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