Interviewer
Eve Gerber
Interviews by Eve Gerber
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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
The Journey of Humanity: The Origins of Wealth and Inequality
by Oded Galor -
2
Slouching Towards Utopia: An Economic History of the Twentieth Century
by Brad DeLong -
3
Streets of Gold: America's Untold Story of Immigrant Success
by Leah Boustan & Ran Abramitzky -
4
Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It
by Richard V Reeves -
5
Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology
by Chris Miller
The Best Economics Books of 2022, recommended by Jason Furman
The Best Economics Books of 2022, recommended by Jason Furman
As we study the causes of economic prosperity over the millennia and particularly the last century-and-a-half, it’s worth remembering that humans are always the most important driver of economic growth. Jason Furman, a Harvard economics professor and former adviser to Barack Obama, picks out five of the best economics books of 2022, as well as topics he’d like to see books about in 2023.
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1
The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony That Shaped America
by Russell Shorto -
2
New York Burning: Liberty, Slavery, and Conspiracy in Eighteenth-Century Manhattan
by Jill Lepore -
3
Slavery in New York
by Ira Berlin & Leslie Harris (editors) -
4
Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of the Gay Male World, 1890-1940
by George Chauncey -
5
New York and Los Angeles
by David Halle (editor)
The best books on New York History, recommended by Louise Mirrer
The best books on New York History, recommended by Louise Mirrer
Like several of the great cities of the world, New York’s openness to people born elsewhere and relative tolerance lay at the foundation of its success, though darker episodes in the city’s 400-year history also need attention. Historian Louise Mirrer, President of the New-York Historical Society, recommends books that are essential to understanding the essence of the Big Apple.
The Great American Novel, recommended by Lawrence Buell
Albeit an object of satire and overreach, the ‘Great American Novel’ remains a vital concept in American literature, encouraging writers to capture the essence of national culture and history, argues Lawrence Buell, Professor of American Literature Emeritus at Harvard University. He talks us through the origins of the phrase and nominates five novels as contenders.
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1
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
by Alan Brinkley -
2
Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal
by William Leuchtenburg -
3
Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929-1945
by David M. Kennedy -
4
It Can't Happen Here
by Sinclair Lewis -
5
Eleanor Roosevelt: The Defining Years: Volume Two 1933-1938
by Blanche Wiesen Cook
The best books on Franklin D. Roosevelt, recommended by Cynthia Koch
The best books on Franklin D. Roosevelt, recommended by Cynthia Koch
Historians consistently rank FDR, the 32nd and longest-serving president of the United States, as among America’s greatest. Here, Cynthia Koch, Director of History Programing for the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Foundation, talks us through his life and explains how, in many ways, his guile was key to his success.
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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 South Asian American Novels, recommended by Wajahat Ali
South Asian Americans are too often treated as sidekicks or even suspects in national narratives. Wajahat Ali recommends five fantastic novels by South Asian American authors, and makes a compelling case that for the United States to succeed as a multi-racial democracy, “it is key that people pick up the pen to tell America’s full story.”
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1
US Navy: A Concise History
by Craig L. Symonds -
2
Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy
by Ian W. Toll -
3
Sea of Glory: America’s Voyage of Discovery
by Nathaniel Philbrick -
4
The Two-Ocean War: A Short History of the United States Navy in the Second World War
by Samuel Eliot Morison -
5
Learning War: The Evolution of Fighting Doctrine in the U.S. Navy
by Trent Hone
The best books on American Naval History, recommended by John Kroger
The best books on American Naval History, recommended by John Kroger
The story of the American navy is deeply intertwined with that of the nation, says John Kroger—former Chief Learning Officer to the US Navy—although we don’t always afford naval history the attention it deserves. Here he selects five of the best books about American naval history and predicts a renewed focus on Pacific naval defenses in the coming decades.
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1
Risky Lessons: Sex Education and Social Inequality
by Jessica Fields -
2
Not Under My Roof: Parents, Teens, and the Culture of Sex
by Amy Schalet -
3
Sex, Teens, and Everything in Between
by Shafia Zaloom -
4
Yes! No! A First Conversation about Consent
by Isabel Roxas, Jessica Ralli & Megan Madison -
5
Speak
by Laurie Halse Anderson
The best books on Sex and Teenagers, recommended by Jennifer Hirsch
The best books on Sex and Teenagers, recommended by Jennifer Hirsch
We have a responsibility to educate our teenagers about sex and intimacy, says Jennifer Hirsch—Professor of Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University and the co-author of a new book on campus sexual assault. Here she recommends five books that offer parents and teens guidance on how to approach an often fraught topic.
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.
The Best Philip Roth Books, recommended by Ira Nadel
Philip Roth was one of the great contemporary American novelists. He wrote about what he saw when he looked in the mirror, even when he didn’t like it, and claimed his only real interest was writing about what made him feel uncomfortable. Roth’s literary biographer, Ira Nadel, Professor Emeritus at the University of British Columbia, talks us through Philip Roth’s novels and explains why they’re worth reading.
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1
Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show
by Jonathan Karl -
2
Midnight in Washington: How We Almost Lost Our Democracy and Still Could
by Adam Schiff -
3
How Democracies Die: What History Reveals About Our Future
by Daniel Ziblatt & Steven Levitsky -
4
Twilight of Democracy
by Anne Applebaum -
5
Peril
by Bob Woodward & Robert Costa
The Best Politics Books To Read in 2021, recommended by Larry Sabato
The Best Politics Books To Read in 2021, recommended by Larry Sabato
In many Western countries, citizens have long taken living in a democracy for granted. The last decade has changed all that, with fledgling democracies veering back to authoritarianism and even the most stable democracies being shaken by populist movements. Here, political scientist Larry J. Sabato turns the spotlight on the American republic, long a beacon for democracy around the globe, but now suffering its own internal turmoil. He recommends the best politics books to read in 2021, focusing on the United States.
The Best Books for Hanukkah, recommended by Dara Horn
Hanukkah means ‘a dedication’ and the celebration of the Jewish holiday towards the end of every year commemorates the success of the Jewish revolt against the Seleucid Empire and the re-consecration of the Temple of Jerusalem in the second century BCE. Here, award-winning novelist Dara Horn recommends books that speak to the powerful themes of Hanukkah and explains why Jewish people are encouraged to light menorahs publicly around the world.
Talismanic Tomes, recommended by Maria Tatar
The stories we read as children and as adults really do change us and how we see the world around us. Here Maria Tatar, Emerita Professor of Germanic Languages and Literatures and of Folklore and Mythology at Harvard University, speaks about the power of five ‘talismanic tomes’ that had a meaningful influence on her life.
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1
The Expressiveness of the Body and the Divergence of Greek and Chinese Medicine
by Shigehisa Kuriyama -
2
The Gospel of Germs
by Nancy Tomes -
3
The Cholera Years: The United States in 1832, 1849, and 1866
by Charles Rosenberg -
4
Medical Bondage: Race, Gender, and the Origins of American Gynecology
by Deirdre Cooper Owens -
5
The Cigarette Century: The Rise, Fall, and Deadly Persistence of the Product That Defined America
by Allan Brandt
Best History of Medicine Books, recommended by Keith Wailoo
Best History of Medicine Books, recommended by Keith Wailoo
The history of medicine is not just the story of life-saving discoveries, it’s also about how medical advances interact with the society from which they emerge. Here Professor Keith Wailoo, a historian of medicine and public health at Princeton University, recommends books that shed light on the social history of medicine, especially in the United States.
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1
American Slavery, American Freedom: The Ordeal of Colonial Virginia
by Edmund S Morgan -
2
Many Thousands Gone: The First Two Centuries of Slavery in North America
by Ira Berlin -
3
Embattled Freedom: Journeys through the Civil War’s Slave Refugee Camps
by Amy Murrell Taylor -
4
The Souls of Black Folk
by W E B Du Bois -
5
The Strange Career of Jim Crow
by C. Vann Woodward
Best Books on the History of the American South, recommended by Edward Ayers
Best Books on the History of the American South, recommended by Edward Ayers
To understand the America of today, you must understand the American South of the past, says historian Edward Ayers, Tucker-Boatwright Professor of the Humanities and President Emeritus at the University of Richmond. Here, he recommends five books to get started with, and also explains what his own books were aiming to contribute to the field of Southern history.
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1
Jefferson and the Virginians: Democracy, Constitutions, and Empire
by Peter Onuf -
2
Jefferson and Hamilton: The Rivalry that Forged a Nation
by John Ferling -
3
Jefferson: Architect of American Liberty
by John B. Boles -
4
Madison and Jefferson
by Andrew Burstein & Nancy Isenberg -
5
"Those Who Labor for My Happiness": Slavery at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello
by Lucia Stanton
The best books on Thomas Jefferson, recommended by Andrew Burstein
The best books on Thomas Jefferson, recommended by Andrew Burstein
Thomas Jefferson is famous for having written the Declaration of Independence, with its ringing claim that “all men are created equal”. In modern times he has been castigated for hypocrisy, given his ownership of slaves and his failure to campaign for abolition. Here, historian Andrew Burstein discusses Jefferson’s wider political career and whether it is fair to judge his attitude to slavery by contemporary standards.
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1
Woman at Point Zero
by Nawal El Saadawi -
2
This Bridge Called My Back, Fourth Edition: Writings by Radical Women of Color
by Cherríe Moraga and Gloria Anzaldúa (editors) -
3
Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches
by Audre Lorde -
4
A Small Key Can Open A Large Door: The Rojava Revolution
by Strangers In A Tangled Wilderness -
5
Some of Us Did Not Die: New and Selected Essays
by June Jordan
The best books on Patriarchy, recommended by Mona Eltahawy
The best books on Patriarchy, recommended by Mona Eltahawy
If you looked up patriarchy in a dictionary, the definition probably wouldn’t correspond with what most feminists and activists mean by it today. Here, Mona Eltahawy—journalist, activist and author of The Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls—explains what it’s all about, why its tentacles are everywhere, and what to read to understand more about it.
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1
Dreaming of Gold, Dreaming of Home
by Madeline Hsu -
2
American Sutra
by Duncan Williams -
3
Empire of Care: Nursing and Migration in Filipino American History
by Catherine Ceniza Choy -
4
Bengali Harlem and the Lost Histories of South Asian America
by Vivek Bald -
5
The Color of Success: Asian Americans and the Origins of the Model Minority
by Ellen Wu
The best books on Asian American History, recommended by Melissa Borja
The best books on Asian American History, recommended by Melissa Borja
Anti-Asian incidents in America are bringing overdue attention to the history of Asian Americans. University of Michigan Professor Melissa Borja recommends five books that illuminate the understudied history of Asian Americans, explain the connection to empire and shine a spotlight on this “coalitional identity.”
The best books on American Film, recommended by Mark Harris
Five fantastic books on American film, selected by Mark Harris, bestselling author of Mike Nichols: A Life, who explains how “movies can reflect what’s going on in American society—sometimes anticipate it, sometimes fall behind it, sometimes lead it, and sometimes change it.”
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1
The Stamp Act Crisis: Prologue to Revolution
by Edmund Morgan & Helen Morgan -
2
The Marketplace of Revolution: How Consumer Politics Shaped American Independence
by T.H. Breen -
3
The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution
by Bernard Bailyn -
4
The Radicalism of the American Revolution
by Gordon S. Wood -
5
The Will of the People: The Revolutionary Birth of America
by T.H. Breen
The Best Books on the American Revolution, recommended by T.H. Breen
The Best Books on the American Revolution, recommended by T.H. Breen
The American Revolution began as a war for independence but, by its end, the war had transformed the thirteen colonies into a republic. Historian T.H. Breen recommends the best books which relay the revolutionary impact of the American War of Independence.
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1
The Republic for Which It Stands: The United States during Reconstruction and the Gilded Age, 1865-1896
by Richard White -
2
Equality: An American Dilemma, 1866-1896
by Charles Postel -
3
A Hazard of New Fortunes
by William Dean Howells -
4
Passing Strange: A Gilded Age Tale of Love and Deception Across the Color Line
by Martha Sandweiss -
5
The Search for Order, 1877-1920
by Robert Wiebe
The best books on The Gilded Age, recommended by Richard White
The best books on The Gilded Age, recommended by Richard White
America’s Gilded Age, roughly from the end of the Civil War to the First World War, saw the United States go from being a rural, agricultural society to an urban and industrial one. National wealth soared and disparities between rich and poor exploded. Here, historian Richard White talks about how the Gilded Age transformed America and picks out some parallels with our own age that are not hard to see.
The Best Native American Literature, recommended by Megan Tusler
“There’s a lot more diversity within Native American literature than many imagine,” according to Megan Tusler. The University of Chicago academic and cohost of the Better Read than Dead podcast recommends five fantastic novels which avoid “the authenticity shuffle” and demonstrate the range of literary production by American Indians.
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1
No Visible Bruises: What We Don’t Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us
by Rachel Louise Snyder -
2
Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture
by Roxane Gay -
3
Coercive Control: How Men Entrap Women in Personal Life
by Evan Stark -
4
Nobody's Victim: Fighting Harassment Online and Off
by Carrie Goldberg -
5
The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals that Protect Us from Violence
by Gavin de Becker
The best books on Domestic Violence, recommended by Tanya Selvaratnam
The best books on Domestic Violence, recommended by Tanya Selvaratnam
Domestic violence has been declared a global crisis of pandemic proportions by the World Health Organisation. So why is it so often overlooked by law enforcement and under-reported by those who it affects? Tanya Selvaratnam, author of Assume Nothing: A Story of Intimate Violence, suggests a route forward as she highlights five of the best books on domestic abuse.
The Best Apocalyptic Fiction, recommended by Elliot Ackerman
“Imagination is a national security imperative,” according to acclaimed novelist, journalist and decorated US Marine Elliot Ackerman. He’s written a novel with retired Admiral Jim Stavridis, about what would happen if the US went to war with China. Here, he talks us through his favourite books of apocalyptic fiction—and the truths they reveal about war, humanity, and literature.
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1
Poe: Poetry, Tales, and Selected Essays
by Edgar Allan Poe -
2
The Detective Stories of Edgar Allan Poe: Three Tales Featuring C. Auguste Dupin
by Edgar Allan Poe -
3
Edgar Allan Poe: A Critical Biography
by Arthur Hobson Quinn -
4
Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe
by Daniel Hoffman -
5
Pym: A Novel
by Mat Johnson
The Best Edgar Allan Poe Books, recommended by Shawn Rosenheim
The Best Edgar Allan Poe Books, recommended by Shawn Rosenheim
You can’t turn on a television or pass an airport bookstore without seeing the influence of America’s most generative writer, Edgar Allan Poe. He orginated true life crime and detective fiction, sci-fi and horror story tropes, and wrote unforgettable poems. Poe expert Shawn Rosenheim, a professor at Williams College, recommends where to start with Poe, as well as the best books about his influence.
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1
Righteous Discontent: The Women’s Movement in the Black Baptist Church, 1880–1920
by Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham -
2
To 'Joy My Freedom: Southern Black Women's Lives and Labors after the Civil War
by Tera Hunter -
3
Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement
by Barbara Ransby -
4
Sojourning for Freedom: Black Women, American Communism, and the Making of Black Left Feminism
by Erik McDuffie -
5
Set the World on Fire: Black Nationalist Women and the Global Struggle for Freedom
by Keisha N. Blain
The best books on African American Women’s History, recommended by Keisha N. Blain
The best books on African American Women’s History, recommended by Keisha N. Blain
Black women’s stories are often untold, but their critical role in American society and politics is finally being broadly acknowledged. Black activists today are building upon the legacy of African American women who have been using every open avenue to seek social justice for centuries. And “no matter how many obstacles are erected to impede them,” says award-winning historian Keisha N. Blain, Black women “are unstoppable.”
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1
Lincoln on the Verge: Thirteen Days to Washington
by Ted Widmer -
2
Lincoln's Sword: The Presidency and the Power of Words
by Douglas L Wilson -
3
Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words that Remade America
by Garry Wills -
4
Emancipating Lincoln: The Proclamation in Text, Context, and Memory
by Harold Holzer -
5
They Knew Lincoln
by John E Washington
The best books on Abraham Lincoln, recommended by Ted Widmer
The best books on Abraham Lincoln, recommended by Ted Widmer
He came from humble beginnings and never went to high school. Going into the presidency, he had limited political experience and lacked business, legislative and military achievements. The one thing he did not lack was a moral compass, says historian and author Ted Widmer. He picks the best books on the ups and downs and Shakespearean-style plot twists that were the life of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States.
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1
No Man's Land: Jamaican Guestworkers in America and the Global History of Deportable Labor
by Cindy Hahamovitch -
2
Defiant Braceros: How Migrant Workers Fought for Racial, Sexual, and Political Freedom
by Mireya Loza -
3
Managed Migrations: Growers, Farmworkers, and Border Enforcement in the Twentieth Century
by Cristina Salinas -
4
Migrant Citizenship: Race, Rights, and Reform in the U.S. Farm Labor Camp Program
by Verónica Martínez-Matsuda -
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
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.
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1
JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917-1956
by Fredrik Logevall -
2
Prelude to Leadership: The Postwar Diary of John F. Kennedy
by John F Kennedy -
3
Profiles in Courage
by John F Kennedy -
4
Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History
by Ted Sorensen -
5
The Best and the Brightest
by David Halberstam
The best books on JFK, recommended by Fredrik Logevall
The best books on JFK, recommended by Fredrik Logevall
Of the thousands of books written about JFK, America’s iconic 35th president, which ones should you read first? Fredrik Logevall, professor of history and international affairs at Harvard University, talks us through five key books, starting with the first volume of his biography, tracking JFK’s coming of age in the years that also saw America transforming from economic powerhouse to global superpower.
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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 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.
Comfort Reads, recommended by Neil Gaiman
In his latest book, fans from around the world chose which of Neil Gaiman’s writings they liked the best, a great introduction to his writing for anyone not familiar with his work. Here the prolific, genre-bending author recommends some of his own favourite books: comfort reads to turn to in difficult times.
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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.
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1
The American Supreme Court
by Robert G. McCloskey -
2
John Marshall and the Heroic Age of the Supreme Court
by R. Kent Newmyer -
3
Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story: Statesman of the Old Republic
by R. Kent Newmyer -
4
The Dred Scott Case
by Don Fehrenbacher -
5
Simple Justice: The History of Brown v. Board of Education and Black America's Struggle for Equality
by Richard Kluger -
6
Justice Lewis F. Powell: A Biography
by John Jeffries
The best books on The Supreme Court of the United States, recommended by Michael Klarman
The best books on The Supreme Court of the United States, recommended by Michael Klarman
It may be nice to think of America’s Supreme Court justices as neutral interpreters of the law, but the reality is that they are a reflection of the cultural and historical moment in which they operate. Legal scholar and author Michael Klarman, Kirkland & Ellis Professor at Harvard Law School, recommends the best books to learn more about the Supreme Court of the United States and its history.
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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.
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A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam
by Neil Sheehan -
2
Into Thin Air
by Jon Krakauer -
3
Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital
by Sheri Fink -
4
The Hot Zone: The Chilling True Story of an Ebola Outbreak
by Richard Preston -
5
The Submission
by Amy Waldman
The best books on National Security, recommended by Juliette Kayyem
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.
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In Your Hands
by Brian Pinkney (Illustrator) & Carole Boston Weatherford -
2
The Day You Begin
by Jacqueline Woodson & Rafael López (Illustrator) -
3
I Am Enough
by Grace Byers & Keturah Bobo (Illustrator) -
4
Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale
by John Steptoe -
5
Milo's Museum
by Purple Wong (Illustrator) & Zetta Elliott
The Best Antiracist Books for Kids, recommended by Paula Young Shelton
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.
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Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory
by David Blight -
2
The Fiery Trial
by Eric Foner -
3
Confederate Reckoning: Power and Politics in the Civil War South
by Stephanie McCurry -
4
Absalom, Absalom
by William Faulkner -
5
The Annotated Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant
by Ulysses S Grant and Elizabeth Samet (editor), Mark Bramhall (narrator)
The Best Books on the American Civil War, recommended by Drew Gilpin Faust
The Best Books on the American Civil War, recommended by Drew Gilpin Faust
“The past is never dead. It’s not even past,” wrote William Faulkner. Here, Drew Gilpin Faust, a leading historian of the American Civil War and former President of Harvard, recommends the best books to read about the conflict between North and South that tore the United States apart from 1861 till 1865 – and beyond.
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1
Festivals of Freedom: Memory and Meaning in African American Emancipation Celebrations, 1808-1915
by Mitch Kachun -
2
Envisioning Emancipation: Black Americans and the End of Slavery
by Barbara Krauthamer & Deborah Willis -
3
Closer to Freedom: Enslaved Women and Everyday Resistance in the Plantation South
by Stephanie Camp -
4
To 'Joy My Freedom: Southern Black Women's Lives and Labors after the Civil War
by Tera Hunter -
5
A Black Women's History of the United States
by Daina Berry & Kali Gross
The Best Books for Juneteenth, recommended by Barbara Krauthamer
The Best Books for Juneteenth, recommended by Barbara Krauthamer
June 19th, or ‘Juneteenth,’ is a holiday commemorating the final end of slavery in the United States. Professor Barbara Krauthamer, a leading historian of African American slavery and emancipation, talks us through its significance down the decades and which books to read to get a better understanding of what it’s all about.
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The Cold War: A World History
by Odd Arne Westad -
2
For the Soul of Mankind: The United States, the Soviet Union, and the Cold War
by Melvyn P Leffler -
3
Russia and the Idea of the West
by Robert English -
4
The Enigma of 1989: The USSR and the Liberation of Eastern Europe
Jacques Lévesque (trans. Keith Martin) -
5
Reagan and Gorbachev
by Jack Matlock
The best books on The Cold War, recommended by Archie Brown
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 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 Behavioral Science, recommended by Nicholas Epley
What can we draw from behavioral science to help us better understand each other? Nicholas Epley, Professor of Behavioral Science and Faculty Director of the Center for Decision Research at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, recommends the five best books for learning about an interdisciplinary field that draws from psychology, sociology, economics and anthropology.
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1
The Silk Road: A New History
by Valerie Hansen -
2
Sogdian Traders: A History
Étienne de la Vaissière (trans. James Ward) -
3
Diary: Record of a Pilgrimage to China in Search of the Law
Ennin (trans. E O Reischauer) -
4
Foreign Devils on the Silk Road
by Peter Hopkirk -
5
Silk Roads: Peoples, Cultures, Landscapes
by Susan Whitfield
The best books on The Silk Road, recommended by Valerie Hansen
The best books on The Silk Road, recommended by Valerie Hansen
From the Han dynasty to the time of Marco Polo, the routes connecting Asia, Africa and Europe—now known as the Silk Road—were responsible for enormous amounts of global trade. Yale historian Valerie Hansen, author of The Silk Road: A New History, introduces us to its rich history: “one of the reasons the Silk Road is a misnomer is that silk was not the main good moving along.”
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1
Faith, Reason, and the Plague in Seventeenth Century Tuscany
by Carlo Cippolla -
2
Clearing the Plains: Disease, Politics of Starvation, and the Loss of Aboriginal Life
by James Daschuk -
3
The Making of a Tropical Disease: A Short History of Malaria
by Randall Packard -
4
American Pandemic: The Lost Worlds of the 1918 Influenza Epidemic
by Nancy Bristow -
5
Epidemic Invasions: Yellow Fever and the Limits of Cuban Independence, 1878–1930
by Mariola Espinosa
The best books on Pandemics, recommended by Christian W. McMillen
The best books on Pandemics, recommended by Christian W. McMillen
With coronavirus causing widespread panic, we would do well to educate ourselves about the history of pandemics and disease. University of Virginia historian and associate dean Christian W. McMillen, author of Pandemics: A Very Short Introduction, recommends the best introductions to the subject.
The Best Books to Read in Quarantine, recommended by Jenny Davidson
Times of disease and pestilence have much to tell us about the human condition. Jenny Davidson, Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University, suggests some of the best books to read if you’re self-isolating or in quarantine.
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1
Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England
by William Cronon -
2
Nature’s Perfect Food
by E. Melanie Dupuis -
3
Flavors of Empire: Food and the Making of Thai America
by Mark Padoongpatt -
4
Life on the Other Border: Farmworkers and Food Justice in Vermont
by Teresa M. Mares -
5
Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America
by Marcia Chatelain
The best books on Food Studies, recommended by Matt Garcia
The best books on Food Studies, recommended by Matt Garcia
Matt Garcia, Professor of Latin American, Latino & Caribbean Studies & History at Dartmouth College, discusses the production of primary foods in the United States and globally—a field that has often been ignored by historians and by society. He recommends five books to learn more about food studies, with particular attention to agricultural workers, often among the most marginalized and least protected members of the US labor force.
The Best Books on Gratitude for Kids, recommended by Dana Sheridan
What should you read with your kids on Thanksgiving? Dana Sheridan of Princeton University Library’s Cotsen Children’s Library recommends five children’s books with themes of love, gratitude, belonging and sharing with one another—what the holiday is all about.
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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
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.