Politics & Government

As far as topics go, politics may be as divisive as they come. Still, there's no escaping the role that it plays in our lives. The texts in this collection explore the gamut of how politics shapes and reshapes societies throughout history.

Publication year 2011

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: The Future, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags History: U.S., American Civil War, Military / War, History: World, Politics / Government, Biography


Publication year 1951

Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Philosophy, Politics / Government, Sociology


Publication year 1966

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government

Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, American Revolution, American Literature, History: World

Miracle at Philadelphia is a 1969 work of history by Catherine Drinker Bowen. It is a detailed account of the Constitutional Convention that took place from May to September 1787 in Philadelphia, resulting in the original drafting of the United States Constitution. It remains one of the most highly regarded popular accounts of the Convention, especially for its rich portraits of the delegates that provides a vivid sense of political debates and social life.This study... Read Miracle At Philadelphia Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Crime / Legal, Gender / Feminism, History: U.S., Politics / Government, Journalism, True Crime, History, Sociology, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World

Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by Jon Krakauer is a work of narrative nonfiction that explores the pervasive issue of sexual violence within the context of a college town. Published in 2015, the book offers an examination of several cases of sexual assault at the University of Montana in Missoula, shedding light on the systemic failures of the justice system and the broader societal attitudes that often exacerbate the trauma... Read Missoula Summary


Publication year 1823

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Politics / Government, History: U.S., Colonial America, History: World


Publication year 2009

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community, Society: Class

Tags Sociology, Black Lives Matter, Race / Racism, Education, Education, Urban Development, Social Justice, Poverty, Politics / Government

More Than Just Race: Being Black and Poor in the Inner City is a 2009 nonfiction book by William Julius Wilson, a Harvard University professor of sociology. In his book, Wilson examines the structural and, more controversially, the cultural contributors to the poverty, high incarceration rate, and social problems faced by inner-city African American males today. Wilson’s central contention is that African Americans have suffered disproportionately from the impacts of nonracial political and global economic... Read More Than Just Race Summary


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Nation, Society: Community, Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Historical Fiction, Middle Eastern Literature, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Politics / Government

Mornings in Jenin is a historical novel that spans the years between 1941 and 2003 and is focused on the Israeli invasion and occupation of Palestine. The author, Susan Abulhawa, is the child of Palestinian refugees and was brought up in several countries, including the United States. She writes the novel from the points of view of several members of a Palestinian family who lose their land, home, and loved ones. The novel relates the... Read Mornings in Jenin Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Self Discovery, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags History: U.S., Military / War, Politics / Government, Vietnam War, Children's Literature, History: World, Biography


Publication year 2006

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags Crime / Legal, Sociology, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, History: European, War On Terrorism / Iraq War, Politics / Government, Religion / Spirituality

Murder in Amsterdam: Liberal Europe, Islam, and the Limits of Tolerance is a 2006 nonfiction book written by Dutch professor and social scientist Ian Buruma. The book investigates both the murder of Theo van Gogh, a prominent Dutch filmmaker, social critic, and opponent of political Islam in Europe. Additionally, it explores feelings of historical guilt, liberal mores, and the changing social fabric that has created tension between the native Dutch and the large, mostly Muslim... Read Murder in Amsterdam Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Tags Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), History: World, Politics / Government, Biography

Sonia Sotomayor (b. June 25, 1954) is an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Born and raised in the Bronx, NY to Puerto Rican parents, she graduated from Princeton University summa cum laude in 1976 and Yale University’s law school in 1979. After four and a half years working as an assistant district attorney in New York City, she joined Pavia & Harcourt, a small Manhattan law firm, eventually becoming a partner. In... Read My Beloved World Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fame

Tags History: U.S., History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, American Revolution, Politics / Government


Publication year 2016

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Politics / Government, Gender / Feminism, History: U.S., History: World, Biography


Publication year 2013

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags History: Middle Eastern, Jewish Literature, History: World, Travel Literature, Politics / Government, Religion / Spirituality

My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel is a 2013 work of historical nonfiction by Israeli author and journalist Ari Shavit. It was a New York Times Bestseller in 2013. Shavit’s book explains the history of Zionism in Palestine: its triumphs and tragedies, the creation of the Israeli state, Palestinian and Middle Eastern conflicts, and assessments of both Israeli and Jewish futures. Shavit combines Zionist history with first-hand reflections on pivotal moments. He... Read My Promised Land Summary


Publication year 2002

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Education, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Business / Economics, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Social Science, Psychology, Psychology, Finance / Money / Wealth, Politics / Government

Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science is a nonfiction book by Charles Wheelan published in 2002. The author holds a PhD from the University of Chicago and is a senior lecturer and policy fellow at Dartmouth College. Previously, he was a correspondent for the magazine The Economist. He has written a number of other books, including Naked Statistics and Naked Money. This study guide refers to the 2019 third edition of Naked Economics.SummaryNaked Economics is... Read Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science Summary


Publication year 1959

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government

Tags The Beat Generation, Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse, American Literature, Satire, Politics / Government, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

Naked Lunch is a 1959 novel by American author William. S. Burroughs. In it, Lee, a heroin user, looks to escape New York to avoid arrest by the police. He thus embarks on a journey through Philadelphia and Mexico before arriving in the fictional state of Freeland, where all life is well-ordered and hygienic. Following a riot in a Freeland psychological reconditioning center, however, Lee flees to the strange and fantastical city of Interzone. There... Read Naked Lunch Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Education, Society: Nation

Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, Gender / Feminism, Post-War Era, Southern Literature, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), History: World, Biography


Publication year 2016

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Philosophy, Social Science, Politics / Government, Sociology


Publication year 1965

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Society: Colonialism, Identity: Race, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Politics / Government, History: African , Philosophy, African Literature


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: War

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Military / War, Politics / Government, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1627

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation

Tags Classic Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable, British Literature, Renaissance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Education, Education, History: World, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government

New Atlantis is an unfinished novel published posthumously in 1626 by the English philosopher Francis Bacon. It details the customs and culture of a utopian island society known as Bensalem, at the center of which lies a science and research institution called Salomon’s House. The work expresses many of Bacon’s scientific, philosophical, political, and religious ideas, though its unfinished status has made it the subject of intense scholarly debate over the novel’s meaning and themes... Read New Atlantis Summary