Brookings Institution books for the holidays

The holidays are here, bringing the opportunity to spend time with family and friends, or maybe a good book. In the spirit of the season, the Brookings Institution Press presents the following timely, thought-provoking books for those long winter nights.

Kings and Presidents: Saudi Arabia and the United States since FDR
Bruce Riedel

As tensions rise many observers question the special relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. In Kings and Presidents, Bruce Riedel explains how the two nations, an absolute monarchy with a unique Islamic identity and the world’s most powerful democracy, have remained allies since 1943.

The New York Times recently named Bruce Riedel’s Kings and Presidents one of the top three books to read for a better understanding of the U.S.-Saudi relationship.

Enemy of the People: Trump’s War on the Press, the New McCarthyism, and the Threat to American Democracy
Marvin Kalb

Repeated attacks on the media have been a hallmark of the Trump presidency. However, by calling the press an “enemy of the American people,” President Trump has ventured into dangerous territory. In Enemy of the People, Marvin Kalb argues why we should fear President Trump’s efforts to delegitimize the American press, recalling instances when the press has been a bulwark in the defense of democracy.

Primary Politics: Everything You Need to Know about How America Nominates Its Presidential Candidates
Elaine C. Kamarck

The 2020 primaries are on the horizon and the field of presidential hopefuls is beginning to emerge. In Primary Politics, Elaine Kamarck tells the story of how presidential candidates have sought to alter the rules in their favor and how their failures and successes have led to even more changes. Updated to include the 2016 election, Primary Politics is the essential guide to understanding the modern nominating system.

Bit Player: My Life with Presidents and Ideas
Stephen Hess

Stephen Hess first came to Washington as a speechwriter in the Eisenhower administration, followed by assignments assisting Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan. He then embarked on the next phase of his career at the Brookings Institution. In his memoir, Bit Player, Hess offers a first-hand commentary on the major political figures and events of his six-decade-long career in Washington.

Diversity Explosion: How New Racial Demographics are Remaking America
William H. Frey

Following the 2018 midterm election it is hard to overlook the rapid demographic changes happening today. In Diversity Explosion, William Frey uses the U.S. Census, national surveys, and related sources to illustrate how growing minority populations are transforming and reinvigorating the nation’s demographic landscape and why that is good news for a country that would otherwise face declining growth and rapid aging for years to come.

For more books, please visit the Brookings Institution Press.