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A User's Guide to Democracy
From Nick Capodice & Hannah McCarthy, the hosts of New Hampshire Public Radio’s Civics 101, and New Yorker cartoonist Tom Toro, A User's Guide to Democracy is a lively crash course in everything you should know about how the US government works.
Do you know what the Secretary of Defense does all day? Are you sure you know the difference between the House and the Senate? Have you been pretending you know what Federalism is for the last 20 years? Don’t worry--you’re not alone. The American government and its processes can be dizzyingly complex and obscure.
Until now.
Within this book are the keys to knowing what you’re talking about when you argue politics with the uncle you only see at Thanksgiving. It’s the book that sits on your desk for quick reference when the nightly news boggles your mind. This approachable and informative guide gives you the lowdown on everything from the three branches of government, to what you can actually do to make your vote count, to how our founding documents affect our daily lives. Now is the time to finally understand who does what, how they do it, and the best way to get them to listen to you.
Do you know what the Secretary of Defense does all day? Are you sure you know the difference between the House and the Senate? Have you been pretending you know what Federalism is for the last 20 years? Don’t worry--you’re not alone. The American government and its processes can be dizzyingly complex and obscure.
Until now.
Within this book are the keys to knowing what you’re talking about when you argue politics with the uncle you only see at Thanksgiving. It’s the book that sits on your desk for quick reference when the nightly news boggles your mind. This approachable and informative guide gives you the lowdown on everything from the three branches of government, to what you can actually do to make your vote count, to how our founding documents affect our daily lives. Now is the time to finally understand who does what, how they do it, and the best way to get them to listen to you.
368 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 2020
136 people are currently reading
1902 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
September 26, 2020
I needed this book! After reading this I realized how much I needed to know, learn, relearn and understand about the country I love and the government that runs it.
This was an amazing read and to be honest, now is the time more than ever to know how our government works, how our voice is heard and how we can each make a difference.
Knowledge really is power.
I am no expert besides what I hear in the news and even then it could be confusing and complicated. I really needed a book that can explain in easy to understand terms, with fantastic illustrations and one that is organized and interesting to read.
I found the book so informative and written not only for the first-time voters (like my daughter this year) but also for those who claim to know everything about politics - yep that family member who watches CNN all day long who could shoe in as a quasi political commentator, yeah that one!
As a visual learner, I appreciated the amazing illustrations and the easily digestible information that I will be using and referring to especially now.
This also makes for a great gift and I hope you get a chance to read this very important book!
This was an amazing read and to be honest, now is the time more than ever to know how our government works, how our voice is heard and how we can each make a difference.
Knowledge really is power.
I am no expert besides what I hear in the news and even then it could be confusing and complicated. I really needed a book that can explain in easy to understand terms, with fantastic illustrations and one that is organized and interesting to read.
I found the book so informative and written not only for the first-time voters (like my daughter this year) but also for those who claim to know everything about politics - yep that family member who watches CNN all day long who could shoe in as a quasi political commentator, yeah that one!
As a visual learner, I appreciated the amazing illustrations and the easily digestible information that I will be using and referring to especially now.
This also makes for a great gift and I hope you get a chance to read this very important book!
June 21, 2020
I love this book. It provides a very readable explanation of how our government works. Humor is inserted as well as a few tongue in check comments about current events that makes this book very "readable". . It could easily have been titled "An Idiot's Guide to Democracy". My copy is a digital one but I would love to have a hard copy to sit on my shelves as a reference book. Most citizens do not know how our government works or why our founding fathers put the checks and balances and procedures in place. The book makes of the mysteries of government. Every citizen should have a copy of this book. I highly recommend this book! Publication date is set for September. It can't come out soon enough!
Thanks NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.
Thanks NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.
October 3, 2020
This is the civics book every American should read. It is a very readable explanation of American government. Clearly written, fun facts, great illustrations.
This book clearly shows how makes our democracy works. A must read.
This book clearly shows how makes our democracy works. A must read.
December 12, 2020
This is a surprisingly comprehensive guide to understanding American democracy. I don’t love the “hey kids, democracy is cool!” tone, especially given how complicated some of the info is—it mostly made me confused about who the audience for this book is supposed to be—but I definitely learned a lot. Chapters cover the various branches of government, local government, political parties, most important presidents to know, the electoral college, the Constitution and its amendments, and court cases to be familiar with (and much more). The book is accessible but also a bit dense. It helps to reference a section at a time, not read the book through all at once. It’s a great resource to have on hand, especially for the high school and college-age crowd.
September 17, 2020
A User's Guide to Democracy is a reference book that marries Schoolhouse Rock to The West Wing and produces a delightful nerdgasm of information on all things US government. Want to know how a bill gets passed? It has that. Have a vague idea of why Ruth Bader Ginsberg is hero-worshipped? That supreme court section (and particularly the 15 most important SCOTUS decisions) has you covered.
This is a great book for budding history buffs, interested high school/college kids, or someone (like me) who doesn't remember 10th grade US Studies class.
The authors also host/produce podcasts so check out Civics 101 and Outside/In.
I loved this book but keep in mind I'm an absolute nerd. this was a fun/interesting/fascinating look at the rules that make democracy tick. I'd say put it on your holiday gift list but you may need to gift it out before November.
This is a great book for budding history buffs, interested high school/college kids, or someone (like me) who doesn't remember 10th grade US Studies class.
The authors also host/produce podcasts so check out Civics 101 and Outside/In.
I loved this book but keep in mind I'm an absolute nerd. this was a fun/interesting/fascinating look at the rules that make democracy tick. I'd say put it on your holiday gift list but you may need to gift it out before November.
November 18, 2020
A User’s Guide to Democracy should be required reading for U.S. Government classes and I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants a simple, easy to understand explanation of how the U.S. government actually works. As Americans decide in the next few weeks who they are going to vote for in the upcoming election, it is crucial that they understand what the actual responsibilities are of those who they elect as their representatives, senators, and president. Capodice and McCarthy do an excellent job explaining how the different branches of the federal government have a responsibility to keep the others in check so that one does not become more important and influential than the others. Highly recommended.
November 10, 2020
An excellent and interesting resource to the governmental systems here in the USA. Highly recommend!
September 20, 2020
"A User's Guide to Democracy" could have easily been "You fell asleep in your government class and this is what you missed". The American government is a very complex system that many citizens are clueless about how it is run. They think they know, but seriously do they really know?
The topics of the Legislative Branch, Executive Branch, Judicial Branch are discussed in detail that will grab your attention. That was only the first 100 pages or so (I read an advanced e-copy). The matter of fact details that the authors, Nick Capodice and Hannah McCarthy share are interesting and informative. With the state of our city, state, and federal government elected officials it helps the reader understand the intricate details that occur in the elected office. The light funny comedic drawings, illustrated by Tom Toro offer a visual for those of us that find government a little daunting. This was an enjoyable informative book that helped shed light on my high school and college boring educators that droned on about their views. "A User's Guide to Democracy" is just that an informative and humorous book to draw in readers to a sometimes tedious subject.
Thank you, Net Galley and Celadon books for this ARC! Thank you @celadon @nickcapodice @hannahmccarthy @netgalley for writing, promoting, and publishing this book. #auser'sguidetodemocracy
The topics of the Legislative Branch, Executive Branch, Judicial Branch are discussed in detail that will grab your attention. That was only the first 100 pages or so (I read an advanced e-copy). The matter of fact details that the authors, Nick Capodice and Hannah McCarthy share are interesting and informative. With the state of our city, state, and federal government elected officials it helps the reader understand the intricate details that occur in the elected office. The light funny comedic drawings, illustrated by Tom Toro offer a visual for those of us that find government a little daunting. This was an enjoyable informative book that helped shed light on my high school and college boring educators that droned on about their views. "A User's Guide to Democracy" is just that an informative and humorous book to draw in readers to a sometimes tedious subject.
Thank you, Net Galley and Celadon books for this ARC! Thank you @celadon @nickcapodice @hannahmccarthy @netgalley for writing, promoting, and publishing this book. #auser'sguidetodemocracy
October 13, 2020
You know all that information about the US government that everyone should know, but no one was really paying attention in high school civics and therefore doesn't know? There is now a better way to learn all of it. A User's Guide to Democracy is a fairly complete, approachable book designed to give students a groundwork for understanding America. From the branches of government and elections all the way to essential historical documents and key court cases, this book clearly explains what You need to know to understand why the United States government functions the way it does.
While the majority of students aren't ever going to be thrilled by courses in government, this book makes it much less painful to give the idea due consideration. I will be recommending it to my colleagues and I intend to keep a copy in my office for reference. I feel much better educated for having read this book.
Thank you to Celadon Books for the ARC!
While the majority of students aren't ever going to be thrilled by courses in government, this book makes it much less painful to give the idea due consideration. I will be recommending it to my colleagues and I intend to keep a copy in my office for reference. I feel much better educated for having read this book.
Thank you to Celadon Books for the ARC!
October 1, 2020
This book is what has been missing from our shelves! As an educator who slept through all of my history courses, I came out of high school and college with an incomplete and embarrassingly erroneous understanding of what US history and civics are about. This is the book that changed all that for me.
Comprehensible, accessible and actually engaging, A User's Guide to De,mocracy provides an in-depth look at government, history and civics. Drawings make ideas more easily grasped and understood.
In terms of using this book with students, although I believe that they should go more in depth with primary and secondary sources when studying history, this book is a great supplement and can be helpful for explaining concepts that are more layered, nuanced or complex.
#NetGalley #AUsersGuideToDemocracy
Comprehensible, accessible and actually engaging, A User's Guide to De,mocracy provides an in-depth look at government, history and civics. Drawings make ideas more easily grasped and understood.
In terms of using this book with students, although I believe that they should go more in depth with primary and secondary sources when studying history, this book is a great supplement and can be helpful for explaining concepts that are more layered, nuanced or complex.
#NetGalley #AUsersGuideToDemocracy
June 26, 2020
A book filled with dense, complex ideas explained through fun pictures and light commentary. The sheer amount of interesting facts and break downs of specific facets of the federal government and its history is a little bit overwhelming. I kept wishing my brain was big enough to store all of this important information. I guess it's a good thing I have this book to reference instead.
September 8, 2020
This is such a user friendly book! The author took the complexities of how America works and put together this guide using pictures and short descriptions. I feel that this is especially great for visual learners. Everyone living in our country should have a basic idea how our government runs and this is the perfect guide.
September 6, 2020
Originally published on my book blog, TheBibliophage.com.
Nick Capodice and Hannah McCarthy host a show and podcast called Civics 101 on New Hampshire Public Radio. This experience makes them uniquely qualified to write A User’s Guide to Democracy: How America Works. It’s a 21st century primer on everything about U.S. government, with hilarious illustrations by Tom Toro. Plus, it’s actually engaging, unlike my memories of high school civics class.
I think I’m pretty hip to most things about how America’s government works. But the details elude me sometimes. Now I have a resource for those times. Capodice and McCarthy organize the structural parts with the finer details and tell a ton of historical stories in the meantime.
First, they start with the three branches of the government—executive, judicial, legislative. Then explain the roles that federal government plays, and how it’s different than the states. The reality is that none of this information has stayed static for 225+ years, and they explain that too. Just when you think you’re too deep in the difference between the various phases of federalism, there’s a funny analogy about cake. Really.
Given its release right before our 2020 elections, the authors dig deep into how voting works. Both in the past and in current times. They explain the Electoral College, the history of political parties and the voting process itself.
Then they roll into the major documents—Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Amendments. If this sounds like where you take a nap, you’re wrong. There’s plenty of stories about the people involved, with debates and disagreements. It’s honestly fascinating. (And there’s more fun drawings!)
My conclusions
As much as I enjoyed the first four sections of the book, the best two are at the end. So, even if you just read a chapter a day, be sure to stick it out. (You could skip ahead … but you’d miss good stuff.) Capodice and McCarthy end the book with a roundup of significant Supreme Court decisions, which also teach a bit about the Justices. They start with those that changed our country’s landscape for the better. Then they switch to those decisions we now agree weren’t so great. The summaries they write skip all the legalese and make it easy to understand the cases.
And all of this knowledge is nothing if you don’t use some of it to get active in politics yourself. So User’s Guide also includes a short 24 page guide to contacting your elected officials, protesting, and even running for office. All with their trademark lighthearted earnestness.
Don’t forget to read the appendix with fun facts about every President. And be sure to take the pop quiz! I also recommend their podcast. I took a few minutes to listen to a recent episode and learned about birthright citizenship, which is important.
It’s rare to find a book on the heavy topic of politics that makes me laugh with it. Not laughing at the people involved but laughing at some of the ridiculous decisions we as a country have made. And yet, we’re still here. So far. If you want to have government-related facts at your fingertips, this is for you. I suspect it would make a great book for home schooling too. You might catch this reviewer buying a copy for the kids in her life!
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Celadon Books, Nick Capodice, Hannah McCarthy, and Tom Toro for the opportunity to read an advanced readers’ copy in exchange for this honest review. Publish date is Tuesday, September 8, 2020.
Nick Capodice and Hannah McCarthy host a show and podcast called Civics 101 on New Hampshire Public Radio. This experience makes them uniquely qualified to write A User’s Guide to Democracy: How America Works. It’s a 21st century primer on everything about U.S. government, with hilarious illustrations by Tom Toro. Plus, it’s actually engaging, unlike my memories of high school civics class.
I think I’m pretty hip to most things about how America’s government works. But the details elude me sometimes. Now I have a resource for those times. Capodice and McCarthy organize the structural parts with the finer details and tell a ton of historical stories in the meantime.
First, they start with the three branches of the government—executive, judicial, legislative. Then explain the roles that federal government plays, and how it’s different than the states. The reality is that none of this information has stayed static for 225+ years, and they explain that too. Just when you think you’re too deep in the difference between the various phases of federalism, there’s a funny analogy about cake. Really.
Given its release right before our 2020 elections, the authors dig deep into how voting works. Both in the past and in current times. They explain the Electoral College, the history of political parties and the voting process itself.
Then they roll into the major documents—Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Amendments. If this sounds like where you take a nap, you’re wrong. There’s plenty of stories about the people involved, with debates and disagreements. It’s honestly fascinating. (And there’s more fun drawings!)
My conclusions
As much as I enjoyed the first four sections of the book, the best two are at the end. So, even if you just read a chapter a day, be sure to stick it out. (You could skip ahead … but you’d miss good stuff.) Capodice and McCarthy end the book with a roundup of significant Supreme Court decisions, which also teach a bit about the Justices. They start with those that changed our country’s landscape for the better. Then they switch to those decisions we now agree weren’t so great. The summaries they write skip all the legalese and make it easy to understand the cases.
And all of this knowledge is nothing if you don’t use some of it to get active in politics yourself. So User’s Guide also includes a short 24 page guide to contacting your elected officials, protesting, and even running for office. All with their trademark lighthearted earnestness.
Don’t forget to read the appendix with fun facts about every President. And be sure to take the pop quiz! I also recommend their podcast. I took a few minutes to listen to a recent episode and learned about birthright citizenship, which is important.
It’s rare to find a book on the heavy topic of politics that makes me laugh with it. Not laughing at the people involved but laughing at some of the ridiculous decisions we as a country have made. And yet, we’re still here. So far. If you want to have government-related facts at your fingertips, this is for you. I suspect it would make a great book for home schooling too. You might catch this reviewer buying a copy for the kids in her life!
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Celadon Books, Nick Capodice, Hannah McCarthy, and Tom Toro for the opportunity to read an advanced readers’ copy in exchange for this honest review. Publish date is Tuesday, September 8, 2020.
September 22, 2020
The best example I can give to describe this book is near the end when they’re giving a short blurb about each President, and they mention that Washington’s teeth were not actually made of wood; they were made of human teeth, ivory, and metal.
Human teeth? From who?
The authors don’t say. They just move on.
Of course, these teeth were likely sourced from people who were enslaved. A crucial aspect of the story that was missed in this telling.
This is just one example of the many times that this book tries to be inclusive, but falls short of the mark. I understand the authors’ need for brevity as they attempt to cover such a wide range of topics, but some things are too important to leave out.
In short, this book is lacking in the intersectional perspectives that are so crucial to understanding American history from anything but the side of the oppressor, as our government has unfortunately so often been.
Human teeth? From who?
The authors don’t say. They just move on.
Of course, these teeth were likely sourced from people who were enslaved. A crucial aspect of the story that was missed in this telling.
This is just one example of the many times that this book tries to be inclusive, but falls short of the mark. I understand the authors’ need for brevity as they attempt to cover such a wide range of topics, but some things are too important to leave out.
In short, this book is lacking in the intersectional perspectives that are so crucial to understanding American history from anything but the side of the oppressor, as our government has unfortunately so often been.
October 27, 2020
Haven't finished yet as I got sidetracked by RL, but so far I can honestly say I really like this book. The writing is clear and concise, and the book covers basic topics of stuff-I-always-wanted-to-know about the federal government (there may be more later in the book about state powers too, I don't know). The text is accompanied by goofy little cartoons that probably add to the page count, but they're cute (in a roll-your-eyes kind of way) and they break up the monotony of reading, so I'll take it. Seriously, this is exactly the kind of info I always felt that everyone knows except for me, but now I know it too, so I'm part of the club now! The historical notes sometimes don't feel like information I need to know, so maybe I'm missing the point there.
This is non-partisan for the most part. More to come when I finish it.
~bint
This is non-partisan for the most part. More to come when I finish it.
~bint
August 24, 2025
A solid civics primer/refresher
January 24, 2021
A must of you slept through your highschool government class.
March 12, 2023
Great book for the intro to the US constitution.
September 29, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley, Celadon Books, and Libro.fm's ALC program for providing an advance copy of this book.
At this point I have ready quite a few books about our system of government, but I still enjoyed and learned from this one! I actually think it would be perfect for middle school or high school classes, and I could even see myself using excerpts from some of the chapters if I still taught upper elementary social studies. Some of the concepts included are quite basic, but it really does include a great overview of all the quirky systems that make up our government. It also includes sections on voting and running for office. Throughout, I thought the authors did a great job of acknowledging our country's racist history and explaining in an accessible way how those views created the foundation for our government and still impact us today. I recommend this for anyone, young or old, who wants to know more about how our country works!
At this point I have ready quite a few books about our system of government, but I still enjoyed and learned from this one! I actually think it would be perfect for middle school or high school classes, and I could even see myself using excerpts from some of the chapters if I still taught upper elementary social studies. Some of the concepts included are quite basic, but it really does include a great overview of all the quirky systems that make up our government. It also includes sections on voting and running for office. Throughout, I thought the authors did a great job of acknowledging our country's racist history and explaining in an accessible way how those views created the foundation for our government and still impact us today. I recommend this for anyone, young or old, who wants to know more about how our country works!
September 7, 2020
Remember in high school when you’d take a nap or zone out during government class? Was it just me? History and Politics were not my jam as a 16-year-old. Do I regret that now? A tad, but this book helped me get back on track as if I did pay attention in high school.
And by no means is this book meant for high school students. It’s meant for adults who have become way more passionate about politics over the last few years, perhaps coming to the realization our country needs a lot of help.
This book filled with dense and complex ideas explained through fun pictures and light commentary. The amount of information can be overwhelming, but this book could be easily compared to Spark Notes with a large side of humor.
I learn best by living through situations. And in high school, I didn’t know what was going on in the world. Now, I do, which is why I think this book is so important.
Another big fact to know, after reading this e-book ARC I will buying a print copy tomorrow when it hits the shelves. This book is so timely given our political climate, no matter which party you vote for.
A big thanks to Net Galley and Celadon Books for this ARC!
And by no means is this book meant for high school students. It’s meant for adults who have become way more passionate about politics over the last few years, perhaps coming to the realization our country needs a lot of help.
This book filled with dense and complex ideas explained through fun pictures and light commentary. The amount of information can be overwhelming, but this book could be easily compared to Spark Notes with a large side of humor.
I learn best by living through situations. And in high school, I didn’t know what was going on in the world. Now, I do, which is why I think this book is so important.
Another big fact to know, after reading this e-book ARC I will buying a print copy tomorrow when it hits the shelves. This book is so timely given our political climate, no matter which party you vote for.
A big thanks to Net Galley and Celadon Books for this ARC!
August 18, 2021
I expected something a little more...insightful? It's a straightforward primer on America's government. Three branches of government, check. Checks and balances, check. Job titles and descriptions, check and check.
This isn't to say everyone knows how government works. But, from a practical standpoint, if you need to know how the FDA is different from the USDA you probably already do. And if you don't, you probably don't. One is responsible for eggs while they are in shells and the other for everything inside the shell. Knowing that will make me a hit at parties, seriously, I go to fun parties.
Being involved locally could have a bigger impact on your day-to-day than what happens on a national stage. I don't need to be president, just an unchecked county executive or have a couple of friends on the school board.
This isn't to say everyone knows how government works. But, from a practical standpoint, if you need to know how the FDA is different from the USDA you probably already do. And if you don't, you probably don't. One is responsible for eggs while they are in shells and the other for everything inside the shell. Knowing that will make me a hit at parties, seriously, I go to fun parties.
Being involved locally could have a bigger impact on your day-to-day than what happens on a national stage. I don't need to be president, just an unchecked county executive or have a couple of friends on the school board.
September 20, 2020
This book is fun. I love politics, but I don’t necessarily love history. This book is current, relevant, and finishes with an action-based section. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it for all US citizens, or those interested in how our government system works.
This book was an audiobook thanks to Libro.fm
This book was an audiobook thanks to Libro.fm
December 16, 2020
I read this in a time of political uncertainty. This book provided a basis upon which I could understand what were the possibilities for the political process rather than relying on the sensationalist stories ever-present. The complicated subject of the US government is boiled down and made very approachable.
June 24, 2024
Still, a great read. Well laid out, concise, understandable, relatable, palatable. There is so much I’m going to forget again. Especially the court cases.
November 8, 2020
A great concept marred by to0 many witticisms and cheeky remarks that served to distract rather than clarify the material.
This book attempts to explain the basics of the U.S. Democracy in plain english. Some times it does this remarkably well. Too often, however, it fails to achieve the intended result because of an overabundance of witticisms and cheeky remarks that obfuscates rather than clarifies. An independent editor should have crossed-out many of these remarks as distracting, esoteric and not funny. Imagine a clear concise handbook being first prepared and then a creative writing student edits the handbook by increasing the length by 50 percent by sprinkling throughout it tangential hip and cool witticisms and you have a sense of how the book reads.
The reader is forced to navigate around light-hearted jokes with esoteric references that leaves the reader feeling like he or she is simply not hip or cool enough to recognize the lingo or social references. Using humor and informal language to make our our governmental system seem relatable to the reader can work when used sparingly and when it serves to clarify rather than obscure. That was not the case unfortunately with this book.
This book attempts to explain the basics of the U.S. Democracy in plain english. Some times it does this remarkably well. Too often, however, it fails to achieve the intended result because of an overabundance of witticisms and cheeky remarks that obfuscates rather than clarifies. An independent editor should have crossed-out many of these remarks as distracting, esoteric and not funny. Imagine a clear concise handbook being first prepared and then a creative writing student edits the handbook by increasing the length by 50 percent by sprinkling throughout it tangential hip and cool witticisms and you have a sense of how the book reads.
The reader is forced to navigate around light-hearted jokes with esoteric references that leaves the reader feeling like he or she is simply not hip or cool enough to recognize the lingo or social references. Using humor and informal language to make our our governmental system seem relatable to the reader can work when used sparingly and when it serves to clarify rather than obscure. That was not the case unfortunately with this book.
January 18, 2021
This book shows that democracy in America is uniquely weird, in a weirdly beautiful way. Although the publisher flubbed the title-why not just call it "A User's Guide to American Democracy"?-the authors breezily present the mechanical innards of the American political machine in an accessible way and end on a positive, empowering note. I suppose that, as easy as it is to lose faith in certain aspects of real world human activity, it really is uniquely (or at least originally) American that the mechanical levers and wrenches should be so accessible to any and all men and women-something that is so easy to take for granted (and that others may wish one to take for granted).
Aside from the main story, I think I caught three errors early on. I didn't write them down, but I still remember two of them: (1) the breakdown of religion among members of Congress seemed to show there were 0% Jews, which was not true at the time of publication and (2) it was stated that only two presidents had purposefully not run for reelection, but also excluded James K. Polk from this list-although this was mentioned in the appendix. Also, not sure if I'm crazy, but it seemed like the paper changed to a subtly higher quality in the 2nd half of the book-something I found more amusing than anything.
Aside from the main story, I think I caught three errors early on. I didn't write them down, but I still remember two of them: (1) the breakdown of religion among members of Congress seemed to show there were 0% Jews, which was not true at the time of publication and (2) it was stated that only two presidents had purposefully not run for reelection, but also excluded James K. Polk from this list-although this was mentioned in the appendix. Also, not sure if I'm crazy, but it seemed like the paper changed to a subtly higher quality in the 2nd half of the book-something I found more amusing than anything.
October 17, 2021
Maybe because I'm such a nerd about politics and government this book seemed a bit elementary, but a review is always a good thing.
Clearly organized into sections that discuss each of the three branches of government, the book covers all the basics in a fun, casual, readable style.
Best of all, the book delves a little deeper into a few of those layers of government. One section explains each of the cabinet seats and what those secretaries are responsible for -- this is where I learned a few things.
Three other sections I found especially insightful were the full chapter on Federalism (why we're not really a democracy), especially significant Supreme Court cases, and summaries of our primary governing documents, including a fun (and useful!) way of using hand gestures to remember the first ten amendments to the Constitution.
Living in an RV means not being able to keep very many books, but this handy guide is one I've tucked away to keep and refer to in the future.
Clearly organized into sections that discuss each of the three branches of government, the book covers all the basics in a fun, casual, readable style.
Best of all, the book delves a little deeper into a few of those layers of government. One section explains each of the cabinet seats and what those secretaries are responsible for -- this is where I learned a few things.
Three other sections I found especially insightful were the full chapter on Federalism (why we're not really a democracy), especially significant Supreme Court cases, and summaries of our primary governing documents, including a fun (and useful!) way of using hand gestures to remember the first ten amendments to the Constitution.
Living in an RV means not being able to keep very many books, but this handy guide is one I've tucked away to keep and refer to in the future.
September 27, 2020
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC! I don’t know a lot about politics and the government. Like I know enough to be smart enough to vote and understand the basics of how things work, but I don’t know the ins and outs and differences between the branches or the specifics of the courts. This book covers it all but in a manner that’s easier to understand and with humor. It’s hefty reading, & it took me a while to slug through (I’m going to revisit certain chapters again), but I can see it being a really effective book for government classes bc there will be guidance from the teacher to break it down even more. As for a young person reading it who tuba teacher, he or she would have to really be into government to make it through and grasp the info solo. I wish I had a book like this sooner.
August 23, 2025
This is a good and well written book by 3 authors with a sense of humor and good working knowledge of our democracy. It is a clear book that explains how American democracy works in practice, from voting and representation to the roles of government institutions. I liked it because it gathers a wide range of important information that every American should know, and it presents it in a way that’s easy to understand, using short chapters to explain them. It’s not a narrative story, though—more a collection of facts, explanations, and examples—so it works best as a reference or guide rather than something you read for flow. As a collection of key knowledge about how the system functions, it’s a solid and useful resource.
October 30, 2021
An accessibly written primer on how and why the U.S. federal, state, and local government model works (and doesn't work) - and some of the key court decisions that have set the laws of the country. This book should be required reading for every armchair or keyboard pundit in America. I also appreciate the inclusion of the User's Guide chapter for its call to action and instruction about the ways that individuals can exercise civic duty and make a difference. And, the Pop Quiz and Fun Facts sections are rich with trivia for game nights and bring the Presidents to life in some interesting and relatable ways.
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