Suggested Books 2025 

Nonfiction that Provides a Glimpse into Our Nation’s History and Culture 

  • The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens by Richard Haass. While the U.S. Constitution enshrines citizens' rights, an equally important—and often  overlooked—aspect of American democracy, is the responsibilities of its citizens. This book  offers a guide to being a better, more informed, and engaged citizen. 

  • The Demon of Unrest: a saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil  War by Erik Larson. This book focuses on the fascinating and complex period that led to secession and the Civil War.  Learn the real, behind-the-scenes stories of this critical time in American history. 

  • Distorting Democracy: The Forgotten History of the Electoral College – and Why it Matters Today by Carolyn Renee Dupont. The author examines the Electoral College, its impact on American democracy, and its future.  Consider if our system of electing the President should be reformed, abolished, or left  unchanged, based on an understanding of its history and consequences. 

  • A Fever in the Heartland: the Ku Klux Klan’s Plot to Take over America, and the Woman Who  Stopped Them by Timothy Egan. This is the real-life story of the Ku Klux Klan’s resurgence in the 1920s, their attempt to gain  political and social control, and how this effort was thwarted. Maud Ballington Booth’s activism  is an inspiring example of moral courage. 

  • Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All by Martha S. Jones. This is a compelling account of the vital role that Black women played in securing voting rights and fighting for equality in the United States. If you're interested in the history of voting rights,  this book shows how Black women were key figures in in this effort  

  • We Are Your Children Too: Black students, White Supremacists, and the Battle for America's  Schools in Prince Edward County, Virginia by P. O'Connell Pearson (Patty Pearson is a LWVFA  member). This book is a powerful and deeply moving account of the fight for school desegregation in  Prince Edward County, Virginia. Every Virginian should be aware of this struggle for educational  equality and the courage of young people and their parents to work toward this goal. 

  • The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution’s  Original Meaning, by A.J. Jacobs. The Year of Living Constitutionally is an engaging, humorous, and informative read that allows  you to think deeply about the U.S. Constitution and constitutional interpretation. The author  makes a dense and academic subject accessible, interesting, and even fun.