This Fourth of July, America turns 250—and while she does look good for her age, some of us aren’t feeling particularly celebratory this year. There are plenty of reasons to feel disaffected by the state of the union, from the war with Iran to the attacks on trans people to the flood of book bans sweeping the nation. So if you're feeling disillusionment, you're certainly not alone. We put together a reading list for those looking to skip (or at least step away from) the BBQs and fireworks—but still hoping to get engaged and think more expansively about the U.S.
Below you’ll find Independence Day book recommendations featuring histories that deserve more attention, memoirs that grapple with American identity, and nonfiction that tackles some of the biggest political issues facing the country today. These books remind us of where we've been and offer perspectives on how we can shape the country's future.
Just over four years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ending legal access to abortion. Jessica Valenti, the writer behind the Abortion, Everyday newsletter, wrote this book to arm you with information to debate the anti-abortion community and give you tips on fighting back.
If you want a little legal thriller with your American history, this is your book. Rebecca Nagle, host of the "This Land" podcast, explores a 1999 murder that led to a Supreme Court case on tribal sovereignty. From forced Native American removal to modern legal precedents, this book covers so much ground in a cohesive narrative about government overreach and the rights of Indigenous people.
In an attempt to answer her 6-year-old son’s questions about the 2016 election, Mira Jacob begins to examine her life and grapple with her own questions about what it means to be American. This graphic memoir is provocative and sharp—and still manages to be hilarious and tender. Bonus: The art is sensational.
Did you know that Black Americans have a special relationship with McDonald’s? In this Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Marcia Chatelain argues that Mickey D’s isn’t just a popular fast-food franchise but a historic marker of power and struggle for Black Americans that’s integral to fighting racial inequality moving forward.
For the better part of a decade, Andrea Elliott reported on Dasani, a vivacious girl living in poverty in N.Y.C. with her family. The scope of this Pulitzer Prizewinning book is enormous—capturing everything from the experiences of Dasani’s ancestors during slavery to modern-day inequality—but it still reads like an intimate story of perseverance.
What would this country look like if we could live and fight for freedom through the Black radical literary tradition? This manifesto melds Camonghne Felix’s experience as a strategist and former speechwriter with a vision for what is possible. In doing so, she offers us a clear-eyed example of what it means to hold the duality of hope and disillusionment as we move forward as a nation.
Frederick Douglass is one of the most important figures in American history, and if you never read his memoir in the classroom growing up, you very well should now. After escaping enslavement, he went on to become a prominent abolitionist who spoke and wrote about the horrors of slavery. His memoir’s arguments against injustice are as important today as they were when it was published in 1845.
In this work of narrative nonfiction, Houston-based physician Ricardo Nuila uses his experiences with uninsured patients to examine our broken healthcare system. Incredibly illuminating and impactful, The People's Hospital offers solutions while depicting the obstacles many Americans face while seeking adequate care.
Dynamic, wide-ranging, and completely captivating, Imani Perry's South to America combines personal narrative, travel writing, and history to tell the story of America through the cultural and political capital of the South. It is no wonder this won the National Book Award, as it is a feat of storytelling and a true examination of the nation’s identity.
While reading a book on Lewis and Clark might sound a little dull, Craig Fehrman has done an incredible job of bringing this story of exploration and manifest destiny to life. He presents a kaleidoscope of figures whose lives intersected with the duo on their trek across the country, from enslaved men working alongside them to the Indigenous people whose territories they encroached on. It's history that feels colorful—and like a more accurate portrait of what truly unfolded.
This National Book Award finalist presents the full complexity of life as an undocumented immigrant living in the U.S. Karla Cornejo Villavicencio turns her attention to the experiences of day laborers, domestic workers, and those who are often pushed to the margins of society. Through creative prose and personal reflection, The Undocumented Americans challenges the narratives this country holds dear regarding borders and belonging.