Dan Pfeiffer

"Grace" by Cody Keenan is a spellbinding account of ten dramatic days during Obama's presidency, when high-stakes speeches were crafted to address astonishing developments that put the character of our country on the line. From a white supremacist shooting to a national reckoning with race and the Confederate flag, readers are taken behind the scenes of speechwriting at the highest level, featuring a portrait of Obama and his team. The book culminates with an unforgettable high point as Obama impressively leads the country in a chorus of "Amazing Grace."

Investigative journalist Jackie Calmes delves into the life and confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in DISSENT. With interviews with accusers and overlooked evidence, she uncovers the truth behind how Kavanaugh and the Republican party secured one of the highest seats of power in the land. The book explores the Republican party's movement over four decades toward the far right and its campaign to dominate the government's judicial branch, of which Kavanaugh uniquely personifies. DISSENT is a harrowing look into the highest echelons of political power in the US.

An examination of the profound impact that the War on Terror had on pushing America in an authoritarian direction. This book delves into the consequences of the United States' endless conflict, including drone strikes, digital surveillance, indefinite detention, and torture. It explores how this persecution of Muslims and immigrants has become normalized, paving the way for the rise of authoritarianism and the nativist resurgence that led to Trump's presidency. This powerful book combines journalism and intellectual history, offering a critical explanation of America's national security policies and their impact on its civic life.

This poignant memoir follows the Alkasem brothers, Riyad and Bashar, as they navigate the harrowing journey of reuniting despite a war-torn homeland and an ocean between them. Set in Syria and the United States, it explores themes of family, love, government corruption, and the toll of dictatorship and war on everyday families. It's a story of hope, tenacity, and the bonds that unite us, even when our homelands fail us.

This captivating novel follows the intertwined lives of a bartender, a hotel owner, a shipping executive, and a woman who disappears from a container ship off the coast of Mauritania. As a massive Ponzi scheme implodes, these characters navigate issues of money, beauty, white-collar crime, ghosts, and moral compromise. The story weaves between the ship, the skyscrapers of Manhattan, and the wilderness of British Columbia, exploring themes of greed, guilt, fantasy, art, and the ghosts of our pasts.

A behind-the-scenes account of Barack Obama's presidency by one of his closest aides. This memoir goes beyond the typical White House tell-all and delves into the most poignant and consequential moments of the Obama administration. The author brings a writer's perspective to the story, rendering it in vivid detail. From the Arab Spring to the Cuban negotiations, this is an essential record of the forces that shaped the last decade. A must-read for anyone interested in politics or recent history.