Here are 100 books that The Boys on the Bus fans have personally recommended if you like
The Boys on the Bus.
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In a family of readers, my older sister was fascinated by the American Revolution, so I became a reader under that influence, gulping down biographies for kids. I trained as an academic historian but never really wanted to write academic history. Instead, I wanted to bottle that what-if-felt-like magic that I'd felt when I read those books as a kid. I became a journalist but still felt the pull of the past. So I wound up in that in-between slice of journalists who try to write history for readers like me, more interested in people than in complex arguments about historical cause and effect.
For my money, this book is the best work of journalismācertainly of political journalismāof its time, meaning the last half-century.
Six politicians, including two presidentsāthe first George Bush, and Joe Bidenāemerge not as mere ambitious strivers but as tragic heroes, each as much the victim as the master of America's predatory political culture. I felt I knew each of them and what they'd been through as intimately as if I'd been their brother.
"Quite possibly the finest book on presidential politics ever written, combining meticulous reporting and compelling, at times soaringly lyrical, prose." -- Cleveland Plain Dealer
An American Iliad in the guise of contemporary political reportage, What It Takes penetrates the mystery at the heart of all presidential campaigns: How do presumably ordinary people acquire that mixture of ambition, stamina, and pure shamelessness that makes a true candidate? As he recounts the frenzied course of the 1988 presidential race -- and scours the psyches of contenders from George Bush and Robert Dole to Michael Dukakis and Gary Hart -- Pulitzer Prize-winning journalistā¦
Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa storiesāall reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!
On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argueā¦
I was a political consultant for much of the first half of my nearly 30-year career in communications. Having run statewide and local political campaigns, I experienced many of the personalities I write about today. What is behind the political decisions elected leaders make? Can you truly be a dedicated public servant in politics today? If you only play to win, how do you keep from becoming your own worst enemy? My writing and the works I gravitate towards explore these challenging issues, which are as prevalent today as they were analyzed by the Greeks, Shakespeare, and 20th-century writers.
Primary Colors is one of the finest illustrations of the coming of age of modern politics.Ā
Ripped from the headlines of the day, Primary Colors provides a true-to-life experience of what it was like leading up to Clintonās upset over Bush. Itās a fine expose and morality play in which we see how ethics can be compromised in the pursuit of power.
A novel provocatively based on an insider's devastating account of Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign. The anonymous author is reported to be someone close to the Clintons.
It was during the 1960 presidential campaign, between John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon, that I first became enthralled with politics and history. I was only thirteen, so it never occurred to me at the time that I would end up abandoning my childhood dream of becoming a medical doctor and instead devote most of my adult life to teaching and writing political history. Because of what happened to me, Iām recommending five classic presidential campaign accounts. Because they were written by firsthand observers, they convey a vivid sense of how events, with all of their uncertainties appeared at the time before they became fixed in history.
Outsiders sometimes see us better than we can see ourselves. Such is the case with the three British journalists who covered the tumultuous 1968 presidential campaign that took place during a year of assassinations, civil unrest, and war. Their account detected fault lines in the political system that still emperil us today but also reminds us thatāhowever much we may wring our hands todayāweāve survived more perilous times.Ā
A true original collectors item with a rare white background on cover and very minimal wear. This is a great book that's being sold at much higher prices but we are pricing ours to sell quickly.
Stealing technology from parallel Earths was supposed to make Declan rich. Instead, it might destroy everything.
Declan is a self-proclaimed interdimensional interloper, travelling to parallel Earths to retrieve futuristic cutting-edge technology for his employer. It's profitable work, and he doesn't ask questions. But when he befriends an amazing humanoid robot,ā¦
It was during the 1960 presidential campaign, between John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon, that I first became enthralled with politics and history. I was only thirteen, so it never occurred to me at the time that I would end up abandoning my childhood dream of becoming a medical doctor and instead devote most of my adult life to teaching and writing political history. Because of what happened to me, Iām recommending five classic presidential campaign accounts. Because they were written by firsthand observers, they convey a vivid sense of how events, with all of their uncertainties appeared at the time before they became fixed in history.
The 1972 campaign was one of the most lopsided in history, but it produced not one but two classic accounts. The first was Timothy Crouseās Boys on the Bus. The second was Hunter S. Thompsonās uproarious, passionate, frankly partisan but insightful account. During my forty years of teaching modern US history, this was a class favorite.
The 50th anniversary edition of āthe best account yet published of what it feels like to be out there in the middle of the American political processā (The New York Times Book Review) featuring a new foreword from Johnny Knoxville.
A half-century after its original publication, Hunter S. Thompsonās Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail ā72 remains a cornerstone of American political journalism and one of the bestselling campaign books of all time. Thompsonās searing account of the battle for the 1972 presidencyāfrom the Democratic primaries to the eventual showdown between George McGovern and Richard Nixonāis infused with theā¦
I joined the Nixon administration as a White House Fellow upon Harvard Law School graduation in 1969, so I wasnāt part of Nixonās 1968 campaign. I served for five years, rising to associate director of the Domestic Council and ending as deputy counsel on Nixonās Watergate defense team. Given my personal involvement at the time, coupled with extensive research over the past fifteen years, Iām among the foremost authorities on the Watergate scandal, but essentially unknowledgeable about people and events preceding the Nixon presidency. My five recommended books have nicely fill that gap ā principally by friends and former colleagues who were actually āin the arenaā during those heady times.
Pat Buchanan joined Nixonās staff in 1966 and was the conservative guru on his White House staff throughout Nixonās terms in office. Totally written off for dead after his 1962 loss to Edmund āPatā Brown as Californiaās governor, Nixon remerged to be sworn in as our 37th President in January 1969 ā and Pat was with him every step of the way. This book is Buchananās insider account of how that recovery was planned, executed, and ultimately achieved. Its stories reflect lessons and insights for everyone interested in national campaigns. I served alongside Pat in the Nixon White House, but this volume fills in intimate details of Nixonās wilderness years ā before he took the oath of office.
Patrick J. Buchanan, bestselling author and senior advisor to Richard Nixon, tells the definitive story of Nixon's resurrection from the political graveyard and his rise to the presidency.
After suffering stinging defeats in the 1960 presidential election against John F. Kennedy, and in the 1962 California gubernatorial election, Nixon's career was declared dead by Washington press and politicians alike. Yet on January 20, 1969, just six years after he had said his political life was over, Nixon would stand taking the oath of office as 37th President of the United States. How did Richard Nixon resurrect a ruined career andā¦
I joined the Nixon administration as a White House Fellow upon Harvard Law School graduation in 1969, so I wasnāt part of Nixonās 1968 campaign. I served for five years, rising to associate director of the Domestic Council and ending as deputy counsel on Nixonās Watergate defense team. Given my personal involvement at the time, coupled with extensive research over the past fifteen years, Iām among the foremost authorities on the Watergate scandal, but essentially unknowledgeable about people and events preceding the Nixon presidency. My five recommended books have nicely fill that gap ā principally by friends and former colleagues who were actually āin the arenaā during those heady times.
Gellman is a nationally-recognized historian, whose writings reflect thorough and insightful research. His earlier books ā on Nixonās time in Congress (The Contender) and as Eisenhowerās vice president (The President and the Apprentice) ā meticulously debunked derogatory stories about Nixon, and this one on the 1960 campaign does the same. Many believe Theodore Whiteās Making of the President,1960 is the only authoritative account of that contest, but Gellman points out how White set out to idolize Kennedy and villainize Nixon ā never once actually speaking to Nixon, either during or following the campaign. Gellman is an excellent writer, putting his readers right in the center of historic events. His final chapter, bringing the campaign all together is simply outstanding.
Based on massive new research, a compelling and surprising account of the twentieth century's closest election
"[Gellman] offers as detailed an exploration of the 1960 presidential race as can be found."-Robert W. Merry, Wall Street Journal
"A brilliant work . . . the research is absolutely phenomenal . . . This book should receive every accolade the publishing industry can give it, including the Pulitzer Prize."-John Rothmann, KGO's "The John Rothmann Show"
The 1960 presidential election between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon is one of the most frequently described political events of the twentieth century, yet the accounts toā¦
Nature writer Sharman Apt Russell tells stories of her experiences tracking wildlifeāmostly mammals, from mountain lions to pocket miceānear her home in New Mexico, with lessons that hold true across North America. She guides readers through the basics of identifying tracks and signs, revealing a landscape filled with the marksā¦
In 2008, I accidentally started watching The West Wing, and it changed my lifeāleading me ultimately to start writing seriously and then to move to DC, where I lived for ten years. I would not have ever guessed that a TV show could have such an impact, but I repeatedly met people in DC who had similar stories. I wrote an essay about the fandom for my literary journalism class during my MFA, and that became the starting point for my anthology. I interviewed dozens of fellow fans, many of whom had moving stories of the showās impact on their lives. It was a really special experience.
I really enjoyed the later seasons of The West Wing, which features a political campaign from the primaries to the general election and beyond.
This is David Plouffeās account of Obamaās phenomenal and groundbreaking campaign, just a couple of years after the end of The West Wing, and it has a lot of the same exciting, hopeful vibe.
Enter The Audacity to Win Book Club Discussion Contest
Watch David Plouffe discuss The Audacity to Win on "Meet the Press"
David Plouffe not only led the effort that put Barack Obama in the White House, but he also changed the face of politics forever and reenergized the idea of democracy itself. The Audacity to Win is his story of that groundbreaking achievement, taking readers inside the remarkable campaign that led to the election of the first African American president.
For two years Plouffe worked side by side with Obama, charting the course of the campaign. His is the ultimateā¦
As a journalist covering the Future of Work and Silicon Valley in the 2010s, I encountered pioneering social entrepreneurs and newly minted tech billionaires whose ideologies attracted millions and have since shaped our culture, economy, and society. I've curated some of the most impactful books that informed my understanding of their ambitions and how work is evolving, as well as the thought leaders who inspired them. Engaging with this content and integrating it over the last decade has transformed my worldview, leading me to a more fulfilling, peaceful, and creative lifeābut itās been quite the journey!
Andrew Yang stands out as an unconventional thinker who is redefining the political landscape for Americans disillusioned with the two-party system. In this book, he introduces āthird wayā solutions to address political crises, such as ranked-choice voting, term limits, and other common-sense reforms. The former presidential candidate has built a formidable following across the political spectrum by developing a new theory of change that balances individual autonomy with systemic reform.
I met Andrew over a decade agoāhe introduced me to Tony Hsieh, the late Zappos CEO and the subject of my first book, when they first experimented with creating a more human-centered economy by revitalizing downtown Las Vegas through entrepreneurship.
In our deeply polarized era, this book gave me a renewed sense of hope by exploring how we can collectively redesign societal incentives.
NATIONAL BESTSELLER ā¢ A lively and bold blueprint for moving beyond the āera of institutional failureā by transforming our outmoded political and economic systems to be resilient to twenty-first-century problems, from the popular entrepreneur, bestselling author, and political truth-teller
āA vitally important book.āāMark Cuban Ā Despite being written off by the media, Andrew Yangās shoestring 2020 presidential campaignāpowered by his proposal for a universal basic income of $1,000 a month for all Americansājolted the political establishment, growing into a massive, diverse movement.Ā Ā In Forward, Yang reveals that UBI and the threat of job automation are only the beginning, diagnosing how aā¦
As a historian of the U.S. presidency, I have long been fascinated by the ways in which aspirants for the White House energize and harness popular support for their candidacy. Tracing the development of electioneering practices from the early 1800s to today has been fascinating. Is there a connection between the hickory sprigs worn by Andrew Jacksonās supporters and the MAGA hats worn by Donald Trumpās supporters? Between the political rallies of William Henry Harrison and those of every modern presidential candidate? Between the derision leveled at politically active women in the 1830s and that directed at Sarah Palin and Hilary Rodham Clinton in the twenty-first century? You betcha!
Healeās book is a classic look at how Early Republic presidential candidates and presidents curated their public image. Reading it made me realize how much political mythology was deliberately crafted during the early decades of the U.S. presidency, an obvious point in hindsight and a particularly important one in thinking about the contemporary relevancy. I gain new insights every time I read it.Ā Ā
The Bridge provides a compassionate and well researched window into the worlds of linear and circular thinking. A core pattern to the inner workings of these two thinking styles is revealed, and most importantly, insight into how to cross the distance between them. Some fascinating features emerged such as, circularā¦
I'm a long-time contributor to Reader's Digest (and former contributing editor), specializing in narrative nonfiction who has covered social and geopolitical issues for the magazine. I'm also a political junkie who loves to dig into little-known aspects of history and current events.
The Steal documents what happened in the weeks between the 2020 presidential election and January 6th in swing states that Biden won, where Trump persuaded local loyalists that the election had been rigged. Avid Trump supporters embraced every wild conspiracy theory Trump World tossed their wayāimagining minor glitches to be bulletproof evidence of massive fraud.Ā
As the author of another narrative about the collateral damage wrought by purveyors of the Big Lie, I had obvious reasons to be drawn to The Steal. It deftly see-saws between besieged election workers and officials trying to do their jobs in the face of unrelenting pressure, and those whoātruth, law, and logic be damnedāapplied that pressure. The Steal fascinates, both as a commentary on human nature and a ground-level account of an attempted coup.Ā Ā
āA gripping ground-level narrativeā¦a marvel of reporting: tightly woundā¦ but also panoramic.āāWashington Post
āA lean, fast-paced and important account of the chaotic final weeks.āāNew York Times
In The Steal, veteran journalists Mark Bowden and Matthew Teague offer a week-by-week, state-by-state account of the effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
In the sixty-four days between November 3 and January 6, President Donald Trump and his allies fought to reverse the outcome of the vote. Focusing on six statesāArizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and WisconsināTrumpās supporters claimed widespread voter fraud.
Caught up in this effort were scores of activists, lawyers, judges,ā¦
