“What you say, what you always say, is that you want to make a difference. People want to hear you say that you are in it for them.”
Politics on the Edge is one of the most accessible and fascinating books on politics from the past few years. On the back of his experiences as a minister and diplomat, Rory Stewart takes readers on a tour through their inner workings of British and wider politics, shedding light on the complexities, challenges and often disillusionising nature of life inside the machine. The end result is a candid and insightful look at the turbulent intersection of governance, power and public service in the modern age. If you loved Stewart’s work, we here at What We Reading have compiled some of our favourite books like Politics on the Edge that face up to the gritty realities of political decision-making, the personal toll of public service and offer compelling analysis of systems, ideologies and the landscape of politics in an increasingly post-modern era!
But What Can I Do? – Alastair Campbell
Kicking off our list of the best books like Politics on the Edge is But What Can I Do, the 2023 book on politics by Rory Stewart’s The Rest is Politics co-host, Alastair Campbell. An impassioned call to action, the But What Can I Do attempts to break down how politics has become a game that serves the interests of the privileged few, and how this has left many feeling let down, frustrated and increasingly apathetic.
Campbell is typically forthright in his assessment of how this effect can be reversed, with his book providing each reader with the motivation and tools needed to make a difference. Starting off with a succinct analysis of our fractured and polarised world, he teaches how to develop skills of advocacy and persuasion, how to form a campaigning team, develop confidence and how to become political players that are taken seriously by the establishment.
Check Out The Best Books On British Politics
How To Lose A Country: The 7 Steps From Democracy To Dictatorship – Ece Temelkuran
How to Lose a Country is another impassioned plea similar to Politics on the Edge by Ece Temelkuran warning about the dangers of populism and nationalism, and how they creep their way into a nation’s political establishment. The award-winning author and journalist identifies the early warning signs of this phenomenon as it takes root in nations across the globe to define a pattern that readers can begin to recognise.
Temelkuran also offers alternative answers to the most pressing political questions of our time. How to Lose a Country introduces them to the concepts of ‘real people’, the infantilisation of language and debate, how laughter can prove to be a false friend, and the dangers of underestimating an opponent. Timely and pressing, Temelkuran’s work is part memoir, part historical reportage and a crystal clear demonstration of how the ‘it could never happen here’ approach has already proven to be untrue.
A Promised Land – Barack Obama
One of the most celebrated political books like Politics on the Edge in recent times, A Promised Land is a riveting and deeply personal memoir by Barack Obama about his time inside the White House as President of the United States. This first volume of his presidential memoirs follows Obama and his ascent from a young man searching for his identity to the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency.
Reflecting on the presidency, A Promised Land offers a poignant exploration of the awesome reaches and limitations of presidential power, as well as a fascinating insight into the dynamics of US partisan politics and international diplomacy. Beautifully written and inspiring in its messaging, Obama once again reaffirms that democracy is not bestowed from above, but something founded on empathy, and understanding and built together day by day.
Check Out The Best Barack Obama Books
Cafe Europa: Life After Communism – Slavenka Drakulić
Croatian novelist, journalist and essayist Slavenka Drakulić notes how Eastern Europeans are so anxious to become like their Western counterparts that every town and city has a Cafe Europa which is a stripped-back imitation of the sorts of establishments found in cities such as Paris or Rome. Her book, Cafe Europa, is a collection of essays she wrote that explore life in various Eastern European countries stepping out into a new world following the fall of communism.
A survivor of the communist regimes of the Cold War herself, she writes knowingly and with conviction about the pitfalls that still lie ahead for the lands previously behind the Iron Curtain. From Albanian dissent to Romanian toilets, Drakulić’s insights are evocative and insightful, perfect for any fans of Politics on the Edge.
How Westminster Works… And Why It Doesn’t – Ian Dunt
Like with Politics on the Edge, Ian Dunt takes readers on a tour through the inner machinations of how British politics operates to understand why politics and politicians have seemingly become less functional.
For the readers out there who have a sense that things aren’t working quite as they should, but have trouble articulating why, Dunt illuminates how many facets of the political machine are cloaked in secrecy, intrigue, jargon and stuck with archaic, age-old traditions. How Westminster Works exposes every aspect of this setup in a manner that can be understood and challenged, offering a complete guide, from Whitehall to Downing Street, on how we might begin to go about fixing things.
Fire And Fury: Inside The Trump White House (The Trump Trilogy #1) – Michael Wolff
With extraordinary access to the West Wing, Michael Wolff reveals what happened behind the scenes in the first nine months of arguably the most controversial presidency in US history in his book, Fire and Fury, the first entry in his Trump Trilogy series.
First published in 2018, Wolff follows the Trump presidency as the man at its epicentre is sworn in as the 45th President of the United States, and the bizarre, stormy and volatile outbursts, decisions and declarations that followed. Brilliantly reported, readers are given access to what Trump’s staff really thought of him, why James Comey was really fired, and what the secret to communicating with Trump is. Like Politics on the Edge, Wolff highlights how individuals like Donald Trump have become the kings of discord and division.
On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons From The Twentieth Century – Timothy Snyder
Another book similar to Politics on the Edge published on the back of Donald Trump’s election, Timothy Snyder offers readers an insightful history of fascism in the twentieth century and offers a guide on surviving and resisting the world’s increasing turns toward authoritarianism in his work, On Tyranny.
One of the most acclaimed historians of the Holocaust on the planet and with equally prized biographies on the rise of Hitler and Stalin under his belt, Snyder draws on the darkest hours of the twentieth century to provide an ultimately hopeful message for the twenty-first. On Tyranny is a cautionary tale and a guide to resistance, brimming with ideas on how to preserve freedom and democracy.
How They Broke Britain – James O’Brien
Another one of the best politics books from 2023, James O’Brien explores the dark network that broke Britain in his revealing work, How They Broke Britain. From a flatlining economy, self-interested politicians and a media that only heightens divisions, he tackles the past decade or so in an attempt to showcase exactly how, and why, Britain has seemingly gone backwards.
Delivered with the unflinching boldness many have come to expect from O’Brien, he reveals a shady network of influences that has led to strikes, shortages and scandals. Over ten startling chapters, he charts the dark think tanks links to 10 Downing Street, the media bosses obsessed with their own agendas, and the journalists involved with selling these stories to the public. By highlighting the major players with each of these chapters, How They Broke Britain reveals how a select few have conspired to bring the UK to its knees.
The Secret Barrister: Stories Of The Law And How It Is Broken – The Secret Barrister
The Secret Barrister offers readers a collection of stories from inside the courtroom to answer some of the most burning and sometimes difficult questions many readers may have about how the legal system operates. From defending a child abuser you suspect is guilty, what to say to an innocent individual who has just been dealt a long sentence to the importance of the law as an institute, this is a first-hand account that puts the human cost of the criminal justice system back into perspective.
From the criminals, lawyers, victims, witnesses and officers of the law, Stories of the Law is one of the best books like Politics on the Edge for understanding how systems break, and how they can be reformed again.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
