Best Books to Become an Informed Voter (941 books)

What does a citizen need to read to be an informed voter in 2008 or 2012, or just to be an informed citizen?

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1	The Constitution of the United States of America by Founding Fathers 4.52 avg rating — 27,095 ratings score: 29,475, and 298 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	The Declaration of Independence / The Constitution of the United States by Founding Fathers 4.44 avg rating — 27,149 ratings score: 22,869, and 234 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton 4.10 avg rating — 41,765 ratings score: 19,450, and 199 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	A People’s History of the United States: 1492 - Present by Howard Zinn 4.09 avg rating — 262,229 ratings score: 14,050, and 144 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	Collected Writings: Common Sense / The Crisis / Rights of Man / The Age of Reason / Pamphlets, Articles, and Letters by Thomas Paine 4.26 avg rating — 1,725 ratings score: 11,119, and 116 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	The Revolution: A Manifesto by Ron Paul 4.13 avg rating — 7,754 ratings score: 10,036, and 102 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	1984 by George Orwell 4.20 avg rating — 5,319,440 ratings score: 9,692, and 102 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville 4.05 avg rating — 26,791 ratings score: 8,912, and 94 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand 3.69 avg rating — 404,554 ratings score: 8,236, and 85 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	Animal Farm by George Orwell 4.01 avg rating — 4,431,998 ratings score: 7,800, and 82 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream by Barack Obama (Goodreads Author) 3.84 avg rating — 169,059 ratings score: 7,198, and 74 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	The Road to Serfdom by Friedrich A. Hayek 4.15 avg rating — 25,636 ratings score: 7,034, and 74 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism by Naomi Klein 4.29 avg rating — 52,703 ratings score: 6,814, and 71 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest for Global Dominance by Noam Chomsky 3.98 avg rating — 14,018 ratings score: 6,694, and 69 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	Basic Economics: A Citizen's Guide to the Economy by Thomas Sowell 4.37 avg rating — 14,017 ratings score: 6,615, and 70 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin 4.28 avg rating — 197,934 ratings score: 5,516, and 57 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich 3.65 avg rating — 194,913 ratings score: 5,051, and 55 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli 3.84 avg rating — 376,370 ratings score: 4,988, and 53 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	The Conscience of a Liberal by Paul Krugman (Goodreads Author) 3.97 avg rating — 6,365 ratings score: 4,820, and 50 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	What's the Matter with Kansas? How Conservatives Won the Heart of America by Thomas Frank 3.85 avg rating — 12,769 ratings score: 4,499, and 47 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	The Law by Frédéric Bastiat 4.34 avg rating — 13,760 ratings score: 4,205, and 45 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	Capitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman 3.90 avg rating — 14,945 ratings score: 4,188, and 46 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx 3.68 avg rating — 192,722 ratings score: 4,071, and 44 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	The 5000 Year Leap by W. Cleon Skousen 4.27 avg rating — 7,141 ratings score: 3,794, and 39 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	Glenn Beck's Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government, Inspired by Thomas Paine by Glenn Beck 3.80 avg rating — 7,225 ratings score: 3,786, and 40 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
26	An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith 3.88 avg rating — 34,614 ratings score: 3,735, and 41 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto by Mark R. Levin 4.18 avg rating — 7,715 ratings score: 3,644, and 39 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	On Liberty by John Stuart Mill 3.96 avg rating — 42,419 ratings score: 3,628, and 41 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power by Joel Bakan 4.07 avg rating — 4,796 ratings score: 3,578, and 38 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	The Republic by Plato 3.97 avg rating — 222,546 ratings score: 3,230, and 36 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	The Assault on Reason by Al Gore 3.78 avg rating — 7,363 ratings score: 3,206, and 35 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
32	Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left from Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning by Jonah Goldberg 3.95 avg rating — 6,029 ratings score: 3,163, and 34 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	The Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutional Convention Debates by Ralph Louis Ketcham 4.09 avg rating — 3,668 ratings score: 2,892, and 32 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	End the Fed by Ron Paul 4.06 avg rating — 6,444 ratings score: 2,838, and 31 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
35	A People's History of American Empire by Paul M. Buhle (editor, foreword) 4.15 avg rating — 2,954 ratings score: 2,744, and 30 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins (Goodreads Author) 3.87 avg rating — 39,279 ratings score: 2,589, and 29 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
37	The End of America: Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot by Naomi Wolf (Goodreads Author) 3.96 avg rating — 3,108 ratings score: 2,530, and 27 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
38	Moyers on Democracy by Bill Moyers 4.29 avg rating — 351 ratings score: 2,525, and 28 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
39	A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches by Martin Luther King Jr. 4.57 avg rating — 2,440 ratings score: 2,511, and 29 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins (Goodreads Author) 3.90 avg rating — 280,981 ratings score: 2,488, and 27 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
41	The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century by Thomas L. Friedman 3.69 avg rating — 102,410 ratings score: 2,416, and 26 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
42	The Working Poor: Invisible in America by David K. Shipler 4.04 avg rating — 5,716 ratings score: 2,373, and 27 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
43	Voices of a People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn 4.31 avg rating — 2,155 ratings score: 2,302, and 26 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
44	Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West by Dee Brown 4.26 avg rating — 100,718 ratings score: 2,119, and 24 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
45	To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 4.26 avg rating — 6,762,726 ratings score: 2,104, and 24 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
46	Civil Disobedience and Other Essays by Henry David Thoreau 4.06 avg rating — 17,661 ratings score: 2,022, and 23 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
47	The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis 4.30 avg rating — 169,142 ratings score: 2,011, and 22 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
48	An Inconvenient Book: Real Solutions to the World's Biggest Problems by Glenn Beck 3.74 avg rating — 4,000 ratings score: 1,942, and 21 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
49	The Handmaid’s Tale (The Handmaid's Tale, #1) by Margaret Atwood (Goodreads Author) 4.15 avg rating — 2,363,268 ratings score: 1,916, and 21 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
50	Second Treatise of Government by John Locke 3.78 avg rating — 23,838 ratings score: 1,894, and 21 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
51	Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think by George Lakoff 4.03 avg rating — 1,690 ratings score: 1,884, and 22 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
51	Brave New World by Aldous Huxley 3.99 avg rating — 2,041,643 ratings score: 1,884, and 22 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
53	The Social Contract, a Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, and a Discourse on Political Economy by Jean-Jacques Rousseau 3.83 avg rating — 420 ratings score: 1,815, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
54	Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury 3.97 avg rating — 2,764,371 ratings score: 1,807, and 22 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
55	Parliament of Whores: A Lone Humorist Attempts to Explain the Entire U.S. Government by P.J. O'Rourke 4.01 avg rating — 3,877 ratings score: 1,796, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
56	Drift by Rachel Maddow (Goodreads Author) 4.07 avg rating — 20,925 ratings score: 1,786, and 19 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
57	Profiles in Courage by John Fitzgerald Kennedy 3.92 avg rating — 14,422 ratings score: 1,769, and 21 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
58	Griftopia: Bubble Machines, Vampire Squids, and the Long Con That Is Breaking America by Matt Taibbi 4.16 avg rating — 9,558 ratings score: 1,741, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
59	Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation by Joseph J. Ellis 3.95 avg rating — 47,197 ratings score: 1,692, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
60	The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt 4.20 avg rating — 64,478 ratings score: 1,664, and 18 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
61	The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression by Amity Shlaes (Goodreads Author) 3.91 avg rating — 6,228 ratings score: 1,654, and 19 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
62	The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank 4.20 avg rating — 4,120,090 ratings score: 1,644, and 18 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
63	Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media by Edward S. Herman 4.24 avg rating — 23,665 ratings score: 1,630, and 19 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
64	The Zinn Reader: Writings on Disobedience and Democracy by Howard Zinn 4.25 avg rating — 2,175 ratings score: 1,626, and 19 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
65	Free to Choose. A Personal Statement by Milton Friedman 4.22 avg rating — 9,423 ratings score: 1,616, and 19 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
66	The FairTax Book: Saying Goodbye to the Income Tax and the IRS by Neal Boortz 4.11 avg rating — 1,940 ratings score: 1,552, and 17 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
67	Supercapitalism: The Transformation of Business, Democracy, and Everyday Life by Robert B. Reich really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1,942 ratings score: 1,522, and 17 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
68	The Fatal Conceit: The Errors of Socialism by Friedrich A. Hayek 4.22 avg rating — 2,496 ratings score: 1,501, and 17 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
69	A Foreign Policy of Freedom: Peace, Commerce, and Honest Friendship by Ron Paul 4.19 avg rating — 993 ratings score: 1,500, and 17 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
70	The Jungle by Upton Sinclair 3.78 avg rating — 153,315 ratings score: 1,491, and 17 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
71	Reason: Why Liberals Will Win the Battle for America by Robert B. Reich 3.86 avg rating — 562 ratings score: 1,437, and 17 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
72	Anti-Intellectualism in American Life by Richard Hofstadter 4.11 avg rating — 3,593 ratings score: 1,409, and 18 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
73	The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ by Joseph Smith Jr. 4.23 avg rating — 90,214 ratings score: 1,358, and 15 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
74	The Crucible by Arthur Miller 3.61 avg rating — 456,609 ratings score: 1,354, and 15 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
75	The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon 4.02 avg rating — 15,342 ratings score: 1,311, and 15 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
76	Freedom Under Siege: The U.S. Constitution After 200 Years by Ron Paul 4.25 avg rating — 131 ratings score: 1,294, and 15 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
77	The Conscience of a Liberal: Reclaiming the Compassionate Agenda by Paul Wellstone 4.22 avg rating — 726 ratings score: 1,285, and 15 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
78	1776 by David McCullough 4.10 avg rating — 245,394 ratings score: 1,273, and 16 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
79	Declarations of Independence: Cross-Examining American Ideology by Howard Zinn 4.23 avg rating — 816 ratings score: 1,253, and 15 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
80	America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It by Mark Steyn 4.10 avg rating — 3,707 ratings score: 1,248, and 15 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
81	The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power by Jeff Sharlet (Goodreads Author) 3.77 avg rating — 3,655 ratings score: 1,220, and 15 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
82	My Thoughts Are Murder to the State by Henry David Thoreau 3.74 avg rating — 27 ratings score: 1,209, and 14 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
83	Aftershock: The Next Economy and America's Future by Robert B. Reich 3.94 avg rating — 3,899 ratings score: 1,198, and 14 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
84	Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt 4.16 avg rating — 21,311 ratings score: 1,182, and 13 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
85	A History of the American People by Paul Johnson 4.11 avg rating — 2,993 ratings score: 1,180, and 14 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
86	You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train: A Personal History of Our Times by Howard Zinn 4.34 avg rating — 3,663 ratings score: 1,168, and 14 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
87	All the President’s Men by Carl Bernstein 4.18 avg rating — 57,398 ratings score: 1,155, and 14 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
88	Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid by Jimmy Carter 3.92 avg rating — 5,045 ratings score: 1,153, and 13 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
89	Politics by Aristotle 3.98 avg rating — 42,312 ratings score: 1,142, and 13 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
90	Letter from the Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr. 4.72 avg rating — 8,571 ratings score: 1,114, and 14 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
91	The Return of Depression Economics and the Crisis of 2008 by Paul Krugman (Goodreads Author) 3.83 avg rating — 8,867 ratings score: 1,107, and 14 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
92	The Defining Moment: FDR's Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope by Jonathan Alter (Goodreads Author) 3.93 avg rating — 3,809 ratings score: 1,100, and 13 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
93	Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert D. Putnam 3.85 avg rating — 8,851 ratings score: 1,099, and 12 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
94	The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life by Richard J. Herrnstein 3.60 avg rating — 3,459 ratings score: 1,092, and 13 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
95	What Liberal Media?: The Truth about Bias and the News by Eric Alterman 3.83 avg rating — 805 ratings score: 1,088, and 13 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
96	The Great Crash 1929 by John Kenneth Galbraith 3.92 avg rating — 6,188 ratings score: 1,059, and 13 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
97	Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal by Ayn Rand 3.89 avg rating — 4,389 ratings score: 1,056, and 12 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
98	More Liberty Means Less Government: Our Founders Knew This Well by Walter E. Williams 4.29 avg rating — 137 ratings score: 1,037, and 12 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
99	On the Republic / On the Laws by Marcus Tullius Cicero 3.89 avg rating — 2,718 ratings score: 1,004, and 12 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
100	Nullification: How to Resist Federal Tyranny in the 21st Century by Thomas E. Woods Jr. 4.24 avg rating — 867 ratings score: 996, and 11 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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941 books · 1,096 voters · list created July 2nd, 2008 by Donna (votes) .

Tags: america, current-affairs, current-events, democracy, elections, history, non-fiction, politics, united-states, voting

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message 69: by Laurentk (new)

Mar 26, 2020 12:48PM

Joel wrote: "Laurentk wrote: "Joel wrote: "Laurentk wrote: "You're condescension isn't a moral trait. Your thin veneer of politeness to pathologize me-when you're literally writing apologia for scientific racis..."

fwiw, a moral trait can be good or bad concerning existence or lack of. Hope you can read contextually, because you seem to lack it.

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message 68: by Joel (new)

Mar 26, 2020 08:51AM

Laurentk wrote: "Joel wrote: "Laurentk wrote: "You're condescension isn't a moral trait. Your thin veneer of politeness to pathologize me-when you're literally writing apologia for scientific racism-a subject you i..."

Coming from you, I'll take that as a compliment.

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message 67: by Laurentk (new)

Mar 24, 2020 03:11PM

Joel wrote: "Laurentk wrote: "You're condescension isn't a moral trait. Your thin veneer of politeness to pathologize me-when you're literally writing apologia for scientific racism-a subject you inadvertently ..."

(self edit)

I really wish you did, but I doubt it. You seem to severely lack any sort of capacity for being self-reflexive.

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message 66: by Joel (new)

Mar 24, 2020 02:21PM

Laurentk wrote: "You're condescension isn't a moral trait. Your thin veneer of politeness to pathologize me-when you're literally writing apologia for scientific racism-a subject you inadvertently imply as mutually..."

Thank you for your feedback. I'll be sure to consider it with the worth it deserves.

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message 65: by Laurentk (new)

Mar 24, 2020 11:11AM

You're condescension isn't a moral trait. Your thin veneer of politeness to pathologize me-when you're literally writing apologia for scientific racism-a subject you inadvertently imply as mutually exclusive from class, is. And I love being snarky, especially to people who deserve it.

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message 64: by Joel (new)

Mar 24, 2020 10:15AM

Laurentk wrote: "Joel wrote: "Laurentk wrote: "Joel wrote: "Laurentk wrote: "I'm quite sure The bell curve is horrendous racism posing as science. Glad to see you've deleted your account. "

argumentum ad consequen..."

Sounds like you have other issues you need to work out. Have you tried speaking to a therapist?

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message 63: by Laurentk (new)

Mar 24, 2020 09:14AM

Joel wrote: "Laurentk wrote: "Joel wrote: "Laurentk wrote: "I'm quite sure The bell curve is horrendous racism posing as science. Glad to see you've deleted your account. "

argumentum ad consequentiam"

Oooh l..."

You arrogant presumptuous twat. People who make your type of argument think they're the epitome of logic and ration ad nauseum. OOoh look I used Latin, does that make me right now? Get your head out of your ass for once in your fucking life

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message 62: by Joel (last edited Mar 23, 2020 06:52PM) (new)

Mar 23, 2020 06:52PM

Laurentk wrote: "Joel wrote: "Laurentk wrote: "I'm quite sure The bell curve is horrendous racism posing as science. Glad to see you've deleted your account. "

argumentum ad consequentiam"

Oooh look at me I can u..."

I've very sorry you didn't understand the Latin term, but in my follow-up comment, I explain what it means and how it applies to this book. Apparently you didn't read it.

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message 61: by Laurentk (new)

Mar 20, 2020 02:39AM

Joel wrote: "Laurentk wrote: "I'm quite sure The bell curve is horrendous racism posing as science. Glad to see you've deleted your account. "

argumentum ad consequentiam"

Oooh look at me I can use the latin version of logical fallacies and apply them incorrectly, that means I win the argument oooh.

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message 60: by Joel (new)

May 05, 2019 07:21PM

Jan wrote: "I am concerned and horrified that a book by White Supremacist David Duke has a book on this list."

There are quite a few books on this list by people with some pretty deplorable ideologies (Ehrenreich, Klien, Marx...).

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message 59: by Jan (new)

May 05, 2019 04:35PM

I am concerned and horrified that a book by White Supremacist David Duke has a book on this list.

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message 58: by Paul (new)

May 01, 2019 05:25AM

This list would be much more useful if it were properly curated and reduced in size.

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message 57: by Paul (new)

May 01, 2019 05:23AM

Checked for duplicates - 6 books removed.

Removed one book that had clearly been spammed in: 5 votes, all 100 points, all 5 voters had voted only for that book, Goodreads Author. I wish people wouldn't do this. These lists are not promotional tools for individuals.

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message 56: by Amy (new)

Nov 29, 2018 06:19AM

Why are there random fiction books in this list? As much as they are good entertainers, I somehow doubt that Louis Sachar, Rick Riordan, Michael Crichton, or JK Rowling will help me 'become an informed voter.'

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message 55: by D (new)

Oct 27, 2017 06:58PM

If you people really think this makes you informed, good luck failing in all your endeavors

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message 54: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Jan 21, 2017 03:16AM) (new)

Jan 21, 2017 03:02AM

c wrote: "Should be renamed "Best Books to Become an Informed Voter in America". Very little of this applies to the rest of the world."

True...

Originally the description puzzled me a little "What does a citizen need to read to be an informed voter in 2008 or 2012, or just to be an informed citizen?" I'm guessing, as the creator of the list lives the USA and the two years given are years of presidential elections in the USA, 'an informed voter' applies to the US only.

@Donna
From my point of view, it might be best to follow the suggestion and rename the list "Best Books to Become an Informed Voter in America", as there are lots and lots of non-American Goodreads members, of which I'm one....

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message 53: by Guy (new)

Sep 19, 2015 06:36AM

Informed voter?! A plurality of these books are rhetoric at best, propaganda at worst. This is a pile of shrink-wrapped confirmation bias. And I mean this from both sides of our peculiar American aisle.

Well, at least it can inform one to where the horseshit is. That is valuable.

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message 52: by Joel (new)

Jun 18, 2015 08:41PM

Laurentk wrote: "Joel wrote: "Laurentk wrote: "I'm quite sure The bell curve is horrendous racism posing as science. Glad to see you've deleted your account. "

argumentum ad consequentiam"

Nope, not an assertion ..."

I've seen many people attack The Bell Curve and the gist of their arguments is usually "this book is just racist propaganda". I've never seen anyone actually refute any of the science in the book (to the extent you can call the social sciences and psychology "science").

Argumentum ad consequentiam means argument based on consequences. In this context, I mean that people argue against The Bell Curve on the basis that the consequences of accepting the book's thesis is that it would justify prosecuting against certain races. That is not all all the case. The book's main thesis is that a primary determinant of a person's success is intelligence, and that there are vast differences in intelligence between various classes. That conclusion should in no way imply that any given class should be given fewer liberties than any other.

And besides, whether of not people extend the conclusion of the book to justify racism in no way reflects on the truth of that conclusion.

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message 51: by Laurentk (new)

Jun 18, 2015 02:39PM

Joel wrote: "Laurentk wrote: "I'm quite sure The bell curve is horrendous racism posing as science. Glad to see you've deleted your account. "

argumentum ad consequentiam"

Nope, not an assertion of hypothetical conclusion/consequence based off a previous statement, just good old bias.

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message 50: by Joel (new)

May 28, 2015 09:29AM

Laurentk wrote: "I'm quite sure The bell curve is horrendous racism posing as science. Glad to see you've deleted your account. "

argumentum ad consequentiam

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message 49: by John (new)

May 08, 2015 01:34PM

None of these books will assist a voter. Instead you should read your local newspaper, watch local TV news, watch international news (BBC World News),watch national news,and MSNBC if you're a Democrat.

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message 48: by Laurentk (new)

Mar 09, 2015 02:42PM

deleted user wrote: "The lack of philosophical works on this list makes it beyond deplorable. It's mostly just a collection of partisan pamphlets that serve only to keep citizens short-sighted, bigoted, and unworthy to..."

I'm quite sure The bell curve is horrendous racism posing as science. Glad to see you've deleted your account.

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message 47: by Joel (new)

Jan 15, 2015 06:17PM

Gabriel wrote: "Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity on this list? God, no.

And Ayn Rand? Really?"

Howard Zinn? Barack Obama? Noam Chomsky? Really? God no!

See what I did there?

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message 46: by Katie (new)

Jul 08, 2014 03:39PM

Nate wrote: "If I'm understanding some of these comments correctly, the ethos seems to be that the best path to become an informed voter is to only read the books that you agree with; but to me, that would resu..."

I completely agree. I was born a Rupublican-no-gay-marriage-coorporations-are-amazing-Christianity-for-everyone and fully believed all of it. But growing up and exposing myself to the other sides I realize the truth in what my family had to say (though, it's becoming less and less) but now I identify more as a liberal.

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message 45: by Katie (new)

Jul 08, 2014 03:32PM

Travis wrote: "Yeah, a lot of these would have the opposite effect of informing a voter. Instead of informing people of the truth and the issues, many of these just inform the reader of one partisan groups incred..."

Isn't that part of being an informed citizen, though? Knowing where the other side is coming from? If some political parties reference "Atlas Shrugged" or "Animal Farm" as a guide to their beliefs, I think it's worth looking into if you haven't before. I don't think any books should be banned or looked down upon no matter the content. Maybe just...not aligned with what you think :)

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message 44: by ☆Dani☆ (new)

Mar 23, 2014 07:47PM

I agree with Max, this isn't relevant to non-Americans, should be renamed to specify.

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message 43: by Nate (new)

Mar 08, 2013 11:20AM

If I'm understanding some of these comments correctly, the ethos seems to be that the best path to become an informed voter is to only read the books that you agree with; but to me, that would result in the opposite effect of becoming a well-rounded (informed) voter.

Even if you feel the other side is filled with false/skewed information, it seems that you would still greatly benefit to understand where they're coming from so that you could potentially share your views/facts in a kinder light, rather than just bulldozing your own ideology over them.

I also think it'd be fair to say that many of these authors-on both sides-may have book sales, rather than education, at the vanguard of their thoughts when authoring a title.

The true scope of becoming an informed voter would span thousands of books, but deciding what type of government you want is probably the first step to getting there.

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message 42: by Doris-Maria (new)

Mar 08, 2013 08:32AM

Travis wrote: "Yeah, a lot of these would have the opposite effect of informing a voter. Instead of informing people of the truth and the issues, many of these just inform the reader of one partisan groups incred..."

Good point, as this list seems a bit to the right - however, if you are able to take the time and read them A L L then you will get a variety... Maybe better than watch TV channels.

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message 41: by Gabriel (new)

Feb 26, 2013 12:05PM

Chamko wrote: "Where is the "Shock Doctrine" by Naomi Klein and "The Wrecking Crew" by Thomas Frank and many others? This is a very very limited list."
Then add some.

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message 40: by Nate (new)

Nov 25, 2012 07:19PM

I just finished White House Burning and felt it was a great book about the history of national debt and budgets, how they've functioned historically, and how they are used today.

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message 39: by Charles (new)

Oct 14, 2012 09:01PM

Ayn Rand actually isn't conservative, she is an atheist and pro-choice and wasn't fond of Reagan. Her economic and views on small government is what makes her favorable to conservatives.

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message 38: by Becky (new)

Oct 12, 2012 08:04PM

I'm solidly in the middle if you balance my views against each other, so I find myself exasperated on all fronts :)

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message 37: by Nate (new)

Oct 12, 2012 05:40PM

You dont have to agree with it, but its important to see where some of these people are getting their ideas....

Well said Becky, I couldn't agree more. It's a catch-22 with political books since if you don't expose yourself to the other side you will have no way of being well-rounded, but if you do expose yourself to the other side, then people think you're nuts for spending any amount of time on it.

I spend more time reading the stuff I disagree with so I can try to understand their views more, but it seems many people prefer to read only the stances that fit their viewpoints, and their only exposure to the opposition is from the people they agree with who are only selecting bits of information to support their cause.

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message 36: by Becky (new)

Oct 12, 2012 12:56PM

Dont you think that those type of people need to be on the list? As, in, an example of everything thats wrong with the voters being sucked in by a constant hyperbolic attack from the media?

And Ayn Rand is tossed around so much by misunderstanding Conservatives, and Machiavelli is a book every president has read. You dont have to agree with it, but its important to see where some of these people are getting their ideas....

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message 35: by Charles (new)

Sep 28, 2012 11:22PM

Stephen wrote: "Gabriel wrote: "Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity on this list? God, no.

And Ayn Rand? Really?"

I had very similar thoughts."

I saw Howard Zinn, Paul Krugman on the list. One who is a devote socialist with nothing positive to say about the US. The other is a phony economist, clinging to his ideology. I agree that Beck and Hannity should not be on this list.

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message 34: by Nate (last edited Sep 19, 2012 11:33AM) (new)

Sep 18, 2012 12:52PM

I love that you picked Frederick Douglass, since it helps communicate what I was trying to say (although since he wasn't even alive when the founding documents were written, I'm not sure how he provides the historical context that I apparently am missing). He's pointing out the hypocrisy of what was written vs. what was actually practiced-a hypocrisy that was practiced by the very authors of the documents he's referencing.

This is not about the list anymore though, and I'd rather not turn off future viewers who aren't looking for a historical debate about slavery.

You think Barton's book is worthy of the reading time, I think there are better options, either way it's on the list and I think anyone who picks it up can make their own call after reading the first chapter or two.

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message 33: by Dante (new)

Sep 18, 2012 08:01AM

Nate wrote: "If the 2/3 clause was meant to end slavery, and not to keep more representatives of the south in power, then it failed miserably. "

This statement totally ignores historical context. Frederick Douglass, a former slave, knew this when he said, “Let me tell you something. Do you know that you have been deceived and cheated? You have been told that this government was intended from the beginning for white men, and for white men exclusively; that the men who formed the Union and framed the Constitution designed the permanent exclusion of the colored people from the benefits of those institutions. Davis, Taney and Yancey, traitors at the south, have propagated this statement, while their copperhead echoes at the north have repeated the same. There never was a bolder or more wicked perversion of the truth of history. So far from this purpose was the mind and heart of your fathers, that they desired and expected the abolition of slavery. They framed the Constitution plainly with a view to the speedy downfall of slavery. They carefully excluded from the Constitution any and every word which could lead to the belief that they meant it for persons of only one complexion.

The Constitution, in its language and in its spirit, welcomes the black man to all the rights which it was intended to guarantee to any class of the American people. Its preamble tells us for whom and for what it was made.”

Frederick Douglass (June 1863)

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message 32: by Nate (last edited Sep 17, 2012 03:07PM) (new)

Sep 17, 2012 12:46PM

Was there ever a time when media was unbiased and trying to present all sides From my understanding newspapers often took to liking/disliking a candidate or issue and regardless of reality, reported what they wanted in the context that best suited their objectives.

I don't think media has an agenda as much as they need ratings, and a happy sunshine day doesn't get ratings. Racism or anything extreme does. You can blame the media, but really, the viewers I think are the ones to blame because they won't watch/read/click unless it's something extreme.

I didn't read all of Barton's book no, I read the first part, skimmed some of the other chapters randomly, and put it back on the shelf. I can judge it because I don't need to read every word an author scribes to surmise an opinion about his writing, just like I don't need to watch every minute of dinner in the oven to know it's cooking. This book is also not a novel where there are character developments, etc., which might be crucial to the story. Barton's format is almost short story like where he singles in on a topic, discredits it in his own fashion, then moves to the next one. I don't agree with his publisher taking it off the shelf, but I also wouldn't recommend anyone buy it unless you were on one side of the extreme.

If I recall one of his chapters is about how Jefferson is a Christian, something that's not disputed, but he's not fighting a battle not against regular historical fact, but against quacks on the other end. They amplify Jefferson's periods of doubt in faith to make it seem like he had no religious beliefs, where as Barton attempts to nullify it completely as if it was taken out of context-that a strong christian such as Jefferson could never have a moment of doubt in all his infinite wisdom. Mainstream historians (if there is such a thing), to my understanding, take it for it is: a period of doubt, nothing more, nothing less.

If the 2/3 clause was meant to end slavery, and not to keep more representatives of the south in power, then it failed miserably.

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message 31: by Melissa’s Bookshelf (new)

Sep 15, 2012 01:46PM

Nate wrote: "Melissa - mainstream media doesn't discuss these topics, so you can't blame them-that is just cliche phrase now used by anyone with a view that dissents from conventional thought.

I like dissent..." Nate, where to start. So much of our history has been changed and altered because of the Progressive movement in the United States beginning in the late 1800's and really coming into fruition during Woodrow Wilson's Presidency. (Read Woodrow Wilson and the Roots of Modern Liberalism.) The founders didn't "say one thing and do another," that is misguided. The founders very much believed in the things they wrote and lived by them. For instance, most of them were abolitionists and the 2/3rds clause in the Constitution was meant to wipe out slavery by limiting the amount of influence of the Southern States. It had nothing to do with the worth of the person, only how their vote was counted which would have been influenced by their masters. I'm not saying the founders were perfect, but it is easy for us to cast stones, when we have issues in our Society that people ignore such as strapping our children and our grandchildren with massive debt without a care in the world (by both political parties.)

As for David Barton, I suggest you read his rebuttal to the publisher. Quoting letters, journals, writings all express the thoughts, opinions, and emotions of the person writing. Obviously the historians weren't alive then and so the only way we can judge that time period is through the documents, letters, journals of the time. Everything else is pure speculation. Have you read the book? If you haven't, then how can you judge something you haven't read?

The mainstream media is responsible for misrepresenting, colluding, and hiding truth. They are no longer unbiased trying to present all sides. They are definitely trying to shape opinion rather than report facts. When, for instance, the tea party is discussed, they show a picture of a white old man dressed like George Washington rather than show the African American families with young kids who are attending the rallies. Why? The media isn't trustworthy because they have an agenda. Therefore, whenever they do a hatchet job on someone like David Barton, it behooves us to try to get the facts from both sides.

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message 30: by Nate (new)

Sep 14, 2012 04:27PM

Melissa - mainstream media doesn't discuss these topics, so you can't blame them-that is just cliche phrase now used by anyone with a view that dissents from conventional thought.

I like dissenters, but Barton is unimpressive to me. It seems his research was based on proving others wrong, rather than publishing his own results-meaning he had a preselected conclusion and was grabbing at whatever he could, in any context, to prove his case. I would love it if he discovered new evidence or facts or illustrated how conventional wisdom on history is off a little, but he didn't do that from what I saw. His publisher, who is based in Nashville (not exactly ground zero for liberal rhetoric), agreed.

I still am not sure what Barton was trying to prove though, that Jefferson was a flawless Christian?

As for your religion reference, the founding fathers tended to say one thing, and do another-so simply quoting historical documents hardly provides enough context to what was really going on. Everyone is free, unless you're black, everyone is equal, unless you're a woman, everyone has religious freedom, except you have to pay taxes for whatever religious choice your state has made and your religion is frankly not wanted/welcome if it isn't ours.

I have found that the oxford guide to the supreme court does a great job of discussing historical cases, and how the culture and the interpretation of constitution & law was used at the time (it has changed.... A lot).

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message 29: by Melissa’s Bookshelf (new)

Sep 13, 2012 01:49PM

James wrote: "Our country wasn't based on the Bible (maybe The Jefferson Bible); however, a lot of people these days seem to think it was." Read the Federalist Papers. The Book of Deutoronomy in the Bible is the most heavily quoted book by the founders. Our Constitution is very much based on the bible. Read the actual documents instead of spouting what your teachers told you.

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message 28: by Melissa’s Bookshelf (new)

Sep 13, 2012 01:44PM

David wrote: "the holy bible and the book of mormon? really??? people, you know America is not a Christian nation, right? There's a little thing called freedom of religion..." You misunderstand the founders. Freedom of religion is a right that was put into the Constitution because the founders didn't want the government to interfere in religion like it had in England with the Church of England. They weren't afraid of religion on the contrary, they wanted it preserved against the interference of the government, not the other way around. The founders were Christians. Read the Federalist Papers and you'll figure that out. Or if that's too hard, I recommend the 5000 year leap. The Constitution was based very much on the Book of Deutoronomy in the Bible. Unfortunately, real history based on the actual documents of the time is not taught anymore.

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message 27: by Melissa’s Bookshelf (new)

Sep 13, 2012 01:37PM

Nate wrote: " may I suggest a book for you? Please read, "The Jefferson Lies..."

I felt like that author is sort of on the fringe debating others on the polar opposite fringe. The lies he breaks down in each..." Everything in David Barton's book is meticulously researched and contains numerous footnotes from Jefferson's original documents. Historians hate it because it doesn't gel with their opinions on opinions. The original documents and writings can't be disputed. If you actually read it I think you would find it interesting. Don't be duped by the mainstream media.

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message 26: by Liz (new)

Sep 13, 2012 10:06AM

Stephen wrote: "Gabriel wrote: "Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity on this list? God, no.

And Ayn Rand? Really?"

I had very similar thoughts."

As did I.

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message 25: by Julien (new)

Sep 12, 2012 04:31AM

Glen Beck. Ayn Rand. The Bible.... No wonder people in the USA can't have a rational discussion about state-sponsored health care.

(And when you type "state-sponsored" in google, you get "state-sponsored terrorism" as first result. It's insane. And that's my point.)

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message 24: by Nate (new)

Sep 11, 2012 03:07PM

So the list would be better if it were more narrow with less titles? Isn't the point of becoming informed (on any topic) to read all sides?

Dante - I think the comments are supposed to be about the list, not a christian debate about the old world thinking (which advocated slavery) of what the founding fathers understood.

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message 23: by Dante (new)

Sep 08, 2012 05:30PM

You're absolutely right David, America is not a Christian nation. America does make law freedom of religion, but what you do not understand is that it wouldn't be so if it wasn't for the Christians in our Founding who understood God's word and His attitude toward the free will of man.

2 Corinthians 3:17
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom.

Galatians 5:13
For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another.

Modern-day Christians may have trouble understanding this, but that's because God's word isn't really being taught in the majority of churches anymore. It's all about emotionalism and good feelings and social life. Christians in the founding era had their share this as well but it wasn't nearly as rampant as it is today.

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message 22: by David (new)

Sep 08, 2012 04:53PM

the holy bible and the book of mormon? really??? people, you know America is not a Christian nation, right? There's a little thing called freedom of religion...

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message 21: by Dante (new)

Aug 14, 2012 04:09PM

Get the whole story, not just one side.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/exclu...

http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissues...

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message 20: by Nate (new)

Aug 14, 2012 04:06PM

Wow, the publisher pulled the book because of the inaccuracies-I've never even heard of such a thing. Thanks for the link.

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