politics
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A Libertarian Walks Into a Bear by Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling
What do you get when you cross a group of libertarians intent on eliminating government, a small New Hampshire town with seemingly plenty of space for new residents, a steadily increasing bear population, and doughnuts? One of the best books of the year. Continue reading
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Commander in Cheat by Rick Reilly
During the first year of his presidency, Trump paid visits to his golf courses nearly 100 times. And while it’s hard to verify exactly how many rounds he’s officially played—considering the White House tends to blur the answer—it’s safe to assume that anyone who owns or manages sixteen courses has probably played more than a… Continue reading
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A Warning by Anonymous
In September 2018, an anonymous member of the Trump administration authored an op-ed for the New York Times decrying the president’s actions while also suggesting there was a cabal of officials serving as a barrier against his most irrational choices. Now one year later, this same author has come forward with more of the same:… Continue reading
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See Jane Win by Caitlin Moscatello
In American politics, the 2018 midterms constituted a blue wave with Democratic candidates sweeping into elected office across the country, including taking control of the United State House of Representatives. This was due in massive part to an unprecedented number of women running, many of them as first time candidates. Journalist Caitlin Moscatello explores the… Continue reading
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Mayann Francis: An Honourable Life by Mayann Francis
Mayann Francis didn’t anticipate becoming Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. Yet after a varied career in the United States and Canada, working primarily in the field of human rights, there was perhaps no better person for the job when she was appointed on the advice of Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2006. But it wasn’t… Continue reading
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The Scottish Parliament in its Own Words Edited by Thomas A.W. Stewart
In 1999, Scotland did something rather extraordinary. For the first time since the eighteenth century, the Scottish Parliament was seated, effectively shifting major political power back to the country and away from the Parliament of the United Kingdom. While initially an unsure legislative body, Scottish Parliament has blossomed in the twenty years since its initial… Continue reading
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3 Brawling Book Reviews
Conflict is at the core of what makes stories so compelling. These are the complicated moments where everything becomes muddled, elevating characters while driving the plot forward. And for some books … well, the entire narrative is one complicated sparring match, whether verbal or physical or both. Here are three reviews that each showcase an… Continue reading
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Accidental Presidents by Jared Cohen
The vice president is a unique political position in that the person inhabiting it remains largely forgotten until they’re needed. Yet, eight times an American president has died in office, and eight times the vice president has assumed that office. With such a high frequency of occurrence, it could be assumed that the Framers of… Continue reading
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How to Get Rid of a President by David Priess
Every president’s time in office is fleeting and, willingly or not, they’ve each had to turn power over to the next person. After two terms, President George Washington, the original, happily stepped aside upon the election of John Adams. William Henry Harrison wasn’t so lucky, becoming the first president to die in office after a… Continue reading
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Terrorism, Betrayal, and Resilience by Prudence Bushnell
Prudence Bushnell was serving as United States Ambassador to Kenya in 1998 when al-Qaeda detonated a car bomb outside the embassy, killing over 200 people. In this memoir, Bushnell examines her actions during and after the attack. She also looks at the history leading up to the attacks, weaving in her own experiences in the… Continue reading
Plucked from the Stacks 