The Reading List

The Wall Street Journal does a weekend feature in which they invite outside contributors to list the "five best" books on a particular subject. I chose "the five best books on political change" - the rise & fall of American political parties. The article was instead titled as the 5 best books on the rise of American conservatism, a title that will surely mystify readers since none of the books deals with that subject. Let's hope the piece can stand on its feet regardless of odd titling decisions.

My book candidates are:

1. The Age of Federalism
By Stanley Elkins and Eric McKitrick
Oxford, 1993

2. Abraham Lincoln
By Allen C. Guelzo
W.B. Eerdmans, 1999

3. The Winning of the Midwest
By Richard J. Jensen
University of Chicago, 1971

4. Our Country
By Michael Barone
Free Press, 1990

5. Canarsie
By Jonathan Rieder
Harvard, 1985

Explanations for my choices can be read here.