Recommendations based on Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earthby Rachel Maddow

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power

    by Rachel Maddow
    Investigation of the US military's unchecked growth and its consequences for American democracy.

    "One of my favorite ideas is, never to keep an unnecessary soldier," Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1792. Neither Jefferson nor the other Found­ers could ever have envisioned the modern national security ... (Goodreads)

  2. On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century

    by Timothy Snyder
    A study of history and a call to action against the rise of authoritarianism.

    #1, New York Times, Bestseller •, A historian of fascism offers a guide for surviving and resisting America's turn towards authoritarianism., The Founding Fathers tried to protect us from the threat ... (Barnes & Noble)

  3. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness

    by Michelle Alexander
    Exploring the roots and reality of systemic racism in the U.S. criminal justice system.

    "Jarvious Cotton's great-great-grandfather could not vote as a slave. His great-grandfather was beaten to death by the Klu Klux Klan for attempting to vote. His grandfather was prevented from voting ... (Goodreads)

  4. Brief Answers to the Big Questions

    by Stephen Hawking
    Stephen Hawking's final thoughts on the biggest questions in science and humanity, from the existence of God to the future of AI.

    Stephen Hawking was recognized as one of the greatest minds of our time and a figure of inspiration after defying his ALS diagnosis at age twenty-one. He is known for both his breakthroughs in ... (Goodreads)

  5. White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America

    by Nancy Isenberg
    An in-depth analysis of the history of class in America, examining the lasting impact of the Establishment's grip on power.

    In her groundbreaking history of the class system in America, extending from colonial times to the present, Nancy Isenberg takes on our comforting myths about equality, uncovering the crucial legacy ... (Goodreads)

  6. Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators

    by Ronan Farrow
    Investigative journalist Ronan Farrow exposes the cover-up of sexual misconduct allegations against powerful men in media and politics.

    In 2017, a routine network television investigation led Ronan Farrow to a story only whispered about: one of Hollywood's most powerful producers was a predator, protected by fear, wealth, and a ... (Goodreads)

  7. Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House

    by Michael Wolff
    An inside look at the chaos and dysfunction within the Trump administration, revealing shocking details about the president and his team.

    With extraordinary access to the West Wing, Michael Wolff reveals what happened behind-the-scenes in the first nine months of the most controversial presidency of our time in Fire and Fury: Inside ... (Goodreads)

  8. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

    by Greg McKeown
    An exploration of the power of focus and clarity of purpose to create a more meaningful, productive life.

    Have you ever found yourself stretched too thin? Do you simultaneously feel overworked and underutilized? Are you often busy but not productive? Do you feel like your time is constantly being ... (Goodreads)

  9. Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game

    by Michael Lewis
    How an unconventional approach to baseball changed the competitive landscape.

    Billy Beane, general manager of MLB's Oakland A's and protagonist of Michael Lewis's Moneyball , had a problem: how to win in the Major Leagues with a budget that's smaller than that of nearly every ... (Goodreads)

  10. Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

    by John Carreyrou
    The rise and fall of Theranos, a fraudulent blood-testing startup, and the deceitful actions of its founder Elizabeth Holmes.

    The full inside story of the breathtaking rise and shocking collapse of a multibillion-dollar startup, by the prize-winning journalist who first broke the story and pursued it to the end in the face ... (Goodreads)

  11. John Adams

    by David McCullough
    Biography of the second President of the United States and his contributions to the founding of the nation.

    The enthralling, often surprising story of John Adams, one of the most important and fascinating Americans who ever lived. In this powerful, epic biography, David McCullough unfolds the adventurous ... (Goodreads)

  12. Humans: A Brief History of How We F*cked It All Up

    by Tom Phillips
    A humorous and irreverent take on the history of human civilization, highlighting our many mistakes and missteps along the way.

    *NOW AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER* A Toronto Star Bestselling Book of the Year “Witty and entertaining.”—Sarah Knight “Laugh-out-loud.”—Steve Brusatte AN EXHILARATING JOURNEY THROUGH THE MOST CREATIVE ... (Barnes & Noble)

  13. 1776

    by David McCullough
    A riveting account of the events leading up to and during the American Revolution.

    In this masterful book, David McCullough tells the intensely human story of those who marched with General George Washington in the year of the Declaration of Independence - when the whole American ... (Goodreads)

  14. The Education of an Idealist: A Memoir

    by Samantha Power
    A memoir of Samantha Power's journey from an immigrant to a war correspondent to a diplomat, and her efforts to promote human rights and democracy.

    Pulitzer Prize winner Samantha Power, widely known as a relentless advocate for promoting human rights, has been heralded by President Barack Obama as one of America's "foremost thinkers on foreign ... (Goodreads)

  15. Unfollow: A Journey from Hatred to Hope

    by Megan Phelps-Roper
    A memoir of a former member of the Westboro Baptist Church, detailing her journey from hate to empathy and compassion.

    The activist and TED speaker Megan Phelps-Roper reveals her life growing up in the most hated family in America,At the age of five, Megan Phelps-Roper began protesting homosexuality and other alleged ... (Barnes & Noble)

  16. Designing Your Life: Build a Life that Works for You

    by Bill Burnett
    A guide to designing a fulfilling life through applying design thinking principles. Practical exercises and tools included.

    *** The #1 New York Times Bestseller *** Whether we’re 20, 40, 60 or older, many of us are still looking for an answer to that perennial question, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ In ... (Goodreads)

  17. Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance

    by Alex Hutchinson
    Investigating the limits of human endurance, Hutchinson explores the science behind how our minds and bodies push past perceived boundaries.

    THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Foreword by Malcolm Gladwell Limits are an illusion: discover the revolutionary account of the science and psychology of endurance, revealing the secrets of reaching ... (Barnes & Noble)

  18. Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom

    by David W. Blight
    A comprehensive biography of Frederick Douglass, the former slave who became a leading abolitionist and one of America's greatest orators.

    As a young man, Frederick Douglass (1818–1895) escaped from slavery in Baltimore, Maryland. He was fortunate to have been taught to read by his slave owner mistress, and he would go on to become one ... (Goodreads)

  19. Frozen in Time: An Epic Story of Survival and a Modern Quest for Lost Heroes of World War II

    by Mitchell Zuckoff
    A gripping account of a WWII aircrew's crash and subsequent survival, and a modern-day investigation into the tragedy.

    Frozen in Time is a gripping true story of survival, bravery, and honor in the vast Arctic wilderness during World War II, from Mitchell Zuckoff, the author of New York Times bestseller Lost in ... (Barnes & Noble)

  20. Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture

    by Roxane Gay
    A collection of essays exploring the pervasive culture of sexual violence and harassment, and the impact it has on survivors.

    Cultural critic and bestselling author Roxane Gay has edited a collection of essays that explore what it means to live in a world where women are frequently belittled and harassed due to their ... (Goodreads)

  21. Four Seasons in Rome: On Twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the History of the World

    by Anthony Doerr
    Reflections on a year spent in Rome, exploring the city's culture and people.

    From the author of the acclaimed Pulitzer Prize-winning #1 New York Times bestseller All the Light We Cannot See , a "dazzling" (Azar Nafisi, author of Reading Lolita in Tehran ) memoir about art and ... (Barnes & Noble)

  22. Barking Up the Wrong Tree: The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Success Is

    by Eric Barker
    A comprehensive look at how and why traditional ideas of success are flawed, and how to find success in new ways.

    Wall Street Journal Bestseller Much of the advice we’ve been told about achievement is logical, earnest…and downright wrong. In, Barking Up the Wrong Tree, Eric Barker reveals the extraordinary ... (Barnes & Noble)

  23. Jim Henson: The Biography

    by Brian Jay Jones
    Biography of the creative genius behind the beloved Muppets, exploring his life, legacy and influence.

    NEW YORK TIMES, BESTSELLER • For the first time ever—a comprehensive biography of one of the twentieth century’s most innovative creative artists: the incomparable, irreplaceable Jim Henson He was a ... (Barnes & Noble)

  24. Between the World and Me

    by Ta-Nehisi Coates
    A letter to his son, exploring the realities of racism in America.

    “This is your country, this is your world, this is your body, and you must find some way to live within the all of it.” In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American ... (Goodreads)

  25. The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court

    by Jeffrey Toobin
    An exploration of the inner workings of the U.S. Supreme Court and its justices.

    In The Nine, acclaimed journalist Jeffrey Toobin takes us into the chambers of the most important—and secret—legal body in our country, the Supreme Court, revealing the complex dynamic among the nine ... (Goodreads)

  26. Care of the Soul: A Guide for Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday Life

    by Thomas Moore
    An exploration of how to lead a spiritual life while living in modern society.

    This New York Times bestseller (more than 200,000 hardcover copies sold) provides a path-breaking lifestyle handbook that shows how to add spirituality, depth, and meaning to modern-day life by ... (Goodreads)

  27. The Feminine Mystique

    by Betty Friedan
    A groundbreaking exploration of the dissatisfaction felt by women in the 1950s and beyond.

    Landmark, groundbreaking, classic—these adjectives barely do justice to the pioneering vision and lasting impact of The Feminine Mystique . Published in 1963, it gave a pitch-perfect description of ... (Goodreads)

  28. The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming

    by David Wallace-Wells
    A stark warning of the catastrophic consequences of climate change and the urgent need for action to prevent them.

    It is worse, much worse, than you think. If your anxiety about global warming is dominated by fears of sea-level rise, you are barely scratching the surface of what terrors are possible. In ... (Goodreads)

  29. Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood Through Adulthood

    by Edward M. Hallowell
    An exploration of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and its effects on individuals, families, and society.

    Through vivid stories of the experiences of their patients (both adults and children), Drs. Hallowell and Ratey show the varied forms ADD takes — from the hyperactive search for high stimulation to ... (Barnes & Noble)

  30. Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness

    by Scott Jurek
    A professional runner's story of pushing physical and mental boundaries to become a champion ultramarathoner.

    For nearly two decades, Scott Jurek has been a dominant force—and darling—in the grueling and growing sport of ultrarunning. Until recently he held the American 24-hour record and he was one of the ... (Goodreads)