Some books I've read recently
Writing one book means reading a lot of books. Here are some of my recent favorites.
A great thing about writing a book is getting to read a lot of other books relevant to your subject. A frustrating thing about writing a book is realizing that many of these other authors are far better writers than you.
Okay, so that’s a bit self-deprecating. But it’s rooted in truth: In reading and preparing for Uneasy Citizenship, I’ve been amazed at how different authors have been able to craft their arguments, paragraphs, and even small sentences in myriad impressive ways. Good writers are able to explain complex and important ideas in easily digestible—and, ideally, enjoyable—ways. In addition to giving my book grounding, I’m hopeful that reading so many books by great writers will improve my own prose and craft.
Speaking of which, here are a few books I’ve recently read (and reread) as part of writing Uneasy Citizenship.
Radical American Partisanship, by Nathan Kalmoe and Lilliana Mason
My early pick for the best book on American politics of 2022, political scientists Kalmoe and Mason explain the recent tendency of partisans—the most vocal Republicans and Democrats—to either endorse or express comfort with violence directed toward their political opponents. Rooted in survey research and original social science experiments, Radical American Partisanship is not a one-sided jeremiad against one political party; according to their data, both Republicans and Democrats are susceptible. The implications of this research are, unsurprisingly, troubling, especially with no sign of a cultural or political detente on the horizon. I found this book indispensable for my book’s chapter on polarization, both what it is and why it poses real risks for Christians committed (correctly, I might add) to political engagement.
Uncivil Agreement, by Lilliana Mason
Mason is, for my money, doing some of the most important work in political science at the moment. 2018’s Uncivil Agreement shows how people’s identities—not just political, but social—are becoming more and more polarized, and explains why this phenomenon, as epitomized in negative partisanship, is a problem for the future of the American political experiment. Mason’s work is both eminently readable and academically rigorous, and includes a final chapter with some thoughts on how to break our current political fever.1 As with Radical American Partisanship, I’m highlighting Mason’s work in my chapter on polarization.
Reading the Times, by Jeff Bilbro
The best book I read last year, Bilbro’s theological inquiry into how we consume the news—and, more importantly, how the news shapes us—is a masterful blend of the timely, the thoughtful, and the accessible. I return to this book often, both for lessons on how to communicate to readers and for insight into what a better political engagement could look like for Christians in our polarized era.
What are Christians For? by Jake Meador
Meador, of Mere Orthodoxy, hit a home run with his first book, In Search of the Common Good. And while What are Christians For? doesn’t quite live up to those lofty expectations (at least for me), it is still an excellent example of wonderful prose, timely reflections, and a compelling narrative. One of the challenges in writing my book is drawing on current issues to illustrate and highlight age-old questions, without limiting the book’s reach in the future by making it “too 2022.” Meader’s latest book avoids this pitfall well, balancing current debates about sexuality, the environment, and more with timeless truths for the Christians living in a world that is decidedly not.
How to Be Perfect, by Michael Schur
My favorite television comedies of the past few years are, in no particular order, Parks and Recreation, The Good Place, The Office, and Brooklyn 99. Michael Schur has had his hand in all of these. How to Be Perfect is his first book, and it continues a conversation at the center of The Good Place: What does it take to be a “good” person? Obviously, Christians have their own answer to this fundamental question. As far as I know, Schur is not a Christian, but that isn’t the point. Schur’s reflections on moral philosophy are thoughtful, engaging, and really, really funny. So why is this book on my list? Because Schur’s writing is outstanding, and he communicates sometimes impenetrable ideas to a lay audience in incredibly effective ways. He is a consummate wordsmith, and while I can’t hope to actually emulate him, I can certainly try.
The Splendid and the Vile, by Erik Larson
A friend lent me this book a while back, and I was finally able to get to it last month. The Splendid and the Vile covers just one year of World War II: Winston Churchill’s embattled first year as Prime Minister during the Nazi Blitzkrieg. Larson draws mostly on journals and diaries from key figures during this time, including Churchill’s closest aides and family members, high-ranking Nazi officials, and key members of the Roosevelt administration. This may sound dull, but the structure of the book—going day by day, week by week, and so on—during this chaotic year is remarkable, and Larson’s writing turns what is essentially a survey of journal entries into a compelling story. It is the fastest 500 page book I’ve ever read. And as someone whose writing can at times be overly verbose, I’m grateful to have recently encountered this model of efficiency and effectiveness.
The notion that an alien invasion—one of her possible solutions—could actually break the spell of negative partisanship is looking less and less likely by the day.