Modern States

Waiting in the night, hidden behind a remote island, no lights showing, pirates would lure unsuspecting ships into unknown waters. Then they would silently slide up to them and board the ship. The crew would be killed and the bodies thrown over the side, weighted down with chains. The pirates would take the cargo, sink or burn the ship, and then, just as quietly, sail away into the night. Dead men tell no tales, nor do they testify in court.

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of We Were Eight Years in Power by Ta-Nehisi Coates, read by Beresford Bennett. From 2008-2016, the leader of the free world was a black man. Obama's presidency reshaped America and transformed the international conversation around politics, race, equality...

Since the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court decision in 2015, sexual identity has dominated both public discourse and cultural trends — yet no historical phenomenon is its own cause. From Augustine to Marx, various views and perspectives have contributed to the modern understanding of the self.

Once hailed as Louisiana's answer to Hot Springs, Arkansas, Hot Wells drew thousands seeking relief in its warm mineral waters. Governors, entertainers, politicians, and ordinary families flocked to the resort, convinced its remarkable springs offered healing and hope. Yet within a few decades, the bustling destination faded into silence, leaving behind abandoned buildings, forgotten dreams, and a ghost town reclaimed by time.

Nervous States is a compelling and essential guide to the turbulent times we are living through. Why has politics become so fractious and warlike? What caused the populist political upheavals of recent years? How can the history of ideas help us understand our present? In this bold and...

'Gripping . . . packed with fascinating detail' – Financial Times ‘Indispensable – brilliantly grounded in first-hand experience. Compelling’ – Rory Stewart, author of Politics on the Edge ‘Anyone interested in geopolitics should read it’ – Anne Applebaum, author of Autocracy...

Trace the sweeping political history of human civilization to understand the timeless clash between order and freedom. Perfect for a thought-provoking commute, this grand narrative reveals how early kin-based tribes transformed into the intricate, globe-spanning institutions that dictate our...

A #1 national bestseller from the authors of Walk in My Combat Boots, celebrate the devotion and sacrifices of our nation’s bravest heroes with this collection of stories from those serving in the line of duty. U.S. soldiers who served in overseas conflicts—from World War II, Korea, and...

Witness the dramatic clash of faith, imperial power, and tribal alliances that forged the modern Middle East. Perfect for your daily commute, this engaging historical narrative transports you across harsh desert landscapes into the heart of a rapidly evolving geopolitical superpower. Experience...

Master the mechanics of political authority and uncover how empires rise and collapse throughout global history. Whether you are enriching your daily commute or seeking deep intellectual focus, this intense analysis transforms how you view modern government. Witness the brutal clash between...

Joseph, Sitting Bull, Red Cloud, Black Elk, Ohiyesa, and many others share their insights on Native American ways of living, learning, and dying. There is something archetypal about the philosophy of the original Americans, especially to the sensibilities of modern European Americans. We recognize it as coming from the earth we walk on, from those who preceded us. As we listen to the wisdom of these peoples, it is possible to feel a reconnection with our land and ourselves.

Andrew Lambert, author of The Challenge - winner of the prestigious Anderson Medal - turns his attention to Athens, Carthage, Venice, the Dutch Republic, and Britain, examining how their identities as "seapowers" informed their actions and enabled them to achieve success disproportionate to their size. Lambert demonstrates how creating maritime identities made these states more dynamic, open, and inclusive than their lumbering continental rivals. Only when they forgot this aspect of their identity did these nations begin to decline.

Uncover the epic history of ancient empires and vibrant coastal trade that forged modern South India's cultural identity. Whether you are preparing for a journey abroad or seeking an immersive escape during your daily commute, this evocative narrative transports you through thousands of years of...

Grasp the epic scope of Jewish history and Middle Eastern geopolitics through an accessible, deeply gripping narrative. Perfect for an educational commute or a reflective session of learning, this objective journey transforms overwhelming centuries of exile, survival, and nation-building into...

As a novelist, Arundhati Roy is known for her lush language and intricate structure. As a political essayist, her prose is searching and fierce. All of these qualities shine through in the interviews collected here by David Barsamian. This newly reissued and expanded edition, featuring interviews from 2001 to 2022 and a moving foreword by Naomi Klein, explores Roy's evolving political thought and commitments across the tumultuous twenty-first entry.

For a Dollar and a Dream shows how, in an era of stagnant upward mobility, millions of Americans turned to the lottery as their only chance at achieving the American Dream. Gamblers were not the only ones who bet on betting. As voters revolted against higher taxes in the late twentieth century, states saw legalized gambling as a panacea, a way of generating revenue without cutting services or raising taxes. Alongside stories of winners and losers, Jonathan Cohen charts the untold history of the nation's lottery system, revealing how players and policymakers alike got hooked.

In 2010, Nick Polizzi did something unimaginable. He assembled a group of eight desperately ill patients from around the world and brought them into the heart of the Amazon rainforest to put the mysterious medicines of native shamans to the test. The healing journey that unfolded would change...

'The Groundbreaker' is the riveting account of Kanwal Rekhi, who defined a generation of Indian entrepreneurs that changed the world. Rekhi's singular journey mirrors the rise of modern India, offering a deeply personal account of US-India relations, both past and present. Dubbed the "Godfather of the Silicon Valley's Indian Mafia," by Fortune Magazine, Rekhi rubbed shoulders with luminaries named Gates, Jobs, and Ellison on his meteoric ascent through the tech industry.

In this, his most influential work, legal theorist and political philosopher Carl Schmitt argues that liberalism’s basis in individual rights cannot provide a reasonable justification for sacrificing oneself for the state—a critique as cogent today as when it first appeared. George...

One of the most unique aspects of anarchism as a political philosophy is that it seeks to abolish the state. But what exactly is “the state”? The State is like a vast operating system for ordering and controlling relations among human society, the economy, and the natural world, analogous to a digital operating system. Anyone concerned with entrenched power, income inequality, lack of digital privacy, climate change, the response to COVID-19, or military-style policing will find eye-opening insights into how states operate and build more power for themselves—at our expense.