The Long Memo Book Club List

The Book List for 2025 (What we're reading.)

A lot of you have asked: What should I be reading?

The world is chaotic, the media is garbage, and most people don’t have time to sift through mountains of books to find what actually matters. So, I’m making it simple.

Welcome to The Long Memo Book Club—where we cut through the noise and get to the books that explain how the world actually works.

How This Works

✅ One featured book per month
✅ Free subscribers—see the book list and a short breakdown.
✅ Paid subscribers—get a full analysis, deep dives, extensions, and how these books connect to current events.

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📌 March 2025’s Featured Read

📖 The Dictator’s Handbook: Why Bad Behavior is Almost Always Good Politics – Bruce Bueno de Mesquita & Alastair Smith
A brutally honest breakdown of how leaders—democratic and authoritarian—hold onto power. Once you understand the game, you’ll never look at politicians (or corporate leaders) the same way again.

🔒 Paid subscribers will get:

• A deep dive analysis—key takeaways, surprising insights, and why this book is critical to understanding today’s political power struggles.

• How it applies to modern politics—Trump, Musk, authoritarian tactics, and what this means for 2025 and beyond.

• Exclusive discussion access—ask questions, get insights, and participate in the conversation.

The rest of what we’re reading in 2025 (by Topic)

🛑 Despotism, Tyranny, & Fascism

📖 Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism – Anne Applebaum
Why once-liberal elites embrace authoritarianism—and how it’s happening in real-time.

📖 The People vs. Democracy: Why Our Freedom Is in Danger and How to Save It – Yascha Mounk
Democratic backsliding isn’t just happening—it’s accelerating. Here’s why, and what (if anything) can be done about it.

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🗳 Elections, Congress, & Political Dysfunction

📖 Ratfcked: The True Story Behind the Secret Plan to Steal America’s Democracy – David Daley
How gerrymandering and systemic rigging have locked in minority rule for generations.

📖 It’s Even Worse Than It Looks – Thomas E. Mann & Norman J. Ornstein
Why Congress is broken, how we got here, and why extreme partisanship is making governance impossible.

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⚖️ Racism, Caste Systems, & Systemic Inequality

📖 Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents – Isabel Wilkerson
America’s racial divide isn’t just about race—it’s a caste system built into the country’s foundation.

📖 Guns, God & Sedition: Far-Right Terrorism in America – Bruce Hoffman & Jacob Ware
A deep dive into the rise of far-right extremism, militias, and domestic insurgencies in the U.S.—and why the threat is far from over.

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💰 Finance, Commerce, & The Economics of Power

📖 The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism – Naomi Klein
How economic crises—from wars to natural disasters—are exploited to push privatization, corporate control, and austerity policies that hurt the most vulnerable.

📖 Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World – Anand Giridharadas
Why billionaire philanthropists aren’t fixing the system—they’re rigging it further in their favor.

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🔒 Want the Full Breakdown?

I’ll be breaking down The Dictator’s Handbook for paid subscribers—diving into:

• What this book says about power and governments.

• How these ideas apply to today’s political landscape—from Trump and Musk to global authoritarianism.

• What’s missing, flawed, or misunderstood about its conclusions?

The first deep dive drops next week. If you want to go beyond the reading list and get complete insights—now’s a great time to subscribe.

See you inside the club.

If you’ve considered upgrading to The Long Memo (TLM), now’s the time. Through February 28, annual plans are 25% off—for just $5 a month (billed annually). That means a full year of exclusive deep dives, analysis, book club access, and all future paid-member benefits—at the lowest price it will ever be. This deal won’t happen again.
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