American Politics Audiobooks | Politics

The Smallest Minority: Independent Thinking in the Age of Mob Politics

'The most profane, hilarious, and insightful book I've read in quite a while.' — BEN SHAPIRO 'Kevin Williamson's gonzo merger of polemic, autobiography, and batsh*t craziness is totally brilliant.' — JOHN PODHORETZ, Commentary 'Ideological minorities – including the smallest minority, the individual – can get trampled by the unity stampede (as my friend Kevin Williamson masterfully elucidates in his new book, The Smallest Minority).' — JONAH GOLDBERG “The Smallest Minority is the perfect antidote to our heedless age of populist politics. It is a book unafraid to tell the people that they’re awful.” — NATIONAL REVIEW 'Williamson is blistering and irreverent, stepping without doubt on more than a few toes—but, then again, that’s kind of the point.' — THE NEW CRITERION 'Stylish, unrestrained, and straight from the mind of a pissed-off genius.' — THE WASHINGTON FREE BEACON Kevin Williamson is 'shocking and brutal' (RUTH MARCUS, Washington Post), 'a total jack**s' (WILL SALETAN, Slate), and 'totally reprehensible' (PAUL KRUGMAN, New York Times). Reader beware: Kevin D. Williamson—the lively, literary firebrand from National Review who was too hot for The Atlantic to handle—comes to bury democracy, not to praise it. With electrifying honesty and spirit, Williamson takes a flamethrower to mob politics, the “beast with many heads” that haunts social media and what currently passes for real life. It’s destroying our capacity for individualism and dragging us down “the Road to Smurfdom, the place where the deracinated demos of the Twitter age finds itself feeling small and blue.” The Smallest Minority is by no means a memoir, though Williamson does reflect on that “tawdry little episode” with The Atlantic in which he became all-too-intimately acquainted with mob outrage and the forces of tribalism. Rather, this book is a dizzying tour through a world you’ll be horrified to recognize as your own. With biting appraisals of social media (“an economy of Willy Lomans,” political hustlers (“that certain kind of man or woman…who will kiss the collective ass of the mob”), journalists (“a contemptible union of neediness and arrogance”) and identity politics (“identity is more accessible than policy, which requires effort”), The Smallest Minority is a defiant, funny, and terrifyingly insightful book about what we human beings have done to ourselves.

Kevin D. Williamson (Author), Stephen Graybill (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Education of Brett Kavanaugh: An Investigation

'[The authors'] real work is to smooth out the main story, create a fuller picture of Kavanaugh himself...so that the confirmation showdown has a kind of cinematic inevitability.' -The New York Times From New York Times reporters Robin Pogrebin and Kate Kelly, a deeper look at the formative years of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and his confirmation. In September 2018, the F.B.I. was given only a week to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct against Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump's Supreme Court nominee. But even as Kavanaugh was sworn in to his lifetime position, many questions remained unanswered, leaving millions of Americans unsettled. During the Senate confirmation hearings that preceded the bureau's brief probe, New York Times reporters Robin Pogrebin and Kate Kelly broke critical stories about Kavanaugh's past, including the 'Renate Alumni' yearbook story. They were inundated with tips from former classmates, friends, and associates that couldn't be fully investigated before the confirmation process closed. Now, their book fills in the blanks and explores the essential question: Who is Brett Kavanaugh? The Education of Brett Kavanaugh paints a picture of the prep-school and Ivy-League worlds that formed our newest Supreme Court Justice. By offering commentary from key players from his confirmation process who haven't yet spoken publicly and pursuing lines of inquiry that were left hanging, it will be essential reading for anyone who wants to understand our political system and Kavanaugh's unexpectedly emblematic role in it.

Kate Kelly, Robin Pogrebin (Author), Kate Kelly, Robin Pogrebin (Narrator)

Audiobook

Plaintiff in Chief: A Portrait of Donald Trump in 3,500 Lawsuits

A comprehensive analysis of Donald Trump's legal history reveals his temperament, methods, character, and morality. Unlike all previous presidents who held distinguished positions in government or the military prior to entering office, Donald Trump's political worldview was molded in the courtroom. He sees law not as a system of rules to be obeyed and ethical ideals to be respected, but as a weapon to be used against his adversaries or a hurdle to be sidestepped when it gets in his way. He has weaponized the justice system throughout his career, and he has continued to use these backhanded tactics as Plaintiff in Chief. In this audiobook, distinguished New York attorney James D. Zirin presents Trump's lengthy litigation history as an indication of his character and morality, and his findings are chilling: if you partner with Donald Trump, you will probably wind up litigating with him. If you enroll in his university or buy one of his apartments, chances are you will want your money back. If you are a woman and you get too close to him, you may need to watch your back. If you try to sue him, he's likely to defame you. If you make a deal with him, you had better get it in writing. If you are a lawyer, an architect, or even his dentist, you'd better get paid up front. If you venture an opinion that publicly criticizes him, you may be sued for libel. A window into the president's dark legal history, Plaintiff in Chief is as informative as it is disturbing.

James D. Zirin (Author), Michael Butler Murray (Narrator)

Audiobook

Ball of Collusion: The Plot to Rig an Election and Destroy a Presidency

Despite Clinton's commanding lead in the polls, hyper-partisan intelligence officials decided they needed an "insurance policy" against a Trump presidency. Thus was born the collusion narrative, built on an anonymously sourced "dossier," secretly underwritten by the Clinton campaign and compiled by a former British spy. Although acknowledged to be "salacious and unverified" at the FBI's highest level, the dossier was used to build a counterintelligence investigation against Trump's campaign. Miraculously, Trump won anyway. But his political opponents refused to accept the voters' decision. Their collusion narrative was now peddled relentlessly by political operatives, intelligence agents, Justice Department officials, and media ideologues-the vanguard of the "Trump Resistance." Through secret surveillance, high-level intelligence leaking, and tireless news coverage, the public was led to believe that Trump conspired with Russia to steal the election. Not one to sit passively through an onslaught, President Trump fought back in his tumultuous way. Matters came to a head when he fired his FBI director and the resulting firestorm of partisan protest cowed the Justice Department to appoint a special counsel, whose seemingly limitless investigation bedeviled the administration for two years. Yet as months passed, concrete evidence of collusion failed to materialize. Was the collusion narrative an elaborate fraud? And, if so, choreographed by whom? They failed to forge a new Clinton administration. Will they succeed in bringing down President Trump?

Andrew C. Mccarthy (Author), Tom Parks (Narrator)

Audiobook

Crossfire Hurricane: Inside Donald Trump's War on the FBI

From an FBI insider, a riveting, fly-on-the-wall account of the historic investigation into the Trump campaign's ties to Russia and the president's unprecedented attacks on the bureau-and a passionate defense of the men and women who work every day to uphold democratic institutions and the rule of law. Titled after the FBI code name for the initial investigation into the Trump campaign's ties to Russia, Crossfire Hurricane chronicles President Trump's relentless attacks on the FBI. Josh Campbell, a career special agent who served under Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald J. Trump before resigning from the FBI in February 2018, takes listeners behind the scenes of the Russia investigation's earliest days and makes a compelling case that Trump's campaign of attack poses a threat to public safety. Campbell, who has twelve years' experience working on some of the FBI's highest-profile operations and is now a national security expert for CNN, was special assistant to James Comey. Using a combination of firsthand experience and reporting from sources still within the Bureau, he offers an inside perspective into the FBI that will captivate listeners struggling to make sense of a news cycle careening out of control.

Josh Campbell (Author), Josh Campbell (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Once and Future Worker: A Vision for the Renewal of Work in America

Issues in the current society we live in are the direct consequence of a decades-long economic consensus that prioritized increasing consumption-regardless of the costs to American workers, their families, and their communities. Donald Trump's rise to the presidency focused attention on the depth of the nation's challenges, yet while everyone agrees something must change, the Left's insistence on still more government spending and the Right's faith in still more economic growth are recipes for repeating the mistakes of the past. In this groundbreaking re-evaluation of American society, economics, and public policy, Oren Cass challenges our basic assumptions about what prosperity means and where it comes from to reveal how we lost our way. The good news is that we can still turn things around-if the nation's proverbial elites are willing to put the American worker's interests first. The renewal of work in America demands new answers to these questions. If we reinforce their vital role, workers supporting strong families and communities can provide the foundation for a thriving, self-sufficient society that offers opportunity to all.

Oren Cass (Author), Tom Parks (Narrator)

Audiobook

The United States of Trump: How the President Really Sees America

This program includes an introduction read by the author. A rare, insider's look at the life of Donald Trump from Bill O'Reilly, the bestselling author of the Killing series, based on exclusive interview material and deep research. Readers and listeners around the world have been enthralled by journalist and New York Times bestselling author Bill O'Reilly's Killing series-riveting works of nonfiction that explore the most famous events in history. Now,O'Reilly turns his razor-sharp observations to his most compelling subject thus far-President Donald J. Trump. In this thrilling narrative, O'Reilly blends primary, never-before-released interview material with a history that recounts Trump's childhood and family and the factors from his life and career that forged the worldview that the president of the United States has taken to the White House. Not a partisan pro-Trump or anti-Trump book, this is an up-to-the-minute, intimate view of the man and his sphere of influence-of "how Donald Trump's view of America was formed, and how it has changed since becoming the most powerful person in the world"- from a writer who has known the president for thirty years. This is an unprecedented, gripping account of the life of a sitting president as he makes history. As the author will tell you, "If you want some insight into the most unlikely political phenomenon of our lifetimes, you'll get it here."

Bill O'Reilly, Bill O'reilly (Author), Bill O'Reilly, Bill O'reilly, Rick Adamson (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Republic, If You Can Keep It

Justice Neil Gorsuch reflects on his journey to the Supreme Court, the role of the judge under our Constitution, and the vital responsibility of each American to keep our republic strong. As Benjamin Franklin left the Constitutional Convention, he was reportedly asked what kind of government the founders would propose. He replied, "A republic, if you can keep it." In this book, Justice Neil Gorsuch shares personal reflections, speeches, and essays that focus on the remarkable gift the framers left us in the Constitution. Justice Gorsuch draws on his thirty-year career as a lawyer, teacher, judge, and justice to explore essential aspects our Constitution, its separation of powers, and the liberties it is designed to protect. He discusses the role of the judge in our constitutional order, and why he believes that originalism and textualism are the surest guides to interpreting our nation's founding documents and protecting our freedoms. He explains, too, the importance of affordable access to the courts in realizing the promise of equal justice under law-while highlighting some of the challenges we face on this front today. Along the way, Justice Gorsuch reveals some of the events that have shaped his life and outlook, from his upbringing in Colorado to his Supreme Court confirmation process. And he emphasizes the pivotal roles of civic education, civil discourse, and mutual respect in maintaining a healthy republic. A Republic, If You Can Keep It offers compelling insights into Justice Gorsuch's faith in America and its founding documents, his thoughts on our Constitution's design and the judge's place within it, and his beliefs about the responsibility each of us shares to sustain our distinctive republic of, by, and for "We the People."

Neil Gorsuch (Author), Neil Gorsuch (Narrator)

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Legends of the Ring: The Great American Boxers

The definitive series on America's boxing greats by a renowned boxing expert, author of over 40 books, and world-champion boxing judge. No sport is more enthralling than boxing. From bare-knuckle boxer John L. Sullivan in the late 1800s to the ferocious fists of "Iron" Mike Tyson in the 1980s, the sport of boxing has shaped American culture for more than a century. The so-called "sweet science" has captured our imaginations with the culture shock of legendary Jack Johnson, the worldwide phenomenon of Muhammad Ali, and a whole cast of colorful characters. As famed boxing announcer Larry Merchant once said, boxing is the "theater of the unexpected. " Its storied history has seen momentous bouts, the breakdown of racial barriers, and fights of the century. In this 18-part series, the inimitable David L. Hudson, Jr. , takes you on a thrilling ringside ride. You'll explore the rich history of the sport, its greatest heavyweight champions, controversial decisions, historic upsets, and much more. Along the way, you will hear the sagas of such luminaries as Joe Louis, Jersey Joe Walcott, Sugar Ray Robinson, Floyd Mayweather, Oscar De La Hoya, Sugar Ray Leonard, Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, and George Foreman. Other lectures cover controversial decisions, ring weirdness, and bare-knuckle boxing. You don't want to miss this revelatory, no-holds-barred exploration of boxing. This course is part of the Learn25 collection.

David Hudson (Author), David Hudson (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Browns of California: The Family Dynasty that Transformed a State and Shaped a Nation

A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist's panoramic history of California and its impact on the nation, from the Gold Rush to Silicon Valley-told through the lens of the family dynasty that led the state for nearly a quarter century. In The Browns of California, journalist and scholar Miriam Pawel weaves a narrative history that spans four generations, from August Schuckman, the Prussian immigrant who crossed the Plains in 1852 and settled on a northern California ranch, to his great-grandson Jerry Brown, who reclaimed the family homestead one hundred forty years later. Through the prism of their lives, we gain an essential understanding of California and an appreciation of its importance. This book gives new insights to those steeped in California history, offers a corrective for those who confuse stereotypes and legend for fact, and opens new vistas for listeners familiar with only the sketchiest outlines of a place habitually viewed from afar with a mix of envy and awe, disdain, and fascination.

Miriam Pawel (Author), Christina Delaine (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Non-fiction 2003 A shattering history of the last hundred years of genocidal war that itemises in authoritative, persuasive manner exactly what the West knew and when, and what it chose to do, and what not to do, with that knowledge. Winner of the US National Book Critics Circle Award 'The United States has never in its history intervened to stop genocide and has in fact rarely even made a point of condemning it as it occurred.' In this convincing and definitive interrogation of the last century of American history and foreign policy, Samantha Power draws upon declassified documents, private papers, unprecedented interviews and her own reporting from the modern killing fields to tell the story of American indifference and American courage in the face of man's inhumanity to man. Tackling the argument that successive US leaders were unaware of genocidal horrors as they were occurring - against Armenians, Jews, Cambodians, Kurds, Rwandans, Bosnians - Samantha Power seeks to establish precisely how much was known and when, and claims that much human misery and tragedy could readily have been averted. It is clear that the failure to intervene was usually caused not by ignorance or impotence, but by considered political inaction. Several heroic figures did work to oppose and expose ethnic cleansing as it took place, but the majority of American politicians chose always to do nothing, as did the American public: Power notes that 'no US president has ever suffered politically for his indifference to its occurrence. It is thus no coincidence that genocide rages on.' This riveting book makes a powerful case for why America, as both sole superpower and global citizen, must make such indifference a thing of the past.

Samantha Power (Author), Laurel Lefkow (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Enigma of Clarence Thomas

The Enigma of Clarence Thomas is a groundbreaking revisionist take on the Supreme Court justice everyone knows about but no one knows. Most people can tell you two things about Clarence Thomas: Anita Hill accused him of sexual harassment, and he almost never speaks from the bench. Here are some things they don't know: Thomas is a black nationalist. In college he memorized the speeches of Malcolm X. He believes white people are incurably racist. In the first examination of its kind, Corey Robin - one of the foremost analysts of the right - delves deeply into both Thomas's biography and his jurisprudence, masterfully reading his Supreme Court opinions against the backdrop of his autobiographical and political writings and speeches. The hidden source of Thomas's conservative views, Robin shows, is a profound skepticism that racism can be overcome. Thomas is convinced that any government action on behalf of African-Americans will be tainted by racism; the most African-Americans can hope for is that white people will get out of their way. There's a reason, Robin concludes, why liberals often complain that Thomas doesn't speak but seldom pay attention when he does. Were they to listen, they'd hear a racial pessimism that often sounds similar to their own. Cutting across the ideological spectrum, this unacknowledged consensus about the impossibility of progress is key to understanding today's political stalemate.

Corey Robin (Author), Larry Herron (Narrator)

Audiobook

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