Books:
Reviews of the latest books, political and otherwise.
Rebuilding Media
In the face of a rapidly changing industry, two books offer bold visions of what the future of media could look like.
By Michael Corcoran, March 9, 2010
'Teen Spirit' For Sale
A new book on the relationship between music and youth activism draws interesting parallels and offers fresh perspective.
By Brittany Shoot, February 16, 2010
College Marriage or Hook-Up Culture?
A book on the gray area between dating and marriage leaves out men and LGBT people.
By Kay Steiger, February 13, 2010
'To the Next Generation of Rebel Voices'
The late historian Howard Zinn brought a new approach to college history departments—and youth activism—around the country.
By Michael Corcoran, February 2, 2010
From Grrrls to Womyn
How modern rock women found their voices through the riot grrrl movement in the 1990s.
By Erin Polgreen, January 29, 2010
Where Activism is Born
A new book examines the activism of high school students in 2002. The study is an early indicator of young activists today.
By Erin Rosa, December 14, 2009
Jim Cramer’s Mad Memory
In his new book, CNBC’s shamed business expert ostensibly forgets a decade’s worth of duplicity and failures.
By Michael Corcoran, November 2, 2009
SuperFreakShow
Due to its climate change denial, and thanks largely to online media, Superfreakonomics is dead on arrival.
By Sahil Kapur, October 26, 2009
In Search of a Strategy
The scientific community is good at laying out the facts, but it might not be good enough to make changes on important issues like climate change.
By Kay Steiger, August 13, 2009
Trying to make 'Sense' of Glenn Beck
The conservative icon’s latest book blends Beck’s typical hyperbole with a gross misrepresentation of Thomas Paine’s political views.
By Michael Corcoran, August 3, 2009
Getting Uglier Before It Gets Better
Alyssa Katz, author of a new book on the mortgage crisis, talks about how unremorseful Wall Street is, the 8.1 million more foreclosures we’ll see, and what we can do now.
By Daniel Strauss, July 16, 2009
Bipartisan Values: Envy and Greed
A conversation with Grant Ginder, a young writer whose new book has been pegged by some as a “morality tale.”
By Kay Steiger, July 8, 2009
Favoring Procedure Over Justice
A new book on the Supreme Court is a thinly veiled attempt to praise conservatism as high-minded prudence.
By Dylan Matthews, June 22, 2009
Auctioning Off Virginity
Jessica Valenti’s new book says the abstinence model is bad for young men and women.
By Caroline Hagood, March 23, 2009
Just Another Scam?
A new book examines the parasitic nature of student loans.
By Ben Miller, February 25, 2009
No Comment
Stanley Fish’s latest book asks professors to keep their opinions out of the classroom. He’s onto something.
By Andy Kroll, February 10, 2009
The Great Snark War
Media elites are quibbling over what is and isn’t snark. Let’s call the whole thing off.
By Ned Resnikoff, January 21, 2009
Chronicle of a Media Death Foretold
A new book about a long-forgotten Chicago magazine shows why the publication—like many before and after it—was doomed from the start.
By Daniel Strauss, January 8, 2009
Bending Gender Bending
A new book is supposed to be the tell-all behind the greatest literary hoax of our day, but ends up reinforcing stereotypes about gender identity.
By Miriam Pérez, December 18, 2008
Ditching the Diet
To shed her negative body image, memoirist Valerie Frankel throws out her scale and focuses on the issues that really matter.
By Kay Steiger, December 2, 2008
Don't Trust Anyone Over 30
A new book bashing the Millennial generation may have its facts mostly right, but the reasoning is all wrong.
By Lauren Yingling, December 1, 2008
Inspiration for a Green Economy
Van Jones’ new book proposes concrete solutions for today’s economic and environmental problems.
By Cameron Cook, November 3, 2008
Writing on the Wall
A new academic book on graffiti offers a far too uncritical look at the art form.
By Ben Adler, October 29, 2008
Nixon’s Failed Vision
Rick Perlstein’s book on the divisive politics of Nixon’s era reveals a lot about America, including that the left’s vision has largely prevailed today.
By Ethan Porter, October 20, 2008
Is Sports Activism Dead?
A new book shows athletes didn’t used to be strangers to social justice, but today’s athletes seem totally unaware of it.
By Andy Kroll, October 3, 2008
Stop, Drop, and Roll
David Sedaris’ new book isn’t as funny as his others, but he is getting better as a storyteller.
By Kim Gengler, July 28, 2008
Optimism Deficient?
A wrongheaded experiment to prove poor people are lazy shows it’s easy to succeed when you’re young, healthy, white, and male.
By Kayla Walker, July 22, 2008
Loving Literary Journalism in Only Love
Two new books of literary journalism show that this genre may be a disappearing one.
By Andy Kroll, June 25, 2008
Autonomy Under 18
A recent book on children’s rights calls for a new paradigm for children stuck in broken systems like foster care.
By Erika Asgiersson, June 16, 2008
The Unappetizing Politics of School Lunches
How a progressive idea ended up reinforcing inequality.
By Eliza Krigman, June 4, 2008
Apology-Free Feminism
Amanda Marcotte’s new book is for young feminists who get it.
By Kay Steiger, May 9, 2008
Our Story
In Youth to Power, blogger Michael Connery writes the first chronicle of youth politics in the 21st century.
By Tim Fernholz, May 7, 2008
R.I.P., Neoconservatism
They Knew They Were Right documents the rise and fall of the neoconservatives—and offers progressives an important foreign policy lesson.
By Ethan Porter, February 19, 2008
Dissecting 9/11
Why The Terror Dream‘s singular focus on gender feels woefully incomplete.
By Rashi Kesarwani, January 25, 2008
Too Little, Too Late
In his new book on environmentalism, Newt Gingrich unsuccessfully attempts something of a political makeover.
By Kay Steiger, January 15, 2008
The Chastity Belt
In The Abstinence Teacher, Tom Perrotta brings some much-needed nuance to the culture wars.
By Jesse Singal, January 8, 2008
Losing the War on Affirmative Action
The Chronicle‘s Peter Schmidt writes a new book that goes beyond diversity.
By Tim Fernholz, Georgetown University, October 16, 2007
Conservative Liberal Arts
Hanna Rosin’s God’s Harvard describes life at Patrick Henry College.
By Steven White, Hampshire College, October 1, 2007
Worshipping Dick
Stephen F. Hayes’ slobbering new biography of Vice-President Cheney is completely one-sided.
By Michael Corcoran, Emerson College, August 31, 2007
The Motivations of Monsters
Questions for Tara McKelvey, author of Monstering: Inside America’s Policy of Secret Interrogations and Torture in the Terror War.
By Dana Goldstein, August 2, 2007
In Defense of Harry
Book critics may not admit it, but the Harry Potter series has plenty to offer adults.
By Kriston Capps, July 20, 2007
In Defense of the Sellout
A young journalist examines why so many of us are becoming bankers.
By Jesse Singal, July 2, 2007
American Ideal
By Asheesh Siddique, Princeton University
How America can keep its values in the age of terrorism.
Nuclear Fallout
By Keith White
How North Korea got the bomb and what it means.
Finding Refuge in Literature
By Natalie Ondiak
Three recent books raise awareness of African refugees in America.
Reason, Schmeason
By Matt Singer
The response to Al Gore’s new book helps prove his point.
Love Thyself
By Liz Funk, Pace University
In a book on eating disorders, Courtney E. Martin exposes the self-hatred behind young women’s quests for perfection.
Who Cares?
By Andrew Benedict-Nelson, Johns Hopkins University
Why young progressives should embrace charity.
F-Word 101
By Ashwini Hardikar
Jessica Valenti’s book boils the new feminism down to its basics.
Cities For Sale
By Ben Adler
A new book takes on neoliberal attempts to revitalize urban centers.
Obituary for Kurt Vonnegut
By LJ Ulrich, West Virginia University
Remembering the great novelist.
Moral Panic Comes ‘Unhooked’
By Ann Friedman
Laura Sessions Stepp’s unnecessary alarm over college “hookup culture.”
The Greatest Legislation
By Andrew Benedict-Nelson
Over Here tells the story of the G.I. Bill.
Upgrading to Capitalism 3.0
By Graham Webster and Keith White
Protecting the commons from a thirst for profit.
Why Are We Sick?
By Michael Corcoran, Emerson College
A new book reports on healthcare from the frontlines.
Information Utopia
By Graham Webster
Cass Sunstein on how the internet helps us put our heads together.
Futures Market
By Ezra Klein
How the American dream disappeared, and how to get it back.
Culture Warrior’s Code
By Jesse Singal, U. of Michigan
Why liberals should pay attention to Bill O’Reilly.
Earth: A Hint Book
By Nathan Rosquist, Bainbridge Graduate Institute
Bloggers for a brighter future put ideas down on paper.
But is it Liberal Art?
By Ezra Klein
A professor’s new book disproves academia’s “bias.”
Behind Biased Admissions
By Ryan Bradley, Northwestern U.
A new book proves you can buy your way in.
Low-Grade
By Ben Adler
A new “guide” to getting grades needs some guidance counseling.
Soul Searching
By Josh Patashnik, Harvard U.
In his new book, Andrew Sullivan questions conservative principles.
God Help Me
By Bryan Collinsworth
Yes. I read Ann Coulter’s latest book.
Disparate Housewives
By Lauren Pruneski
Why young women should beware of being pulled into the “mommy wars.”
David Horowitz’s Enemies List
I’ve got 101 problems, but a professor ain’t one.
Surviving Justice
Check out excerpts from the new McSweeney’s book that tells the stories of 13 Americans who were wrongfully convicted.
Funding Father
John Olin, the money man behind the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy.
Limousine Liberals?
A new book claiming to “expose” liberal hypocrisy only shows how much the right relies on straw men.
So, This is Christmas?
FOX talking head John Gibson says that liberals hate Christmas. Is it even worth taking the bait?
Giving Politics a Spanking
In a new book, journalist Matt Taibbi skewers the political class as he covers the campaign trail.
Standing Alone in Mecca
A Muslim American progressive reclaims her religion and takes on sexism in mosques.
Teachers Have it Easy
Dave Eggers’ new book explores the big sacrifices and small salaries of America’s teachers.
Skirting Tradition, Chatting With the Old Girls’ Club
Women in politics talk to the next generation about starting up a new tradition.
Jim Wallis reads from God’s Politics
Hear the best-selling Sojourners editor tell why the Right gets it wrong and the Left doesn’t get it.
The Right Stuff
The hefty new book on President Bush’s reading list reinforces conservative nightmares about college – By John Baskin
Check Out University, Inc.
Download the introduction to Jennifer Washburn’s explosive new book.
Fall Reading List
School’s back in session. Here’s your non-required reading.
Paul Begala, Janeane Garofalo, Katrina vanden Heuvel, David Brock, Larry Korb, and Carla Cohen, Aug. 22, 2005
Put Down Your Textbooks
A bunch of really smart progressive people tell you what to read this summer.
Dave Eggers, Larry Lessig, Laurie David, David Rees, Michael Tomasky, Gayle Smith and Daniel Benjamin, May 17, 2005
The Syllabus – Al Franken
The radio star tells you what you should be reading.
Feb. 22, 2005
The Syllabus: CAP Staff Recommendations
Check out 29 speeches, films, fiction, and non-fiction picks from the Center for American Progress staff.
Feb. 18, 2005
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