Who says politics can’t be romantic? With Valentine’s Day approaching, here’s a list of nine good political books to give or receive or just add to your own library. Although a few of these books have a partisan slant, the list excludes the rabid diatribes from the polar extremes as well as the self-promotional books from political candidates. All the books offer important perspectives about current political issues. Some will challenge your socio-political stereotypes. All will make you think, regardless of your politics.
In our bitterly divided politics today, readers and viewers tend to gravitate toward the echo chambers that reflect and reinforce their own views. Many of the partisan book lists are curated with this reality in mind. On the other hand, democracy flourishes best when it is fueled by opposing ideas. It’s relatively easy to select a book that supports our side of the political divide and attacks the other. It’s harder to select one that challenges our beliefs and asks us to consider positions we may not find comfortable. Yet that kind of openness to new ideas and other points of view is exactly what our country needs today. So, whether you give or receive a political book for Valentine’s Day, step out of the echo chamber and give a gift for America as well as the reader’s own enjoyment.
Books with a partisan viewpoint are marked with “R” for a conservative bent or D for a liberal/progressive bent. Nonfiction books are marked with “NF”. The others are fiction. Some of these books are new 2019 releases; others as indicated have been out longer. All the books are available on Amazon; many are available at other locations as well.
A Republic, If You Can Keep It – Neil Gorsuch (NF, R) – Although conservatives will appreciate Justice Gorsuch’s advocacy of his views about narrow judicial interpretation, the real value of this book is its emphasis on why our constitutional rights matter and why civic education, civil discourse, and mutual respect are essential to maintaining a healthy republic. In our bitterly partisan environment, both messages deserve more consideration by both sides of the political spectrum.
Dark Money – Jane Mayer (NF, D) – This is the 2016 book about the Koch Brothers and other billionaires behind the so-called radical right. Although the book blasts the evils caused by rich Republicans, the exposé of how the wealthy influence elections applies across party lines. In a year of wealth tax proposals, progressive attacks on the rich and dramatic increases in grass roots fundraising, the book provides timely background in the context of evolving changes in American political power.
Hillbilly Elegy – J.D. Vance (NF) – Vance’s bestselling 2016 “memoir of a family and culture in crisis” was widely hailed as an explanation of the some of the cultural conditions that led Donald Trump to win the presidency. Largely forgotten in the allegations about Russian interference in the 2016 election, this heartfelt true story is still remarkably relevant for both parties. The question is how these poignant feelings will play in 2020.
Intentional Consequences – Charles Harris – Chillingly real geopolitics and technology drive an explosive cyber conspiracy to dominate the 2020 presidential election & reshape US democracy. Cleverly blending fact with fiction, Harris slams both political parties as he weaves a provocative political thriller that shows what political operatives and elites will do to manipulate opinion and destroy opponents in today’s world of political revenge, social media and high stakes elections. A compelling, disturbing book that will keep you thinking long after you finish reading it.
Our Towns – James Fallows and Deborah Fallows (NF) – This 2018 book documents the authors’ 100,000 mile private plane “journey into the heart of America.” In stark contrast to the anger and deadlock fed by our national political divide, the Fallows’ found bi-partisan civic and economic reinvention and hope for the future at the municipal level. With former mayors in the 2020 race for president, the question of what makes local politics work and national politics fail deserves consideration.
Primary Colors – Anonymous – Subsequently attributed to political writer Joe Klein who pens an Afterword in the latest edition, this brilliant 1996 work of historical political fiction provides an insider’s story based on Bill Clinton’s successful run for the Democrat nomination for president. Yes, that was light years ago, long before our current technologies and campaign strategies. But that’s part of the book’s intrigue: The more things change, the more they remain the same. Read the Afterword first for context.
Public Opinion – Walter Lippmann (NF) – This 1921 classic shows how individual beliefs are swayed by stereotypes, the mass media, and political propaganda. A groundbreaking work at the time, the book opens with the idea that democracy in the age of super-fast communications is obsolete. Almost 100 years later, we are just beginning to understand the impact of Lippmann’s views in the internet age. Two related books worth reading from the same era are Propaganda and Crystallizing Public Opinion by Edward Bernays.
Resistance (At All Costs) – Kimberly Strassel (NF, R) – Wall Street Journal columnist Strassel focuses on the damage the more radical elements of the “resistance” to President Trump will have on the presidency and American democracy long after Trump is gone. Although this book will appeal to Republicans more than Democrats, Strassel’s carefully documented research highlights concerns that need to be considered by both sides of the partisan divide.
1984 – George Orwell – The current publisher promo says it all: “Written 70 years ago, 1984 was George Orwell’s chilling prophecy about the future. And while 1984 has come and gone, his dystopian vision of a government that will do anything to control the narrative is timelier than ever….” This college classic is enjoying a justified sales renaissance as concerns grow about social media manipulation and censorship and China’s Great Firewall. Well worth re-reading in the context of today.
For those looking for a heavily partisan list of books for progressives and social activists, check out Hamilton Cain’s list of 26 of the Best Political Books to Read Ahead of the 2020 Election in The Oprah Magazine. For a competing progressive list, see Town and Country Magazine’s list of 14 Best Political Books to Read Before the 2020 Election. Both of these lists were compiled too early to include A Warning, the new book by the anonymous senior official in the Trump administration who published his famous Op-Ed in the New York Times in 2018.
Well-curated lists of political books for conservatives can be more challenging to find—a point that many conservatives would attribute to the leftist bias of most media and many progressives would attribute to the lack of thoughtful conservatives. For those seriously interested, one of the best intellectual lists is Michael Malice’s 10 Books Every Conservative Should Read To Combat Leftist Misinformation in The Federalist. The books on the list are less provocative than the title suggests. Matt Gertz has compiled a list of 23 books President Trump promoted after watching their authors on Fox News—perhaps the first reading list from a president who seldom reads books. These lists pre-date the release of former U.N. Ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley’s new memoir, With All Due Respect: Defending America with Grit and Grace, which provides some counterpoint to the allegations about the Trump White House contained in A Warning, above.
It’s too early to tell where former National Security Advisor John Bolton’s new book, The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir, will fit, but given the timing of the explosive pre-publication “leaks” of some of the contents relating to the Ukrainian defense funding impeachment article, it’s almost certain to be a best seller when it's released in March.
Comments