Politics Books
recommended by political scientists and historians
Last updated: April 29, 2025
The Best Political Novels of 2024: The Orwell Prize for Fiction
The Orwell Prize for Political Fiction is awarded annually to “outstanding novels and collections of short stories, first published in the UK or Ireland, that illuminate major social and political themes, present or past, through the art of narrative.”
-
1
In the Beginning was the Deed: Realism and Moralism in Political Argument
by Bernard Williams -
2
A Treatise of Human Nature
by David Hume -
3
Justice Among the Nations: A History of International Law
by Stephen Neff -
4
Legitimacy in International Society
by Ian Clark -
5
Ancient Chinese Thought, Modern Chinese Power
by Xuetong Yan
The best books on Geopolitics and Global Commerce, recommended by Paul Tucker
The best books on Geopolitics and Global Commerce, recommended by Paul Tucker
For centuries humanity has struggled with how to build an international order based on law and agreed principles, rather than force and the threat of war. In today’s multi-polar world understanding how such an order might and could be shaped has taken on a renewed urgency. Here, Paul Tucker, a fellow at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, chooses five books on geopolitics and global commerce.
The Best Political Novels of 2023, recommended by Boyd Tonkin
The Orwell Prizes are the UK’s most prestigious prizes for writing about politics, awarded annually to books and articles that best meet George Orwell’s own ambition “to make political writing into an art.” Boyd Tonkin, chair of this year’s judges, talks us through the books shortlisted for the 2023 Orwell Prize for Political Fiction.
-
1
The Fire of the Dragon: China’s New Cold War
by Ian Williams -
2
Invasion: Russia’s Bloody War and Ukraine’s Fight for Survival
by Luke Harding -
3
Who Cares: The Hidden Crisis of Caregiving, and How We Solve It
by Emily Kenway -
4
The Last Colony: A Tale of Exile, Justice and Britain’s Colonial Legacy
by Philippe Sands -
5
The Patriarchs: How Men Came to Rule
by Angela Saini
The 2023 Orwell Prize for Political Writing, recommended by Martha Lane Fox
The 2023 Orwell Prize for Political Writing, recommended by Martha Lane Fox
The Orwell Prizes are the UK’s most prestigious prizes for writing about politics, awarded annually to books and articles that best meet George Orwell’s own ambition “to make political writing into an art.” Martha Lane Fox, chair of this year’s judging panel, talks us through the shortlist of the 2023 Orwell Prize for Political Writing, awarded annually to a nonfiction book.
The best books on African Politics, recommended by Evan Lieberman
Despite their enormous variety, the countries of sub-Saharan Africa share some common challenges when it comes to politics and governance. Here, political scientist Evan Lieberman talks about the struggles for democracy in the continent and some of the specific obstacles African countries face in state-building and administration.
Books on Italy, Italian Politics & History, recommended by Alan Rhode
“You may have the universe, if I may have Italy,” goes the Verdi opera. Italy has had a profound influence on everything from art and food to religion and organized crime. Anglo-Italian journalist Alan Rhode recommends books to better understand Italian politics and history—and the Italians themselves.
The best books on Futures, recommended by Andrew Curry
The futurist says work in futures is about patterns, not predictions. He recommends five books about the future that look backwards as well as forwards.
-
1
Kicking Away the Ladder: Development Strategy in Historical Perspective
by Ha-Joon Chang -
2
Creating the Cold War University: The Transformation of Stanford
by Rebecca Lowen -
3
Asia's Next Giant: South Korea and Late Industrialization
by Alice Amsden -
4
The Politics of Large Numbers: A History of Statistical Reasoning
by Alain Desrosières & Camille Naish (translator) -
5
The Collapse of Complex Societies
by Joseph Tainter
The best books on Industrial Policy, recommended by Danny Crichton
The best books on Industrial Policy, recommended by Danny Crichton
Government intervention in the economy played a key role in the East Asian economic miracle and, further back, the development of countries that have traditionally championed free markets around the world. As the merit of state leadership in key industries returns to mainstream debate, Danny Crichton of venture capital firm Lux Capital recommends five outstanding books for understanding industrial policy.
-
1
Storming Caesars Palace: How Black Mothers Fought Their Own War on Poverty
by Annelise Orleck -
2
White Poverty: How Exposing Myths About Race and Class Can Reconstruct American Democracy
by William J. Barber II -
3
Sweet Charity? Emergency Food and the End of Entitlement
by Janet Poppendieck -
4
Big Hunger: The Unholy Alliance Between Corporate America and Anti-Hunger Groups
by Andrew Fisher -
5
Finding Me: A Memoir
by Viola Davis
The best books on Hunger in the United States, recommended by Mariana Chilton
The best books on Hunger in the United States, recommended by Mariana Chilton
Hunger in the United States is not going to be solved just by giving people more food, says Mariana Chilton, a professor of public health at Drexel University and author of The Painful Truth about Hunger in America. She recommends books to get a better understanding of hunger and argues that food banks have become part of the problem.
-
1
A Hacker's Mind: How the Powerful Bend Society's Rules, and How to Bend them Back
by Bruce Schneier -
2
Survival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires
by Douglas Rushkoff -
3
Responding to the Right: Brief Replies to 25 Conservative Arguments
by Nathan Robinson -
4
Monopolized: Life in the Age of Corporate Power
by David Dayen -
5
Break 'Em Up: Recovering Our Freedom from Big Ag, Big Tech, and Big Money
by Zephyr Teachout
The best books on Chokepoint Capitalism, recommended by Cory Doctorow
The best books on Chokepoint Capitalism, recommended by Cory Doctorow
Modern market economies face a growing malaise, says activist and science fiction author Cory Doctorow: powerful actors creating ‘chokepoints’ between producers and consumers, causing untenable conditions for both. Here he picks out the best books he’s reviewed over the last two years and explains why they’re important.
