Books like American Theocracy by Kevin Phillips

Adam Smith’s seminal 1776 treatise that laid the groundwork for modern economic theory, presented here in a reprint of Edwin Cannan’s 1904 edition with a new preface by economist George J. Stigler.

A scholarly examination of Robert Moses, the powerful New York City planner whose initiatives shaped the city’s infrastructure and symbolized the concentration of municipal authority.

An analysis of the decline of public reason in American politics and society, focusing on the role of religious fundamentalism and the erosion of democratic values.

Frank Rich chronicles how the Bush administration used 9/11, the Iraq war, and Hurricane Katrina to spin a narrative that consolidated power and reshaped American politics.

"This national bestseller chronicles the dangers of an administration that has raised dishonesty to dizzying heights. Economist Paul Krugman exposes the facts that speak for themselves. From identifying the flaws in George W. Bush's economic plans to telling the story behind California's energy crisis, to revealing the administration's reasons for going to war in Iraq, Krugman offers justification for his criticisms and sets the first years of the twenty-first century in a stark new light. This up-to-date edition includes a new introduction and other material that reflect the events of 2004"--Jacket.

John Moe takes a lifelong liberal from Seattle and immerses himself in every aspect of American conservatism to test whether ideology is innate or environmental, documenting the experiment with humor and sharp observation.

Greg Palast exposes corruption and wartime secrets through investigative journalism, focusing on U.S. politics, the Iraq War, and the petroleum industry.

"We're often told that the United States is, was, and always has been a Christian nation. But in One Nation Under God, historian Kevin M. Kruse reveals that the idea of 'Christian America' is an invention--and a relatively recent one at that. As Kruse argues, the belief that America is fundamentally and formally a Christian nation originated in the 1930s when businessmen enlisted religious activists in their fight against FDR's New Deal. Corporations from General Motors to Hilton Hotels bankrolled conservative clergymen, encouraging them to attack the New Deal as a program of 'pagan statism' that perverted the central principle of Christianity: the sanctity and salvation of the individual. Their campaign for 'freedom under God' culminated in the election of their close ally Dwight Eisenhower in 1952. But this apparent triumph had an ironic twist. In Eisenhower's hands, a religious movement born in opposition to the government was transformed into one that fused faith and the federal government as never before. During the 1950s, Eisenhower revolutionized the role of religion in American political culture, inventing new traditions from inaugural prayers to the National Prayer Breakfast. Meanwhile, Congress added the phrase 'under God' to the Pledge of Allegiance and made 'In God We Trust' the country's first official motto. With private groups joining in, church membership soared to an all-time high of 69%. For the first time, Americans began to think of their country as an officially Christian nation. During this moment, virtually all Americans--across the religious and political spectrum--believed that their country was 'one nation under God.' But as Americans moved from broad generalities to the details of issues such as school prayer, cracks began to appear. Religious leaders rejected this 'lowest common denomination' public religion, leaving conservative political activists to champion it alone. In Richard Nixon's hands, a politics that conflated piety and patriotism became sole property of the right. Provocative and authoritative, One Nation Under God reveals how the unholy alliance of money, religion, and politics created a false origin story that continues to define and divide American politics to this day"-- "In One Nation Under God, award-winning historian Kevin M. Kruse argues that the story of Christian America begins with the Great Depression, when a coalition of businessmen and religious leaders united in opposition to the New Deal. As Kruse shows, corporations from General Motors and Kraft Foods to J.C. Penney and Hilton Hotels, poured money into the coffers of conservative religious leaders, who in turn used those funds to attack FDR's New Deal administration as a program of "pagan statism" that perverted the central tenet of Christianity: the salvation of the individual"--