Sources
If you’re interested in learning more, I highly recommend these books. Each author is an expert in their field with a unique voice that illuminates a challenge facing our democracy. They reveal how Americans are being conned - by foreign autocrats, social media companies, the U.S. tax code, the far right, and lobbyists. You’ll hear me mention these books in podcast episodes, and they are truly worth your time.
Autocracy, Inc. (2024)
Anne Applebaum is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who currently writes for the Atlantic. She breaks down the world order into pieces you can actually understand. Not a light or easy read, but this book is a true north for me. The autocracies seeking to destroy democracy and the west are getting better at working together - but there is no honor among thieves.
Careless People (2025)
Run don't walk to get your hands on Sarah Wynn-Williams’ personal account of working at high levels in Facebook for seven years. This book is a powerhouse, and we are extremely lucky it was published. Sarah’s writing is fast-paced, brutally honest, relatable, and so much fun to read. Learn about key moments that drove Facebook right off the high road, personalities that might surprise you, and how even the largest companies in the world are run by mere mortals quite capable of making egregious mistakes, without a care.
The Second Estate (2025)
I would never recommend a book about the tax code unless it was somehow, impossibly good. Professor Ray Madoff makes this read easy, and dare I say fun. When I took tax law years ago, I was stunned at how engaging it was. Take this ride if you want to understand how billionaires entirely avoid paying taxes, what needs to be fixed in our tax code, and how to wrap your mind around the difference between millions and trillions.
All the Worst Humans (2024)
This wildly entertaining and easy read helps answer the question, “what the hell is lobbying, anyway?” Phil Elwood pulls back the curtain on his work for huge clients in Washington, D.C., including dictators, royalty, real estate tycoons, and of course - politicians. He is also touchingly honest about his personal journey and mental health. The gig that ultimately landed him in front of Robert Mueller’s FBI team may sound familiar, but will still surprise you (hint: it relates to social media troll farms).
The Coming Storm (2022)
Yes, the storm referred to here is the one we are currently in. Even still, this book is well worth the read, and reveals a lot about the genesis of American conspiracy theories. Gabriel Gatehouse, a British reporter with a great sense of humor, convinced his editors to send him to America to find the story within our election madness. He traces chat rooms, media campaigns, documentaries, and social media rumors back to their creators, and the connections he makes are incredible. I loved reading this book, and couldn’t believe some of the revelations. You will learn all you need to know about how QAnon, the Brooks Brothers riot, Michael Flynn, and even the slogan “Stop the Steal” all work together to con the country.
Invisible Rulers (2024)
This book is perfect if you are curious about misinformation online - and how it connects to money and power. Renee DiResta’s writing is easy to read and colorful, and her expertise in this area is second to none. She draws upon entertaining conspiracy theories and reveals a common formula behind them. She is the technical research manager at the Stanford Internet Observatory (I didn’t know such a place existed!), and has analyzed geopolitical influence operations run by foreign powers. This book is long and dense, but well-worth the journey.
Targeted (2019)
Whistleblower Brittany Kaiser’s memoir explains how firms like Cambridge Analytica use data and technology to weaponize political advertising against unsuspecting voters. I found the detail in this book helpful and illustrative - it lets you see exactly why psychological profiling online is problematic in our politics. These tactics are delivering us more division and hatred in our country than we ever bargained for, all at the expense of our privacy. Chapter 13 is a must read.
Cyberwar (2018)
If you need an expert, academic guide on how Russia’s influence campaigns actually work, Kathleen Hall Jamieson’s report is it. This book offers detailed examples of Russia’s troll profiles, imposter pages, hacking, and relevant timelines. It reads like a law review article because it is so well researched, and mosts fact are cited. Not a casual read, but if you want to dig into the rabbit hole of Russia’s elaborate online cons, this book is for you. Ten years later, these tactics are only more ubiquitous.
Secrecy World (2017)
Authored by Jake Bernstein, the Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist from the team that broke the Panama Papers, this book is factually dense and extremely insightful. It’s perfect if you want to learn how illicit money moves to benefit the global elite and hide their wealth. The stories described are drawn from millions of documents leaked from a Panama law firm smack in the center of the offshore action. Crime bosses, corrupt politicians, and billionaires use many of the same tools, including shell companies and tax havens, to hide transactions and bribes that the public aren’t intended to see.
Furious Minds (2025)
Okay, this book about hard-right thinkers and the current MAGA agenda might be hard to convince yourself to read. But Laura K. Field gives an excellent tour of how the far right has trapped us here in 2025, and who-is-who in the movement. It’s not light subject matter, but you will learn about how these thinkers really don’t seem to like democracy, like, at all. For them, despite all their intellectual musings, they really just like power. “They can indulge in the fantasies of an authoritarian regime because of the freedom and security afforded by the liberal democracy they loathe.”
The Age of Extraction (2025)
Tim Wu’s explanation of the evolution of tech is enjoyable, and his real-life examples are easy to grasp. I thought this book might be too “techie” for my level of understanding, but it never lost me. It left me feeling more confident talking about tech and imagining where we go next. “We must see that the problems of technological and economic marginalization are entwined. Technology has never been neutral, but rather reflects ideology and what it is designed to do. Today’s great tech platforms are impressive, entertaining, and convenient, but also designed to be some of history’s most advanced tools for extracting wealth and resources from the broader economy.”