Political Ideologies Audiobooks | Politics

The Klansman's Son: My Journey from White Nationalism to Antiracism; A Memoir

From the former heir-apparent to white nationalism, The Klansman’s Son is an astonishing memoir of a childhood built on fear, of breaking from a community of hate. Derek Black was raised to take over the white nationalist movement in the United States. Their father, Don Black, was a former Grand Wizard in the Ku Klux Klan and started Stormfront, the internet’s first white supremacist website—Derek built the kids’ page. David Duke, was also their close family friend and mentor. Racist hatred, though often wrapped up in respectability, was all Derek knew. Then, while in college in 2013, Derek publicly renounced white nationalism and apologized for their actions and the suffering that they had caused. The majority of their family stopped speaking to them, and they disappeared into academia, convinced that they had done so much harm that there was no place for them in public life. But in 2016, as they watched the rise of Donald Trump, they immediately recognized what they were hearing—the spread and mainstreaming of the hate they had helped cultivate—and they knew that they couldn’t stay silent. This is a thoughtful, insightful, and moving account of a singular life, with important lessons for our troubled times. Derek can trace a uniquely insider account of the rise of white nationalism, and how a child indoctrinated with hate can become an anti-racist adult. Few understand the ideology, motivations, or tactics of the white nationalist movement like Derek, and few have ever made so profound a change. When coded language and creeping authoritarianism spread the ideas of white nationalists, this is an essential book with a powerful voice.

R. Derek Black (Author), R. Derek Black (Narrator)

Audiobook

Ghosted: An American Story

A riveting look inside a life of poverty, success, and the inner circles of political influence--from the foothills of Appalachia all the way to the White House. New York Times bestselling ghostwriter Nancy French is coming out of the shadows to tell her own incredible story. Nancy's family hails from the foothills of the Appalachians, where life was dominated by coal mining, violence, abuse, and poverty. Longing for an adventure, she married a stranger, moved to New York, and dropped out of college. In spite of her lack of education, she found success as a ghostwriter for conservative political leaders. However, when she was unwilling to endorse an unsuitable president, her allies turned on her and she found herself spiritually adrift, politically confused, and occupationally unemployable. Republicans mocked her, white nationalists targeted her, and her church community alienated her. But in spite of death threats, sexual humiliation, and political ostracization, she learned the importance of finding her own voice--and that the people she thought were her enemies could be her closest friends. A poignant and engrossing memoir filled with humor and personal insights, Ghosted is a deeply American story of change, loss, and ultimately love.

Nancy French (Author), Nancy French, TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Quiet Damage: QAnon and the Destruction of the American Family

Jesselyn Cook (Author), Jesselyn Cook, TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Another England: A New Story of Who We Are and Who We Can Be

Caroline Lucas (Author), Caroline Lucas, TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

Walk, Ride, Paddle: A Life Outside

A compelling account of one man's journey across hundreds of miles of Virginia wilderness and a moving testament to the optimistic spirit of America, fueled by three journeys undertaken by Senator Tim Kaine, Walk Ride Paddle provides an unseen glimpse into a life outside. In 2019, Tim Kaine-Virginia Senator and former Democratic vice presidential candidate-commemorated both his sixtieth birthday and his twenty-fifth year in public office by undertaking a three-part journey across the Virginia landscape as he hiked, cycled, and canoed across the state. His chronicle of the journey became an organic reflection of the extraordinary events occurring across America during that time, including impeachment trials, a global pandemic, growing racial protests, the January 6th attack on the Capitol, and more. During weekends and in Senate recess weeks, Kaine-over a period of several years-hikes the 559 miles of the Appalachian Trail that cross Virginia from Harpers Ferry to the Tennessee border; bikes 321 miles along the crest of the Virginia Blue Ridge on the beautiful parkways built during the Great Depression to create jobs and give everyday people on the East Coast an accessible place to vacation; and canoes the entire James River-348 miles from its headwaters in the Allegheny Mountains to its entrance into the Chesapeake Bay. Along the way, Kaine reflects on the monumental events that have shaped both his life and the world around him, sharing his deep love for the natural world and the importance of preserving it for future generations in a fascinating memoir that blends adventure, reflection, and political insight. Written during the journey and with immediacy and honesty, Kaine pulls back the curtain to reveal his inner thoughts during such monumental times. Kaine's storytelling gift and wise observations offer a fascinating glimpse into the mind of a seasoned politician and outdoor enthusiast. Walk Ride Paddle is a captivating and compelling memoir of one man's physical journey through the Virginia wilderness-but it is also a unique and ultimately optimistic perspective on these pivotal moments in history, offering inspiration, wisdom, and hope.

Thomas Nelson, Tim Kaine (Author), Tim Kaine (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Search for Reagan: The Appealing Intellectual Conservatism of Ronald Reagan

Never before has anyone explored the mind, soul, and heart of Ronald Reagan. The Search for Reagan explores the challenges and controversies in Reagan's life and how he successfully dealt with each, depicting a man who was never as conservative as some conservatives wanted him to be, but rather as conservative as he was comfortable being-a man who wanted to win on his own terms and integrity. Ronald Reagan was a singularly unique man and conservative who championed a wildly successful revolution-leading to more freedom and less government for the American people and to the fall of communism, while boosting American morale. He was the first president in many years who believed optimism from the Oval Office had a direct bearing on the affairs of the nation. As a consequence, he left office more popular than when he entered, with a whopping 73 percent approval. He understood that American conservatism was based upon the individual and not the group. In his presidency, he solved the mystery of high inflation that had bedeviled his predecessor, high interest rates, and high gas prices. He created over twenty million new jobs, and the number of American millionaires grew from 4,414 to 34,944. He is considered by most historians to be one of our four greatest presidents, along with George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin Roosevelt.

Craig Shirley (Author), Bob Johnson (Narrator)

Audiobook

Latin America's Democratic Crusade: The Transnational Struggle against Dictatorship, 1920s-1960s

Scholars persist in framing the Cold War as a battle between left and right, one in which the Global South is cast as either witting or unwitting proxies of Washington and Moscow. What if the era is told from the perspective of the many who preferred reform to revolution? Scholars have routinely neglected, dismissed, or caricatured moderate politicians. In this book, Allen Wells argues that until the Cuban Revolution, the struggle was not between capitalism and communism-that was Washington's abiding preoccupation-but between democracy and dictatorship. Beginning in the 1920s, the fight against authoritarianism was contested on multiple fronts-political, ideological, and cultural-taking on the dimensions of a political crusade. Convinced that despots represented an existential threat, reformers declared that no civilian government was safe until the cancer of dictatorship was excised from the hemisphere. Dictators retaliated, often with deadly results, exporting strategies that had been honed at home to guarantee their political survival. Grafted onto this war without borders was a belated Cold War, with all its political convulsions, the aftershocks of which are still felt today.

Allen Wells (Author), Allen Wells (Narrator)

Audiobook

Motorhome Prophecies: A Journey of Healing and Forgiveness

In the vein of Educated and Hillbilly Elegy comes a young woman's memoir chronicling her harrowing journey from despair to salvation that showcases the depths and resilience of the human spirit and empowers readers on their own paths toward healing, forgiveness, and redemption. Carrie Sheffield grew up fifth of eight children with a violent, mentally ill, street-musician father who believed he was a modern-day Mormon prophet destined to become U.S. president someday. She and her seven siblings were often forced to live as vagabonds, remaining on the move across the country. They frequently subsisted in sheds, tents, and, most notably, motorhomes. They often lived a dysfunctional drifter existence, camping out in their motorhome in Walmart parking lots. Carrie attended 17 public schools and homeschool, all while performing classical music on the streets and passing out fire-and-brimstone religious pamphlets-at times while child custody workers loomed. Carrie's father was eventually excommunicated from the official LDS Church, and she was the first of her siblings to escape the toxic brainwashing of his fundamentalist creed. Declared legally estranged from her parents, Carrie struggled with her mental health during college and for most of her adult life. But she eventually seized control of her life, transcended her troubled past, and overcame her toxic inner voice (and a near death experience)-thanks to the power of forgiveness, cultivated through her conversion to Christianity. She evolved from a scared and abused motorhome-dwelling girl to a Harvard-educated professional with a passion for empowering others to reject the cycles of poverty, depression, and self-hatred. Motorhome Prophecies is the story of Carrie's unbelievable, yet in many ways, very American journey. It resonates with those trapped in difficult situations and awes all who are enchanted by the depths and resilience of the human spirit.

Carrie Sheffield (Author), Carrie Sheffield, TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

The End of the Alphabet: How Gen Z Can Save America

Today in America, we live in "the upside down." Lies have become truth while truth and those seeking it are silenced and vilified. Our nation desperately needs a generation to rise up and fight for the future and those who will come after us-and that generation is Gen Z. Gen Z has the power to change the world. As the largest emerging demographic in American history, Gen Z is at the center of a cultural shift, one that will define the direction of our country for generations to come. Intellectually curious, culturally courageous, and unafraid to push societal boundaries, Gen Z is ready to embrace leadership as the most educated generation in history. These young and often underestimated Americans are here to fight for a better future-and we won't wait for permission to lead. Rising content creator Isabel Brown is smart, driven, and passionate-a strong champion for truth in America. She fervently believes that Gen Z has the power, the potential, and the opportunity to define the cultural direction of America. The End of the Alphabet is a rallying cry for Gen Z to embrace traditional values in a new-age way and step up to make our voices heard. Although taking an active role in culture and politics is nothing new for young people, today's youth face overwhelming push back from older demographics. Looked down on by those who came before us as too young, too naive, and too unique to impact our society, Gen Z'ers are instead told to sit down and shut up until they have earned enough "life experience" to lead. This view of Gen Z is crippling and deeply ignorant of the cultural shifts we have and will experience in the coming decades as Gen Z begins to step into positions of power and leadership. So, who is Gen Z? What does the future of our nation-and conservatism-look like with Gen Z at the helm? Read this book to find out.

Isabel Brown (Author), Isabel Brown, TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

People, Power, and Change: Organizing for Democratic Renewal

At a moment when our democratic abilities seem to have eroded, and political, economic, and technological forces have weakened the capacity for collective action, People, Power, and Change is a once-in-a-generation book for anyone who wants to create real and lasting change. Marshall Ganz is one of the world's leading authorities on democratic organizing, and this book is the culmination of his decades of teaching, research, and work. In People, Power, and Change, Ganz distills for students, practitioners, and activists the principles he has gleaned over the last half-century of creating collective action. Ganz explores the forces, craft, and learned skill of organizing and provides an actionable framework for how to actually do it. He focuses the book on the creation and substance of relationships, the fuel of values and narrative, the resources and power of strategy, the necessity of structure, and the accountability of action. Across these five organizing ideas, Ganz weaves in his personal experiences from a lifetime of organizing in iconic social movements and campaigns to illustrate how collective action actually works and to build the practices and skills that must be developed to do it with intention and with success.

Marshall Ganz (Author), Marshall Ganz, TBD (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Lie Detectives: In Search of a Playbook for Winning Elections in the Disinformation Age

How can political campaigns fight back against disinformation? A decade after The Victory Lab: The Secret Science of Winning Campaigns, which Politico called 'Moneyball for politics,' journalist Sasha Issenberg returns to the cutting edge of political innovation to reveal how campaigns are navigating the era's most pressing challenge: how to win in a world awash in lies. The Lie Detectives is a lively and deep secret history of Democratic politics in the Trump years. Our main character, Jiore Craig, is a young but battle-hardened veteran of the misinformation wars, and she leads a memorable cast including LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman, whose emergence as one of the American left's biggest donors has forced his adviser Dmitri Mehlhorn into the role of moral compass for a movement still wrestling with whether it should counter fake news by producing its own, and David Goldstein and Jehmu Greene, who are confronting 'the Big Lie,' in the vernacular of online conspiracy theories, with gifs, memes, and ugly graphics of their own. The Lie Detectives presents a vivid snapshot of a political class trying to come to terms with an exploding social media landscape and using every weapon in its arsenal to counter the biggest threat it has ever faced to its way of doing business and winning power.

Sasha Issenberg (Author), Sean Patrick Hopkins (Narrator)

Audiobook

Get It Together: Troubling Tales from the Liberal Fringe

Can the political be way too personal? What if most radical activists are trying to change their lives by changing the whole country? When Jesse Watters set out to interview a few dozen radical activists to find out where their wild ideas came from, he discovered two things that shocked him: First, he liked these people. Second, their political positions were not primarily from books, teachers, or other activists. They originated in personal drama. Most of these people didn’t need legislation. They needed a therapist. In Get It Together, the number one New York Times bestselling author and Fox News primetime host takes on Wokeism in a way no one else has. Through a series of (sometimes very) personal interviews with some of the most radical activists in the country, Watters discovers that these activists may be overlooking the most important change they need to make—within themselves. From activists working for climate change salvation, Black supremacy, and social justice to a professional cuddler and a transwoman who identifies as a wolf, Watters shows how many well-intentioned Americans have bought into causes invented and run by people who are illogical, emotional, and ill-informed. Through their stories, Watters uncovers common threads—childhood traumas, broken relationships, and a lack of introspection. What if the people obsessed with the end of the world are just hurting from how this one has treated them? What if that, rather than ideological disagreements, is the deeper root of our country’s political divide? Funny, fresh, and fascinating, Get It Together is sure to spark important conversations, and to inspire us to see one another not as political opponents, but as real and broken human beings.

Jesse Watters (Author), Larry Wayne (Narrator)

Audiobook

Political Ideologies Audiobooks in Politics