Person
Every book Annie Lowrey recommended on podcasts
Annie Lowrey is a journalist whose appearances on The Ezra Klein Show often delve into economic theory, political systems, government policy, and historical narratives. During her podcast visits, Lowrey offered a curated selection of reading recommendations spanning non-fiction, classic literature, and historical fiction. When asked for book recommendations on economic and political structures, she highlighted Marcia Chatelain's Franchise, a compelling book examining the growth of McDonald's and its complex role in Black communities. She also recommended Barbara Ehrenreich's classic text Nickel and Dimed as a quintessential look at the liberal economic deal in America. Venturing into historical and political themes, Lowrey praised Hilary Mantel's A Place of Greater Safety, describing it as the best political novel she had ever read due to its immersive novelization of the French Revolution. In addition to these works, Lowrey recommended Kim Philby's memoir My Silent War, Will Blythe's To Hate Like This Is to Be Happy Forever, and Judith Butler's influential theoretical text Gender Trouble, showcasing a wide-ranging intellectual curiosity across politics, culture, and history.
Books recommended by Annie Lowrey
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Nickel and Dimed
Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich is a classic work of investigative journalism exploring the harsh realities of low-wage labor in America through the author's firsthand experiences working service jobs.
Recommended“and then um I was thinking about of the best books about the kind of NE liberal economic deal that we make for a really long time in America that I think that we are just starting to upset and grow past the best book I think about it and it it's a classic is is nickel and died by”
Where to get it
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A Place of Greater Safety
A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel is a historical novel that chronicles the lives of key figures of the French Revolution, including Georges Danton, Maximilien Robespierre, and Camille Desmoulins, from their early years through the height of the Terror.
Recommended“I recently read the best political book that I've ever read which is called a place of Greater safety it is a novelization of the French Revolution”
Where to get it
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Franchise
Franchise by Marcia Chatelain is a nonfiction book that examines the history of fast food in African American communities and its complex relationship with civil rights and economic development.
Recommended“however there's a really great book that came out a few years ago called franchise the golden arches in Black America by Marsha shelene and it's about McDonald's and franchising specifically about the growth of McDonald's and its role in Black communities and with black consumers”
Where to get it
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Gender Trouble
Gender Trouble by Judith Butler is a foundational feminist and queer theory text that challenges conventional understandings of gender and identity.
Recommended“And then my third hobby horse book, which I think people talk about this book all the time, but I feel like a lot of people have never actually read it, is Gender Trouble by Judith Butler.”
Where to get it
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My silent war
My Silent War by Kim Philby is the chilling autobiographical account of the notorious British intelligence officer who secretly spied for the Soviet Union as part of the Cambridge Five.
Recommended“And this is a book called My Silent War by Kim Philby.”
Where to get it
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To Hate Like This Is to Be Happy Forever
To Hate Like This Is to Be Happy Forever by Will Blythe is a non-fiction book that explores passionate sports fandom, specifically focusing on the intense rivalries of college basketball in the American South.
Recommended“It is called to hate like this is to be happy forever by Will Bllythe.”
Where to get it
Books Annie Lowrey wrote
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| This Is Why People Hate the Government | The Ezra Klein Show | 2026-08-25 | 3 |
| The Economic Theory That Explains Why Americans Are So Mad | The Ezra Klein Show | 2024-06-07 | 4 |