Book recommendations

Born to a mother consumed by drugs and raised by his grandmother in poverty on the South Side of Chicago, Gianno Caldwell saw firsthand how lawmakers from both parties have failed African American voters on issues like poverty, welfare, and education. In this groundbreaking book, the Fox News analyst describes his personal journey while detailing a hopeful vision for a nation no longer beholden to identity politics and self-limitations.

In a world of sound bites, deliberate misinformation, and a political scene colored by the blue versus red partisan divide, how does the average educated American find a reliable source that's free of political spin? "What You Should Know About Politics... But Don't" breaks it all down, issue by issue, explaining who stands for what, and why.

In "Why We're Polarized", Ezra Klein reveals the structural and psychological forces behind America's descent into division and dysfunction. This book offers a clear framework for understanding everything from Trump's rise to the Democratic Party's leftward shift to the politicization of everyday culture.

The embodiment of American conservative thought and jurisprudence, Antonin Scalia cast an expansive shadow over the Supreme Court for three decades. His death at a Texas hunting resort in February 2016 created a dilemma for Republican leadership faced with the prospect of yet another Obama Supreme Court nominee, this time one who could tip the ideological balance of the court and alter the course of American history. In "Confirmation Bias", Carl Hulse tells an exclusive account of the rush of events following Scalia's death.

Americans have fought and died for the right to vote. Yet the world's oldest continuously operating democracy guarantees no one, not even citizens, the opportunity to elect a government. Allan Lichtman calls attention to the founders' crucial error: leaving the franchise to the discretion of individual states.

In the November 2018 midterms, the greatest number of women in history were elected to Congress. It was a group diverse in background, age, professional experience, and ideology. Jennifer Steinhauer chronicles these women's first year in Congress, following their shift from trailblazing campaigns to the daily work of governance.

In "How to Have Impossible Conversations", Peter Boghossian and James Lindsay guide you through the straightforward, practical, conversational techniques necessary for every successful conversation -- whether the issue is climate change, religious faith, gender identity, race, poverty, immigration, or gun control.

In this thoroughly researched and engaging call to arms, Jesse Wegman draws upon the history of the founding era, as well as information gleaned from campaign managers, field directors, and other officials from twenty-first-century Democratic and Republican presidential campaigns, to make a powerful case for abolishing the antiquated and antidemocratic Electoral College.

In "Speaking for Myself", Sarah Huckabee Sanders describes what it was like on the frontlines and inside the White House. This frank, revealing, and engaging memoir offers a truly unique perspective on the most important issues and events of the era.

After a video showing the death of her son, Eric Garner, at the hands of New York City police officers on Staten Island went viral, Gwen Carr's life changed forever. His death set the tone for a new normal in which young Black men and women now automatically document police interactions with their cell phones for fear of brutality and even death.

Nikki Haley is widely admired for her forthright manner ("With all due respect, I don't get confused"), her sensitive approach to tragic events, and her confident representation of America's interests as our Ambassador to the United Nations during times of crisis and consequence. "With All Due Respect" is an illuminating, dramatic, deeply personal book about the most significant events of our time.