Recommendations based on The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Courtby Jeffrey Toobin

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

  1. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln

    by Doris Kearns Goodwin
    A comprehensive study of the presidency of Abraham Lincoln, and the unique cabinet he assembled.

    Winner of the Lincoln Prize Acclaimed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin illuminates Lincoln's political genius in this highly original work, as the one-term congressman and prairie lawyer rises from ... (Goodreads)

  2. Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime

    by John Heilemann
    A behind-the-scenes look at the 2008 US Presidential Election and the people who ran it.

    “It’s one of the best books on politics of any kind I’ve read. For entertainment value, I put it up there with Catch 22 .” — The Financial Times “It transports you to a parallel universe in which ... (Goodreads)

  3. We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families

    by Philip Gourevitch
    True story of the 1994 Rwandan genocide and its aftermath, told through the eyes of survivors.

    In April of 1994, the government of Rwanda called on everyone in the Hutu majority to kill everyone in the Tutsi minority. Over the next three months, 800,000 Tutsis were murdered in the most ... (Goodreads)

  4. Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption

    by Bryan Stevenson
    A powerful true story of justice and redemption, exposing the flaws of America's criminal justice system.

    In 1989, idealistic young Harvard law graduate Bryan Stevenson travels to Alabama hoping to help fight for poor people who cannot afford proper legal representation. Teaming with Eva Ansley, he ... (Wikipedia)

  5. Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power

    by Jon Meacham
    Detailed biography of Thomas Jefferson, exploring the man and his unprecedented influence.

    In this magnificent biography, the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of American Lion and Franklin and Winston brings vividly to life an extraordinary man and his remarkable times. Thomas Jefferson: The ... (Goodreads)

  6. The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron

    by Bethany McLean
    The dramatic story of the Enron scandal, exposing the hidden corruption behind the company's meteoric rise and fall.

    There were dozens of books about Watergate, but only All the President's Men gave readers the full story, with all the drama and nuance and exclusive reporting. And thirty years later, if you're ... (Goodreads)

  7. The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town

    by John Grisham
    True crime story of an innocent man convicted of a crime he didn't commit.

    Ron Williamson has returned to his hometown of Ada, Oklahoma, after multiple failed attempts to play for various minor league baseball teams, including the Fort Lauderdale Yankees and two affiliate ... (Wikipedia)

  8. Zeitoun

    by Dave Eggers
    A man's struggle to survive and reunite with his family amidst the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

    Abdulrahman Zeitoun grew up in Syria. After a few years of apprenticeship in the Syrian port city of Jableh , Zeitoun spent twenty years working at sea as a muscleman, engineer and fisherman. During ... (Wikipedia)

  9. The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University

    by Kevin Roose
    An exploration of faith and culture at an evangelical college, through the eyes of an atheist.

    The hilarious and heartwarming, respectful and thought-provoking memoir of a college student's semester at Liberty University, the "Bible Boot Camp" for young evangelicals, that will inspire ... (Barnes & Noble)

  10. 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)

  11. What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures

    by Malcolm Gladwell
    Collection of essays about the surprising connections between seemingly unrelated topics.

    What is the difference between choking and panicking? Why are there dozens of varieties of mustard but only one variety of ketchup? What do football players teach us about how to hire teachers? What ... (Goodreads)

  12. Master of the Senate

    by Robert A. Caro
    Detailed account of Lyndon Johnson's tenure as the leader of the US Senate, and his rise to power.

    The most riveting political biography of our time, Robert A. Caro’s life of Lyndon B. Johnson, continues. Master of the Senate takes Johnson’s story through one of its most remarkable periods: his ... (Goodreads)

  13. Awakenings

    by Oliver Sacks
    Exploring the effects of a mysterious sleeping sickness, the power of hope and human resilience.

    Awakenings is a 1973 non-fiction book by Oliver Sacks. It recounts the life histories of those who had been victims of the 1920s encephalitis lethargica epidemic. Sacks chronicles his efforts in the ... (Goodreads)

  14. Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance

    by Barack Obama
    An exploration of the Obama family history, tracing the threads of identity and race.

    In this lyrical, unsentimental, and compelling memoir, the son of a black African father and a white American mother searches for a workable meaning to his life as a black American. It begins in New ... (Goodreads)

  15. A Civil Action

    by Jonathan Harr
    A legal drama about a court case of corporate negligence, and the resulting tragedy.

    After finding that her child is diagnosed with leukemia , Anne Anderson notices a high prevalence of leukemia, a relatively rare disease, in her city . Eventually she gathers other families and seeks ... (Wikipedia)

  16. My Beloved World

    by Sonia Sotomayor
    Autobiographical account of a Latina's path to the Supreme Court, overcoming personal and systemic obstacles.

    The first Latinx (Puerto Rican) and third woman appointed to the US Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor has become an instant American icon. Now, with a candor and intimacy never undertaken by a sitting ... (Goodreads)

  17. Benjamin Franklin: An American Life

    by Walter Isaacson
    Biography of the influential founding father, exploring his life and legacy.

    Benjamin Franklin is the Founding Father who winks at us. An ambitious urban entrepreneur who rose up the social ladder, from leather-aproned shopkeeper to dining with kings, he seems made of flesh ... (Goodreads)

  18. The Post-American World

    by Fareed Zakaria
    Exploring the changing global order, and the implications for America's future.

    "This is not a book about the decline of America, but rather about the rise of everyone else." So begins Fareed Zakaria's important new work on the era we are now entering. Following on the success ... (Goodreads)

  19. The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

    by Michael Pollan
    Exploration of the modern food chain, examining the impact of food choices on our health and the environment.

    What should we have for dinner? The question has confronted us since man discovered fire, but according to Michael Pollan, the bestselling author of The Botany of Desire , how we answer it today, at ... (Goodreads)

  20. A Short History of Nearly Everything

    by Bill Bryson
    A captivating overview of the natural sciences, spanning the history of the universe.

    In Bryson's biggest book, he confronts his greatest challenge: to understand—and, if possible, answer—the oldest, biggest questions we have posed about the universe and ourselves. Taking as territory ... (Goodreads)

  21. Means of Ascent

    by Robert A. Caro
    An exploration of the ruthless ambition and cunning tactics of Lyndon B. Johnson's political career.

    Robert A. Caro's life of Lyndon Johnson, which began with the greatly acclaimed The Path to Power, also winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, continues – one of the richest, most ... (Goodreads)

  22. The Year of Magical Thinking

    by Joan Didion
    A woman's reflections on life and death after the sudden loss of her husband.

    'An act of consummate literary bravery, a writer known for her clarity allowing us to watch her mind as it becomes clouded with grief.' From one of America's iconic writers, a stunning book of ... (Goodreads)

  23. When You Are Engulfed in Flames

    by David Sedaris
    Humorous reflections on everyday life, navigating the absurdities of the human condition.

    It's early autumn 1964. Two straight-A students head off to school, and when only one of them returns home Chesney Yelverton is coaxed from retirement and assigned to what proves to be the most ... (Goodreads)

  24. American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House

    by Jon Meacham
    A political biography of President Andrew Jackson, highlighting his legacy and impact on America.

    The definitive biography of a larger-than-life president who defied norms, divided a nation, and changed Washington forever Andrew Jackson, his intimate circle of friends, and his tumultuous times ... (Goodreads)

  25. Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War

    by Tony Horwitz
    Investigative report into the legacy of the American Civil War and its lingering presence in modern culture.

    When prize-winning war correspondent Tony Horwitz leaves the battlefields of Bosnia and the Middle East for a peaceful corner of the Blue Ridge Mountains, he thinks he's put war zones behind him. But ... (Goodreads)

  26. The Autobiography of Malcolm X

    by Malcolm X
    A gripping account of one man's transformation from criminal to civil rights leader.

    Alternate cover for ISBN 9780345350688 Through a life of passion and struggle, Malcolm X became one of the most influential figures of the 20th Century. In this riveting account, he tells of his ... (Goodreads)

  27. America

    by Jon Stewart
    A satirical take on American politics and democracy, filled with humor and wit.

    Jon Stewart, host of the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning The Daily Show , and his coterie of patriots, deliver a hilarious look at American government. American-style democracy is the world's most ... (Goodreads)

  28. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal

    by Eric Schlosser
    An exploration of the industrial food system and its effects on U.S. society.

    Fast food has hastened the malling of our landscape, widened the chasm between rich and poor, fueled an epidemic of obesity, and propelled American cultural imperialism abroad. That's a lengthy list ... (Goodreads)

  29. Decision Points

    by George W. Bush
    Autobiography of former US President, chronicling the pivotal decisions of his life.

    In this candid and gripping account, President George W. Bush describes the critical decisions that shaped his presidency and personal life. George W. Bush served as president of the United States ... (Goodreads)

  30. Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?

    by Michael J. Sandel
    Exploration of moral and ethical dilemmas, seeking answers to fundamental questions of justice.

    "For Michael Sandel, justice is not a spectator sport," The Nation 's reviewer of Justice remarked. In his acclaimed book—based on his legendary Harvard course—Sandel offers a rare education in ... (Barnes & Noble)