September 2018 Politics Roundup

The midterm elections are coming up! First, make sure you’re registered to vote, then take a break from the current headlines with these new books about politics:

ONE PERSON, NO VOTE: How Voter Suppression Is Destroying Our Democracy by Carol Anderson
Longlisted for the 2018 National Book Award in Nonfiction & a September 2018 Indie Next Pick! “Esteemed professor and award-winning author of the bestselling WHITE RAGE Anderson examines the treacherous machinations of a government actively working to exclude voters based on undisguised racial profiling. This a whiplash-inducing chronicle of how a nation that just a few short years ago elected its first black president now finds itself in the throes of a deceitful and craven effort to rip this most essential of American rights from millions of its citizens.” — Booklist, starred review

THE BROWNS OF CALIFORNIA: The Family Dynasty That Transformed a State and Shaped a Nation by Miriam Pawel
One of Publishers Weekly’s Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2018! Pawel uses the Brown political dynasty—Jerry Brown and his father, Pat, have collectively governed California for 24 of the last 60 years—as a lens through which to examine the state’s history and role in the U.S. “Pawel expertly mines family archives, oral histories, and interviews with contemporary sources to fully and for the first time chronicle the origins and accomplishments of this remarkable clan. This fine and engaging political saga tracks both the Brown family and the growth of the state they have served.” — Booklist, starred review

THE FIELD OF BLOOD: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War by Joanne B. Freeman
Drawing on an extraordinary range of sources, Freeman recovers the long-lost story of physical violence on the floor of the U.S. Congress. “A thought-provoking and insightful read for anybody interested in American politics in the lead up to the Civil War.” — Library Journal, starred review

CAN DEMOCRACY WORK?: A Short History of a Radical Idea, from Ancient Athens to Our World by James Miller
An ALA Annual 2018 “Read n’ Rave” Pick! Ranging from the theaters of Athens to the tents of Occupy Wall Street, CAN DEMOCRACY WORK? is an entertaining and insightful guide to our most cherished—and vexed—ideal. “Miller’s engaging, thoughtful exploration of some of history’s most dramatic episodes illuminates the ongoing discontent with flawed systems of self-rule.” — Publishers Weekly

MR. TRUMP’S WILD RIDE: The Thrills, Chills, Screams, and Occasional Blackouts of His Extraordinary First Year in Office by Major Garrett
Also available in audio
A chronicle of the Trump administration from the inside perspective of a White House press correspondent. “Garrett’s assessment of Trump manages the difficult task of beingboth hard-hitting and even-handed, as well as smartly entertaining. The result is one of the best accounts yet of Trump’s impact.” — Publishers Weekly

FRANK AND AL: FDR, Al Smith, and the Unlikely Alliance That Created the Modern Democratic Party by Terry Golwa
The inspiring story of an unlikely political partnership—between a to-the-manor-born Protestant and a Lower East Side Catholic—that transformed the Democratic Party and led to the New Deal. “A fine account of FDR’s rise to power combined with a cradle-to-grave biography of the man who made it possible.” — Kirkus Reviews

IDENTITY: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment by Francis Fukuyama
“The renowned political scientist argues persuasively, and urgently, that a desire for recognition of one’s dignity is inherent in every human being—and is necessary for a thriving democracy. A cogent analysis of dire threats to democracy.” — Kirkus Reviews

HUGS FROM OBAMA: A Photographic Look Back at the Warmth and Wisdom of President Barack Obama, edited by M. Sweeney
America needs a hug from Obama now more than ever, and this beautiful collection of photographs and quotations showcases President Obama’s wit, grace, wisdom, and warmth.