American democracy is informed by the 18th century’s most cutting edge thinking on society, economics, and government. We’ve learned some things in the intervening 230 years about self interest, social behaviors, and how the world works. Now, authors Eric Liu and Nick Hanauer argue that some fundamental assumptions about citizenship, society, economics, and government need updating. For many years the dominant metaphor for understanding markets and government has been the machine. Liu and ...

Written in the style of Thomas Paine, this ‘little red book’ challenges modern patriotism—and calls for a return to the ideals on which American democracy was founded.An essential, non-partisan read for both progressive and conservatives!Over the course of a generation, patriotism in America has been hijacked by the right and abandoned by the left. But the principles and values of true patriotism—country above self, contribution above consu...

"A meticulously researched and deeply felt corrective . . . laying bare the origins of mass migration in searing clarity . . . Well argued, cathartic." ―Lauren Markham, The New York Times Book ReviewA TIME MAGAZINE TOP TEN NONFICTION BOOK OF THE YEARAN NPR STAFF PICKThere are few subjects in American life that prompt more discussion and controver...

A Fields medalist recounts his lifelong effort to uncover the geometric shape—the Calabi-Yau manifold—that may store the hidden dimensions of our universe.Harvard geometer Shing-Tung Yau has provided a mathematical foundation for string theory, offered new insights into black holes, and mathematically demonstrated the stability of our universe. In this autobiography, Yau reflects on his improbable journey to becoming one of the world's most distinguished mathematici...

“A must-read for every American who longs to bring sanity to our nation’s gun laws,” this book debunks the lethal logic behind the myths that have framed the gun control debate (Ariana Huffington, Huffington Post).The gun lobby’s remarkable success in using engaging slogans to frame the gun control debate has allowed it to block lifesaving gun legislation for decades. But is there any truth to this bumper-sticker logic? Dennis Henigan exposes the mythology...

In this sobering analysis of American foreign policy under Trump, the award-winning economist calls for a new approach to international engagement.The American Century began in 1941 and ended in 2017, on the day of President Trump's inauguration. The subsequent turn toward nationalism and "America first" unilateralism did not made America great. It announced the abdication of our responsibilities in the face of environmental crises, political upheaval, mass migrati...

How standards of living have skyrocketed since 1800, and the political philosophy that made it possible: "Persuasive…richly detailed and erudite."— Financial TimesThere's little doubt that most humans today are better off than their forebears. Stunningly so, the economist and historian Deirdre McCloskey argues in this concluding volume of her trilogy celebrating the oft-derided virtues of the bourgeoisie. The poorest of humanity, McCloskey shows, will soon...

“Engaging and inspiring . . . Reading this book should make you want to vote.”—Barack ObamaIn a world of sound bites, deliberate misinformation, and a political scene colored by the blue versus red partisan divide, how does the average educated American find a reliable source that’s free of political spin? What You Should Know About Politics . . . But Don’t breaks it all down, issue by issue, explaining who stands for what, and why—whether it’s the economy...

"A fascinating account of the gathering and dissemination of news from the end of the Middle Ages to the French Revolution" and the rise of the newspaper (Glenn Altschuler, The Huffington Post).Long before the invention of printing, let alone the daily newspaper, people wanted to stay informed. In the pre-industrial era, news was mostly shared through gossip, sermons, and proclamations. The age of print brought pamphlets, ballads, and the first news-sheets...

An approach to the challenges of globalism that rejects simplistic solutions, from "one of the most acute observers of the international economy" (Francis Fukuyama, New York Times-bestselling author of Identity).Deploying a novel mix of scientific evaluation and personal observation, Grzegorz W. Kolodko, one of the world's leading authorities on economics and development policy, begins Truth, Errors, and Lies with a brief discussion of mi...

The creator of TomDispatch.com "focuses on the specific absurdities of American wars . . . strident, passionate, and problem-solving" ( Mother Jones).In 2008, when the US National Intelligence Council issued its latest report meant for the administration of newly elected president Barack Obama, it predicted that the planet's "sole superpower" would suffer a modest decline and a soft landing fifteen years hence. In his new book, The United States of Fea...

"The best single-volume history of the Revolution I have read." —Howard ZinnUpon its initial publication, Ray Raphael's magisterial A People's History of the American Revolution was hailed by NPR's Fresh Air as "relentlessly aggressive and unsentimental." With impeccable skill, Raphael presented a wide array of fascinating scholarship within a single volume, employing a bottom-up approach that has served as a revelation.A People's Hist...