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 1974

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Crime / Legal, Politics / Government, Journalism, History: U.S., Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction

All the President’s Men (1974) is the story of the most famous American political scandal of the 20th century. Written by Washington Post reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, the book follows in exacting detail their investigation into the Watergate Hotel break-in and subsequent coverup of that crime. The case began with a story on an unusual burglary attempt at the Democratic National Headquarters in the summer of 1972. It eventually evolved into an investigation... Read All the President's Men Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Language, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Music, Politics / Government


Publication year 2007

Genre Book, Nonfiction

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

A Magnificent Catastrophe: The Tumultuous Election of 1800, America's First Presidential Campaign, published in 2007, was written by Edward J. Larson, also known for Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America's Continuing Debate Over Science and Religion (1997). The book documents the US presidential election of 1800, a highly-contested political drama, preceded by what is considered the first political campaign in American history. The front-runners in the contest were widely considered to be... Read A Magnificent Catastrophe Summary


Publication year 1966

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge

Tags Satire, Modern Classic Fiction, Politics / Government, Heinemann African Writers, African American Literature, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

A Man of the People is a 1966 novel by Chinua Achebe. Achebe, a Nigerian novelist and well-known figure of African literature, also wrote Things Fall Apart (1958) and Arrow of God (1964). A Man of the People chronicles political unrest in an African nation that only recently gained its independence from Britain. The novel opens with the narrator, Odili Samalu, awaiting the arrival of Minister Nanga, also known as Chief Nanga, at Anata Grammar... Read A Man of the People Summary


Publication year 1956

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Mental Health

Tags Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Satire, Politics / Government, Mental Illness, The Beat Generation, WWII / World War II


Publication year 2007

Genre Book, Nonfiction

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

American Creation is a 2007 nonfiction book by Joseph Ellis that covers the successes and failures of the founders of the United States from 1775 to 1803. Ellis starts with the year and three months that set in motion the colonies’ declaration of independence and subsequent revolution. In this eventful year, the British played the worst possible hand they could, removing the possibility of reconciliation. The colonists included fiery and impetuous rebels such as Patrick... Read American Creation Summary


Publication year 2008

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government

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

American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House is a Pulitzer Prize–winning biography of President Andrew Jackson written in 2008 by historian Jon Meacham. The book focuses on Jackson’s transformative and often controversial time in the White House, exploring themes of democracy, the Expansion of Executive Power, leadership, and the interaction of the personal and public, including the Impact of Personal Character on Public Duty and the Intersection of Private Lives and Public Roles. Meacham... Read American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House Summary


Publication year 2011

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags Politics / Government, History: U.S., Science / Nature, American Literature, Sociology, History: World, Arts / Culture

Colin Woodard’s 2011 American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America is a work of historical nonfiction and political science that takes a look at American regionalism and the territories that Woodard identifies as shaping North America. Woodard asserts that North America comprises 11 distinct nations, each containing its own unique history, ideals, and identity, and that the conflicts between these regions have molded America’s past and continue to shape... Read American Nations Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Incarceration, Social Justice, Journalism, Race / Racism, American Literature, Post-War Era, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Sociology, History: World, Politics / Government


Publication year 2005

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Society: War, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Identity: Mental Health

Tags Biography, History: U.S., History: World, Science / Nature, Politics / Government, Military / War, WWII / World War II


Publication year 2016

Genre Book, Nonfiction

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

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


Publication year 1997

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Nation, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government

Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government

American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence (1997) is a nonfiction history by Pauline Maier (1938-2013), a historian specializing in the American Revolution. A revisionist historian, Maier uses narrative techniques to bring to life the era in which the Declaration of Independence was created, seeking to demystify this foundational American document and to raise questions about how history is constructed. American Scripture was shortlisted for the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1997. This study... Read American Scripture Summary


Publication year 1975

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, American Literature, History: World, American Revolution, Social Justice, Politics / Government

Edmund S. Morgan’s American Slavery, American Freedom: The Ordeal of Colonial Virginia was originally published in 1975 by W. W. Norton & Company Inc. This summary references the Norton paperback edition reissued in 2003. Morgan seeks to discover how America’s Founding Fathers came to advocate for freedom and equality when many of them owned slaves. Morgan chose to study Virginia’s Founding Fathers because they were among the most vocal in their opposition to the monarchy, because... Read American Slavery, American Freedom Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Animals

Tags Science / Nature, Animals, Journalism, Politics / Government


Publication year 2021

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community

Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Sociology, History: World


Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Environment

Tags Journalism, Science / Nature, Sociology, History: World, Social Justice, Politics / Government

Amity and Prosperity: One Family and the Fracturing of America, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning nonfiction book by journalist and poet Eliza Griswold. This study guide follows the book’s first edition, which was published in 2018. Griswold is a journalist known for investigative reporting into political issues, having previously published articles in The New York Times Magazine and The Nation. In Amity and Prosperity, Griswold investigates natural gas companies drilling in Pennsylvania’s western Washington County. The... Read Amity and Prosperity Summary


Publication year 1729

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Tags Satire, Irish Literature, Education, Education, Philosophy, Philosophy, Humor, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

A Modest Proposal For preventing the Children of Poor People From being a Burthen to Their Parents or Country, and For making them Beneficial to the Publick is a satirical essay published anonymously in 1729 by Irish author Jonathan Swift. Using irony and hyperbole, the essay mocks heartless attitudes toward the poor among English and Irish elites by proposing that impoverished families sell their infant children to be killed and eaten by the rich. One... Read A Modest Proposal Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Gender / Feminism, Black Lives Matter, Sociology, History: World


Publication year 1985

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Sociology, Education, Science / Nature, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Technology, Information Age, Education

Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business is a nonfiction book by Neil Postman, published in 1985. Postman was a professor of education and communication at New York University with a special interest in the role of technology and media in society. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York in Fredonia and a master’s degree and doctorate from the Teachers College of Columbia University. In... Read Amusing Ourselves to Death Summary


Publication year 2014

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Health / Medicine, History: U.S., Politics / Government, Race / Racism, American Revolution, Children's Literature, Science / Nature, History: World

Published in 2003, Jim Murphy’s An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 is a historical nonfiction book for young adults that provides a detailed look into Philadelphia’s yellow fever epidemic of 1793. As Murphy documents how yellow fever emerged and spread throughout the city, he demonstrates how society operated in what was then the nation’s capital and largest city in the late 1700s. He focuses on urban... Read An American Plague Summary