Episode · Lex Fridman Podcast · 2024-12-08
Books mentioned on #454 – Saagar Enjeti: Trump, MAGA, DOGE, Obama, FDR, JFK, History & Politics
Saagar Enjeti is a political journalist & commentator, co-host of Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar and The Realignment Podcast. He is exceptionally well-read, and the books he recommends are always fascinating and eye-opening.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Essence of decision
Essence of Decision by Graham T.
Recommended“And I encourage people out there, this is a brutal text. We were forced to read it in graduate school. The "Essence of Decision" by Graham Allison. I'm so thankful we did. It's one of the foundations of political science because it lays out theories of how government works.”
Where to get it
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Why England slept
John F.
Discussed“he was a deeply smart individual who wrote a book in 1939 called "Why England Slept," which to this day is considered a text, which at the moment was able to describe in detail why Neville Chamberlain and the British political system arrived at the policy of appeasement.”
Where to get it
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The Loudest Voice in the Room
The Loudest Voice in the Room by Gabriel Sherman is a biography of former Fox News chief Roger Ailes that examines his powerful influence on American media and politics.
Recommended“Roger Ailes, who is a genius, shout out to 'The Loudest Voice in the Room' by Gabriel Sherman. That book changed my life, too, because it really made me understand media.”
Where to get it
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40 more years
40 More Years by James Carville is a political book that examines electoral coalitions and the hubris surrounding long-term political dominance following historical victories.
Discussed“In 2008, I have a book on my shelf and I never, and I always look at it to remind myself how much things can change, James Carville and it says "40 More Years," how Democrats will never lose an election again. 2008, they wrote that book after the Obama coalition and the landslide.”
Where to get it
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Coming apart
Coming Apart by Charles A.
Recommended“And so one of my favorite books is called "Coming Apart" by Charles Murray. And that book really, really underscores how the cultural milieu that people swim in when they attend a four-year college degree and the trajectory of their life, not only on where they move to, who they marry, what type of grocery store they go to, their”
Where to get it
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The Origins of Woke
The Origins of Woke by Richard Hanania is a prominent political and social analysis examining the historical and ideological roots of contemporary progressive movements and cultural trends.
Recommended“Two books I can recommend. One is called "The Origins of Woke," that's by Richard Hanania.”
Where to get it
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The age of entitlement
The age of entitlement by Christopher Caldwell is a controversial political and historical examination of the transformation of American society and law following the civil rights movement.
Recommended“There's another one by "The Age of Entitlement" by Christopher Caldwell. And they make a very strong case that, Caldwell in particular, that he calls it like a new founding of America, was the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 because it created an entire new legal regime and understanding of race in the American character and how”
Where to get it
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Born Fighting
Discussed“And that guy the, he wrote the book "Born Fighting," I think it's history of the Scots-Irish people, something like that.”
Where to get it
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The Managerial Revolution
The Managerial Revolution by James Burnham is a political and economic work that examines the shift from traditional capitalism to a society governed by an expert technocratic managerial class.
Discussed“And so there's a lot of roots to this, "The Managerial Revolution" by James Burnham.”
Where to get it
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Hillbilly Elegy
Hillbilly Elegy by J.D.
Discussed“I mean, that book actually kind of had a renaissance back in 2016 when "Hillbilly Elegy" came out. [...] But JD Vance's book, "Hillbilly Elegy," I think was really important for a long time for American elites who were like, "How do these people support Trump?"”
Where to get it
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What It Takes
What It Takes by Richard Ben Cramer is a political journalism classic that follows multiple presidential candidates through the grueling primaries of the 1988 election.
Recommended“So, book recommendation, it's called "What It Takes." And it was written in 1988 and there's actually a long chapter on Joe Biden and about the plagiarism scandal.”
Where to get it
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Freedom from fear
Freedom from Fear by David M.
Recommended“Another, again, book recommendation, "Freedom from Fear," by David Kennedy is about the Roosevelt years.”
Where to get it
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Obama's Wars
Obama's Wars by Bob Woodward is a detailed non-fiction account examining the inner workings of the Obama administration during its first year, focusing heavily on national security and military strategy.
Recommended“Another example of this is a book called "Obama's War" by Bob Woodward.”
Where to get it
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Melting pot or civil war?
Discussed“Historically as well, my friend Reihan Salam wrote a book called "Melting Pot or Civil War" and one of the most important parts about that book is the history of mass migration to the United States.”
Where to get it
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Master of the Senate
Master of the Senate by Robert A.
Recommended“Now, the reason I'm bringing that up, one of my favorite books, "Master of the Senate" by Robert Caro, part of the LBJ series, the Senate has an institution, it reveres independence, it reveres, I mean, the entire theory of the Senate is to cool down the mob that is in the House of Representatives and to deliberate.”
Where to get it
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The Unwinding
The Unwinding by George Packer is a sweeping journalistic narrative documenting the decay of American institutions and the reshaping of society over several decades through the personal lives of various citizens.
Discussed“I really believe that Ta-Nehisi Coates's case for reparations in The Atlantic is one of those. It radicalized an entire generation of basically like white college-educated women to think completely differently on race.”
Where to get it
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Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford is a renowned historical biography that reexamines the legacy of the Mongol leader and his profound impact on global history.
Discussed“Reading "Genghis Kahn and the Making of the Modern World." - Yeah, Jack Weatherford.”
Where to get it
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History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Complete and Unabridged
Edward Gibbon's History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Complete and Unabridged is a monumental classic historical study documenting the long and complex collapse of Roman civilization.
Discussed“And I actually think about that a lot from, you know, "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" by Edward Gibbon. Actually, your episode on Rome was fantastic. People should go listen to that.”
Where to get it
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The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, by Edward Gibbon. Vol. 2. [-3-4].
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon is a classic multi-volume historical work chronicling the trajectory of Roman civilization from the height of the empire to its eventual collapse.
Discussed“And I actually think about that a lot from, you know, "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" by Edward Gibbon.”
Where to get it
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“The” History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon is a monumental historical analysis detailing the fall of Roman civilization.
Discussed“And I actually think about that a lot from, you know, "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" by Edward Gibbon.”
Where to get it
