

    5

    Creating Black Americans: African-American History and Its Meanings, 1619 to the Present
    by Nell Irvin Painter

African American History Books, recommended by Imani Perry

Princeton Professor Imani Perry—a prolific scholar of African American Studies whose biography of Lorraine Hansberry, Looking For Lorraine,  won the 2019 PEN Biography Prize—recommends five books she considers essential to an understanding of the history of black life in America.

    History Books by Tory Politicians, recommended by Benedict King

  • Read
    History Books by Tory Politicians - The Victorians: Twelve Titans who Forged Britain by Jacob Rees-Mogg

    1

    The Victorians: Twelve Titans who Forged Britain
    by Jacob Rees-Mogg

  • Read
    History Books by Tory Politicians - The Churchill Factor: How One Man Made History by Boris Johnson

    2

    The Churchill Factor: How One Man Made History
    by Boris Johnson

  • Read
    History Books by Tory Politicians - Edmund Burke: The Visionary Who Invented Modern Politics by Jesse Norman

    3

    Edmund Burke: The Visionary Who Invented Modern Politics
    by Jesse Norman

  • Read
    History Books by Tory Politicians - Ghosts of Empire: Britain's Legacies in the Modern World by Kwasai Kwarteng

    4

    Ghosts of Empire: Britain's Legacies in the Modern World
    by Kwasai Kwarteng

  • Read
    History Books by Tory Politicians - Richard III: Brother, Protector, King by Chris Skidmore

    5

    Richard III: Brother, Protector, King
    by Chris Skidmore

History Books by Tory Politicians, recommended by Benedict King

From Edward Gibbon to Winston Churchill—who was awarded the Nobel prize in literature “for his mastery of historical and biographical description”—the genre of history books written by Tory politicians has some impressive forebears. But what to make of the history books written by the current crop of Tory MPs? Five Books contributing editor Benedict King gives a quick overview of what’s out there.

    The best books on Congress, recommended by Julian E. Zelizer

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    The best books on Congress - America's Congress: Actions in the Public Sphere, James Madison Through Newt Gingrich by David R Mayhew

    1

    America's Congress: Actions in the Public Sphere, James Madison Through Newt Gingrich
    by David R Mayhew

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    The best books on Congress - Disjointed Pluralism: Institutional Innovation and the Development of the U.S. Congress by Eric Schickler

    2

    Disjointed Pluralism: Institutional Innovation and the Development of the U.S. Congress
    by Eric Schickler

  • Read
    The best books on Congress - The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War by Joanne B Freeman

    3

    The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War
    by Joanne B Freeman

  • Read
    The best books on Congress - Master of the Senate: The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Vol III by Robert Caro

    4

    Master of the Senate: The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Vol III
    by Robert Caro

  • Read
    The best books on Congress - It’s Even Worse Than You Think: How the American Constitutional System Collided with the New Politics of Extremism Thomas E. Mann & Norman J. Ornstein

    5

    It’s Even Worse Than You Think: How the American Constitutional System Collided with the New Politics of Extremism
    Thomas E. Mann & Norman J. Ornstein

The best books on Congress, recommended by Julian E. Zelizer

Is Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell just as important as President Trump? Julian E. Zelizer, Princeton historian and CNN Political Analyst, thinks so—and he argues that to understand American politics, you have to understand Congress. He recommends the best books for getting to grips with the nuts and bolts of the Senate and House of Representatives.

    The Best African American Literature, recommended by Farah Jasmine Griffin

  • Read
    The Best African American Literature - Cane by Jean Toomer

    1

    Cane
    by Jean Toomer

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    The Best African American Literature - Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

    2

    Their Eyes Were Watching God
    by Zora Neale Hurston

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    The Best African American Literature - The Narrows by Ann Petry

    3

    The Narrows
    by Ann Petry

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    The Best African American Literature - Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

    4

    Invisible Man
    by Ralph Ellison

  • Read
    The Best African American Literature - Beloved by Toni Morrison

    5

    Beloved
    by Toni Morrison

The Best African American Literature, recommended by Farah Jasmine Griffin

An ever-growing body of authors are writing about the reality of what it means to be black in America, says Farah Jasmine Griffin, director of the Institute for Research in African American Studies at Columbia University. Here she recommends five works of African American literature, from greats like Zora Neale Hurston and Toni Morrison to lesser-known gems by Ann Petry.

    The best books on Spies, recommended by Ben Macintyre

  • Read
    The best books on Spies - The Double-Cross System by J C Masterman

    1

    The Double-Cross System
    by J C Masterman

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    The best books on Spies - The Defence of the Realm by Christopher Andrew

    2

    The Defence of the Realm
    by Christopher Andrew

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    The best books on Spies - The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré

    3

    The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
    by John le Carré

  • Read
    The best books on Spies - The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers

    4

    The Riddle of the Sands
    by Erskine Childers

  • Read
    The best books on Spies - Casino Royale by Ian Fleming

    5

    Casino Royale
    by Ian Fleming

The best books on Spies, recommended by Ben Macintyre

The British public-school system, with its hidden homosexuality and feelings of loneliness, encouraged subterfuge and led to a generation of great spy writers and spies, suggests author and journalist Ben Macintyre. He picks the best books on spies.

    The best books on Feminism, recommended by Kirsten Swinth

  • Read
    The best books on Feminism - No Turning Back: The History of Feminism and the Future of Women by Estelle Freedman

    1

    No Turning Back: The History of Feminism and the Future of Women
    by Estelle Freedman

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    The best books on Feminism - The Solitude of Self: Thinking about Elizabeth Cady Stanton by Vivian Gornick

    2

    The Solitude of Self: Thinking about Elizabeth Cady Stanton
    by Vivian Gornick

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    The best books on Feminism - The Grounding of Modern Feminism by Nancy Cott

    3

    The Grounding of Modern Feminism
    by Nancy Cott

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    The best books on Feminism - Welfare Warriors: The Welfare Rights Movement in the United States by Premilla Nadasen

    4

    Welfare Warriors: The Welfare Rights Movement in the United States
    by Premilla Nadasen

  • Read
    The best books on Feminism - Dear Sisters: Dispatches from the Women's Liberation Movement by Linda Gordon & Rosalyn Baxandall

    5

    Dear Sisters: Dispatches from the Women's Liberation Movement
    by Linda Gordon & Rosalyn Baxandall

The best books on Feminism, recommended by Kirsten Swinth

The fight for women’s liberation and equality under patriarchy spans centuries of history, and is still being waged today—but what lessons can feminist movements like #MeToo learn from suffragettes and black feminist activists? Fordham historian Kirsten Swinth explores the best books on feminism, and makes a powerful case for modern feminists listening to early foremothers.

    The best books on Gender Politics, recommended by Bidisha

  • Read
    The best books on Gender Politics - Pornland: How Porn Has Hijacked Our Sexuality by Gail Dines

    1

    Pornland: How Porn Has Hijacked Our Sexuality
    by Gail Dines

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    The best books on Gender Politics - Pimp State: Sex, Money and the Future of Equality by Kat Banyard

    2

    Pimp State: Sex, Money and the Future of Equality
    by Kat Banyard

  • Read
    The best books on Gender Politics - Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women's Anger by Soraya Chemaly

    3

    Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women's Anger
    by Soraya Chemaly

  • Read
    The best books on Gender Politics - Living a Feminist Life by Sara Ahmed

    4

    Living a Feminist Life
    by Sara Ahmed

  • Read
    The best books on Gender Politics - What We Talk About When We Talk About Rape by Sohaila Abdulali

    5

    What We Talk About When We Talk About Rape
    by Sohaila Abdulali

The best books on Gender Politics, recommended by Bidisha

The 21st century has seen an explosion of feminist activism, with movements like #MeToo and the Women’s March. Accompanying this heightened attention to the lived experience of women, several extraordinary books have been published. Writer, feminist, critic and broadcaster Bidisha selects the best ones.

    Michèle Lamont on The Sociology of Inequality

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    Michèle Lamont on The Sociology of Inequality - Durable Inequality by Charles Tilly

    1

    Durable Inequality
    by Charles Tilly

  • Read
    Michèle Lamont on The Sociology of Inequality - Engines of Anxiety by Michael Sauder & Wendy Espeland

    2

    Engines of Anxiety
    by Michael Sauder & Wendy Espeland

  • Read
    Michèle Lamont on The Sociology of Inequality - Paying for the Party by Elizabeth Armstrong & Laura Hamilton

    3

    Paying for the Party
    by Elizabeth Armstrong & Laura Hamilton

  • Read
    Michèle Lamont on The Sociology of Inequality - Creating a Class by Mitchell Stevens

    4

    Creating a Class
    by Mitchell Stevens

  • Read
    Michèle Lamont on The Sociology of Inequality - Pedigree: How Elite Students Get Elite Jobs by Lauren A. Rivera

    5

    Pedigree: How Elite Students Get Elite Jobs
    by Lauren A. Rivera

Michèle Lamont on The Sociology of Inequality

“If we come to understand the human value and dignity of people from different backgrounds, we can do a bit to deflect inequality in our everyday interactions,” says Harvard Professor and winner of the 2017 Erasmus Prize Michèle Lamont. Here, she recommends five books that illuminate the sociology of inequality.

    The best books on Effective Altruism, recommended by Will MacAskill

  • Read
    The best books on Effective Altruism - Practical Ethics by Peter Singer

    1

    Practical Ethics
    by Peter Singer

  • Read
    The best books on Effective Altruism - Reasons and Persons by Derek Parfit

    2

    Reasons and Persons
    by Derek Parfit

  • Read
    The best books on Effective Altruism - 80,000 Hours: Find a fulfilling career that does good by Benjamin Todd

    3

    80,000 Hours: Find a fulfilling career that does good
    by Benjamin Todd

  • Read
    The best books on Effective Altruism - Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides's Trap? by Graham Allison

    4

    Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides's Trap?
    by Graham Allison

  • Read
    The best books on Effective Altruism - Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies by Nick Bostrom

    5

    Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies
    by Nick Bostrom

The best books on Effective Altruism, recommended by Will MacAskill

Should you feel responsible for helping the world become better? And if so, how should you use your time, money, and career to have the biggest possible impact? These are the questions addressed by the effective altruism movement. One of its leading figures, Will MacAskill, recommends the best books to answer them.

    The Best of Trans Literature, recommended by Susan Stryker

  • Read
    The Best of Trans Literature - Confessions of the Fox by Jordy Rosenberg

    1

    Confessions of the Fox
    by Jordy Rosenberg

  • Read
    The Best of Trans Literature - I've Got a Time Bomb by Sybil Lamb

    2

    I've Got a Time Bomb
    by Sybil Lamb

  • Read
    The Best of Trans Literature - Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity by C Riley Snorton

    3

    Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity
    by C Riley Snorton

  • Read
    The Best of Trans Literature - Histories of the Transgender Child by Julian Gill-Peterson

    4

    Histories of the Transgender Child
    by Julian Gill-Peterson

  • Read
    The Best of Trans Literature - Trap Door: Trans Cultural Production and the Politics of Visibility edited by Reina Gossett, Eric A Stanley and Johanna Burton

    5

    Trap Door: Trans Cultural Production and the Politics of Visibility
    edited by Reina Gossett, Eric A Stanley and Johanna Burton

The Best of Trans Literature, recommended by Susan Stryker

Many of the current controversies over trans rights and identities derive from false beliefs, explains the author and academic Susan Stryker. Here she selects five excellent contemporary trans titles with depth, complexity and heart, to help us reframe what has all too often become a toxic debate

    The best books on Scientific Differences between Women and Men, recommended by Angela Saini

  • Read
    The best books on Scientific Differences between Women and Men - A Lab of One’s Own: Science and Suffrage in the First World War by Patricia Fara

    1

    A Lab of One’s Own: Science and Suffrage in the First World War
    by Patricia Fara

  • Read
    The best books on Scientific Differences between Women and Men - Eve to Evolution: Darwin, Science, and Women's Rights in Gilded Age America by Kimberly Hamlin

    2

    Eve to Evolution: Darwin, Science, and Women's Rights in Gilded Age America
    by Kimberly Hamlin

  • Read
    The best books on Scientific Differences between Women and Men - Wally Funk's Race for Space: The Extraordinary Story of a Female Aviation Pioneer by Sue Nelson

    3

    Wally Funk's Race for Space: The Extraordinary Story of a Female Aviation Pioneer
    by Sue Nelson

  • Read
    The best books on Scientific Differences between Women and Men - The Woman That Never Evolved by Sarah Blaffer Hrdy

    4

    The Woman That Never Evolved
    by Sarah Blaffer Hrdy

  • Read
    The best books on Scientific Differences between Women and Men - The Naked Ape: A Zoologist's Study of the Human Animal by Desmond Morris

    5

    The Naked Ape: A Zoologist's Study of the Human Animal
    by Desmond Morris

The best books on Scientific Differences between Women and Men, recommended by Angela Saini

Consideration of differences between men and women has been obscured by centuries of biological essentialism, argues Angela Saini – author of Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong. Here she discusses five books that examine or demonstrate the misogynistic lens through which female capability has been viewed.

    The best books on The Secret Service, recommended by Keith Jeffery

  • Read
    The best books on The Secret Service - The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers

    1

    The Riddle of the Sands
    by Erskine Childers

  • Read
    The best books on The Secret Service - Greek Memories by Compton Mackenzie

    2

    Greek Memories
    by Compton Mackenzie

  • Read
    The best books on The Secret Service - From Russia With Love by Ian Fleming

    3

    From Russia With Love
    by Ian Fleming

  • Read
    The best books on The Secret Service - The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré

    4

    The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
    by John le Carré

  • Read
    The best books on The Secret Service - Secret Service by Christopher Andrew

    5

    Secret Service
    by Christopher Andrew

The best books on The Secret Service, recommended by Keith Jeffery

The author of the only authorized history of MI6, Keith Jeffery, tells us about the evolution of the secret intelligence services, their representation in fiction, and the man Fleming may have had in mind when he created James Bond

    The best books on US Intervention, recommended by Lawrence Kaplan

  • Read
    The best books on US Intervention - Promised Land, Crusader State by Walter McDougall

    1

    Promised Land, Crusader State
    by Walter McDougall

  • Read
    The best books on US Intervention - Ordinary Men by Christopher Browning

    2

    Ordinary Men
    by Christopher Browning

  • Read
    The best books on US Intervention - Strategies of Containment by John Gaddis

    3

    Strategies of Containment
    by John Gaddis

  • Read
    The best books on US Intervention - Dispatches by Michael Herr

    4

    Dispatches
    by Michael Herr

  • Read
    The best books on US Intervention - American Pastoral by Philip Roth

    5

    American Pastoral
    by Philip Roth

The best books on US Intervention, recommended by Lawrence Kaplan

The foreign affairs commentator explains why US presidents have less room to manoeuvre on foreign policy than they think, and why President Obama had to set aside his “minimalist” inclinations.

    The best books on The Administrative State, recommended by Paul Tucker

  • Read
    The best books on The Administrative State - The Administrative Process by Jason M. Landis

    1

    The Administrative Process
    by Jason M. Landis

  • Read
    The best books on The Administrative State - The End of Liberalism: The Second Republic of the United States by Theodore J. Lowi

    2

    The End of Liberalism: The Second Republic of the United States
    by Theodore J. Lowi

  • Read
    The best books on The Administrative State - Dilemmas of European Integration: The Ambiguities and Pitfalls of Integration by Stealth by Giandomenico Majone

    3

    Dilemmas of European Integration: The Ambiguities and Pitfalls of Integration by Stealth
    by Giandomenico Majone

  • Read
    The best books on The Administrative State - Law and Disagreement by Jeremy Waldron

    4

    Law and Disagreement
    by Jeremy Waldron

  • Read
    The best books on The Administrative State - On the People's Terms by Philip Pettit

    5

    On the People's Terms
    by Philip Pettit

The best books on The Administrative State, recommended by Paul Tucker

Experts versus populists, bureaucracy versus democracy: Paul Tucker, former deputy governor of the Bank of England and a fellow at Harvard’s John F Kennedy School of Government, chooses books that wrestle with central dilemmas of today’s liberal political order

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