Favorite US Political & Government Books

[Confused Democrat]

I need a new book to read.

I decided I want to read something non-fiction and related US Politics & Government. Any suggestions?

[muon2]

This summer I read and enjoyed The Fractured Republic by Yuval Levin. He uses Baby Boomer nostalgia to explore the roots of today's political polarization. Here's the NPR interview with the author from All Things Considered if you want more background.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Here are some of my favorites:

The Silent Majority: Suburban Politics in the Sunbelt South by Matthew Lassiter

Courage and Consequence by Karl Rove

100 People Who Are Screwing Up America by Bernie Goldberg (especially the updated edition with 10 new additions; it's a little dated since it was written during Bush 2's second term, but still a great book)

Demonic by Ann Coulter (I'm a little ashamed by this, ever since she started taking her racist, xenophobic, pro-Trump turn)

Guilty by Ann Coulter

Mudglingers by Kerwin Swint

Back to Basics for the Republican Party by Michael Zak

Wrong on Race: The Democratic Party's Buried Past by Bruce Bartlett

Bamboozled by Angela McGlowan

[RINO Tom]

"Republicans and Race: The GOP's Frayed Relationship With African Americans, 1945-1974" by Timothy N. Thurbur.

One of the first things he says is something along the lines of, "there are two prevailing theories explaining our realignment of politics in the mid- and late Twentieth Century: one states that the GOP abandoned its heritage on racial issues to wooh Southern Whites, and the Democrats gladly filled the void; the other states that the GOP has remained firm in its support for racial equality, and the Democrats thought they could buy the votes of Blacks.  Obviously, both is total rubbish."

It's an amazing read, and it really shows you how complicated politics in the civil rights era was.  One anecdote is how it talks about how the GOP tended to fiercely support desegregation measures aimed at the South (where it had few constituents) but was very hesitant to see those measures go into Northern suburban areas (where most of their constituents lived), and also how the GOP's reputation on civil rights measures went down as we redefined what supporting civil rights meant (we went all the way from voting on anti-lynching bills to proposing forcibly busing Black children to already-desegregated-but-all-White schools in the North ... and the GOP's attitude remained pretty consistent the whole time).

[progressive85]

The Rick Perlstein books - "Nixonland", "Before the Storm", "The Invisible Bridge"

Thomas Frank - "What's the Matter with Kansas?", "The Wrecking Crew"

A huge book called "The American Century" by Harold Evans...wonderful.

"Traitor to His Class", about FDR...

"Flagrant Conduct" about Lawrence vs. Texas

so many good ones.

[publicunofficial]

Not entirely non-fiction, but Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 is my all time favorite read.

[Mr. Smith]

Turning Point - Jimmy Carter (An excellent look into Southern politics during the Jim Crow era, when the state still used an EV-esque system to elect the Governor. Specifically regards Jimmy's campaign to become State Senator)

Where the Buck Stops: The Personal & Private Writings of Harry Truman - Harry S. Truman  (ed. Margaret Truman) (Harry S. Truman ranks the other presidencies, excellent deconstruction of the one known as Ike and why liking him is not such a great idea. Written in the same blunt form you'd expect from him. Also a nice alternative perspective on people like Ulysses Grant or James Polk or Andrew Jackson.)

At Ease: Stories I Tell My Friends - Dwight Eisenhower (Excellent autobiography that details his life up to the point of running for the Presidency.)

Also, Robert Caro's LBJ Books.