Dead Center: In Defense of Common Sense

by Joe Manchin, Nick Saban (Foreword By)

A memoir—and a manifesto—like no other, by a true maverick in American politics

With a foreword by Nick Saban

Dead It is where Senator Joe Manchin III has stood his entire life. For him, it’s where the real solutions lie, if we are ever going to tame the anger, bitterness, intolerance, and tribalism that have infected our political system.

Through 43 years in politics, and 15 years in the Senate, Joe Manchin has stayed close to his roots, basing his principles in when, where, and how he was raised. Treat people with respect. Find dignity in work. Put people first and country before party. Be fiscally responsible and socially compassionate. Only vote for what you understand and can explain to your constituents. That’s it.

Dead Center is more than Senator Manchin’s declaration of independence from the extremes on both sides. In this revealing and entertaining memoir, Senator Manchin combines eyebrow-raising, never-before-told stories from inside the Senate and the White House with insights into how government does—or doesn’t—work.

A memoir by one of America’s most recognized leaders, Dead Center offers a path forward from our polarized political gridlock to governance based on what our American founders Common Sense.

Genres: Politics, Memoir, Nonfiction

288 pages, Hardcover

Published September 16, 2025

About the author

Joe Manchin served as a United States senator from West Virginia from 2010 to 2025. Born in Farmington, West Virginia, Manchin entered politics in 1982 as a member of his state’s House of Delegates. After working his way up in the state politics, he was elected as the governor of West Virginia in 2004. Since retiring from the Senate, he has shifted his focus to building Americans Together, an organization he founded with his daughter Heather to develop support for centrist politicians and candidates.

Reviews

[Keshav · Rating 2 out of 5]

The core message of Former Sen. Manchin's book is unimpeachable - we should work to make the electoral process more accessible, there should be federal term limits, and there needs to be cohesive bipartisanship in DC. Unfortunately his book is exhaustingly one sided. He has two provacative conclusions. The first is that President Biden and Senate Democrats threatened electoral security and democracy, a conclusion he relies on to say that he was glad to see Republicans win the Senate in 2024. The second is that Former Majority Leader McConnell's refusal to hold hearings for Merrick Garland were a direct result of Former Majority leader Reid's prior actions.

These conclusions are closer to the beliefs of an establishment Republican seeking to justify actions with any basis they can come up with. Manchin's refusal to discuss immigration in 2025, Trump's faults, and his bizarre omission of VP Harris makes for an even stranger book. This book is closer to a Republican fiction than it is to a cohesive narrative about how to meet in the middle. Partisans will appreciate this book but for the majority of readers, Manchin's gaslighting will become exhausting by the 100 page mark.

[Seth Ingram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joe Manchin comes across as a genuinely principled man who always did what he believed was right rather than what was most politically expedient. In this book, he tells his story and lays out how broken our political system has become. His defense of the filibuster is important. We need more leaders who are beholden to no party in Washington to help us navigate this period of division in American politics.

[Steve Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead Center: In Defense of Common Sense

As always, Joe Manchin captured the heart and soul of America in the sensible middle in this excellent book. I deeply wish a huge fraction of the country would read and heed this exceptionally wise tome. Please America.

[Trent Passey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe Manchin for President! For a moderate like myself who has belonged to both major parties, Joe Manchin’s book is like a breath of fresh air. Anyone who cares about politics in our country should read this impressive memoir and take a moment to rethink ALL of their positions. Of particular interest is what he demonstrated about the importance of the filibuster and the 60 vote threshold to pass legislation, things I had looked at differently prior to reading the book.

“Political parties aren’t inherently bad,” he said in the latter part of the book. “They were created to organize ideas, relish support, and help people find a space to share common beliefs. At their best, parties are big tents, full of diverse voices and a wide spectrum of ideas. That diversity makes them stronger, but somewhere along the way the focus shifted. The parties stopped being about representing the people and started being about protecting their own power. They narrowed those big tents, pushed out the voices in the middle, and became more interested in winning elections than solving problems.”

Would that all politicians had the wisdom of Joe Manchin.

[Greta Gunning · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me think a lot about political party lines and the damage that such extremity on both sides creates for bipartisanship. Very easy to follow Joe’s story and overall I agreed a lot with his perspectives.

[Ted · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent memoir with some insight into Senate negotiation processes.

[skip thurnauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is NOT a work of fiction. “Dead Center” is the memoir of a political moderate, a rarity in today’s polarized politics. I found Joe Manchin’s story very relatable. He was born the same year as me and he represented, West Virginia, the state where my mother grew up. He learned a lot from his parents and grandparents that he applied to life in and beyond politics. His grandmother told him, “Honey, people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” When he jumped into his first run for office he made 5 promises to children in his state: “1. You should have a loving, caring adult in your life, 2. You should have a safe place to call home, 3. You should have a healthy start and a nutritious diet, 4. You should have a livable skill that will carry you through life, 5. You should have the chance to grow into a loving, caring adult, and give back to society.” These promises are representative of the principles that steered his career in W VA politics as a state representative, governor, and U.S. senator. He lamented that his Democrat party drifted away from its working class roots and became more closely aligned with the goals and whims of the elite. In Washington Manchin lived on a houseboat, “Almost Heaven” docked on the Potomac. He called it “one of the last true sanctuaries of bipartisanship in Washington.” Manchin invited equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats for his simple dinners and cheap wine. Sometimes political opponents could find solutions to otherwise divisive issues. He called out the hypocrisy of both parties and was frustrated by the centralized authority and power of the leaders of Congress. He refused to go along with party leadership on some key legislation and was pressured by Presidents Obama and Biden, as well as Senate Majority Leader Schumer to fall in line. When he didn’t he was ostracized by the party, ultimately leading to his decision to become an independent (still caucusing with the Democrats). He decided against running for President as an independent and continues to encourage bipartisan solutions to solve the country’s major problems. This book probably won’t appeal to partisans, but has much to offer to those interested in working across the isle and compromising for the best interests of the country.

[William Kelleher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I appreciated the opportunity to learn about Senator Manchin’s life and perspectives growing up and working in West Virginia that shaped his tenure in the Senate as a maverick. The book is well written and was a joy to read.

[Clay H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where do I start. Firstly, I am a critic of Joe Manchin. Manchin is a hypocrite. There’s too many examples to list here. The structure of this book was confusing, certain parts didn’t make sense. There were a number of factual errors that irked me. This book makes it clear that Manchin had reservations about Biden before he even took office, Manchin therefore did not have an appetite to help Biden during his term. Manchin rides for WV yet did nothing to support long term investments to WV outside of the infrastructure package. He did admit his mistake on voting against DADT which was nice to see. Overall, this book details Manchin acting like he’s was mightier than others, his vote was so prized that they had to work hard to get his support. The independent BS lives on, Sinema mentioned. “The party left me” bs.

[Ainsley Jamieson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This took me right down memory lane! Fascinating inside look at present day politics and the climate in our country.

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing manifesto on American politics. Love him or hate him, you can't deny that Joe Manchin is a man of principle and steadfast, unwavering beliefs. As someone disaffected by politics in recent years, I find great solace in Manchin's hypothesis made herein. We don't have to simply accept the utter dysfunction and selfishness that plagues the Democrat and Republican parties, and Manchin lays out a path forward in this book. I highly encourage reading this book.

[Justin Branum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting insight from one of the most influential figures in American politics from 2021-2025.

[Bob Cooling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every day Joe

Senator Manchin was WV governor when I was working for DuPont at the Washington Works chemical plant in Wood County, WV. I missed my opportunity to shake his hand when he was on the campaign trail for his first term as a senator for WV. I like that he told the truth, whether or not it enhanced his political positions. That was a rare attribute for an elected official in state politics.

He had my vote based on his honesty, humility and work ethic.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a republican and West Virginian, I recommend this book. Although, he didn’t share on some events I hoped to hear more about, it’s an easily digestible source of information about political processes and events in West Virginia and Congress.

[Nathan Alanmanou · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really like this book. Manchin successfully explains what he believes and why he believes it, tying in how his experiences growing up shape how he views the world. I am impressed by the degree to which Manchin has coherent principles that he stands by whether the political winds are for or against him, and he tends to come to his conclusions out of those principles as opposed to the opinions of the crowds.

When we talk about moderation, I don’t like that it is primarily done through an electability lens. I think it should be done more through an ideological lens, as in, what is genuinely the correct position? When we talk about moderating as a form of becoming more electable, it is as if we are trying to put on an act or deceive the voting public. If you truly believe that you have the correct position, then instead of shifting your position for electability sake, you should just argue why your position is the correct one, and the audience will understand. This is why I like 'Dead Center' so much. He talks about why he believes what he believes, and he is one of the few moderate Democrats who is moderate ideologically, as in he has a fundamentally different view on what makes for quality governance than progressives, in contrast to most “moderate democrats”, who are merely progressives who care a bit more about optics and electability.

When he talks about things we take for granted such as civil disagreement, 2nd amendment, or the filibuster, it represents a type of conservatism that I’ve increasingly appreciated, which is understanding why the norms and institutions that exist in society are there. We have these things for a reason, and before you try to do something different, you should understand why they were there.

While I am somewhat anti-filibuster because I feel that voters need to feel the actions of the government that they vote in, and that giving more influence to government will make voters more inclined to pick someone who they believe will be wise with that power, disincentivizing "break the system" politicians, Manchin makes a very good case for the filibuster being a cooling saucer, and that it would be quite bad if we had a government where policies could be passed and then completely erased over 4 years, contributing to a volatile and unstable environment. I also think that bipartisanship has to exist in some capacity, and I'm not quite ready to give up hope on that just yet.

After reading this book, I have a tremendous amount of respect for the Senator, and I don't put that lightly. The sincerity by which he writes and expresses his beliefs really shows. I will continue his legacy of being fiscally responsible and socially compassionate.

[Brian E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was watching Bret Baier interview Sen. Manchin about his new book. The book sounded interesting so I read it. And I am so glad that I did. He talks about his upbringing in West Virginia. He talks about how hard work pays off. He talks about how he got into politics. He came from a retail background and learned early how to treat people and look them in the eye and listen to what they have to say. He says as a politician he took those same lessons to the State House, to the Governor’s seat, then to the U.S. Senate. He said, “ It’s not about passing laws and making speeches. It’s about serving the people who sent you there.” He also said that “you don’t earn trust from a distance. You earn it face-to-face.” Even though he was a Democrat, he put country over party. He voted against President Obama and President Biden when the pressure was on him to put party before country. He stood his ground and was shunned by his party. He was one of the few that reached across party lines to build cohesive policies- to work together to get things done. We don’t see this any more! The parties are too fractured, not only D against R, but D against D and R against R. You can’t agree to disagree anymore. You can’t just say I respect your opinion and still be friends. If you disagree with someone in your own party, you are called names and shunned. I have seen it personally. It is sad!! Someone sent me a quote the other day and I will say it is pretty true, “The day we understand that the right wing and the left wing are part of the same bird, only then can the eagle fly.” This is so true! If you read back in history to the founding, there were lots of disagreements, however, they worked together for the betterment of the country. There were compromises that had to be made in order to have a Constitution and a country. And I, for one, am grateful for these compromises. Because if compromise had not happened, we would not have the country we have now! I highly recommend this book!

[Alex Gruenenfelder · Rating 4 out of 5]

"This is my Declaration of Independence from extremes on both sides."

As the author of "In Defense of Joe Manchin" (2023), I was immediately intrigued when I heard that Manchin himself had a book with the subtitle "In Defense of Common Sense" coming out later this year. Akin to "Hillbilly Elegy" and co-written with Manchin's daughter Heather, I found this to be a compelling if by-the-numbers memoir with a fairly unique point of view, despite being review-bombed by a handful of people here and on Spotify. The power of family and unconditional love underscore a journey into the life of one of America's most controversial politicians, effectively humanizing a famed power broker of D.C.

In a similar way to my book, I appreciated the emphasis on myth-busting and explainers relating to Manchin's lengthy political career. I was also pleasantly surprised by multiple instances in which he notes when he was wrong on an issue or has evolved, something that politicians should do more of. This is balanced by the moments in which it feels that Manchin is going through a bullet point list of important moments in his career, which have a lot less authenticity to them.

In the end, this is a manifesto for Manchin's brand of centrist politics, one that views the "dignity of work" as being as crucial as viewing the role of government as that of a "partner not provider." People to Manchin's left will likely not find much to like in these parts of the book, although his criticism of modern campaign finance and strong pledge for term limits will be more welcome. Whether or not one agrees with Manchin, however, it is one's favorability to breaking bread with the other side that will be most definitive of one's experience with the book. Manchin's longtime best friend Nick Saban writes in the introduction, "Unity isn't weakness. It's wisdom."

[Stacey (Bookalorian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book review - Non Fiction - Political Memoir

I just finished Dead Center - In the Defense of Common Sense by Joe Manchin and here are my musings.


Joe Manchin is a senator who sits in the middle. He is neither left nor right. He believes in standing with his constituents…

Bold claims. I don’t know much about USA politics other than what people don’t like about the other side because let's face it… You could have the nicest guy in the whitehouse and the other party will always cause drama and their supports will sling mud too.

I found the memoir to be quite illuminating. It didn’t so much give me the story of someone inflating their ego but a fascinating look at how the 2 party system and politics don’t work for the constituents but for big business, pharma and lobbyists.



I actually quite enjoyed the stories from inside the senate and I can really empathize with the author and his dissatisfaction with the system but until more people want to dismantle it and build it back for the people… This book is just one man's complaints with no changes on the horizons.

It is well written and I did enjoy it but it left me unsatisfied but I did learn a lot about Joe Manchin and it really was one of the better political books I have read in a while.

4 stars

Thank you to @stamartinspress for my gifted copy.

[The_J · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are two claims in the title: Center and Common sense. Well let's just say two key things show the bias in this presentation. 1) that the "immigration bill" was necessary and killed by Trump - but as 2025 has shown there was no need for new laws just a President willing to keep the borders under control - even past the lies of those who claimed it to be secured as the people poured across. 2) The IRA passed by Manchin's vote - with the promised from the Senate Democrats of his own bill to be passed for energy production and transfer - but when time came for his bill to be passed the Democrats failed to deliver and it failed. Selling his "soul" for a promise of 30 pieces of silver that was not paid. Manchin is an interesting character, who isn't even in the class of people "not long to be remembered", but rather in the class of those nigh forgotten as the door almost hits their ass on the way out of the corridors of power.
John Stewart did have a nice line about being in the center to make everyone mad, but with the exception of the filibuster what did he really do to make the left mad?

[Mark A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Former U.S. Senator from West Virginia, Joe Manchin talks about his upbringing from a small town to become a powerful voice in Washington DC, in his book Dead Center: In Defense of Common Sense.
Typically, when I read books on politics, I try to find ones that challenge my opinion, and I may not agree with. But this time I decided to "drink my own Kool-Aid" so to speak. Many of Manchin's views and concerns about the state and future of our country reflect many of my values and ideas. While my stance on a few things were different than his, this simply written book articulates what most in the political center feel. Joe Machin seems like he speaks from his heart, and I believed much of his narrative about his passion for service to the United States and its citizens.
I felt he was more critical of Democrats than he was of Republicans, but for the most part his call for compromise is something that I wish would really happen in American politics. Whether you agree with the former senator or not, this book is worth reading and should be on anyone's' list who enjoys current issues or politics. A good read! Four stars!

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alright, I got to say that it wouldn't be right if I didn't read at least one political memoir this year. And Joe Manchin is a guy who I appreciate GREATLY because he was a maverick. You never knew how he would vote on a particular issue. And at the end of the day he voted his conscience and thought of the American people (or did his best too)

Do you know how rare that is in politics anymore?

Now, I will say this. I think Sen. Manchin was extremely methodical and strategic with this book in that, he didn't majorly bash Trump. I have my theories as to why (perhaps still considering a run for president one of these days and does not want to alienate people just yet). He also was barely out of the Senate when this book was written. A lot more was still being discovered as to how this administration would be.....and I would have LOVED for Manchin to come down hard and be honest more. However, I will take what I can get and that is a reminder that there are (a few) people out there who have decency, who care about their state and constituents......

[Laurie Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an independent who regards herself as “socially-liberal/fiscally-conservative”, I appreciated Manchin’s honest insights into the actual struggles in today’s political environment to serve one’s constituents. Having served under both Democratic and Republican administrations, he shares critical insights into the problems that Democratic policies created for him— insights not often shared through the mainstream media. He defends his “controversial” positions during Biden’s administration in a way that leaves a moderate-minded person thinking “well, obviously!” The final plea for Americans to reject partisan politics, reform the primary system to ensure we all have a voice in selecting candidates, and reminding us of the intended functions of Congress and the Senate— especially their different roles in ensuring our democracy— are all valuable takeaways.

Bottom line? Policy over party… People over partisanship.

[Mayank · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent and a great read meant for our current political times. I also knew of Joe Manchin as a moderate Democrat who was willing to defy his party, but it was interesting to hear from his perspective. I found myself agreeing with a lot of his core principles and how he approaches government. I wish we had more elected officials focused on results rather than party and re-election campaigns. It's disheartening to hear about the sad state of US politics from a first-hand perspective, but people like Joe Manchin are standing in the way of even more extreme partisanship. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in US politics - I expect this book will take on more importance entering the next Presidential election.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead Center turned out to be a far more grounded and personal audiobook than I expected. What stood out most was how Joe Manchin focused on his own decisions, experiences, and missteps rather than turning the book into a score‑settling exercise. In a political climate where it feels like every memoir is an excuse to point fingers, the restraint here was refreshing.

The section on the filibuster was especially illuminating. Manchin walks through its history, how it functions in practice, and why he views it as essential to the Senate’s identity. Whether or not you agree with him, the explanation is clear, accessible, and rooted in his firsthand experience rather than abstract talking points.

[Oliver Bateman · Rating 4 out of 5]

it's not a bad book - I suppose I'd put myself politically around where Manchin has been much of his career - but Manchin can't possibly reckon (because how could he? most born-on-second boomers cannot!) with his own role in how we into this state he deplores and offers some common-sense but now-impossible suggestions for getting ourselves out of (it's not happening). It's a slight, thin book, but I thought it was fine...judge it by the standards of other political books, not great works of literature.

my full review of it the book can be found here:

https://www.realclearpennsylvania.com...

[Jmlanier1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting memoir from long time West Virginia senator Joe Manchin. Although he was a lifetime Democrat (until becoming an independent in 2024) he was never afraid to go against his party for the benefit of the people of West Virginia. Joe’s point is the dead center is where rational people really want the country to be. Dead center is where both parties need to shift to get things done and avoid both sides’ extremes. Joe was critical of both parties, but especially critical of Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Chuck Shumer, and Nancy Pelosi. Worth the read regardless of which side of the aisle you sit.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be required reading for all Americans. Uplifting, encouraging, and brutally honest. I identified immediately with Manchin’s upbringing and the values he learned from his parents and grandparents. Likewise, I saw myself in his descriptions of times of great success and heartbreaking failure. His is an American story based on hard work, perseverance, and a commitment to remaining true to those values, even when it means making the hard decisions that you know are right, even in the face of alienation. Hard decisions that can result in standing up to your own party’s commander-in-chief. This memoir is a great read in the corrupt times in which we Americans are living.

[Michael A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joe Manchin, long time Senator from West Virginia is the ultimate anti-Washington politician and true public servant. His straightforward story tells how things used to be when our government was functioning and how it is today with our flawed and failed political parties operating in the broken system they created. His storytelling is forthright with lots of lessons learned. Great quick read which will make you long for a return to common sense and values.

[SusanJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

meh. I've been in & out of West Virginia since the 1990s, was always curious about West Virginia's apparent ambivalence about Joe Manchin. I'm still not sure about that, but it was interesting to hear references to the place I live now, north central WV, and I enjoyed that Manchin narrated the book himself. The part about how and why WV changed from a Democrat to Republican state rung true.

[Gary Evins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important book. In it, Joe Manchin voices the views of many - perhaps most - Americans. The wide political divide in the country is disheartening to say the least. While Manchin has ideas for solutions, the problems seem intractable. Nevertheless, this is a good read and fascinating look into how politics in general, and the US Senate in particular work.