AlterNet.org: Books

The Self-Made Myth: Debunking Conservatives' Favorite -- And Most Dangerous -- Fiction

Sara Robinson, AlterNet — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:00:01 PDT

A new book makes a strong case that nobody ever makes it on their own in America.

Noam Chomsky on America's Declining Empire, Occupy and the Arab Spring

Joshua Holland, AlterNet — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:01 PDT

According to Chomsky, America's declining power is self-inflicted.

What Law Enforcement Missed: New Book Explains Why We Need to Revisit the Oklahoma City Bombing

Laura Miller, Salon — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:01 PDT

The investigation failed to discover the truth because of sloppiness, self-serving intra-office politics, idiotic and obstructive turf wars among law enforcement agencies.

Porn Lit: Why the S&M "50 Shades of Grey" Is Freaking Everyone Out

Sarah Seltzer, AlterNet — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:00:01 PDT

The erotic lit-sensation is nothing new, but a collection of classic archetypes about gender and sex.

Why Is Autism So Drastically on the Rise? An Environmental Horror Story

Eleanor J. Bader, AlterNet — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:00:01 PDT

An investigation into the relationship between environmental poisons and human health is riveting -- and terrifying.

10 of Thomas Friedman's Dumbest "Big Ideas"

BelÃ©n FernÃ¡ndez, AlterNet — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:00:01 PDT

You know the world is flat -- and hot and crowded -- but that's just the tip of Friedman's iceberg of hackery.

The Science of Fox News: Why Its Viewers are the Most Misinformed

Chris Mooney, AlterNet — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 23:00:01 PDT

Authoritarian people have a stronger emotional need for an outlet like Fox, where they can find affirmation and escape factual challenges to their beliefs.

The Politics of Fat: We Have to Keep Struggling to Liberate Ourselves from Self-Hatred

Allison McCarthy, AlterNet — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:00:01 PDT

â€œWe claimed the agency, we granted ourselves the authority. But we never stopped worrying about how our asses looked in our jeans.â€

How Activists Are Striking Back Against Drone Warfare

Medea Benjamin, AlterNet — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 10:00:01 PDT

An excerpt from Medea Benjamin's new book, "Drone Warfare: Killing by Remote Control," published by OR Books.

3 Great Reasons You Should Check Out 'The Hunger Games'

Sarah Seltzer, AlterNet — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:00:01 PDT

The story's visceral feeling of rage and distrust is a perfect counterpart to a revolutionary spring.

How the Right-Wing Brain Works and What That Means for Progressives

Chris Mooney, AlterNet — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:00:01 PDT

There really is a science of conservative morality, and it really is vastly different from liberal morality. And there are key lessons to be drawn from this research.

Women Have Been Fighting Misinformation and Oppression of Their Bodies for Decades

Eleanor J. Bader, AlterNet — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 11:00:01 PDT

A new collection provides firsthand accounts of women fighting for control of their own bodies and health.

Why War Isn't Inevitable: A Science Writer Studies the Secret to Peaceful Societies

Brad Jacobson, AlterNet — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 23:00:01 PDT

As the drumbeats for war with Iran reach bellicose heights, a new book argues that waging war is not an innate part of our nature.

Should Joining a Union Be a Civil Right?

Jake Blumgart, AlterNet — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 06:00:01 PST

A new book, "Why Labor Organizing Should Be a Civil Right," shows how workers can press for real penalties against bosses who fire them for trying to unionize.

Why the American Empire Was Destined to Collapse

Nomi Prins, AlterNet — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 10:00:01 PST

Author and social critic Morris Berman says the fact that we're a nation of hustlers lies at the root of our decline.

Lies to Congress, Domestic Spying, Torture: Why the Bush White House Must Be Prosecuted

Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 11:00:01 PST

A new book by Elizabeth Holtzman, former Democratic congresswomen, makes the case that George W. Bush and Dick Cheney should be prosecuted for breaking federal laws.

What Are We Really Eating? Reporter Goes Undercover to Reveal the Real Story of Our Broken Food System

Kerry Trueman, AlterNet — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:00:01 PST

Tracie McMillan talks about her new book and how she went undercover as a farmhand and worker at Walmart and Applebee's.

How Financial Crisis, Economic Inequality, Social Media, and More Brought Revolutions in 2011--and Changed Us Forever

Sarah Jaffe, AlterNet — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:00:01 PST

Journalist Paul Mason covered the uprisings of 2011 as they occurred. His new book "Why It's Kicking Off Everywhere," explains why they all happened at once.

Can Computer Games Save Us All? New Research Shows How Gaming Can Help Cure Our Social Ills

Terrence McNally, AlterNet — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 08:00:01 PST

Tech futurist and game designer Jane McGonigle on how computer games can help the fight against AIDS, heal disabilities, increase optimism, and make us better people.

How the Wisconsin Uprising Changed America and Why Its Renegade Politics Are Here to Stay

Sarah Jaffe, AlterNet — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:00:01 PST

John Nichols talks about his new book, "Uprising: How Wisconsin Renewed the Politics of Protest, from Madison to Occupy Wall Street," and what happens next.