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 2022

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Identity: Race

Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Social Justice, Southern Literature, Immigration / Refugee, History: World, Travel Literature, Politics / Government


Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Race / Racism, Black Lives Matter, Gender / Feminism, Sociology, Social Justice, Politics / Government

So You Want to Talk About Race is a 2018 non-fiction book written by Ijeoma Oluo, an American author of Nigerian descent whose columns and news articles on race have appeared in The Guardian, The Stranger, and Jezebel, among other places. This guide refers to the first edition published in 2018 by Seal Press. The title gestures to the discourse that is necessary to combat racial oppression in the United States. The book made Bustle’s... Read So You Want to Talk About Race Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags History: European, Politics / Government, British Literature, Animals, Grief / Death, Depression / Suicide, Class, Relationships, Journalism, Bullying, History: World, Biography


Publication year 1775

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Nation, Society: Colonialism

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


Publication year 1588

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: Politics & Government

Tags History: European, Military / War, Politics / Government


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor, Politics / Government


Publication year 2020

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Nation, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

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


Publication year 2016

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Music

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

Ibrahim Kendi’s comprehensive history of racial thought in the US, Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, was published in 2016 and won the National Book Award for Nonfiction. Kendi has also collaborated author Jason Reynolds (Long Way Down, Ain't Burned All the Bright) on a young adult "remix" of Stamped from the Beginning titled Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You, and is well known for his 2019 book, How to... Read Stamped From the Beginning Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Book, Nonfiction

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

Tags Black Lives Matter, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, History: World, Social Justice, Politics / Government

Jason Reynolds’s Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You (2020) is a nonfiction book by the American authors Jason Reynolds and Dr. Ibram X. Kendi. It is a self-described “remix” of Kendi’s 2016 National Book Award winner Stamped From the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America. An award-winning writer of young adult fiction and poetry, Reynolds frames America’s history of racist ideas for an audience of middle school and high school readers. Reynolds’s remix... Read Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: Community, Identity: Gender

Tags Science / Nature, Philosophy, History: World, Politics / Government, Animals, Education, Diversity, Disability, Food, Health / Medicine, Internet Culture / Social Media, Military / War, Race / Racism, Religion / Spirituality, Social Justice, Technology, Philosophy


Publication year 2003

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags History: European, History: World, Politics / Government, Biography

Stasiland, by Anna Funder, originally published in 2002, is the true account of life in East Germany during the Communist regime, from 1949 to 1990. It tells the stories of those who resisted and engaged in what has been called the most perfected surveillance state of all time.First, Funder visits Leipzig, Germany, to meet with Miriam Weber, a woman who was arrested by the Stasi, brutally interrogated, and who later tried to escape over the... Read Stasiland Summary


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Science / Nature, Technology, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Politics / Government

American author Michael Crichton’s thriller novel State of Fear (HarperCollins Publishers, 2004) dramatizes the debate surrounding global warming. Set in the contemporary world, the novel tells the story of a group of characters attempting to thwart eco-terrorist threats. The plot exudes intrigue and action—including shootouts, deadly crocodiles, deceptive agents, and the faked death of George Morton, the man who links the characters together. State of Fear is also a polemic casting doubt on the theory... Read State of Fear Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Teams, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

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


Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

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


Publication year 2016

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Sociology, Politics / Government, History: U.S., American Literature, Social Science, Business / Economics, History: World, Social Justice

Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right (2016) is an in-depth exploration of the rise of the Tea Party movement in Louisiana by sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild. In an effort to understand the Tea Party and bolster her empathy for political opinions oppositional to her own, Hochschild spent five years getting to know residents and conducting interviews in and around Lake Charles, Louisiana. Hochschild argues that by understanding one another’s... Read Strangers in Their Own Land Summary


Publication year 1997

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags Education, Science / Nature, Religion / Spirituality, Crime / Legal, Education, History: U.S., History: World, Politics / Government

Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America’s Continuing Debate Over Science and Religion by Pulitzer Prize-winning author and academic Edward J. Larson is a work of historical non-fiction first published in 1997 that discusses the history of the Scopes trial, the events surrounding it, and the aftermath. The 2006 edition includes a new afterword by the author.Larson begins by describing the geopolitical environment in the United States at the time of the 1925... Read Summer for the Gods Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Business / Economics, Politics / Government, Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Relationships, Arts / Culture, History: European, Politics / Government, British Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Romance

Sweet Tooth is a 2012 novel by Ian McEwan. Set in the 1970s, it tells the story of one woman’s involvement with MI5 and the world of literature. Themes include the balance of power, navigating lies and deceit, and conditional versus unconditional acceptance.Plot SummarySerena Frome grows up in a small, uninteresting English city. In the 1960s, her mother encourages her to study mathematics at Cambridge University even though Serena (a keen reader) would rather study... Read Sweet Tooth Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Class, Society: Immigration, Society: Economics

Tags History: World, Social Justice, Poverty, Politics / Government, History: U.S., Class, Sociology, Race / Racism

Tales of Two Americas: Stories of Inequality in a Divided Nation is a 2017 non-fiction collection of 36 essays, poems, and short stories edited by former Granta editor John Freeman and including contributions by Rebecca Solnit, Sandra Cisneros, Edwidge Danticat, Julia Alvarez, Joyce Carol Oates, Ann Patchett, Annie Dillard, Roxane Gay, and more. The text crosses disciplinary boundaries, covering sociology, history, racial and ethnic studies, and gender studies.The personal essays, stories, and poetry in Tales... Read Tales of Two Americas Summary


Publication year 2007

Genre Collection of Letters, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Femininity, Self Discovery, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Colonialism

Tags Race / Racism, Education, Gender / Feminism, Politics / Government, Leadership/Organization/Management, Education, Philosophy, Philosophy, Social Justice