May Newsletter

Ever since this nation's founding, the idea of an open and ever-expanding frontier has been central to American identity. Symbolizing a future of endless promise, the frontier made possible the United States' belief in itself as an exceptional nation -- democratic, individualistic​, forward-​looking. Today, though, the country has a new symbol: the border wall. In The Endof the Myth, acclaimed historian Greg Grandin explores the effect that constant, relentless expansion had on America's domestic politics, examining the full sweep of U.S. history -- from the American Revolution to the Spanish-​American War, the New Deal to the election of 2016. For centuries, he shows, the ability to move outward -- fighting wars and opening markets -- provided America with a 'gate of escape,' helping to deflect domestic political and economic conflicts. But this deflection meant that the country's problems, from racism to inequality, were never confronted directly. And now, the combined catastrophes of the 2008 financial meltdown, our unwinnable wars in the Middle East, and a deepening ecological crisis have slammed this gate shut, bringing political passions that had long been directed elsewhere back home. It is this new reality, Grandin says, that explains the rise of reactionary populism and racist nationalism, the extreme anger and polarization that catapulted Trump to the presidency. The border wall may or may not be built, but it will survive as a rallying point, an allegorical tombstone marking the end of American exceptionalism

In a world of sound bites, deliberate misinformation, and a political scene colored by the blue versus red partisan divide, how does the average educated American find a reliable source that's free of political spin? What You Should KnowAbout Politics ... But Don't breaks it all down, issue by issue, explaining who stands for what, and why -- whether it's the economy, income inequality, Obamacare, foreign policy, education, immigration, or climate change. If you're a Democrat, a Republican, or somewhere in between, it's the perfect book to brush up on a single topic or read through to get a deeper understanding of the often murky world of American politics.

When Truth Mattered is an account of a young editor and his staff painstakingly pursuing the truth of the Kent State shootings on May 4, 1970, a tragedy that has haunted the nation for 50 years and significantly changed the debate about the Vietnam War. The heart-pounding story captures the flash of National Guard rifles, the bloody aftermath of four students killed and nine wounded, and the stress of reporters hurrying to sort fact from fiction for a horrified world wanting to know "what" and "why." The Beacon Journal's Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage created a truthful narrative that has stood unchallenged and unchanged for five decades. When Truth Mattered shows how journalism was done right ... and how those standards must still be applied today.

Former food director of Real Simple Dawn Perry used to wake up at the crack of dawn to hit the farmers market and scour specialty food stores for peak-season vegetables and lesser-known spices. But as she started to have a family, she became less interested in spending her mornings and weekends food shopping and meal prepping than building couch forts and making play-doh spaghetti. If you're time-crunched for any reason--early meeting at the office or late night on the town--this book will help. Dawn offers her very own playbook for getting good food on the table fast so you can spend more time doing what you love with your free time and energy.

Journalist Kalee Thompson and economist Tara Watson examine the costs and ends of America's immigration-​enforcement complex, particularly its practices of internal enforcement: the policies and agencies, including ICE, aimed at removing unauthorized immigrants living in the US. Thompson and Watson's economic appraisal of immigration's costs and benefits is interlaid with first-person reporting of families who personify America's policies in a time of scapegoating and fear. The result is at once enlightening and devastating. Thomspon and Watson examine immigration's impact on every aspect of American life, from the labor force to social welfare programs to tax revenue. The results paint an overwhelmingly positive picture of what non-native Americans bring to the country, including immigration's tendency to elevate the wages and skills of those who are native born.

In the wake of white nationalist attacks, the ongoing debate over reparations, and the controversy surrounding Confederate monuments and the contested memories they evoke, Neiman delivers an urgently needed perspective on how a country can come to terms with its historical wrongdoings. Through discussions with Germans she tells the story of the long and difficult path Germans faced in their effort to atone for the crimes of the Holocaust. In the United States, she interviews social justice activists to provide a compelling picture of the work contemporary Americans are doing to confront our violent history.

In the digital age, unequal access to technology and the revenue it creates is one of the most pressing issues facing the United States: students without computers, rural workers with spotty WiFi, and plenty of workers without the luxury to work from home. Khanna imagines how the digital economy can create opportunities for people all across the country without uprooting them. He offers a vision for democratizing digital innovation to build economically vibrant and inclusive communities. Instead of being subject to tech's reshaping of our economy, we must channel those powerful forces toward creating a more healthy, equal, and democratic society.

Time Off: A Practical Guide to Building Your Rest Ethic and Finding Success Without the Stress reveals how history's greatest minds, as well as some of the most successful leaders, thinkers, and creatives of today, found success by practicing a more balanced approach to work and life. Embracing their insights on how constant hustle can be your worst enemy, you will realize that time off means much more than just taking a break. By learning how to slow down, you will rediscover a more fulfilled and versatile version of yourself and unlock your true creative potential.