American Politics

"Masterful.... This book is an enduring, formidable accomplishment, a monument to the power of biography [that] now becomes the definitive work [on Hoover]." -- The Washington Post

Question: How do closed primaries weaken our democracy? Answer: They produce elected officials who are more accountable to their party than their constituents, they restrict participation while also reinforcing division, and they exclude independent voters (who are the largest, fastest-growing sector of the US electorate).

"Alice Rivlin's practical, optimistic, and inspirational voice shines through in this book, and its message is needed more than ever." -- Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget

"The author displays her strong commitment to including the Native presence in any account of Western history.... A readable and unfailingly interesting look at a slice of Western history from a novel point of view." -- Kirkus Reviews

"[Leibovich is] just so good at this. He is a world-class ranter, continuing an American tradition that includes such dyspeptic luminaries as H.L. Mencken, Hunter S. Thompson, and P.J. O'Rourke.... [He's also] a brilliant interviewer able to wheedle not-quite-admissions from his subjects, who give him all the access in the world." -- The Washington Post

"Outstanding.... Garcia's book uses rich storytelling and insightful reporting to uncover not only the long history of how autistic people have been mistreated but also how they continue to be ignored.... [This] is exactly the book we need to lead the way in changing the autism conversation. It belongs on the shelf next to 'NeuroTribes' as essential reading on autism and neurodiversity." -- The Washington Post

Per unmuteok.org: "94% of Oklahoma elections are decided in the primary, not the general election. But Oklahoma has closed primaries. It's a bad system that shuts out 1 out of 5 voters who are Independent and limits the choices of Republicans and Democrats. We pay millions of dollars for these elections with our taxes. Oklahomans deserve an open system that lets all voters vote for who they want."

"The authors are tireless reporters, and the book's impact lies less in any headline revelations than in the accumulation of small details that can almost seem routine but that reveal the deeper condition of American democracy.... It's a document of decline and fall -- a chronicle that should cause future readers to ponder how American leaders in the early 21st century lost the ability and will to govern." -- The Atlantic

"[The] extent of McConnell's scorched-earth politics makes it clear why Washington has been either deadlocked or regressive. Anyone interested in social justice or the advancement of the ideals of democracy can read this chronicle and come away knowing who one of the principal political villains of the twenty-first century is." -- Booklist

"The book's title is a pun, and it's an apt one. What stands out the most from this gripping volume is how a reverence for authority -- if the right person is in charge -- is encoded into the various strands of this movement.... Required reading for anyone who wants to map the continuing erosion of our already fragile wall between church and state." -- The Washington Post