We have a very wide range of interviews covering American politics, with books recommended on every conceivable angle by a very diverse group of experts, including George W Bush’s advisor, Karl Rove, former secretary of state under Barack Obama, John Kerry and Joe Biden's chief of staff, Ronald Klain.
On the US constitution, we have book recommendations from Jack Rakove of Stanford University. Princeton Professor and popular CNN analyst Julian E Zelizer chooses his best books on Congress, unfurling how it has evolved and how it works as an institution. And legal correspondent Dahlia Lithwick chooses her best books on the US Supreme Court Justices. (And for an inside view, we also have an interview with a Supreme Court Justice, Stephen Breyer)
We have a lot of interviews about books that look at the political divide in US. On the left/progressive/Democrat side, John Kerry chooses his best books on Progressivism. We also have interviews on how progressives can make a difference, bringing change to America, the roots of liberalism and the evolution of liberalism.
On the conservative side, among others, E J Dionne, Fellow at the Brookings Institution, discusses the appeal of conservatism; David Frum, former speech writer for George W Bush, chooses his best books on pioneering conservatism; and Yuval Levin, founder of the journal National Affairs, talks about why freedom is not enough. We also have interviews on libertarianism, conservatism and culture, and how libertarians can govern.
Beyond that, Mark Bloomfield chooses his best books on lobbying and David Greenberg his best books on political spin.
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1
Stayin Alive: The 1970s and the Last Days of the Working Class
by Jefferson Cowie -
2
Panic at the Pump: The Energy Crisis and the Transformation of American Politics in the 1970s
by Meg Jacobs -
3
Keeping Faith: Memoirs of a President
by Jimmy Carter -
4
His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, a Life
by Jonathan Alter -
5
Thirteen Days in September: The Dramatic Story of the Struggle for Peace
by Lawrence Wright
The Best Jimmy Carter Books, recommended by Robert Lieberman
The Best Jimmy Carter Books, recommended by Robert Lieberman
For good books to understand Jimmy Carter and his presidency, it’s important to understand the context in which he was elected and served as president, argues political scientist Robert Lieberman. Here, he recommends five books on Jimmy Carter, winner of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize: “Carter was who he seemed to be, which is not something you often say about successful politicians.”
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1
President Nixon: Alone in the White House
by Richard Reeves -
2
All The President’s Men
by Bob Woodward & Carl Bernstein -
3
Watergate: The Corruption of American Politics and the Fall of Richard Nixon
by Fred Emery -
4
Nixon and Kissinger: Partners in Power
by Robert Dallek -
5
Nixon's Shadow: The History of an Image
by David Greenberg
The best books on Richard Nixon, recommended by David Greenberg
The best books on Richard Nixon, recommended by David Greenberg
American president Richard Nixon will be forever remembered for his role in the Watergate scandal and his resignation in 1974, a blow for a man obsessed with his image who hoped to be remembered as a peacemaker on the global stage. Here historian David Greenberg, a professor at Rutgers, recommends books on a man who elicited very strong emotions, both for and against.
The best books on The US Cabinet, recommended by Lindsay Chervinsky
In contrast to many other countries, the secretaries who serve in the United States cabinet aren’t chosen from among the country’s elected officials but entirely reflect the president’s personal choices. Here, presidential historian Lindsay Chervinsky, author of The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution, talks us through the role of the cabinet and recommends which books to read to understand more about it.
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1
Twilight of Democracy
by Anne Applebaum -
2
The Narrow Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty
by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson -
3
The Great Demographic Illusion: Majority, Minority, and the Expanding American Mainstream
by Richard Alba -
4
Self-Portrait in Black and White: Family, Fatherhood and Rethinking Race
by Thomas Chatterton Williams -
5
A Promised Land
by Barack Obama
The Best Politics Books of 2020, recommended by Yascha Mounk
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
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.
Andrew Exum recommends the best books for Understanding the War in Afghanistan
The US has repeatedly misdiagnosed the war in Afghanistan. Former soldier, Andrew Exum, tells us about flawed policy, unhappy outcomes and what could and should have been different.
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1
The Soul of the First Amendment
by Floyd Abrams -
2
The Free Speech Century
by Geoffrey R. Stone (Editor) & Lee C. Bollinger (Editor) -
3
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 -
4
Speech Police: The Global Struggle to Govern the Internet
by David Kaye -
5
Dare to Speak: Defending Free Speech for All
by Suzanne Nossel
The best books on The First Amendment, recommended 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 Populism, recommended by Cas Mudde
After a tumultuous year in politics, ‘populism’ is on everybody’s lips. But what is it? Is it good or bad for democracy? How is it that populist movements often have superrich leaders? Political scientist and longtime populism observer Cas Mudde recommends the best books on populism.
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1
Strangers in Their Own Land
by Arlie Russell Hochschild -
2
American Carnage: On the Front Lines of the Republican Civil War and the Rise of President Trump
by Tim Alberta -
3
Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House
by Michael Wolff -
4
Gaslighting America: Why We Love It When Trump Lies to Us
by Amanda Carpenter -
5
The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump
by Bandy Lee
The Best Donald Trump Books, recommended by Tony Schwartz
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.
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1
Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America
by Chris Arnade -
2
The Economists' Hour: False Prophets, Free Markets, and the Fracture of Society
by Binyamin Appelbaum -
3
Transaction Man: The Rise of the Deal and the Decline of the American Dream
by Nicholas Lemann -
4
American Carnage: On the Front Lines of the Republican Civil War and the Rise of President Trump
by Tim Alberta -
5
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
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.
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1
High Crimes and Misdemeanors: A History of Impeachment for the Age of Trump
by Frank O. Bowman III -
2
Impeachment in America
by N. E. H. Hull & Peter Charles Hoffer -
3
Constitutional Grounds for Presidential Impeachment
by United States Congress -
4
Impeachment: The Constitutional Problems
by Raoul Berger -
5
Impeachment: A Handbook
by Charles L. Jr. Black
The best books on Impeachment, recommended by Michael J. Gerhardt
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.
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1
America's Congress: Actions in the Public Sphere, James Madison Through Newt Gingrich
by David R Mayhew -
2
Disjointed Pluralism: Institutional Innovation and the Development of the U.S. Congress
by Eric Schickler -
3
The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War
by Joanne B Freeman -
4
Master of the Senate: The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Vol III
by Robert Caro -
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
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.
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1
The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable
by Amitav Ghosh -
2
Learning to Die in the Anthropocene: Reflections on the End of a Civilization
by Roy Scranton -
3
Love in the Anthropocene
by Bonnie Nadzam & Dale Jamieson -
4
The Great Persuasion: Reinventing Free Markets since the Depression
by Angus Burgin -
5
The Madhouse Effect: How Climate Change Denial is Threatening Our Planet, Destroying Our Politics, and Driving Us Crazy
by Michael E Mann & Tom Toles
The best books on The Politics of Climate Change, recommended by Naomi Oreskes
The best books on The Politics of Climate Change, recommended by Naomi Oreskes
‘We’re on a path that is going to lead to tremendous destruction and yet most of us are going about our lives as if nothing particularly special is happening.’ The science of climate change is incontrovertible but deniers persist and political and economic solutions continue to be – systematically – frustrated. Time is running out, says Naomi Oreskes
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1
Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision Making
by Deborah Stone -
2
Regulating the Poor: The Public Functions of Welfare
by Frances Fox Piven and Richard Cloward -
3
The Submerged State: How Invisible Government Policies Undermine American Democracy
by Suzanne Mettler -
4
Remaking America: Democracy and Public Policy in an Age of Inequality
by (ed.) Jacob Hacker, Joe Soss & Suzanne Mettler -
5
Arresting Citizenship: The Democratic Consequences Of American Crime Control
by Amy E Lerman and Vesla M Weaver
The best books on The Politics of Policymaking, recommended by Jamila Michener
The best books on The Politics of Policymaking, recommended by Jamila Michener
Inequality is coming not just from the economy; it is coming from politics and policy, says Jamila Michener, assistant professor of government at Cornell University. Here she chooses five books that showcase some of the best, most thought-provoking writing on the politics and consequences of policy.
The best books on Hillary Clinton, recommended by David Maraniss
As America votes in a new president, veteran political journalist and author, David Maraniss, recommends the best books to read to get a better understanding of Hillary Rodham Clinton.
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1
Super Sad True Love Story
by Gary Shteyngart -
2
China's Superbank: Debt, Oil and Influence - How China Development Bank is Rewriting the Rules of Finance
by Henry Sanderson & Michael Forsythe -
3
Economic Statecraft
by David Allen Baldwin -
4
Network Power: The Social Dynamics of Globalization
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5
Spain in Our Hearts: Americans in the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939
by Adam Hochschild
The best books on Geoeconomics, recommended by Jennifer M Harris
The best books on Geoeconomics, recommended by Jennifer M Harris
With its passion for neoliberal ideology, the US uses its economic weight clumsily in terms of foreign policy, says former state department official and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, Jennifer M. Harris. Here she picks the best books for understanding the vital area of geoeconomics.
The best books on Race and American Policing, recommended by Joe Domanick
The author and journalist describes how racism, violence, and corruption became entrenched in police departments across America. He picks five books describing a stark reality, and suggests a blueprint for change
The best books on The Reagan Era, recommended by Doug Rossinow
Americans remember Reagan fondly, but what did the Gipper really stand for? The historian chooses the best books on Ronald Reagan and his time.
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1
My Own Words
by Mary Hartnett, Ruth Bader Ginsburg & Wendy W. Williams -
2
Conversations with RBG: Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Life, Love, Liberty, and Law
by Jeffrey Rosen -
3
I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark
by Debbie Levy & Elizabeth Baddeley (illustrator) -
4
The RBG Workout: How She Stays Strong . . . and You Can Too!
by Bryant Johnson -
5
Justice, Justice Thou Shalt Pursue
by Amanda Tyler & Ruth Bader Ginsburg
The best books on Ruth Bader Ginsburg, recommended by Amanda Tyler
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 American Presidents, recommended by H W Brands
The best presidential biographies contain insights into both the personal and the political, says the historian HW Brands. He chooses the best biographies of some of the greatest American presidents.
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1
The Almanac of American Politics
by Michael Barone and Chuck McCutcheon -
2
The 480
by Eugene Burdick -
3
The Rational Public
by Benjamin I Page and Robert Y Shapiro -
4
Fire on the Prairie: Harold Washington, Chicago Politics, and the Roots of the Obama Presidency
by Gary Rivlin -
5
The Emerging Republican Majority
by Kevin P Phillips
The best books on How Americans Vote, recommended by Andrew Gelman
The best books on How Americans Vote, recommended by Andrew Gelman
American statistician Andrew Gelman, professor of statistics and political science at Columbia University and author of Red State, Blue State, Rich State, Poor State explains the (often surprising) realities of how Americans vote.
The best books on US Supreme Court Justices, recommended by Dahlia Lithwick
Who are the men and women in black robes who sit on America’s highest judicial bench? Legal correspondent Dahlia Lithwick recommends the best books on the Supreme Court justices of the United States.
The best books on The Evolution of Liberalism, recommended by Eric Foner
Historian Eric Foner chooses five books illustrating how concepts of American liberalism have changed over the past 50 years, and about the tension that lies at the heart of liberalism today.
The best books on Compassionate Conservatism, recommended by Karl Rove
Karl Rove recommends five historical works that define, for him, the essence of American Conservatism.
The best books on Income Inequality, recommended by Timothy Noah
Income inequality has reached a crisis point in America, says journalist Timothy Noah, author of The Great Divergence – yet with powerful nationwide pressure to address the problem, there is also an opportunity for change.
The best books on Saving Capitalism and Democracy, recommended by Robert Reich
It’s not the first period in history that American society has suffered from a crisis of inequality. Former labour secretary, Robert Reich, recommends books to help us understand the response of previous generations to the same kinds of challenges we now face.
The best books on The US Intelligence Services, recommended by Tim Weiner
The job of the intelligence services is to understand others and help leaders act more wisely, says the author of a new history of the FBI. There’s a balance to be struck between liberty and security but when the CIA and FBI do not harmonise their intelligence missions, people die.
The best books on Public Finance, recommended by Jonathan Gruber
A key figure behind the Massachusetts and Obama healthcare reforms tells us about the purpose and uses of public finance economics, and explains how Romneycare and Obamacare are both different and alike.
The best books on The Roots of Radicalism, recommended by Michael Kazin
History professor and co-editor of Dissent magazine, Michael Kazin, looks back at US leftist movements from abolitionism to Vietnam to see where OWS came from and what it can learn from the past.
The best books on Healthcare Reform, recommended by Austin Frakt
If you were starting from scratch, no one would design a healthcare system like America’s. The health economist tells us how it evolved and what needs to change. He picks the best books on US healthcare reform.
The best books on Post-9/11 America, recommended by Peter Beinart
The neoconservative view that the US has a special mission in the world was supercharged by 9/11. There was also a sense that 9/11 could make America better. Sadly it didn’t work out that way, says Peter Beinart
The best books on Progressive America, recommended by Antonio Villaraigosa
In the last of our series of interviews on American progressivism, the mayor of Los Angeles chooses five novels and biographies that provide lessons from the past and show what a democratic society should aspire to be
The best books on Progressivism, recommended by John Kerry
John Kerry, the 68th United States Secretary of State, picks five books that every progressive should read, and discusses the divide in America between the haves and have-nots
Influences of a Progressive Blogger, recommended by Matthew Yglesias
The prominent left wing blogger tells us what books have shaped his worldview. He explains why America needs to wake up to the forces preventing change, and better understand the root causes of its political deadlock
The best books on How Progressives Can Make a Difference, recommended by Cecile Richards
Cecile Richards, American pro-choice activist and former president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, discusses the stories of struggle and resilience that have inspired her and can give encouragement to others seeking change
The best books on Bringing Change to America, recommended by Andy Stern
The former union boss shares his reading list for American progressives, and tells us what makes a good leader and how it takes only a few committed people to bring change
The best books on The Roots of Liberalism, recommended by Franklin Foer
Our weekly series on American progressivism continues with the journalist and author discussing the genesis of liberalism – and how the Civil War remade politics
The best books on Change in America, recommended by Van Jones
In the latest instalment of our series on American progressivism, the environmental advocate and human rights activist tells us why the age of Obama will really only begin after the president has left office
The Best Books about First Ladies, recommended by Carl Sferrazza Anthony
From the annexation of Texas to the UN’s Commission on Human Rights, first ladies have played a key role in the history of the United States. Historian Carl Sferrazza Anthony recommends five engaging books about the tumultuous lives of some of the country’s first ladies.
The best books on The Kennedys, recommended by David Nasaw
The story and tragedy of the Kennedys is so incredible you don’t need to turn to fiction, says the biographer of Joseph P Kennedy, David Nasaw. He talks us through the Kennedy generations.
The best books on Lobbying, recommended by Mark Bloomfield
Is lobbying always a bad thing? Or can it be used to effect social change? Washington insider Mark Bloomfield gives a lobbyist’s perspective. He picks the best books on lobbying.
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The Conservative Intellectual Movement in America since 1945
by George H Nash -
2
American Conservatism in the Age of Enterprise 1865-1910
by Robert Green McCloskey -
3
Invisible Hands
by Kim Phillips-Fein -
4
The Neoconservatives
by Peter Steinfels -
5
The Redhunter: A Novel Based on the Life of Senator Joe McCarthy
by William F Buckley Jr
The best books on The Appeal of Conservatism, recommended by E J Dionne
The best books on The Appeal of Conservatism, recommended by E J Dionne
From immediate post-war battles against the New Deal to the rise of the neoconservative movement, Washington Post columnist and Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, E J Dionne traces the growth of conservatism in America
David Frum recommends five Pioneering Conservative Books
The CNN columnist and former speechwriter for George W Bush, David Frum, recommends five conservative books that transformed the way we think about fundamental problems.
The best books on Freedom Isn’t Enough, recommended by Yuval Levin
The Founder and Editor of National Affairs Magazine speculates how the founding fathers of Conservatism might have been nervous about Sarah Palin and the Tea Party movement
The best books on Libertarianism, recommended by Anne Heller
The magazine editor, journalist and biographer of Ayn Rand selects five books that define the essence of libertarianism. Atlas Shrugged is first on her list.
The best books on Conservatism and Culture, recommended by Sam Tanenhaus
Sam Tanenhaus, editor of The New York Times Book Review from 2004 to 2013, explains how the American right reinvented itself as a cultural counter-revolution and selects five books as backgrounders to conservatism.
The best books on How Libertarians Can Govern, recommended by Mitch Daniels
The Governor of Indiana promotes a new philosophy of libertarianism and selects the books that have influenced him most.
The best books on How to Win Elections, recommended by Marko Rakar
The campaigning expert explains what it is that makes a successful political campaign. Highlights The Election Game And How To Win It as the bible for all political consultants
The best books on George W Bush, recommended by Jacob Weisberg
The editor-in-chief of Slate Group says what is charming about Bush is his wit and physicality, but he needs to cut people down and does it in a very effective and cruel way. He called Karl Rove “Turdblossom”
The best books on Political Spin, recommended by David Greenberg
It’s as old as Plato’s Gorgias, but it was Richard Nixon who really got it down to a fine art. Rutgers professor David Greenberg recommends the best books to read to better understand political ‘spin.’