Economics & Money
Blueprint for Revolution
Srdja Popović
A guide to nonviolent revolution, drawing on the author's experiences in the Otpor! movement that toppled Slobodan Milošević in Serbia, and offering practical tips and strategies for activists around the world. It uses stories and examples to illustrate how ordinary people can use nonviolent action to oppose oppression and bring about change.
Lost in Work
Amelia Horgan
A searing analysis of the contemporary crisis of work, Lost in Work challenges the tidy narrative of progress around work and calls into question the very foundations of society. It explores how work under capitalism is bad for all of us, even in more secure and better-paid positions, and argues that we cannot get our lives back without radically changing the very foundations of society.
Socialism
Michael Newman
An accessible introduction to socialism, exploring its history, traditions, and contemporary relevance. It examines various forms of socialism, including Cuban communism, Swedish social democracy, and new social movements, while also addressing the challenges and difficulties it faces in the 21st century.
The Origins of Political Order
Francis Fukuyama
An exploration of the historical origins of political institutions, from prehuman times to the eve of the French and American revolutions. This volume delves into the emergence of the state, the rule of law, and accountable government, examining the factors that drive political development and decay across different societies and historical periods.
The Power Broker
Robert A. Caro
"The Power Broker" is widely considered one of the greatest non-fiction books ever written. In this Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, journalist Robert A. Caro chronicles the life of Robert Moses, the "Master Builder" who shaped the physical reality of New York City and its suburbs more than any elected official in history. Caro uses Moses’ life to study a larger subject: the acquisition and use of power in a democracy. He reveals how Moses, who was never elected to public office, amassed absolute control for 44 years. By manipulating the murky legal structures of "Public Authorities" (like the Triborough Bridge Authority), Moses generated his own revenue streams, freeing him from the oversight of mayors, governors, and voters. The book is a tragedy of arrogance. It details how Moses started as an idealist dreamer building public parks but transformed into a tyrant who displaced half a million people. Caro meticulously documents the human cost of "progress"—from the destruction of vibrant neighborhoods for the Cross Bronx Expressway to the deliberate design of low bridges to keep buses (and low-income minorities) away from Jones Beach.
All the President's Men
Carl Bernstein
The gripping inside story of how two Washington Post reporters, Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, uncovered the Watergate scandal that led to President Richard Nixon's resignation. A thrilling account of investigative journalism at its finest, revealing the secrets, lies, and political intrigue that shook a nation.
Animal Farm
George Orwell
A compelling satire set on a farm where animals revolt against their human owner, only to establish a new, more oppressive tyranny amongst themselves. A chilling allegory of power, corruption, and the betrayal of revolutionary ideals.
Are Prisons Obsolete?
Angela Y. Davis
Angela Y. Davis challenges the conventional understanding of the prison system, arguing for its abolition by meticulously tracing its historical development, its deep entanglement with racism, sexism, and capitalism, and its evolution into the 'prison industrial complex.' Drawing parallels with past abolition movements, she exposes how prisons perpetuate social inequalities and proposes radical alternatives for a more just and humane society.