Courtesy of Warner Bros. and Getty.
Since it’s an election year and everything is terrible, I’ve been marathoning The West Wing, where even if the good guys don’t win, the bad guys aren’t cartoon villains so it’s kind of okay. There are so many books referenced on the show (as President Bartlet is an absolute nerd), and I’m sure its nerdy audience is full of readers. So today, we’re going to talk about books to read if you love TWW.
For the nitty gritty of how stuff gets done, read Sisters in Law. This joint biography of Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg covers their legal careers as well as the ways that found each other as allies on the court despite their philosophical differences.
For a look at the intersection of disability, politics, and secrecy, read Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter. This book is about JFK’s older sister, but it’s also about the harmful ableist narratives in our culture and the lengths ambitious people will go to.
For those who love Toby Ziegler dealing with the free trade protestors, read Your Heart is a Muscle the Size of a Fist. Told from multiple points of view, this book tells the story of one day during the WTO protests in Seattle in 1999. Protestors, police, and delegates narrate the story as protests and violence unfold.
Finally, for tensions between idealism and reality, Lafayette in the Somewhat United States, which tells the story of the founding fathers from a slightly different angle.
ErinKwed 