Podcast
Pod Save America book list: the books mentioned on the show
Pod Save America is a no-bullshit conversation about politics hosted by former Obama aides Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer, and Tommy Vietor. It cuts through the noise to break down the week’s news and helps people figure out what matters and how they can help. They’re regularly joined by journalists, activists, politicians, entertainers, and world leaders. You can watch on YouTube or listen…
Recently mentioned books
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The Autobiography of Malcolm X
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The Perilous Fight
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I Disagree: Winning Arguments Without Losing Friends
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Liberal Fascism
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Regime Change
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The Day After
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MOBY-DICK; or, THE WHALE
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The Land and Its Peoples
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We Are the World (Cup)
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The U.S. Constitution
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Eighteenth-Century Woodworking Tools
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This Town
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Profiles in Cowardice
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Pulp Fiction
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The Sum of Us
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All the President's Men
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Why Nothing Works
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The Power Broker
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107 Days
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The Fort Bragg Cartel
Most recommended on Pod Save America
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A Promised Land
Barack Obama's memoir A Promised Land was discussed and recommended across multiple episodes of Pod Save America. Dan Pfeiffer recommended the book for its perspective on economic stimulus negotiations, while Tommy Vietor and John Favreau mentioned reading or starting the memoir. The hosts also discussed Obama's accounts of connecting with rural voters and focused on the foreign policy aspects of the book during interviews.
Discussed“i am still finishing promise a promised land which is barack obama's memoir like look i know how it ends so i don't you know it's not but it's a fantastic book”
Where to get it
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Hillbilly Elegy
J.D. Vance's memoir 'Hillbilly Elegy' was analyzed across multiple episodes of Pod Save America following his entry into national politics. Hosts like Tommy Vietor and Jon Favreau discussed the book to evaluate Vance's background in the Marines, his community critiques, and the themes of grievance and economic populism present in the text. While noting that the memoir received significant attention and a film adaptation, the hosts questioned the true extent of its readership and how its populist elements interacted with his cultural views.
Discussed“JD Vance, the vice presidential debate based on the people that Kamala Harris is vetting as a candidate, but that's who he is; he's not nearly as substantial as you'd think his life experience and his book and the movie made about his book should be.”
Where to get it
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Mobility
Lydia Kiesling's novel "Mobility" was frequently highlighted on Pod Save America as the inaugural publication from Crooked Media Reads. In episodes such as "Nikki Haley's Presidential Candidacy Is Embarrassing And Bad" and "Donald Trump Faces a Third Indictment for his Most Serious Crime Yet," the hosts announced the book's availability for pre-order and promoted an upcoming live launch event with author Lydia Kiesling at the Dynasty Typewriter. Tommy Vietor repeatedly urged listeners to purchase the novel across multiple July and August 2023 episodes, while a September episode celebrated its bestseller status and positive reviews.
Recommended“It's now been one month since Crooked Media Reads published our first book, 'Mobility' by Lydia Kiesling, and not only did it make the bestseller list, it also received amazing reviews from outlets like the LA Times, which called it an emotionally and geopolitically savvy coming-of-age story.”
Where to get it
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Original Sin
On Pod Save America, hosts Tommy Vietor and Dan Pfeiffer discussed Original Sin by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson across multiple episodes. The hosts analyzed the book's reporting on Joe Biden's reelection decision, his age-related decline, and the public and media reactions surrounding its release, while also recommending it to listeners.
Discussed“Your last book original sin which you wrote with Alex Thompson from Axios made a lot of waves.”
Where to get it
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Project 2025:
On Pod Save America, the hosts discussed 'Project 2025' across multiple episodes in 2024, referencing its connection to conservative policy proposals and Donald Trump's potential administration. The hosts and guests, including Congressman Ryan, analyzed specific components of the document, such as its outlined plans for targeting undocumented immigrants and compiling lists of political loyalists through the Heritage Foundation. They also touched on the political traction the project gained during the election cycle.
Discussed“But anyway, so that's what he says, and then, you know, in Project 2025, they specifically cite the first round that they—of undocumented immigrants they want to go after—are people who committed felonies, crimes of violence, DUIs, and previous removal.”
Where to get it
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Regime Change
On Pod Save America, Jon Favreau, Tommy Vietor, Alex Wagner, and Jon Favreau discussed "Regime Change" by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan across multiple episodes in 2026. Jon Favreau mentioned the book to illustrate Donald Trump's obsession with the idea that Iran wanted to assassinate him and also referenced a forthcoming excerpt about the Epstein saga. Tommy Vietor brought up the book to discuss his recent interview with the authors, while Alex Wagner mentioned it while talking about Donald Trump's decorations in the White House.
Discussed“If you read Regime Change, the Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Swan book, like one of the themes in there and she and Maggie talks about this in an interview with Ezra Klein a few weeks ago, is that Trump is singularly obsessed with the idea that Iran wants to kill him.”
Where to get it
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The Sum of Us
Heather McGhee's book The Sum of Us was discussed across several episodes of Pod Save America. In March 2021, Jon Favreau recommended the book to listeners, and Ben Wickler referenced McGhee's swimming pool economics concept to explain how political actors use racial division to undermine public goods. Tommy Vietor brought up the book in July 2022 when introducing McGhee as a guest and included it in the episode's outro. Additionally, Alex Wagner recommended the book in March 2026 to illustrate how zero-sum thinking impacts race relations and public resources.
Recommended“And all of this, I will just say, is explored so brilliantly by my friend Heather McGee in her book, The Sum of Us, which is like the idea of if someone else is doing better, that means you're doing worse.”
Where to get it
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What is Project 2025?
What is Project 2025? was discussed on Pod Save America by Tommy Vietor, Darla Lind, and guest Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. The speakers referenced the document while analyzing pre-drafted memos, immigration priorities, proposed mass deportations, and plans to dismantle federal agencies, framing the platform as a playbook for authoritarianism.
Discussed“the now again head of om who was running project 2025 he said that you know there were a lot of things that they were working on that were very close hold that weren't put putting in Project 2025 a lot of memos and policy guidance that they were pre-drafted and so we just don't know what the volume of”
Where to get it
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107 Days
Kamala Harris's book "107 Days" was discussed on multiple episodes of Pod Save America. Jon Favreau first brought it up on August 1, 2025, describing it as a journal of her presidential campaign. Tommy Vietor later mentioned the book on September 19, 2025, to discuss excerpts that had recently circulated, and again on January 20, 2026, during a segment covering Josh Shapiro's responses to her claims about the vice presidential vetting process.
Discussed“He also has an in-depth accounting of Kla Harris's VP vetting process. Which Shapiro apparently found to be quite contentious. He writes that the vetting team asked him at one point if he had ever quote communicated with an undercover agent of Israel or if he ever was himself an agent for Israel. Um, that news comes after Harris wrote”
Where to get it
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1984
On Pod Save America, hosts Tommy Vietor and Dan Pfeiffer, alongside guest Marc Maron, brought up George Orwell's '1984' during episodes in 2021 and 2025. Maron referenced the book while discussing authoritarianism and fighting political tides, while Vietor compared Mark Zuckerberg's comments on content moderation policies to the slippery slope themes found in the novel. Pfeiffer also invoked the title to emphasize that a publisher discontinuing certain Dr. Seuss books was not equivalent to government censorship.
Discussed“You know, we're doing Germany. We're doing 1984. Deal with it. But like you know in 1984 it's about letting go. You're fighting against this tide.”
Where to get it
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A Case for the American People
On Pod Save America, the hosts discussed Norman Eisen and his book Trying Trump across multiple episodes. They recommended the work, introduced Eisen as its author to provide insights into courtroom dynamics surrounding Donald Trump, and referenced Eisen's conversations with sources regarding potential legal sentencings.
Discussed“Okay, to give us his perspective of what it was like inside the courtroom shortly before Donald Trump walked out and just spoke to the cameras, we have Norm Eisen, CNN legal analyst, author of 'Trying Trump,' and our old White House pal.”
Where to get it
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Confidence Man
Maggie Haberman's book, Confidence Man, was discussed on Pod Save America prior to its publication and during its release week. Hosts Tommy Vietor, Jon Lovett, and another host previewed the eagerly awaited book about Donald Trump, highlighting Haberman's reporting, her Atlantic excerpt, and subsequent interviews with the author on the podcast regarding her coverage.
Recommended“joining us now to talk about her new book confidence man the Pulitzer Prize winning New York Times journalist”
Where to get it
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Peril
On Pod Save America, Tommy Vietor and the host mentioned the book Peril by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa across multiple episodes in 2021 and 2024. The speakers discussed leaked excerpts from the book detailing the final days of the Trump administration and the Trump coup attempt. They characterized Woodward's work as containing core elements such as juicy insider details and an omniscient voice, using a report from the book regarding COVID tests sent to Putin to illustrate Trump's behavior.
Discussed“Um, but I'm sure they'll do more, um on her Howard Stern interview. Um, he asked about a report that emerged yesterday from Bob Woodward's forthcoming book, as if we needed a Woodward book!”
Where to get it
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Rise and kill first
On Pod Save America, Jon Lovett mentioned reading Ronen Bergman's non-fiction book Rise and Kill First. Lovett discussed the book, which covers the Mossad and targeted assassinations during and after the founding of Israel, as part of his reading habits and New Year's resolutions to start more books without feeling pressured to finish them quickly.
Discussed“I was talking about how I was reading them book ryzen kill first about about the about the um uh the early days of Israel and the Massad days too”
Where to get it
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The art of John Bolton
John Bolton's book 'The Room Where It Happened' was discussed on Pod Save America by Mehdi Hasan and the show's hosts. The speakers referenced the memoir amid legal battles over its publication to support claims regarding Donald Trump's handling of intelligence reports and foreign policy decisions involving international leaders.
Discussed“We know from john bolton's book that donald trump encouraged president xi jinping to build camps to put muslims in donald trump the president united states encouraged genocide abroad”
Where to get it
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The Handmaid's Tale
Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel The Handmaid's Tale was brought up on Pod Save America by hosts Alyssa Mastromonaco and Jon Lovett. Mastromonaco referenced the book to illustrate the extreme and dystopian reality of abortion bans enacted after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, arguing that comparisons to Atwood's work are prescient rather than excessive. Lovett also mentioned the novel during a lighthearted quiz segment on the podcast.
Discussed“what the entire country has seen is that this is some actual handmaid's taale”
Where to get it
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The Trump Indictments
The book The Trump Indictments by Melissa Murray and Andrew Weissmann was repeatedly recommended and discussed on Pod Save America. Co-hosts and guests including Tommy Vietor, Jon Lovett, and other hosts highlighted the work across multiple episodes, such as 'Donald Trump At CPAC Gives Insane Speech In Front Of Nazi-Friendly Crowd' and 'Donald Trump Reportedly Snoozes Through Day 1 of Criminal Trial'. The hosts praised it as a vital collection of historic charging documents with expert commentary, welcoming Murray and Weissmann onto the show to discuss what stood out to them while analyzing the legal texts.
Recommended“Melissa, as you know by now, is a co-host of the fantastic Crooked Media podcast Strict Scrutiny, a professor at NYU Law School, and the author of the very excellent book 'The Trump Indictments.'”
Where to get it
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The World as It Is
On Pod Save America, Tommy Vietor recommended Ben Rhodes's book, The World as It Is, while discussing how past experiences inform political strategy. In a later episode, Vietor brought up the memoir to question an anecdote involving Rahm Emanuel, and the host of a related series highlighted the book as the central theme for a month of conversations exploring the deep state.
Discussed“Ben Rhodess wrote in his book that you once jokingly referred to him as Hamas. Uh people on the left have taken this anecdote and interpreted as showing that you didn't care about Palestinian rights.”
Where to get it
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When We're in Charge
Amanda Litman's When We're in Charge was featured across several episodes of Pod Save America in the spring of 2025. Jon Lovett and Jon Favreau promoted the book as a practical, no-fluff leadership manual for young people, urging listeners to pre-order it from Crooked Media Reads. During an April 25 episode, Favreau interviewed Litman, congratulating her on the release and discussing the book's core themes as a guide for the next generation of leaders.
Recommended“Our friend Amanda Litman's great new book, When We're in Charge: The Next Generation's Guide to Leadership, is out now from Crooked Media Reads. Uh, the book is a manual for leadership on Your Own Terms. No fluff, no gatekeeping, no losing yourself in the process, just real tools, honest lessons, and the kind of clarity that younger leaders actually”
Where to get it
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Why We're Polarized
Tommy Vietor frequently mentioned Ezra Klein's book Why We're Polarized on Pod Save America. In January 2020 and January 2021, Vietor enthusiastically recommended the book to listeners, describing it as an incredibly smart read that helps explain American politics and the stakes of elections. Later in October 2021, Vietor referenced the book again during a discussion on identity-based appeals and political messaging.
Discussed“it is just like basically an escrow client podcast but in ezra client's book why we're polarized he talks about how the remember those buzzfeed quizzes”
Where to get it
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Win Every Argument
Mehdi Hasan's book Win Every Argument was featured and recommended across multiple episodes of Pod Save America in 2023 and 2024. Hosts Jon Favreau, Tommy Vietor, and other contributors introduced Hasan as an expert debater and author, recommending the book as a practical guide for persuasion, public speaking, and winning debates during holidays or elections.
Discussed“Uh, and who better to have with us to do this than Mehdi, one of the best debaters and author of How to Win Every Argument? Uh, love it!”
Where to get it
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Fear: Trump in the White House
Bob Woodward's book Fear: Trump in the White House was discussed on Pod Save America around its release in September 2018. Tommy Vietor and other hosts introduced the book to examine its explosive revelations regarding the Trump administration, detailing excerpts reported by the Washington Post and discussing the political impact of the publication.
Discussed“this hotbed comes as Trump is losing his mind over Bob Woodward's new book it's called fear Dan you've dealt with Woodward on to books”
Where to get it
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Grace
On Pod Save America, Dan Pfeiffer and Tommy Vietor discussed Cody Keenan's book Grace. Vietor strongly recommended the inspirational book to the listeners at the conclusion of the interview.
Recommended“Grace by Cody Keenan yeah that's important again”
Where to get it
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Hard Choices
On Pod Save America, the host referenced Hillary Clinton's book Hard Choices while questioning whether political literature often relies on overly simplistic narratives about bipartisan reconciliation. In an earlier 2018 episode, Hillary Clinton herself briefly mentioned the book while discussing a past NPR interview.
Discussed“It's like that, like, you know, we started off, uh, we started off as people who couldn't see eye to eye, but over a local craft beer and two hours of good and difficult conversation, we came to see each other's point of view like that. Kind of, who's that for? Was that in Hard Choices?”
Where to get it
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Harlem Shuffle
On Pod Save America, Dan Pfeiffer brought up Colson Whitehead's novel Harlem Shuffle. Pfeiffer recommended the book as a well-done crime novel and mentioned that he had just finished reading it.
Recommended“uh two books uh one Harlem Shuffle by Coulson Whitehead and oh razor blade tear by sa Cosby”
Where to get it
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How Democracies Die
How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt was discussed on Pod Save America. Mehdi Hasan referenced the political scientists' book to emphasize the threat posed by the modern Republican Party to American democracy. In a later episode, Dan Pfeiffer and the host brought up the book dismissively while debating the effectiveness of mailing copies of it to voters to inform them about risks to democracy.
Discussed“send mail out copies of uh how democracies End by those two professors I don't I don't think I don't think I don't think we can get people to reades die how democracies die”
Where to get it
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Klara and the Sun
Kazuo Ishiguro's novel Klara and the Sun was recommended on Pod Save America during a year-end episode in December 2021. Dan Pfeiffer and Jon Favreau brought up the book as a favored reading recommendation, with Favreau praising Ishiguro as his favorite author. Additionally, in an earlier April 2020 stream, a host reflected on reading Ishiguro's earlier novel The Buried Giant over Christmas, describing it as a strange and controversial work by the acclaimed writer.
Recommended“clar in the sun you go dan you go first”
Where to get it
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Mein Kampf
Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler came up on multiple episodes of Pod Save America. Michael Tyler referenced the book in August 2024 to accuse Donald Trump of echoing its rhetoric regarding immigrants. Tommy Vietor referenced it in April 2021 as a historical analogy for how extremist ideas spread online, while Mehdi Hasan mentioned in July 2020 that Hitler paid tribute to Jim Crow laws within its pages.
Discussed“because this was the 1930s and you caught some american politician reading aloud from mineconf”
Where to get it
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Nixonland
Rick Perlstein's book Nixonland was discussed on Pod Save America in relation to American political history. Jon Favreau brought up the book while discussing recommendations for historical reading, noting that other hosts had read it. Tommy Vietor also mentioned Nixonland when expressing his admiration for Rick Perlstein's writing and sharing his enthusiasm for the author's body of work.
Recommended“i think all of rick pearlstein's books are great i always harass you guys about these nixon land haven't read reagan land yet”
Where to get it
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Notorious RBG
On Pod Save America, Tommy Vietor referenced a difficult scene written by Jen Psaki in her book during a discussion about President Biden meeting Gold Star families. In a separate episode, the host recommended the documentary about Ruth Bader Ginsburg following the publication of the book Notorious RBG by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik.
Discussed“this was that really tough scene that Jens saki actually writes about in her book where I he tried to talk to them about his loss and losing his son and I think that helped them connect with some of the families”
Where to get it
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Prequel
Rachel Maddow's book Prequel was discussed on Pod Save America. Tommy Vietor strongly recommended the book to listeners interested in the history of fascist movements and right-wing extremism in 1930s America. In a subsequent episode, Rachel Maddow appeared as a guest to discuss the book, tracking the historical fight against right-wing extremists and drawing parallels to modern legal trials, including the 1944 sedition trial.
Recommended“if you're listening you haven't already you should go listen to uh Rachel's podcast Ultra or read uh prequel both of which tell the story of a fascist movement in 1930s America”
Where to get it
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Say Nothing
On Pod Save America, Tommy Vietor expressed immense praise and excitement for Patrick Radden Keefe's book Say Nothing. In separate episodes, he called it one of the best books he had ever read and shared his excitement about watching its television adaptation on Hulu.
Recommended“I'm very excited to watch uh say nothing Patrick Ren Keefe's book that's been adapted I think it's on Hulu right now”
Where to get it
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Termination Shock
On Pod Save America, Neal Stephenson's novel Termination Shock was discussed by the hosts. In December 2023, an unidentified speaker recommended the book as a favorite read dealing with climate change. Later in November 2024, Tommy Vietor mentioned the science fiction book while expressing excitement over Stephenson's upcoming writing projects.
Discussed“Neil Stevenson has a new book called polan which I'm very excited to read polan Neil Stevenson a great science fiction writer uh he wrote this book termination shock which which which was there were two books about climate change around the same time ministry of the future and uh termination shock termination shock was the the action version and”
Where to get it
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The Buried Giant
On Pod Save America, Tommy Vietor discussed Kazuo Ishiguro's novel The Buried Giant in multiple episodes. In August 2022, Vietor brought up the book to metaphorically describe a political situation, explaining how it centers on a fog that causes people in England to lose their memories, comparing it to how the public quickly forgets political scandals. Earlier, in April 2020, Vietor mentioned that he had read the novel over Christmas, noting that Ishiguro is one of his favorite authors.
Discussed“there's this book by ishiguru uh called the berry giant and it's about a fog that falls over england that makes them all lose their memories”
Where to get it
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The Federalist papers
The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay was referenced on Pod Save America to discuss political theory and government accountability. In July 2021, Anat Shankar Osorio brought up the Federalist Papers to explain James Madison's historical warnings regarding factions. In January 2019, Tommy Vietor referenced Federalist Paper No. 11 to argue that the responsibilities of Congress include providing checks and balances on the president.
Discussed“this is what madison was writing about in the federalist papers that he feared”
Where to get it
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The Fifth Risk
On Pod Save America, Michael Lewis's book 'The Fifth Risk' was discussed in April 2025 by Lewis and host Jon Lovett. Lewis explained how he discovered a character at the end of the book, while Lovett referenced the text to ask about past presidential transitions, government negligence, and bureaucratic obstacles. Tommy Vietor also previously brought up the book in December 2020 to discuss how career professionals were gutted from government agencies.
Discussed“So I just thought I started got interested in the characters and then I found this character towards at the end of the fifth risk. I just picked him basically out of h out of a hat.”
Where to get it
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The Ministry for the Future
Kim Stanley Robinson's novel The Ministry for the Future was mentioned on Pod Save America. Jon Lovett brought up the book while discussing his science fiction reading list and his admiration for the author, while Tommy Vietor briefly compared it to another climate change book, characterizing Robinson's work as the slower counterpart to Neal Stephenson's action-oriented novel.
Critiqued“termination shock which which which was there were two books about climate change around the same time ministry of the future and uh termination shock termination shock was the the action version and the other one was boring”
Where to get it
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The Mueller Report
Robert S. Mueller's official publication, 'The Mueller Report', was discussed on Pod Save America by hosts Tommy Vietor and Jon Favreau. Vietor brought up the document to argue that the House should initiate Watergate-style investigative hearings to bring the contents of the report to the public rather than pursuing immediate impeachment. Favreau also touched upon the news and partisan reactions surrounding the initial release of the report's summary.
Discussed“I'm still very much of the belief that we should begin Watergate committee style hearings and not call them impeachment in an effort to bring to life and bring on TV all the things that were in that 448 page report that no one's read and and just continue to hammer this on Trump”
Where to get it
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The New Jim Crow
On Pod Save America, John Legend and Heather McGhee discussed The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander. John Legend explained to John Favreau that reading the book motivated him to think deeply about systemic issues, inspiring a sense of urgency around education reform, justice reform, and decarceration. Heather McGhee also recommended the book to help listeners better understand systemic racism and government-enforced segregation.
Discussed“I think really was motivated just by me reading about things so I would read books that kind of um pushed me to think about some of these issues um like you know the new gem Crow by Michelle Alexander and and other books that you know made me feel a sense of urgency”
Where to get it
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The Outpost
On Pod Save America, Jake Tapper mentioned his previously published book about Afghanistan while discussing his background and writing career with host Tommy Vietor. Tapper reflected on writing the non-fiction work, noting how meaningful the project was to him.
Discussed“I wrote The Outpost about Afghanistan. It came out in 2012. I'm sure you remember.”
Where to get it
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The Sympathizer
Viet Thanh Nguyen's The Sympathizer was mentioned on Pod Save America by Dan Pfeiffer and Jon Favreau. Pfeiffer discussed reading and enjoying the novel, while Favreau referenced the Pulitzer Prize-winning book while introducing its sequel.
Discussed“I was late on this but I read the sympathizer this year I believe uh it's as good as everyone said it was takes like 50 pages to get into cuz there's whatever”
Where to get it
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The Warmth of Other Suns
On Pod Save America, Isabel Wilkerson's 'The Warmth of Other Suns' was recommended by guests across different episodes in mid-2020. In July 2020, Dan Pfeiffer recommended the book as an essential read for understanding the Great Migration and the historical forces that shaped the United States. A month earlier, in June 2018, Heather McGhee similarly recommended the book to listeners looking to educate themselves on systemic racism and segregation.
Recommended“one is the warmth of other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson which is about the great migration and the other one is Republic of suffering which is by drew Gilpin Faust”
Where to get it
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The Years of Rice and Salt
Kim Stanley Robinson's work was discussed on Pod Save America. In one episode, Lovett mentioned reading Robinson's science fiction book The Ministry for the Future, expressing his love for the author's work on climate change. Another episode featured a discussion about a book event and insights shared regarding Barack Obama.
Discussed“Our friend Terry Slat has a new book out, and I was doing a book event with him. In his book, he talks about how the only time in his life he'd ever been disappointed with Barack Obama was during that speech.”
Where to get it
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This Town
On Pod Save America, host Tommy Vietor and guest Mark Leibovich discussed Leibovich's book This Town. During an episode in April 2022, Vietor recommended a new book by comparing its tone favorably to This Town, while Leibovich reflected on his own work as a bipartisan critique of Washington D.C. culture and political swamp dynamics. Later episodes also featured conversations on how the themes of This Town might apply to more recent political landscapes.
Discussed“Last question for you. This town came out in 2013. If you were writing the 2026 edition, what's the opening scene? Who's the central character?”
Where to get it
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Trump: The Art of the Deal
Donald J. Trump and Tony Schwartz's book 'Trump: The Art of the Deal' came up in two episodes of Pod Save America. On November 18, 2021, Jon Favreau referenced the book to describe how Donald Trump framed the economy during his presidency. Later, on April 11, 2025, in the episode 'Trump Falls Deeper Into Self-Inflicted Tariff Trade War Disaster,' Tommy Vietor brought up the book jokingly to question whether financial markets failed to understand Trump's strategic abilities.
Discussed“Um Dan, do you think the problem is uh just that not enough people have have read The Art of the Deal?”
Where to get it
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Twilight of Democracy
On Pod Save America, Tommy Vietor introduced guest Anne Applebaum by praising her book Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism. Dan Pfeiffer also mentioned reading the book on the podcast as a way to stay informed about political trends and keep up with colleagues.
Recommended“she's a staff writer at the atlantic and the author of a fantastic book twilight of democracy the seductive lure of authoritarianism”
Where to get it
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We Still Hold These Truths
On Pod Save America, Matthew Spalding's book We Still Hold These Truths was referenced in relation to political policy. In the October 15, 2024 episode, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell discussed proposals tied to Project 2025, and in the July 24, 2024 episode, the hosts discussed JD Vance's involvement in writing the foreword for a forthcoming book that they described as acting as a policy blueprint equivalent to Project 2025.
Discussed“That's part of what Project 2025 has included in those points in that 900-page document! It's extremely dangerous!”
Where to get it
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What It Takes
On Pod Save America, Dan Pfeiffer recommended Richard Ben Cramer's What It Takes as an essential political campaign book read by insiders and journalists. Pfeiffer later mentioned the book again while discussing how political campaigns changed following the 1984 election.
Discussed“It was in the 1988 election where richard bryn kramer wrote what it takes the all-time greatest political campaign book”
Where to get it
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White Fragility
On Pod Save America, Heather McGhee suggested reading White Fragility by Dr. Robin DiAngelo as part of an individual's educational journey regarding race. In a later episode, Jon Favreau brought up the book while discussing political controversies over school curricula and a Loudoun County school board member's op-ed concerning equity consultants and teacher training.
Discussed“you get a loudness county school board member writing op-eds about how loudoun county hired an equity consultant that recommended the teachers base their lessons on books like robin d'angelo's white fragility which says quote a positive white identity is an impossible goal”
Where to get it
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1929
On Pod Save America, host John Lovett discussed Andrew Ross Sorkin's book 1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in History and How It Shattered a Nation, strongly recommending the relevant and fascinating work to listeners as the interview concluded.
Discussed“So uh the book is 1929 inside the greatest crash in history and how it shattered a nation.”
Where to get it
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2020
On Pod Save America, Chris Hayes mentioned Eric Klinenberg's book '2020' while discussing the pandemic, public perception, and the intense disruption and hangover of the COVID-19 experience.
Recommended“I got two thesis on these one is the is the Eric kleinenberg who just got a great book out now about the pandemic called 2020”
Where to get it
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A Brief History of Time
On an episode of Pod Save America, Tommy Vietor briefly mentioned A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking. Vietor brought up the book while discussing the resolutions and media items that he was constantly slogging through.
Discussed“I have a couple books that I'm just like constantly slogging through A Brief History of Time by Steven Hawking”
Where to get it
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A Clockwork Orange
On Pod Save America, host Tommy Vietor brought up Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange while analyzing political rhetoric. Vietor compared the political term 'ultra-maga' to the novel's concept of 'ultraviolence,' questioning whether the linguistic parallel was intentional.
Discussed“ultramaga kind of reminded me of of Clockwork Orange yeah Ultra violence sure I wonder if that was intentional”
Where to get it
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A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo
On Pod Save America, Jon Lovett brought up Jill Twiss's picture book A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo during a trivia game. Lovett highlighted the story of two boy rabbits falling in love and planning a bunnymoon after getting married, using the book to contrast banned children's literature with passages from the Bible.
Discussed“two boy rabbits fall in love despite protests and plan to go on a bunny moon after getting married is that the bible i'm gonna say that's uh mouse yep it's from uh jill twisted a day in the life of marlon bundo and we must keep it from the children”
Where to get it
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A Dream Deferred
On Pod Save America on November 2, 2025, during an episode titled Debating the Trump Era with Abby Phillip, Jon Favreau brought up A Dream Deferred by Abby Phillip at the beginning of the show to praise it and introduce the topic of Jesse Jackson's 1980s presidential campaigns. At the end of the interview, Favreau recommended the book again, enthusiastically urging listeners to pick up a copy.
Recommended“And on top of that, she's also out with a fascinating new book that I'm loving, A Dream Deferred, Jesse Jackson and the Fight for Black Political Power, about Reverend Jackson's groundbreaking presidential campaigns in the 19 80s and importantly, what those campaigns can teach us about where the Democratic Party is today and where it needs to go.”
Where to get it
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A Mindful Nation
On the April 30, 2019, episode of Pod Save America titled Tim Ryan full interview | Pod Save America, the host discussed the book A Mindful Nation by Tim Ryan. The host noted that the book was written before Tim Ryan's presidential campaign, focused on mindfulness, and differed significantly from typical campaign literature.
Discussed“you wrote a book long before his presidential campaign it's not it's very different than all these other books and it's about mindfulness which I think would catch a lot of people by surprise who've listened to this interview and toured look at your bio”
Where to get it
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A Song of Ice and Fire (A Game of Thrones / A Clash of Kings / A Storm of Swords / A Feast for Crows / A Dance with Dragons)
Tommy Vietor brought up George R. R. Martin's epic fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire, on an episode of Pod Save America. Vietor defended the television adaptation's transition past the published literary material, pushing back against critics who argued that the show's departure from the books meant it was no longer in capable hands.
Discussed“there are people out there who have made quite a leap to suggest that because we have left the books behind we are no longer incapable hands and I want to say to those people shame on you shame on”
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A Taste for Poison
On the December 21, 2023 episode of Pod Save America titled The Best and Worst Political Takes of 2023 (Including our own!) | The 2023 Pundi, Abdul discussed his reading habits from earlier in the year. He mentioned picking up a book about the early days of Israel and the Mossad titled Risin' Kill First, noting that he stopped reading it once the narrative's content became morally ambiguous.
Discussed“I remember early in the year I was talking about how I was reading that book 'Risin' Kill First' about the early days of Israel and the Mossad, too! It gets up to like 2012! But once it got morally ambivalent, I got out!”
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Abundance
On the November 13, 2024 episode of Pod Save America titled "Ezra Klein Speaks Frankly About Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Where Democrats Wen," Ezra Klein discussed his upcoming March book titled Abundance. Klein shared his insights on the issues Democratic politicians should repudiate and address, framing the discussion around the themes of his forthcoming publication.
Discussed“I just sat down with Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson about their book Abundance.”
Where to get it
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Adios, America
On the Pod Save America episode "Immigration, Sinclair Media, and Corruption | Pod Save America Podcast" from April 3, 2018, Tommy Vietor brought up Ann Coulter's book Adios, America. During the discussion, Vietor claimed that Donald Trump's immigration plans were essentially plagiarized from the publication.
Discussed“Trump's immigration plans are basically plagiarized from her book which was called adios America the less plan to turn our country into a third-world hellhole catchy title”
Where to get it
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Adventures in the screen trade
In a Pod Save America episode titled Crooked Lunch Break Stream broadcast on April 1, 2020, Tommy Vietor talked about media consumed during quarantine. Vietor mentioned reading Adventures in the Screen Trade by William Goldman. He described the publication as an entertaining older book detailing the experiences of working as a screenwriter in Hollywood across the decades from the 1960s through the 1990s.
Discussed“I was reading um William Goldman's book adventures in the screen trade which is just an old book about being a screenwriter in Hollywood and like that in the 70s and 80s or 60 seventies eighties eighties nineties uh-huh and which is really enjoyable”
Where to get it
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All Boys Aren't Blue
On Pod Save America, the host and Dan Pfeiffer noted that Senator Kennedy quoted from All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on book bans, highlighting its explicit passages.
Discussed“that was Senator Kennedy quoting the most sexually explicit passages from the two most censored books in America um Maya Kobe's genderqueer and George M Johnson's all boys aren't blue”
Where to get it
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All the Demons Are Here
All the Demons Are Here by Jake Tapper was featured on Pod Save America. Tommy Vietor welcomed guest Jake Tapper to discuss his upcoming political thriller, providing details about its release and encouraging listeners to pre-order the book.
Recommended“here to talk about his new political thriller all the demons are here which is out in July CNN's Jake Tapper”
Where to get it
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All the President's Men
Wagner Moura mentioned Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward's classic book All the President's Men on Pod Save America. Moura brought up the title to describe the romanticized idea of journalism he held when he started his career, and to discuss the vital role of institutions like The Washington Post in American democracy.
Discussed“I wanted to be like all the president's man kind of thing and do something that and it the kind of thing that I was doing when I started as a journalist was very like what were you doing do you remember”
Where to get it
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All the Sinners Bleed
During an episode of Pod Save America, Dan Pfeiffer recommended the crime novel All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Cosby. While discussing the author's work, Pfeiffer highlighted this specific book as a recent release and described it as excellent.
Recommended“he has three all the siners bleed is the one that came out this year excellent”
Where to get it
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America's Deadliest Election
Dana Bash's book America's Deadliest Election: The Cautionary Tale of the Most Violent Election in American History was discussed on Pod Save America. Host Tommy Vietor introduced Bash as the co-author alongside David Fiser and asked her about the motivation behind writing about the 1872 Louisiana election and its historical repercussions.
Discussed“She is now the author, along with David Fiser, of "America's Deadliest Election: The Cautionary Tale of the Most Violent Election in American History."”
Where to get it
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American Carnage
On Pod Save America, Jon Favreau brought up Tim Alberta's book, American Carnage, to discuss its reporting on the Republican Party in the Trump era. Favreau noted how the book's contents triggered President Donald Trump to lash out at former House Speaker Paul Ryan.
Discussed“politico's Tim Alberta whose new book about the Republican Party in the Trump era triggered the president to lash out at former House Speaker Paul Ryan so sort of who so whose side are you on there”
Where to get it
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American Values
American Values by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was discussed on Pod Save America by a host and guest Brandy Zadrozny. The speakers analyzed the opening line of Kennedy's book, using it to critique what they characterized as a simplistic, dualistic worldview that divides people into gods and monsters.
Discussed“the first line in rfk's Book American values is something like I knew very early that the world was made up of Gods and Monsters good and evil”
Where to get it
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AmGov
On the July 18, 2024, episode of Pod Save America titled Report: Biden Told By Schumer To Step Aside + JD Vance’s Terrible RNC Speech, the host discussed Christine Barbour's book AmGov while examining an interaction President Biden had with families during a transfer of remains. The speaker referenced a tough scene written by Jen Psaki in her book to illustrate how Biden attempted to connect with families over the loss of his son.
Discussed“Well, he... he met with them at... do... during the transfer of their remains back home, but I think, you know, this was that really tough scene that Jen Psaki actually writes about in her book where I... he tried to talk to them about his loss and losing his son, and I think that helped them connect with some”
Where to get it
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Amusing Ourselves to Death
On Pod Save America, the host brought up Neil Postman's book Amusing Ourselves to Death during a discussion about media distractions. The host noted that although it is an older book, its insights remain strikingly relevant to modern political noise and censorship.
Discussed“I was reading Amusing Ourselves to death by Neil Postman which is an old book but incredibly it's still relevant like shockingly relevant”
Where to get it
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An Artist of the Floating World
On the January 7, 2025, episode of Pod Save America titled Harris Certifies Trump’s Presidential Win on Jan. 6 Insurrection Anniversary, Tommy Vietor discussed An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro. Tommy Vietor mentioned that he read the book over the break and brought it up to explore how societies process events and heal after fascist fervor breaks.
Recommended“I read a book over the break called an artist of the floating World by Kazo isuru”
Where to get it
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An Ugly Truth
Shira Frenkel and Cecilia Kang's book An Ugly Truth was discussed on Pod Save America in August 2021. Host Tommy Vietor welcomed Frenkel to the program by introducing her as one of the authors of the book, referenced the title while analyzing Facebook's internal corporate mentality, and concluded by strongly recommending that listeners read the work to understand the powerful technology company.
Discussed“she's a new york times tech reporter and one of the authors of an ugly truth inside facebook's battle for domination shira franco thank you so much for being here”
Where to get it
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Antiracist Baby
On an episode of Pod Save America released on March 24, 2022, titled Judge Jackson Handles Racist, Q-Anon Attacks From Republicans, Jon Favreau brought up the children's book Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi. Favreau discussed how Senator Ted Cruz used a blown-up picture of the book during confirmation hearings to attack the judicial nominee.
Discussed“because ted cruz if you didn't see it like blew up a picture of a kid's book called anti-racist baby”
Where to get it
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Aurora
On the October 18, 2022 episode of Pod Save America titled 'Answering Your Questions on Midterms, Tim Ryan, Kari Lake, Herschel Walkers and', host Lovett mentioned having previously read a book by Kim Stanley Robinson, identifying the title as Aurora.
Recommended“i just read a book called aurora by kim stanley robinson recommended by sarah wick who runs our company”
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BABE
During an episode of Pod Save America released on April 30, 2024, titled 'Joe Biden Roasts Donald Trump and His Numerous Trials at the White House Corresp', the host brought up the book 'BABE' by Dorothy Chan. While discussing the realities of farm life, the podcast hosts referenced the book to illustrate their point about the harsh conditions depicted in the story, noting that the narrative deals directly with the grim aspects of agriculture.
Discussed“You guys just don't know what it's like to live on a farm; sometimes you gotta kill puppies—they're always killing puppies. You ever read Babe or Charlotte's Web? Most of that book is about killing pigs.”
Where to get it
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Bag Man
In the December 8, 2020 episode of Pod Save America featuring guest Rachel Maddow, host Tommy Vietor recommended the book Bag Man, co-authored by Maddow and Michael Yarvitz. Vietor praised the work as a fascinating and incredibly relevant story, telling listeners to check it out.
Recommended“rachel maddow thank you so much the book is bagman the podcast was absolutely incredible i can't wait to read the book it's a fascinating incredibly relevant story everybody check it out”
Where to get it
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Battling the Big Lie
Dan Pfeiffer's book Battling the Big Lie was featured on Pod Save America on its publication day. Tommy Vietor mentioned an excerpt published in Vanity Fair, discussed the book with the author, and joined him in encouraging listeners to purchase it.
Discussed“you know in your new book battling the big lie which is on sale today right today today today you had an excerpt of vanity fairness”
Where to get it
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Beating Obamacare 2014
On an episode of Pod Save America titled "Kamala Harris Holds MASSIVE Closing Rally On Site of Trump's Jan. 6 Speech + AOC" from October 30, 2024, the host discussed the deep entrenchment of the Affordable Care Act, frequently referred to as Obamacare. While talking about healthcare policy, the host noted that the legislation has become so deeply embedded in the system that massive reforms are necessary to ensure its ongoing functionality and effectiveness.
Discussed“Yeah, the ACA is so deeply ingrained; we need massive reforms to make this work.”
Where to get it
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Beautiful Things
On Pod Save America in April 2021, author Hunter Biden discussed his memoir Beautiful Things, describing it as a love letter to the people who supported him through addiction. Co-host Tommy Vietor praised the book toward the end of the episode, calling it a rare and honest account of addiction that everyone should read.
Discussed“and that's what the you know i'm glad you started here because really you know the book is really a love story it's a love letter to those to the people that um that never gave up on uh on me”
Where to get it
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Beautiful World, Where Are You
On Pod Save America, Dan Pfeiffer mentioned Sally Rooney's novel Beautiful World, Where Are You. Pfeiffer briefly brought up the book to share that he had recently started reading it.
Discussed“i also started beautiful world where are you by sally rooney”
Where to get it
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Becoming
On Pod Save America during the December 24, 2018 episode titled Christmas Mailbag!, John Favreau brought up Michelle Obama's memoir Becoming, briefly mentioning that he had read the book and describing it as excellent.
Recommended“Michelle Obama's book becoming excellent just read that”
Where to get it
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Beloved
On Pod Save America, Tommy Vietor brought up Toni Morrison's novel Beloved while discussing a controversial political campaign ad run by Glenn Youngkin that attacked Terry McAuliffe over sexually explicit school content. Dan Pfeiffer discussed Morrison's prominence as a Black author and the racial themes surrounding the ad. Vietor also noted that McAuliffe's staff distributed physical copies of the book during a political rally.
Discussed“specifically yonkin is running an ad attacking mcauliffe for controversy over tony morrison's classic book beloved to help us sort through all this nonsense and tell us what's actually happening on the ground”
Where to get it
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Black Panther: Tales of Wakanda
On Pod Save America, Tommy Vietor discussed Mark Robinson's past controversial Facebook posts. Vietor noted that Robinson had expressed anger toward the movie Black Panther, referencing a claim that the character was created by an agnostic Jew and put on film by satanic Marxists.
Discussed“he got really mad on Facebook about the movie Black Panther yeah he's very upset about Black Panther and said uh the character was created quote uh created by an agnostic Jew and put to film by satanic marxists and only created to pull the shekels out of your Schwartz Pockets”
Where to get it
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Bowling Alone
During an episode of Pod Save America featuring a full interview with Katie Porter on December 25, 2018, Porter discussed Robert Putnam's sociology book Bowling Alone. Porter explained that the book had made a powerful impact on her thinking about community and collective action. She also linked it to Putnam's other well-known work, Our Kids, noting how both texts shaped her understanding of social fabric and community engagement.
Discussed“another book that made a powerful impact on me is called our kids by Robert Putnam who wrote sociology wrote Bowling Alone”
Where to get it
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Boy Mom
On Pod Save America, Jon Favreau mentioned reading Boy Mom by Monica Swanson. He spoke about the book in the context of reading multiple titles at once and its focus on raising young men and modern masculinity.
Discussed“now I like doing that reading boy mom which is about raising young men and uh solid and uh you know modern masculinity”
Where to get it
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Breaking History
On the August 23, 2022 episode of Pod Save America, titled Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell Clash Over Republican Senate Candidates, Tommy Vietor and John Favreau discussed Jared Kushner's memoir, Breaking History. The hosts noted the extensive page count and highlighted a scathing review the book received.
Critiqued“it's called breaking history a white house memoir by tommy's favorite public servant jared kushner uh it is for some reason 492 pages”
Where to get it
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Casablanca
On the January 14, 2019 episode of Pod Save America titled “Deleted scenes from Helsinki.”, Jon Favreau brought up the book Casablanca by Richard J. Anobile. Favreau used the reference to compare Republican politicians' feigned surprise over Steve King's racist remarks to the famous movie quote about finding gambling in a casino.
Discussed“it just like reminded me of the line from Casablanca which is shocked shocked to find gambling in this casino”
Where to get it
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Catch and Kill
On the March 15, 2018, episode of Pod Save America titled Conor Lamb, Republican spin, and Rex Tillerson, one of the hosts brought up Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow. The host mentioned that Farrow had a book coming out focusing on the decline of the State Department. Having seen some of the reporting featured in the book regarding what Rex Tillerson was doing inside the department, the host recommended that listeners check it out.
Recommended“and and I'll just you know Ronan Farrow has a book coming out about the decline of the State Department And having seen some of the reporting he does in the book about what Tillerson was doing inside of the department I will only say it's worth checking out for now”
Where to get it
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Clinton Cash
On the March 17, 2022 episode of Pod Save America, Dan Pfeiffer mentioned Peter Schweizer's book "Clinton Cash". Pfeiffer brought up the title while discussing the New York Times bestseller list and right-wing political books, noting its release in 2016 which was created with the help of Steve Bannon.
Discussed“and in just like just today the new york times bestseller list was announced that bill barr is number one on the list just in who he kicked off peter schweizer who wrote clinton cash with steve bannon's help in 2016.”
Where to get it
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Commander in Cheat
During the March 26, 2024 episode of Pod Save America titled "Marjorie Taylor Greene Tries to Throw Congress Into Chaos + Raphael Warnock Inte," the host brought up Rick Reilly's book "Commander in Cheat." The discussion centered on Donald Trump's reputation for cheating at golf. The host referenced Reilly, formerly of Sports Illustrated, noting that he wrote a whole book about the subject, highlighting Trump's behavior in sports and prompting a humorous reflection on how to handle playing golf with someone in power.
Discussed“And the question you face is, do you call the man a cheater, or do you keep his ball in your pocket? Rick Reilly from Sports Illustrated, it's a classic, wrote a whole book about Trump cheating at golf!”
Where to get it
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Crazy from the Heat
On the September 11, 2018 episode of Pod Save America, guest Jason Isbell discussed David Lee Roth's book Crazy from the Heat. Isbell mentioned that Roth explained why Van Halen included specific demands in their concert rider, such as removing green M&Ms, to ensure promoters carefully read the entire document while touring through tertiary markets.
Discussed“but really and David Lee Roth talked about this in his book but really they would put that in the rider in order to make sure that the entire rider was read because they were on a tour with airplane a lot of tertiary markets and they were doing rooms where they want to assure that all of their stage”
Where to get it
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Cribsheet
On Pod Save America in July 2020, Dan Pfeiffer brought up Emily Oster's book Cribsheet during a discussion with guests. Pfeiffer mentioned that he had been reading the book to prepare and understand different perspectives on school reopening strategies.
Discussed“I've been reading crib sheet to prepare”
Where to get it
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Dead Wake
During an episode of Pod Save America titled World Reacts FURIOUSLY To Trump's Venezuela Invasion released on January 6, 2026, Tommy Vietor briefly mentioned Erik Larson's book Dead Wake. Vietor stated that he had finished reading the book and praised it as a really great work.
Recommended“Finished Dead Wake. Oh, great. Great book. Really great. Really great.”
Where to get it
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Death in Her Hands
On Pod Save America, Dan Pfeiffer mentioned Ottessa Moshfegh's novel Death in Her Hands during a mailbag episode, noting that he had recently started reading the book.
Discussed“no it's it's great last week and I just started a death in her hands bio Tessa Huachuca I think I might pronounce mispronounce her name”
Where to get it
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Democracy in America
On the April 18, 2025 episode of Pod Save America titled Wake Up, People. The Crisis Is Here., Jamie Raskin referenced Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America while discussing the importance of continuing to push forward in order to protect constitutional democracy.
Discussed“So, um, you know, you got to hand at Donald Trump at least.”
Where to get it
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Democracy Or Else
During an episode of Pod Save America, the host discussed Democracy Or Else by Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, and Tommy Vietor before heading to a commercial break. The host recommended the work to listeners, describing it as a humorous and practical guide designed to help people navigate the political landscape during an election cycle.
Recommended“Two quick things before we go to break: You guys all already know about Jon Lovett and Tommy's great book, 'Democracy or Else: How to Save America in 10 Easy Steps.' It's a funny, practical guide to help you navigate the rest of this election.”
Where to get it
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Dopamine Nation
On the November 22, 2022 episode of Pod Save America titled "“Thanksgiving Mailbag!”", Dan Pfeiffer recommended Dopamine Nation by Anna Lembke, MD. Pfeiffer described the book as being about phone addiction and exploring why it is similar to other types of addictions.
Recommended“dopamine Nation by Anna Lemke which is about phone addiction and why it's like other addictions”
Where to get it
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Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham with 12 Silly Sounds!
On Pod Save America, Representative Colin Allred mentioned Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham during a discussion about political obstructionism. Colin Allred recalled Ted Cruz reading the book aloud during a Senate filibuster while attempting to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
Discussed“trying to you know repeal the Affordable Care Act you know reading green eggs andham”
Where to get it
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Drawdown
On Pod Save America, the hosts discussed policy reports and conservative initiatives during the April 9, 2024 episode addressing abortion access and political strategies. Although Paul Hawken's climate book 'Drawdown' is associated with the show's broader environmental themes, the specific conversational excerpt centered on a report titled the '2025 Project' published by the Heritage Foundation.
Discussed“The Her Foundation had this report, the 2025 Project, and in it, they talk about how the next conservative administration has to obviously sign a national abortion ban if they can get it through Congress. But even if they can't, yes, they want to go after mifepristone.”
Where to get it
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Earth in the Balance
On the 2022-08-13 episode of Pod Save America titled Trump FBI Warrant Reveals Classified Intel, Possible Nuclear Espionage | Pod Sav, host Tommy Vietor brought up Earth in the Balance by Al Gore. Vietor referenced the book, noting that it was written roughly thirty years prior, to discuss how climate policy debates have evolved over the decades.
Discussed“you wrote earth in the balance what 30 years ago”
Where to get it
Guests who recommended books
- Lydia kiesling (8)
- Katie Porter (5)
- Heather McGhee (5)
- Mark Leibovich (3)
- Ezra Klein (3)
- Mehdi Hasan (3)
- Isaac Chotiner (3)
- David Sedaris (2)
- Wagner Moura (2)
- Jake Tapper (2)
- Michael Lewis (2)
- John Legend (2)
- Colin Allred (2)
- Melissa Murray (2)
- Elizabeth Warren (2)
- Katie Andrews (2)
- Colin Kaepernick (1)
- Marc J. Dunkelman (1)
- Rahm Emanuel (1)
- Marc Maron (1)
- Erica Chenoweth (1)
- Jamie Raskin (1)
- Darla Lind (1)
- Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (1)
- Brandy Zadrozny (1)
- Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (1)
- Angela Alsobrooks (1)
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus (1)
- Stacey Abrams (1)
- Bob Bauer (1)
- Chris Hayes (1)
- Rachel Maddow (1)
- Ben Terris (1)
- Cory Booker (1)
- Dave Weigel (1)
- Jonathan Martin (1)
- Jane Coastin (1)
- Latasha Brown (1)
- Anat Shankar Osorio (1)
- Hunter Biden (1)
Latest mentions
“that kicked that off was the autobiography of Malcolm X that my wife Nessa gave me and that then took me down a path of reading Fanon reading Huey Newton and Angela Davis and Steve Biko and Garvey”
“I think you pulled your book from Target right yes book is not in Target children's books aren't in Target we have pulled everything out yeah well look everyone should buy the perilous fight it's a great read”
“Jessica Tarlo again, the book is I Disagree: Winning Arguments Without Losing Friends.”
“I think you wrote a book called Liberal Fascist that tells you where his head was at, but I just always found Jonah Goldberg to be a really entertaining writer.”
“If you read Regime Change, the Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Swan book, like one of the themes in there and she and Maggie talks about this in an interview with Ezra Klein a few weeks ago, is that Trump is singularly obsessed with the idea that Iran wants to kill him.”
“Uh then Lovett talks to our pal Brian Tyler Cohen about his brand new book The Day After: How to Wield Power in a post-Trump world.”
“college professors are assigning fewer books and more excerpts because their students have lower attention spans. Uh gosh. That makes me sad, you know. Um but that said, if I were in college and then I had to read Moby Dick by tomorrow, I'd be like, "Fuck, I got to read Moby Dick by tomorrow." You can skip the whaling”
“David Sedaris, thank you so much for being here. Everybody, latest collection of essays, David Sedaris, The Land and Its People.”
“Really, he's a New York Times bestselling author whose most recent book is called We Are the World Cup. Buy it now.”
“called The US Constitution, a Comprehensive and Annotated Guide for the Modern Reader.”
“Woodworking by James. Did you guys publish this book? Yes, we did. Okay. So I didn't know that until yesterday that you guys had a publishing house. everybody who is interested in understanding what it's like to be a trans person and where different trans people can be in their journey and how people can help them and hurt them.”
“Last question for you. This town came out in 2013. If you were writing the 2026 edition, what's the opening scene? Who's the central character?”
“Jacob Weisberg has a book coming out called Profiles in Cowardice, which I read like a part of it, and it's it's similar way There's a lot of that.”
“Um, but it is when you look at the the real verse versus Samuel L. Jackson's monologue in pulp fiction written by Quentyn Tarantino.”
“And all of this, I will just say, is explored so brilliantly by my friend Heather McGee in her book, The Sum of Us, which is like the idea of if someone else is doing better, that means you're doing worse.”
“I wanted to be like all the president's man kind of thing and do something that and it the kind of thing that I was doing when I started as a journalist was very like what were you doing do you remember”
“I spoke to Mark Dunkelman. He wrote a book called Why Nothing Works.”
“the power broker, which is the takedown of Robert Moses in New York City and reveals that this guy who had remade the landscape of New York City during between the 30s and the 60s had like strangled the city with interstates and like driven the cross Bronx Expressway across a burough of New York City and like you know”
“He also has an in-depth accounting of Kla Harris's VP vetting process. Which Shapiro apparently found to be quite contentious. He writes that the vetting team asked him at one point if he had ever quote communicated with an undercover agent of Israel or if he ever was himself an agent for Israel. Um, that news comes after Harris wrote”
“I've been reading Fort Bragg Cartel. It'll give you a very different um, window into the Delta Force community.”