Want to know what books Joy Reid recommends on their reading list? We've researched interviews, social media posts, podcasts, and articles to build a comprehensive list of Joy Reid's favorite book recommendations of all time.
1
An in-depth examination of the Trump Cabinet, revealing how, behind the headline-making graft and gaffes, Cabinet secretaries are transforming government, tossing aside tradition, expertise, and norms, with lasting and troubling consequences. As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump claimed he would only hire "the best people." It hasn't quite turned out that way. From high-flying former EPA administrator Scott Pruitt, whose penchant for first-class travel and a highly suspect housing arrangement raised Washington's collective eyebrow, to Education Secretary Betsy Devos, who vowed to protect... more An in-depth examination of the Trump Cabinet, revealing how, behind the headline-making graft and gaffes, Cabinet secretaries are transforming government, tossing aside tradition, expertise, and norms, with lasting and troubling consequences. As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump claimed he would only hire "the best people." It hasn't quite turned out that way. From high-flying former EPA administrator Scott Pruitt, whose penchant for first-class travel and a highly suspect housing arrangement raised Washington's collective eyebrow, to Education Secretary Betsy Devos, who vowed to protect children from "potential grizzlies," members of the Trump Cabinet have shown a startling penchant for headline-grabbing behavior. Despite Trump's pledge to "drain the swamp," petty corruption abounds. But what's really going on in the executive branch? In "The Best People", journalist Alexander Nazaryan takes readers deep inside the Trump government. Nazaryan shows how laughable "scandals" like Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson's attempted purchase of a $31,000 dining set have masked far more important and potentially devastating developments: a coordinated, systematic effort by extreme right-wing Republicans to shred established institutions. Dogged in their conviction that the scope of government (apart from the military) should be reduced, Trump's Cabinet secretaries. . . many of them smarter than their gaffe-prone personalities might indicate. . . are dismantling the federal bureaucracy, showing long-term employees the door, and gutting regulations. The result is a leaner, dumber government. . . one that will be far less equipped to protect the interests of regular Americans. The consequences will be felt for decades to come. In the tradition of "Fire and Fury" and "It's Even Worse Than You Think," "The Best People" will be a riveting, harrowing, and essential read of Trump-era Washington. less 
Joy ReidDeconstructing the administrative state. As @alexnazaryan said this weekend and wrote in his new book, The Best People, breaking government (while they and the super rich get even richer off the wreckage) is the point. I tackle a lot of the same themes in #TheManWhoSoldAmerica https://t.co/SsJtpunRCE (Source)
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2
“One of the most important voices of her generation.” —Joy-Ann Reid
“A useful roadmap for all of us about how to make a difference.” —David Axelrod
“
Moving Forward
will inspire you.” —Valerie Jarrett
An inspiring political memoir from Karine Jean-Pierre, Chief Public Affairs Officer for MoveOn, chronicling her path from New York’s Haitian community to working in the Obama White House, and offering a blueprint for anyone who wants to change the face of politics.
Most political origin... more “One of the most important voices of her generation.” —Joy-Ann Reid
“A useful roadmap for all of us about how to make a difference.” —David Axelrod
“
Moving Forward
will inspire you.” —Valerie Jarrett
An inspiring political memoir from Karine Jean-Pierre, Chief Public Affairs Officer for MoveOn, chronicling her path from New York’s Haitian community to working in the Obama White House, and offering a blueprint for anyone who wants to change the face of politics.
Most political origin stories have the same backbone. A bright young person starts reading the Washington Post in elementary school. She skips school to see a presidential candidate. In middle school she canvasses door-to-door. The story can be intimidating. It reinforces the feeling that politics is a closed system: if you weren’t participating in debate club, the Young Democrats and Model UN you have no chance.
Karine Jean-Pierre’s story breaks the mold. In Moving Forward, she tells how she got involved, showing how politics can be accessible to anyone, no matter their background. In today’s political climate, the need for all of us to participate has never been more crucial. This book is her call to arms for those who know that now is the time for us to act. less Joy ReidSo proud of this lady!! Everyone should read @k_jeanpierre's amazing book, Moving Forward: A Story of Hope, Hard Work and the Promise Of America. Great event tonight at wonderful @barnesandnoble !! Book info here: https://t.co/NGoryoJyF1 https://t.co/GxCHfnkfvv (Source)
Scott DworkinI rarely ask folks to buy a book, but this new one from @K_JeanPierre is an absolute must read. It’s inspirational, it spreads a strong message of hope we really need right now. Go. Buy. It. Now:
https://t.co/YOeoRl5GCh (Source)
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3
Hillary Rodham Clinton and her daughter, Chelsea, share the stories of the gutsy women who have inspired them—women with the courage to stand up to the status quo, ask hard questions, and get the job done.
She couldn’t have been more than seven or eight years old. “Go ahead, ask your question,” her father urged, nudging her forward. She smiled shyly and said, “You’re my hero. Who’s yours?”
Many people—especially girls—have asked us that same question over the years. It’s one of our favorite topics.
HILLARY: Growing up, I knew hardly any women who worked... more Hillary Rodham Clinton and her daughter, Chelsea, share the stories of the gutsy women who have inspired them—women with the courage to stand up to the status quo, ask hard questions, and get the job done.
She couldn’t have been more than seven or eight years old. “Go ahead, ask your question,” her father urged, nudging her forward. She smiled shyly and said, “You’re my hero. Who’s yours?”
Many people—especially girls—have asked us that same question over the years. It’s one of our favorite topics.
HILLARY: Growing up, I knew hardly any women who worked outside the home. So I looked to my mother, my teachers, and the pages of Life magazine for inspiration. After learning that Amelia Earhart kept a scrapbook with newspaper articles about successful women in male-dominated jobs, I started a scrapbook of my own. Long after I stopped clipping articles, I continued to seek out stories of women who seemed to be redefining what was possible.
CHELSEA: This book is the continuation of a conversation the two of us have been having since I was little. For me, too, my mom was a hero; so were my grandmothers. My early teachers were also women. But I grew up in a world very different from theirs. My pediatrician was a woman, and so was the first mayor of Little Rock who I remember from my childhood. Most of my close friends’ moms worked outside the home as nurses, doctors, teachers, professors, and in business. And women were going into space and breaking records here on Earth.
Ensuring the rights and opportunities of women and girls remains a big piece of the unfinished business of the twenty-first century. While there’s a lot of work to do, we know that throughout history and around the globe women have overcome the toughest resistance imaginable to win victories that have made progress possible for all of us. That is the achievement of each of the women in this book.
So how did they do it? The answers are as unique as the women themselves. Civil rights activist Dorothy Height, LGBTQ trailblazer Edie Windsor, and swimmer Diana Nyad kept pushing forward, no matter what. Writers like Rachel Carson and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie named something no one had dared talk about before. Historian Mary Beard used wit to open doors that were once closed, and Wangari Maathai, who sparked a movement to plant trees, understood the power of role modeling. Harriet Tubman and Malala Yousafzai looked fear in the face and persevered. Nearly every single one of these women was fiercely optimistic—they had faith that their actions could make a difference. And they were right.
To us, they are all gutsy women—leaders with the courage to stand up to the status quo, ask hard questions, and get the job done. So in the moments when the long haul seems awfully long, we hope you will draw strength from these stories. We do. Because if history shows one thing, it’s that the world needs gutsy women. less 
Samantha PowerWonderful to hear @HillaryClinton and @ChelseaClinton talk about their inspiring & essential “Book of Gutsy Women” & to introduce my 10 year old to the gutsiest of them all. https://t.co/VQfga9QsbK (Source)
Joy ReidThank you hillaryclinton and chelseaclinton for a great conversation about their new book: The Book of Gutsy Women, and thank you @constitutionctr in Philly tor hosting us! Now is a great time to remember the power… https://t.co/CD1zvUkTew (Source)
Laurel M. DavilaMy favorite “Gusty Woman” @HillaryClinton, the first woman nominated for president by a major Political Party! I cannot wait to get her book!
💋💋💋💋💋💋
(Not to mention the fact that she won the popular vote!) https://t.co/LyCHfYKvnb (Source)
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4
Winner of the 2019 Grawemeyer Award in Religion
Robert P. Jones, CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute, spells out the profound political and cultural consequences of a new reality—that America is no longer a majority white Christian nation. “Quite possibly the most illuminating text for this election year” (The New York Times Book Review).
For most of our nation’s history, White Christian America (WCA) set the tone for our national policy and shaped American ideals. But especially since the 1990s, WCA has steadily lost influence, following... more Winner of the 2019 Grawemeyer Award in Religion
Robert P. Jones, CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute, spells out the profound political and cultural consequences of a new reality—that America is no longer a majority white Christian nation. “Quite possibly the most illuminating text for this election year” (The New York Times Book Review).
For most of our nation’s history, White Christian America (WCA) set the tone for our national policy and shaped American ideals. But especially since the 1990s, WCA has steadily lost influence, following declines within both its mainline and evangelical branches. Today, America is no longer demographically or culturally a majority white, Christian nation.
Drawing on more than four decades of polling data, The End of White Christian America explains and analyzes the waning vitality of WCA. Robert P. Jones argues that the visceral nature of today’s most heated issues—the vociferous arguments around same-sex marriage and religious and sexual liberty, the rise of the Tea Party following the election of our first black president, and stark disagreements between black and white Americans over the fairness of the criminal justice system—can only be understood against the backdrop of white Christians’ anxieties as America’s racial and religious topography shifts around them.
Beyond 2016, the descendants of WCA will lack the political power they once had to set the terms of the nation’s debate over values and morals and to determine election outcomes. Looking ahead, Jones forecasts the ways that they might adjust to find their place in the new America—and the consequences for us all if they don’t. “Jones’s analysis is an insightful combination of history, sociology, religious studies, and political science….This book will be of interest to a wide range of readers across the political spectrum” (Library Journal). less Joy Reid@RonaldKlain @bannerite And they vote exclusively and with signal determination to preserve their political and economic power (social power they can't control), even as their numbers decline. @robertpjones has done great data work on this, including in his book The End of White Christian America. (Source)
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5
Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth
Big Oil and Gas Versus Democracy—Winner Take All
Rachel Maddow’s Blowout offers a dark, serpentine, riveting tour of the unimaginably lucrative and corrupt oil-and-gas industry. With her trademark black humor, Maddow takes us on a switchback journey around the globe—from Oklahoma City to Siberia to Equatorial Guinea—exposing the greed and incompetence of Big Oil and Gas. She shows how Russia’s rich reserves of crude have, paradoxically, stunted its growth,... more Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth
Big Oil and Gas Versus Democracy—Winner Take All
Rachel Maddow’s Blowout offers a dark, serpentine, riveting tour of the unimaginably lucrative and corrupt oil-and-gas industry. With her trademark black humor, Maddow takes us on a switchback journey around the globe—from Oklahoma City to Siberia to Equatorial Guinea—exposing the greed and incompetence of Big Oil and Gas. She shows how Russia’s rich reserves of crude have, paradoxically, stunted its growth, forcing Putin to maintain his power by spreading Russia’s rot into its rivals, its neighbors, the United States, and the West’s most important alliances. Chevron, BP, and a host of other industry players get their star turn, but ExxonMobil and the deceptively well-behaved Rex Tillerson emerge as two of the past century’s most consequential corporate villains. The oil-and-gas industry has weakened democracies in developed and developing countries, fouled oceans and rivers, and propped up authoritarian thieves and killers. But being outraged at it is, according to Maddow, “like being indignant when a lion takes down and eats a gazelle. You can’t really blame the lion. It’s in her nature.”
This book is a clarion call to contain the lion: to stop subsidizing the wealthiest industry on earth, to fight for transparency, and to check the influence of predatory oil executives and their enablers. The stakes have never been higher. As Maddow writes, “Democracy either wins this one or disappears.” less Joy ReidThis week I had the chance to interview my pal Rachel @Maddow about her amazing new book, Blowout!! Tune in to #amjoy at 10am ET Sunday to check it out (and find out what Equatorial Guinea, Michael Jackson's glove, black oil and Texas tea have in common...! https://t.co/mTQZKIZT2T (Source)
Thebeat W/ari Melber.@maddow's book, #Blowout, is now number one on The @nytimes Best Seller List for the second week in a row! https://t.co/Hyia070255 (Source)
Josh Long ( )😂 @maddow you’re so amazing. I’m listening to the Audible version of your fantastic book “Blowout” and just got to a part where you detail a sad, lonely existence and then - as an aside - declare “aw! Sad.” in a completely different voice 😂 (Source)
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6
America's first presidential impeachment: A prize-winning author tells the story of the efforts by heroic citizens to preserve the victories of the Civil War by removing a bigoted president who ruled as if he were king.
When Abraham Lincoln was assassinated and Vice-President Andrew Johnson became "the Accidental President," it was a dangerous time in America. Congress was divided over how the Union should be reunited: when and how the secessionist South should regain full status, whether former Confederates should be punished, and when and whether black men should be given... more America's first presidential impeachment: A prize-winning author tells the story of the efforts by heroic citizens to preserve the victories of the Civil War by removing a bigoted president who ruled as if he were king.
When Abraham Lincoln was assassinated and Vice-President Andrew Johnson became "the Accidental President," it was a dangerous time in America. Congress was divided over how the Union should be reunited: when and how the secessionist South should regain full status, whether former Confederates should be punished, and when and whether black men should be given the vote. Devastated by war and resorting to violence, many white Southerners hoped to restore a pre-Civil War society, just without slavery, and the pugnacious Andrew Johnson, who was no Lincoln, seemed to share their goals. With the unchecked power of executive orders, Johnson ignored Congress, pardoned rebel leaders, promoted white supremacy, opposed civil rights, and called Reconstruction unnecessary. Congress had to stop the American president who acted like a king.
With her extensive research and profound insights, Brenda Wineapple dramatically restores this pivotal period in American history, when the country, on the heels of a brutal war, was rocked by the first-ever impeachment of a sitting American president. And she brings to vivid life the extraordinary characters who brought that impeachment forward: the willful Johnson and his retinue of advocates--including complicated men like Secretary of State William Seward--as well as the equally complicated visionaries committed to justice and equality for all, like Thaddeus Stevens, Charles Sumner, Frederick Douglass, and Ulysses S. Grant. Theirs was a last-ditch, patriotic, and Constitutional effort to render the goals of the Civil War into reality and to make the Union free, fair, and whole. less 
Chris HayesI got the chance to review a fascinating, ambitious new history of the first presidential impeachent in the Times Book Review. I learned a ton and it really helped clarify some of my thinking on the Present Situation, so some thoughts below:
https://t.co/degevmvBtr (Source)
Hayes BrownWe had the amazing author and historian Brenda Wineapple on to talk about Andrew Johnson and his Impeachment, the subject of her stellar book which y’all should read
https://t.co/nDrkjvqOwN (Source)
Joy ReidAnother indispensable @michaelharriot thread; this one on the Trump before Trump: the first impeached American president, Andrew Johnson. (For a great book on this history, check out The Impeachers, by Brenda Wineapple). https://t.co/k3rK671Yk5 (Source)
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