1. ‘What You Should Know About Politics…But Don’t’ by Jessamyn Conrad
This nonpartisan primer on the most pressing issues in American politics breaks down everything from health care and the economy to climate change and energy sources, including who stands on which side of each issue and why.
Whether you lean left or right, you'll find "What You Should Know About Politics" highly informative.
2. ‘Fascism: A Warning’ by Madeleine Albright
Former secretary of state Madeleine Albright released "Fascism: A Warning" in April 2018, and it quickly became a No. 1 New York Times best-seller. The book examines fascist rule in the 20th century, including its warning signs and after-effects.
3. ‘The Best and the Brightest’ by David Halberstam
Journalist David Halberstam spent three years researching and two years writing "The Best and the Brightest" to understand how the United States became mired in the Vietnam War. It also ended up serving as a guide to achieving power in America for a generation of future policy experts.
4. ‘Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln’ by Doris Kearns Goodwin
The inspiration for the 2012 movie "Lincoln," "Team of Rivals" profiles the 16th president's rise from a prairie lawyer to an accomplished president. It examines how he helped achieve victory in the Civil War, despite his disgruntled cabinet. The book, by acclaimed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, was a No. 1 New York Times best-seller.
5. ‘The Populist Explosion: How the Great Recession Transformed American and European Politics’ by John Judis
This fact-based discussion of the political force of populism — technically defined as support for the concerns of ordinary people — examines the prevailing anti-establishment viewpoint of citizens in the United States and Europe today. Written by a former editor of The New Republic, "The Populist Explosion" posits that populism will long endure on both sides of the political spectrum.
6. ‘Alexander Hamilton’ by Ron Chernow
Even if you're not a Hamilton fan, Ron Chernow's biography — which inspired Lin-Manuel Miranda to write the Broadway smash — paints a vivid picture of the early years of our nation and the intentions of the founding fathers. For those wondering how our government came to be what it is today, this tome is illuminating.
7. ‘Red State, Blue State, Rich State, Poor State: Why Americans Vote the Way They Do’ by Andrew Gelman
There's no denying that we're a divided nation — between red and blue, conservative and liberal, poor and rich. "Red State, Blue State, Rich State, Poor State" serves to debunk the stereotypes attributed to each side of the spectrum with hard data, including polling numbers.
8. ‘Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty’ by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson
If you’ve ever wondered why some nations thrive while others barely survive, check out "Why Nations Fail." Based on 15 years of research, it examines the economics and politics of countries all over the world and how those policies resulted in success or failure.
9. ‘All the King’s Men’ by Robert Penn Warren
Considered by many as the greatest American political novel, Robert Penn Warren’s "All the King's Men" details the rise of an ambitious Southern governor, supposedly based on former Louisiana Gov. Huey Long. It’s no surprise that this powerful 1940s classic won the Pulitzer Prize.
10. ‘The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court’ by Jeffrey Toobin
This nonfiction look at the judicial branch is so compelling that it reads like fiction. Written by journalist Jeffrey Toobin, "The Nine" was named a New York Times best book of the year.
11. ‘American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America’ by Colin Woodard
In "American Nations," Colin Woodard looks beyond the factions of red and blue in our country and posits that the United States is divided into 11 distinct state cultures. He goes further to explain that these cultures provide deep insight into the way states vote.
