Live Like a Citizen by Eric Liu

LIVE LIKE A CITIZEN by Eric Liu (A Chinaman’s Chance and You’re More Powerful Than You Think) is subtitled “8 Ways to Change Your Mindset and Our Country.” Those eight ways are to see; listen; feel; join; fight; change; imagine; and commit. Liu patiently devotes a chapter to each one, providing a more detailed analysis (e.g., about the differences in listening like a citizen, like a caregiver, a documentarian, a judge, and an immigrant) and giving multiple examples, often sharing stories from his family or his teaching experience or from seminars conducted by Citizen University (where he is CEO). Liu is a former speech writer and well-respected author on civic engagement whose TedTalks on citizenship and democracy have millions of views. Particularly in these times (and as we approach a crucial election), LIVE LIKE A CITIZEN is a rich, fascinating read and one that I found deserves to be digested slowly. I intend to return to this thoughtful book and look forward to recommending it and discussing it with others. LIVE LIKE A CITIZEN received a starred review from Library Journal (“an outstanding example of the many efforts dedicated to overcoming polarization, isolation, and hostility in American society”) recommending it as an “excellent companion” to Putnam’s updated Bowling Alone.

Off Ramp by Spencer Cox

OFF RAMP by Spencer Cox, the Governor of Utah, offers his take on “How to Be a Peacemaker in an Age of Contempt.” Cox came to national attention after his rather level-headed and heartfelt response to the 2025 assassination of political activist, Charlie Kirk. In his new book, Cox references that time and argues, “The problem is that we aren't just disagreeing with each other; we're despising each other…. Disagreement says, ‘you are wrong.’ Contempt says, ‘you are beneath me.’ In OFF RAMP Cox combines elements of a memoir, referencing interactions with both the Trump and Biden administrations, with pleas for action by the average American. He notes that “the change we desperately need in our country will never come solely from the Oval Office or the halls of Congress." He advocates for actions with a list of almost a dozen principles that center on building community and forgiveness, including “Lead with Curiosity not Contempt,” “Resist the Urge to Tell People They’re Wrong,” and “Belonging Before Persuasion.” Too bad that our leaders do not show this grace more regularly. Whether actions by the average person will have an impact is certainly debatable, too, although there is widespread concern across party lines. Here are links to a 2020 Pew Research Center study and a more recent one related to the increase in perceived political violence. Cox, ever hopeful, writes, “… you are not alone. Millions of other strong and good citizens are holding the line in churches, schools, and communities across America.” Roughly fifteen percent of Cox’s text is devoted to notes and there is a helpful index.

Your Fellow Americans by Peter Santenello

YOUR FELLOW AMERICANS by Peter Santenello is a wonderful collection of “Dispatches from Across the Country We Call Home.” Santenello has a YouTube channel with over four million followers and pulled many of these stories from those encounters. He divides the book into four broad sections. In the first, he looks at “groups of people living in the modern world and yet almost alongside the modern world,” travelling to an Amish outpost in northern Florida, to East LA, and to Alaska. Santenello comments on “the thing that keeps hitting me each and every time I find myself somewhere new is how much people here care -- about their families, their towns, their little corners on the map.” Next, he writes about “The Underdogs” with interviews in Central Appalachia and the Mississippi Delta. That is followed by a section with stories about endurance and overcoming obstacles from the Pacific coast of northern California and on to an island in the Chesapeake Bay. The final section, “Pioneering Spirit,” veers towards stories of exploration and adventure; here, Santenello provides insight into one of his first travel experiences, a post high school road trip on a tight budget (in a repurposed van named Vandura) with his best friend Steve. Santenello clearly has a passion for travel and for learning about people and his essays are well presented and generally optimistic. He writes, “As America celebrates its 250th anniversary I think we could all use some stories that leave us feeling good about our country.” Interested readers may also want to pursue Judy Woodruff’s America at a Crossroads, or the Make America Dinner Again movement, or even expand upon the idea of creating connections with titles like David Brooks’ How to Know a Person or Nicholas Epley’s A Little More Social.

The Crooked Places Made Straight by Raphael G. Warnock

THE CROOKED PLACES MADE STRAIGHT by Raphael G. Warnock is definitely informed by his position as a “pastor who serves in the Senate.” He invites readers to take a spiritual journey with him, writing “Our country needs moral leadership and a renewed vision like Isaiah’s, one that invites us to reach out to one another, to pray for one another rather than prey on one another, and to reach toward our highest and noblest ideas rather than sink in our basest fears.” Warnock explores six issues to offer “Reflections on the Moral Meaning of America.” He devotes a lengthy chapter each to voter suppression, influence of dark money, poverty, incarceration, gun violence and the climate. He quotes the Bible frequently and notes, for example, that there are “some two thousand verses in the Old and New Testaments about the poor and how to treat them.”  Warnock is not afraid to point out hypocrisy and that “the harshest and meanest voices against poor people in our country are often Christian voices.” He notes the efforts to cut or restrict programs like Head Start, Upward Bound and Pell grants, all of which he had personally participated in. Saying “we suffer from a poverty not of resources but of moral imagination and from a deficit of courage and vision,” Warnock outlines three goals for his thought-provoking book, paraphrased here: (1) to inspire readers to renew a common sense of purpose and to talk to people outside their comfort zone; (2) to urge politicians to look beyond election cycles and to take action to help the people they serve rather than their own ambitions; and (3) to reengage, especially for all of our children, to “when you pray, move your feet.” Publishers Weekly called this “a clarion call for a fairer America” – have a look. 

The Last Mandarin by Louise Penny and Mellissa Fung

THE LAST MANDARIN by Louise Penny and Mellissa Fung is a stand-alone political thriller. In this novel, modern day terrorist attacks are occurring simultaneously all over the globe and a Chinese dissident, Vivien Li and her food-blogger daughter, Alice, are drawn into a mystery which even leading intelligence agencies are struggling to decipher. As readers would expect from Penny (Inspector Gamache series), there are numerous plot twists and surprises. She and Fung (an award-winning Canadian journalist) also convey the political intrigue (e.g., betrayal by supposedly loyal staff) and behind the scenes maneuvering (including a unique back channel for communications), in a manner reminiscent of writers like Allen Drury or Gore Vidal. Library Journal says, “this book is character-driven and nuanced,” and Publishers Weekly calls THE LAST MANDARIN “an eerily plausible nail-biter.” Louise Penny herself writes, “This is the story of political intrigue but it is, at its heart, about that relationship. About the wounds the struggles the need to connect with the parent.” Enjoy the rapprochement and the adventure!!

The audiobook is narrated by Eunice Wong who does an absolutely excellent job. A favorite scene is the online gathering of the experts from several countries and Wong’s ability to use her voice and convey their biases and country of origin.  Barnes & Noble and Abe Books each recommend more authors/titles in this genre. Looking for a political thriller in movie form? Try these suggested by IMDb.

The Black Wolf by Louise Penny

THE BLACK WOLF by Louise Penny is the latest in her series about Inspector Gamache and the Canadian village of Three Pines. This novel picks up where The Grey Wolf ended, with a terrorist plot foiled and the instigator jailed, but something does not seem right to Gamache and his trusted team of Jean-Guy Beauvoir and Isabelle Lacoste. Plot points involving immoral officials, climate change, and manipulation of social media make this title very relevant; so much so that Penny includes an introductory Author’s Note about how she finished the draft in September 2024 only to be surprised herself in January 2025 “when I started spotting headlines that could have been ripped right from the book.” THE BLACK WOLF received a starred review from Publishers Weekly who summarized this absolutely excellent book perfectly: “Penny’s talent for nail-biting suspense and quiet character moments fuse with surprisingly topical subject matter to deliver an unputdownable installment of an ever reliable series. Readers will cheer.” It will have you thinking …

She writes, “Three Pines is a state of mind. A place we carry with us always and live in when we see the chance for the clever, often cutting, remark, but choose kindness. When we are forgiving, as we sometimes need to be forgiven. When we choose decency, and acceptance. When we have integrity and the courage to stand up for what we know to be right. Even at some personal cost.”

We the People by Jill Lepore

WE THE PEOPLE by Jill Lepore (the David Woods Kemper ’41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and professor of law at Harvard Law School) offers a history of the U.S. Constitution. Stressing the ability to endure through adaptation, she divides the lengthy text chronologically, looking first at the “Invention” of the Constitution during the end of the eighteenth century. Next, covering almost the entire nineteenth century, including the Civil War and its aftermath, is a section titled “The Contest over Interpretation.” Subsequently, Lepore describes the “Pattern of Amendment” from 1905 to 1959. The final part (through 2016) is called “The End of Amendment.” Each section is full of anecdotes and careful analysis. In her introduction, Lepore notes, “This book aims to chronicle the origins of amendment, to identify the conditions under which amendment is possible, to examine why the practice of amendment has been abandoned, and to reckon with the question of whether the constitution can endure without it.” It seems particularly critical for Americans to become familiar with texts such as this, especially as we encounter ongoing debate over rights enshrined in the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Lepore’s WE THE PEOPLE is the notable nonfiction Library Reads selection for September and it received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly (“galvanizing and paradigm-shifting”), Kirkus (interview here), and Booklist (“phenomenally researched, eminently accessible, and acutely relevant history”). She was also featured recently on PBS NewsHour; here is a video of that interview:

Also highly recommended: The Words We Live by from Linda R. Monk; even at twenty years old, this text is a wonderful summary of a core American document. And look for The Bill of Obligations by Richard Haass wherein he describes “The Ten Habits of Good Citizens” and offers multiple related resources, including teaching notes.  Constitution Day is celebrated on September 17 and offers a reminder to honor American values and rule of law. 

The CIA Book Club by Charlie English

THE CIA BOOK CLUB by Charlie English was a LibraryReads selection for July and received a starred review from Booklist. Its subtitle is “The Secret Mission to Win the Cold War with Forbidden Literature,” but a fellow book group member and I agreed that it focuses more (sometimes graphically) on the resistance in Poland. This sentiment was echoed in The Wall Street Journal review which, while praising the book, noted: “The title of Mr. English’s book is somewhat misleading” due to its sole focus on Poland and on its book smugglers, noting that the CIA’s main role was financial support and smuggling equipment. The tales of dissidents and courage seem especially poignant as the world awaits the outcome of meetings on the war in Ukraine. Interesting, too, to note the books which were smuggled and circulated (Camus, Orwell, Vonnegut) in light of recent commentary like David Brooks’ opinion piece “When Novels Mattered.” Ironically, reading the entire text of THE CIA BOOK CLUB would likely be too much for most book group participants, but an excerpt could prompt discussion on international policy and funding cuts, on the role of truth in light of social media, and on domestic book banning efforts. “Literature, together with language, protects the soul of the nation.” ~Solzhenitsyn

An additional reviews is available from The Washington Post (“This true story of CIA book smuggling reads like an Ian Fleming novel”) and a portion of THE CIA BOOK CLUB was published recently in The New York Times (“‘1984’ Hasn’t Changed, but America Has”). 

Four Mothers by Abigail Leonard

FOUR MOTHERS by Abigail Leonard is subtitled “An Intimate Journey through the First Year of Parenthood in Four Countries.” And Leonard, an award-winning journalist, contrasts giving birth and raising a young child in Japan, Kenya, Finland, and the United States. Leonard cleverly shares events and policies, often providing important political background for each country. The personal stories, particularly conflicts with parents and partners, are compelling, although I did question how representative they were (especially the polyamory relationship in the US). Taken together, they point to the advantages for children in a nuclear family with two involved parents (and maybe other relatives as well), showing the impact of societal expectations and gender roles. This research should give other scholars and policy makers much to consider in terms of paid maternity and paternity leave, daycare availability and cost, other incentives (tax, etc.) for families, and both physical and mental healthcare. In its starred review for FOUR MOTHERS Publishers Weekly says, “This is an enthralling and kaleidoscopic view of modern motherhood.” Here is a recent interview with Abigail Leonard from PBS NewsHour:

The Last American Road Trip by Sarah Kendzior

As today is a National Day of Hands Off protest, I thought I would post about a new book from a prolific social commentator. She writes, “Lincoln warned in 1838 that if the United States of America died it would be by its own hand. But what we have is more like assisted suicide. It is easy to love your homeland and hate your government. I've done it all my life and consider myself in the company of patriots…. You love it like a child and you love it like a parent, with an irrational depth and the fiercest desire to protect it from harm. You mourn the lost leverage of the ordinary American -- of elections, of courts, of protest, of documentation. You remember when those things seemed to matter or at least when the powerful felt obligated to pretend they did.” THE LAST AMERICAN ROAD TRIP by Sarah Kendzior (The View from Flyover Country) is generally VERY well-written, but oh so sad as America experiences such an unnecessary demise.

Just a couple of weeks into the new administration, Publishers Weekly described this text as a “poignant portrait of life in the Trump era.” I read (and listened to) a preview of THE LAST AMERICAN ROAD TRIP a few months ago and found then that I had to do so in shorts bursts – partly to reflect on her emotional writing and partly because this book can be upsetting. Given the events of the past two months, Kendzior’s comments seem even more prescient (and distressing) now. Kendzior writes at length and with much affection about Missouri, Mark Twain, and her efforts to expose her own children to the American Heartland between 2016 and now, saying, “A lot has changed since we first hit the road. My daughter went from being a fourth grader to a twelfth grader. My son went from being a kindergartner to an eighth grader. And the United States went from being a flawed democracy to a burgeoning autocracy; we drove past the point of no return and kept on driving.” She writes so expressively; for example, “raising children in the world running out of time means contending with two clocks ticking at once: the moments you spend with them as they grew up and the years left for your country, for the planet, for everyone. The first clock is a marvel of memory. The second a countdown to doom. You cannot live your life by these clocks, only alongside them. You forge ahead regardless of the odds because that is your obligation as a parent.”

I could keep quoting from THE LAST AMERICAN ROAD TRIP for quite a while, but end with this reflection: “The people who want to destroy my country are banking on us not missing America. To miss America is to remember America. To remember America is to explore America. To explore America is to see the best and worst in everything -- to reconcile, to repent.” 

West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge

Described as “witty, charming, and heartwarming” by Booklist, West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge is a work of historical fiction based on true events. The setting is 1938 and the title characters are quarantined in New York, having survived a hurricane at sea. Their destination is the San Diego Zoo and Rutledge imagines that journey (avoiding overpasses less than 12’ 8”) along the Southern route (called the Lee Highway) in the company of Old Man, Woodrow Wilson Nickel (“Woody”), and Augusta Red (she’s a young, adventurous photographer, hoping for a break with Life magazine). West with Giraffes is a coming-of-age story, a romance, and a travelogue. As they drive across the US (sometimes at a top speed of ten miles an hour due to the winding, hilly roads), Rutledge chronicles numerous encounters and those provide ample opportunity for reflection and commentary on honesty, good vs. evil, families, feminism, race relations, and poverty vs. privilege. This novel is highly recommended, although there are some very sad parts as all of the main human characters are hiding secrets. Interested readers should explore this absolutely wonderful Libguide with more background on the giraffes, the book, and the author. Enjoy!

A favorite passage:
In the years ahead, through the War and beyond, it was this quiet day moving through the unmoving land with Boy and Girl and the Old Man and Red that I returned to when I needed it most. Like the jolting joy of giraffes amid the traveling bird wave, its peace passed any understanding, any attempt at words. You only get a few of those in your whole life if you're lucky, and some only get one. If that be true, this was my one. When I remember it, I'm not eighteen in the memory. I am whatever age its comfort came to me, be it 33 or 103, and I am driving us all, through the timeless red desert, headed nowhere in particular, just someplace good. Together.

Playing from the Rough by Jimmie James

PLAYING FROM THE ROUGH by Jimmie James is more than a sports book. James, a former executive at ExxonMobil wanted a project when he retired and so he decided to try to play the top 100 golf courses (the vast majority of which are private) in America in a year. He includes plenty of golf stories (trying to keep a run of first hole pars going, missing a hole-in-one, etc.), but equally significant are the “life” stories he shares. Some recount his experiences as a Black man on the golf course. Many center around the contrast between his early life of poverty and his obvious privilege at being able to play these courses. The journey meant that James “flew 73,284 miles, drove another 17,472, and spent 82 nights in hotels or other people's homes … 8,796 strokes … across thirty-three states.”  This is an extremely entertaining read about which the golf writer Rick Reilly says, “I'm so damn jealous of Jimmie James. He not only pulled off my dream golf adventure, but he wrote a book so good I haven't spoken to my laptop in a week.” Make an effort to look for and read PLAYING FROM THE ROUGH – here is a link to the Wall Street Journal review which highlights some memorable anecdotes. Readers will also enjoy A Course called Scotland by Tom Coyne.

If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay

IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME by Alex Finlay is a mystery story with more violence than the ones I typically read, but it was a LibraryReads Hall of Fame selection for May and I am glad that I was intrigued and picked it up. Alison Lane and Ryan Richardson are high school sweethearts until something does in fact happen and Ryan becomes a leading suspect in Alison’s disappearance. That happened in Leavenworth, Kansas five years ago, but early in this mystery story readers will also meet characters from a Philadelphia crime family, students in rural Italy, and former soldiers who served together in Iraq. Finlay cleverly braids the tales and definitely keeps readers guessing with many unexpected twists. IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME is an action-packed thriller which received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly (‘’As in Finlay’s previous novels, relentless pacing, impressive characterizations, and the author’s knack for surprise combine to produce top-shelf entertainment.”).

The Situation Room by George Stephanopoulos

THE SITUATION ROOM by George Stephanopoulos is a very interesting look at the crises faced by Presidents since Kennedy and how each utilized the conference and communication area known as the Situation Room. ABC News host and commentator Stephanopoulos served in the Clinton administration as the senior advisor to the president for policy and strategy so he has personally spent time in that arena. He shares at least one story from each administration, beginning with the Cuban Missile Crisis continuing through events like the capture of the S.S. Mayaguez, the secrecy behind the hunt for Osama bin Laden and the “surreal” atmosphere during the events of January 6, 2021. Particularly fascinating themes are (1) the way that technology has changed and the speed with which information is now shared; and (2) the way each President utilized the space and its specialized staff. Stephanopoulos interviewed one hundred people and is therefore able to share new “never been told before” stories and numerous insights. Readers will appreciate the unique perspective on the crises faced by our leaders, further emphasizing the importance of professional staff and reasoned judgment. Subtitled “The Inside Story of Presidents in Crisis,” Kirkus describes THE SITUATION ROOM as “An effective blend of political analysis and personal stories, tied together at the epicenter of crisis management.” This text will have strong appeal for history buffs and political junkies. Definitely recommended.

Cold Victory by Karl Marlantes

COLD VICTORY by Karl Marlantes (Matterhorn) begins in 1946 Helsinki where American Arnie Koski and his wife, Louise, have just been assigned to a US military-diplomatic (read: intelligence gathering) post. They meet Russian Mikhail and his wife, Natalya Bobrova, at a social gathering and the men realize they know each other from the European battlefield. Some friendly joshing turns into a decision to race each other on skis over five hundred kilometers and much of the book deals with that harrowing experience. In the meantime, the two wives, using their ability to communicate in French, develop a close friendship and work together to benefit a Finnish orphanage. Both strong women are tested in the post WWII environment. Of course, there is a pervasive sinister element due to the seemingly constant surveillance by the Soviet secret police. Lives are jeopardized in this well-written, action-packed adventure story.

Earth Day and Climate Travels

Happy Earth Day! Dating myself for sure, but I remember celebrating the first one and how we had time off from school to go out and pick up trash as we tried to do our bit for the Earth. Pretty amazing to think about both progress and deterioration since the 70’s in terms of environmental issues. There definitely is increased awareness and I will post today about three new books looking at various aspects of human impact on climate and our environment. 

CLIMATE TRAVELS by Michael M. Gunter, Jr. is all about “How Ecotourism Changes Mindsets and Motivates Action.” Gunter is a professor at Rollins College in Florida and recently outlines “Five Steps You Can Take to Jump Start Action on Climate Change” on the Columbia University Press blog. These ideas – talk about it; travel where you don’t need a car; advocate for a smaller carbon footprint; use your wallet; and live with less – are developed more fully in his book. There, he travels around the US (interviewing 125 people) to observe and describe effects of climate change and possible local solutions, particularly renewable energy. He clearly believes that small community action will have an impact and seeks to motivate his readers by encouraging them to “think local, act local.” This highlights the tensions associated with environmental issues – by definition, they are truly a part of everyone’s lives and, yet, it is incredibly difficult to persuade a majority that taking timely, coordinated steps is of critical long-term importance. I did find some sections a bit confusing; for example, Gunter extols the virtues of Texas wind power leadership, but does not really address that opposition (partly a function of the February 2021 freeze) is quite entrenched, as noted in a recent Wall Street Journal editorial. Obviously, increased awareness of the specifics of climate change is key and CLIMATE TRAVELS is yet another thought-provoking overview filled with American examples.

Dinner with the President by Alex Prud'homme

DINNER WITH THE PRESIDENT by Alex Prud'homme, subtitled Food, Politics, and a History of Breaking Bread at the White House, is full of super interesting tidbits. Prud’homme is a journalist and prolific author; he shares details from Washington’s false teeth (as a result a favorite dish was grilled striped bass, one of the ten recipes included in an appendix) to the Obamas’ kitchen garden and Trump’s refusal to hold a state dinner for Ukraine’s Zelenskyy without some quid pro quo. Each era ties food to the times which is surprisingly informative, not unlike Chirag Mehta’s tool for creating word clouds and analyzing prominent issues in State of the Union speeches.  An example in DINNER WITH THE PRESIDENT is LBJ’s reliance on BBQ and Pedernales River Chili to entertain as well as describing the discrimination his African American cook faced when driving between Washington, DC and the Texas White House; it is implied that experience strengthened LBJ’s resolve in getting civil rights legislation passed. Prud'homme notes that a “food policy” has existed in some form at least since Lincoln (!) established the Department of Agriculture in 1862 and also describes the lavish, French-based dinners hosted by the Kennedys one hundred years later. This is a text with which readers can dabble, always finding a unique anecdote related in a generally chronological format. As Prud'homme says, “I was intrigued by the notion of presidential hunger – for food, of course, but also for the other trappings of office….”  Approximately a fourth of the book is devoted to recipes, acknowledgements, and extensive notes. Here, with more examples, is the Wall Street Journal review