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Best Sellers

Hardcover Nonfiction

Week of June 22, 2025

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1
NEW
HOW COUNTRIES GO BROKE
Ray Dalio
Cover of HOW COUNTRIES GO BROKE

HOW COUNTRIES GO BROKE

by Ray Dalio · Avid Reader

1 wks at #1 · 1 on list

"Do big government debts threaten our collective well-being? Are there limits to debt growth? Can a big, important reserve currency country like the United States really go broke--and what would that look like? For decades, politicians, policymakers, and investors have debated these questions, but the answers have eluded them. In this ... book, Ray Dalio, ... who anticipated the 2008 global financial crisis and the 2010-12 European debt crisis, shares for the first time his detailed explanation of what he calls the 'Big Debt Cycle.' Understanding this cycle is critical for helping policymakers, investors, and the general public grasp where we are and where we are headed with the debt issue. ... [This book] also shows how these debt problems are related to the other forces--political within countries, geopolitical between countries, natural (droughts, floods, and pandemics), and technological (most importantly, AI)--that together are causing what Dalio calls the 'Overall Big Cycle' changes in the world order"--

2
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THIS DOG WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE
Elias Weiss Friedman with Ben Greenman
Cover of THIS DOG WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

THIS DOG WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

by Elias Weiss Friedman with Ben Greenman · Ballantine

1 wks on list

A uniquely insightful, uplifting, emotional, and informative book that shows us how dogs make our lives better by making us better people from the Dogist. Elias Weiss Friedman became known as The Dogist when he took thousands of photos of dogs and posted them online along with their unique dog stories. Even before he was The Dogist, though, he was a Dogist—a fervent dog lover, and an evangelist about the relationship between dogs and humans and the joy this bond brings us in the modern world. Over his decades of studying dogs and their people, Elias has arrived at a deceptively simple realization: Dogs make people’s lives better by making people better. Dogs improve us. They save us. They give our lives greater meaning and fulfillment. They teach us to become the best versions of ourselves. They help us understand our own identities, deepen our relationships, and remind us of patience, purpose, and commitment. We constantly seek those things in our human life, but so many of the answers are already right in front of us, in our dogs. This book weaves together stories of the many dogs Elias has been lucky enough to know, both in his personal life and while doing his Dogist work. Told in a light tone that does not shy away from more serious issues (Elias is not above the occasional sentimental moment or dog pun), this book charmingly explores the ways that dogs are not just our family and our friends but also irreplaceable beings capable of generating boundless love and restoring balance to our lives. In an increasingly alienating and divisive world, there is one clear remedy: the one with four legs that rolls over for belly rubs. Dogs can change our lives, and this book might just change yours.

3
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A DIFFERENT KIND OF POWER
Jacinda Ardern
Cover of A DIFFERENT KIND OF POWER

A DIFFERENT KIND OF POWER

by Jacinda Ardern · Crown

1 wks on list

What if we could redefine leadership? What if kindness came first? Jacinda Ardern grew up the daughter of a police officer, a Mormon girl plagued by self-doubt. But as prime minister she commanded worldwide respect for her empathetic leadership, made political history, and changed our assumptions about what a global leader can be. When Jacinda Ardern became prime minister at age thirty-seven, the world took notice. But it was her compassionate, powerful response to the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks, resulting in swift gun-control reforms, that exemplified a new kind of leadership-one that is caring and effective. She guided New Zealand through unprecedented challenges-a volcanic eruption, a major biosecurity breach, and a global pandemic-and advanced visionary new policies to address climate change, reduce child poverty, and secure historic international trade deals. She did this all while juggling first-time motherhood in the public eye. She is a global icon, and now in this remarkable book she shares her story, from the struggles to the surprises, including the full details of her decision to step down during her sixth year as prime minister. Jacinda Ardern is a model for anyone who has ever doubted themselves or has aspired to lead with compassion, conviction, and courage. A Different Kind of Power is more than a political memoir; it's an insight into how it feels to lead, ultimately asking- What if you, too, are capable of more than you ever imagined?

4
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TRUMP'S TRIUMPH
Newt Gingrich
Cover of TRUMP'S TRIUMPH

TRUMP'S TRIUMPH

by Newt Gingrich · Center Street

1 wks on list

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER #1 New York Times bestselling author Newt Gingrich takes readers inside the most significant political comeback in American history and explains where the Trump movement goes from here in this "very, very important book" (Mark Levin). "The wonderful Newt Gingrich has just written a book that is the talk of D.C... Newt always does it right!” -- President Donald J. Trump Despite a nine-year effort to destroy him, President Donald J. Trump succeeded in a historic comeback victory in the 2024 presidential election. This was Trump’s Triumph. Winning the popular and electoral votes, President Trump became the first president to be nonconsecutively re-elected since President Grover Cleveland. This all happened because President Trump was never a typical political candidate. He is the leader of a movement, which he recognized in the American people. To be clear: President Trump did not invent the Make America Great Again movement, he intuited it. Meanwhile, elites in media, academia, government, and politics learned a big lesson: Americans no longer trust them. President Trump assembled a massive coalition of Americans from all backgrounds who were tired of being told what to do, say, and believe. He made historic in-roads with voter groups which have not traditionally voted for Republicans. President Trump survived court cases, impeachments, outright lies – and two assassination attempts. All the while, the elites described a future which every day Americans did not want. The Joe Biden-Kamala Harris (and later Harris-Tim Walz) tickets represented three failures through which the American people were actively suffering: high inflation, a full-blown immigration crisis, and a prevailing elite ideology which they found at best confusing and at worst insane. Trump’s Triumph puts all this into context, explains how President Trump overcame it all, and describes the future of the Make America Great Again movement.

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ORIGINAL SIN
Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson
Cover of ORIGINAL SIN

ORIGINAL SIN

by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson · Penguin Press

3 wks on list

THE HUGE SUNDAY TIMES AND No. 1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 'Explosive' Guardian 'Explosive' The Times 'Explosive' Daily Mail 'Explosive' Politico 'Explosive' New York Times The book that revealed one of the greatest cover-ups in modern American history. Joe Biden, his family and his senior aides were convinced that only he could beat Donald Trump in the 2024 Presidential Election. So convinced, in fact, that they lied to themselves, allies and the public about his condition and limitations – all but dooming the Democrats to defeat. Here, two of America’s best-respected political journalists draw on astonishing access to Biden's circle to uncover what really happened in 2024. Hailed as an instant classic of investigative journalism, Original Sin exposed the greatest campaign of denial and gaslighting in modern American history - leading directly to Donald Trump’s return to power, and all that has come since. 'The shocking truth of the last year of Biden's presidency . . . A scathing account of an elderly, egotistical president cocooned from reality.' Guardian 'A damning, step-by-step account of how the people closest to a stubborn, aging president enabled his quixotic resolve to run for a second term.' New York Times 'How American voters became victims of one of the greatest political cover-ups of modern times . . . It was the gaslighting of a nation.' The Times

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THE ANXIOUS GENERATION
Jonathan Haidt
Cover of THE ANXIOUS GENERATION

THE ANXIOUS GENERATION

by Jonathan Haidt · Penguin Press

63 wks on list

THE INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A Wall Street Journal Top 10 Book of 2024 • A New York Times and Washington Post Notable Book • One of Barack Obama's Favorite Books of 2024 • A TIME 100 Must-Read Book of 2024 • Named a Best Book of 2024 by the Economist, the New York Post, and Town & Country • The Goodreads Choice Award Nonfiction Book of the Year • Finalist for the PEN Literary Awards A must-read for all parents: the generation-defining investigation into the collapse of youth mental health in the era of smartphones, social media, and big tech—and a plan for a healthier, freer childhood. “With tenacity and candor, Haidt lays out the consequences that have come with allowing kids to drift further into the virtual world . . . While also offering suggestions and solutions that could help protect a new generation of kids.” —Shannon Carlin, TIME, 100 Must-Read Books of 2024 After more than a decade of stability or improvement, the mental health of adolescents plunged in the early 2010s. Rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide rose sharply, more than doubling on many measures. Why? In The Anxious Generation, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt (pronounced "height") lays out the facts about the epidemic of teen mental illness that hit many countries at the same time. He then investigates the nature of childhood, including why children need play and independent exploration to mature into competent, thriving adults. Haidt shows how the “play-based childhood” began to decline in the 1980s, and how it was finally wiped out by the arrival of the “phone-based childhood” in the early 2010s. He presents more than a dozen mechanisms by which this “great rewiring of childhood” has interfered with children’s social and neurological development, covering everything from sleep deprivation to attention fragmentation, addiction, loneliness, social contagion, social comparison, and perfectionism. He explains why social media damages girls more than boys and why boys have been withdrawing from the real world into the virtual world, with disastrous consequences for themselves, their families, and their societies. Most important, Haidt issues a clear call to action. He diagnoses the “collective action problems” that trap us, and then proposes four simple rules that might set us free. He describes steps that parents, teachers, schools, tech companies, and governments can take to end the epidemic of mental illness and restore a more humane childhood. Haidt has spent his career speaking truth backed by data in the most difficult landscapes—communities polarized by politics and religion, campuses battling culture wars, and now the public health emergency faced by Gen Z. We cannot afford to ignore his findings about protecting our children—and ourselves—from the psychological damage of a phone-based life.

7
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SO GAY FOR YOU
Leisha Hailey and Kate Moennig
Cover of SO GAY FOR YOU

SO GAY FOR YOU

by Leisha Hailey and Kate Moennig · St. Martin's

1 wks on list

*AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER* An intimate, hilarious memoir of art, friendship, queerness, and found family by Kate Moennig and Leisha Hailey, stars of The L Word—including never-before-shared stories and photos from behind the scenes of the show and their personal lives. "Are you comfortable with nudity?" my manager asked. In the early 2000s, Kate Moennig and Leisha Hailey—both young artists trying to figure it all out—met at auditions for an unknown little TV show. Given that it was a show about lesbians living in Los Angeles, with the first ever ensemble cast of openly queer female characters, Kate and Leisha knew the project was going to be unlike anything else out there—that is, if it even got picked up. Then, one million people watched the premiere. The show, which came to be called The L Word, turned into a trailblazing phenomenon. Its influence on pop culture, in the political arena, and in the lives of viewers has been lasting, impactful, even life-saving. And in addition to changing the course of television history, The L Word changed Kate and Leisha's lives forever. Suddenly, they were the faces of lesbian culture in a society still hostile to queerness. And one of them wasn't even out yet. Luckily, they had each other. From their first day on set, Kate and Leisha were so inseparable that the cast joked they were like a pair of pants—you couldn't have one leg without the other. Hence the name for their branded partnership and podcast, PANTS, launched in 2020 and downloaded over twenty million times. This friendship has seen Kate and Leisha through their greatest triumphs and most painful moments, stumbling from closeted queer kids to LGBTQ+ activists, actors, podcasters, and business owners. Full of never-before-shared glimpses into the making of The L Word, Kate and Leisha's real-life loves and losses, and their experiences as queer icons, So Gay for You is a heartfelt, inspiring love letter to a ride or die friendship over the decades, and a testament to the liberating power of chosen family.

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MARK TWAIN
Ron Chernow
Cover of MARK TWAIN

MARK TWAIN

by Ron Chernow · Penguin Press

4 wks on list

The #1 New York Times Bestseller • One of Barack Obama's Favorite Books of 2025• A Washington Post and New York Times Notable Book • Named a Best Book of 2025 by TIME, The Guardian, Bloomberg, The Christian Science Monitor, and Kirkus Reviews “Comprehensive, enthralling . . . Mark Twain flows like the Mississippi River, its prose propelled by Mark Twain’s own exuberance.” —The Boston Globe “Chernow writes with such ease and clarity . . . For all its length and detail, [Mark Twain] is deeply absorbing throughout.” — The Washington Post Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Ron Chernow illuminates the full, fascinating, and complex life of the writer long celebrated as the father of American literature, Mark Twain Before he was Mark Twain, he was Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Born in 1835, the man who would become America’s first, and most influential, literary celebrity spent his childhood dreaming of piloting steamboats on the Mississippi. But when the Civil War interrupted his career on the river, the young Twain went west to the Nevada Territory and accepted a job at a local newspaper, writing dispatches that attracted attention for their brashness and humor. It wasn’t long before the former steamboat pilot from Missouri was recognized across the country for his literary brilliance, writing under a pen name that he would immortalize. In this richly nuanced portrait of Mark Twain, acclaimed biographer Ron Chernow brings his considerable powers to bear on a man who shamelessly sought fame and fortune, and crafted his persona with meticulous care. After establishing himself as a journalist, satirist, and lecturer, he eventually settled in Hartford with his wife and three daughters, where he went on to write The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. He threw himself into the hurly-burly of American culture, and emerged as the nation’s most notable political pundit. At the same time, his madcap business ventures eventually bankrupted him; to economize, Twain and his family spent nine eventful years in exile in Europe. He suffered the death of his wife and two daughters, and the last stage of his life was marked by heartache, political crusades, and eccentric behavior that sometimes obscured darker forces at play. Drawing on Twain’s bountiful archives, including thousands of letters and hundreds of unpublished manuscripts, Chernow masterfully captures the man whose career reflected the country’s westward expansion, industrialization, and foreign wars, and who was the most important white author of his generation to grapple so fully with the legacy of slavery. Today, more than one hundred years after his death, Twain’s writing continues to be read, debated, and quoted. In this brilliant work of scholarship, a moving tribute to the writer’s talent and humanity, Chernow reveals the magnificent and often maddening life of one of the most original characters in American history.

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FREE RIDE
Noraly Schoenmaker
Cover of FREE RIDE

FREE RIDE

by Noraly Schoenmaker · Atria

1 wks on list

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER By the YouTube sensation with three million followers, the inspiring account of a young woman who, in a moment of personal crisis, embarked on an epic, transcontinental motorcycle ride—and along the way found a new sense of purpose. Noraly Schoenmaker was a thirtysomething geologist living in the Netherlands when she learned that her live-in partner had been having an affair. In desperate need of a new beginning, she decided to quit her job and jet off to India. But her plans were dashed when she fell quickly and helplessly in love: with a motorcycle. Behind the handlebars of a Royal Enfield, a short tour of the Himalayas quickly morphed into an epic 20,000-mile journey. She would cover remote and utterly unfamiliar territory, break down on impossibly steep mountains, and push too many miles down empty roads. But through her travels, she discovered the true beauty and simplicity of the world’s open spaces, the kindness of its people, and a newfound, unshakable belief in her capabilities. Free Ride is a “no-frill, from-the-heart” (BBC) story of self-discovery and renewal that is filled with unforgettable figures and hilarious disasters, showing what happens when you open your heart and let the world in.

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HOW TO LOSE YOUR MOTHER
Molly Jong-Fast
Cover of HOW TO LOSE YOUR MOTHER

HOW TO LOSE YOUR MOTHER

by Molly Jong-Fast · Viking Press

1 wks on list

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER · A Washington Post Notable Nonfiction Book of 2025 “With propulsive humor and perspective on her annus horribilis, Jong-Fast achieves the memoir’s transformative work of alchemy, arming us all with lines so good you won’t just want to underline them, you will want to cut them out to share.” —The Washington Post “This raw, intimate memoir is a stunning portrait of difficult relationships and how we survive them.” —People “Molly Jong-Fast’s memoir is mesmerizing, intimate, wise, unputdownable, crazily honest, heartbreaking, funny, illuminating—beautiful and painful at the same time, just like real life.” —Anne Lamott From the political writer and podcaster, a ferociously honest and disarmingly funny memoir about her elusive mother’s encroaching dementia and a reckoning with her complicated childhood Molly Jong-Fast is the only child of a famous woman, writer Erica Jong, whose sensational book Fear of Flying launched her into second-wave feminist stardom. She grew up yearning for a connection with her dreamy, glamorous, just out of reach mother, who always seemed to be heading somewhere that wasn’t with Molly. When, in 2023, Erica was diagnosed with dementia just as Molly’s husband discovered he had a rare cancer, Jong-Fast was catapulted into a transformative year. How to Lose Your Mother is a compulsively readable memoir about an intense mother–daughter relationship, a sometimes chaotic upbringing with a fame-hungry parent, and the upheavals that challenge our hard-won adulthood. A pitch-perfect balance of acceptance and rage, humor and heart, How to Lose Your Mother tells a universal story of loss alongside a singular story of a literary life. This is a memoir that will stand alongside the classics of the genre.

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ABUNDANCE
Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson
Cover of ABUNDANCE

ABUNDANCE

by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson · Avid Reader

12 wks on list

**SHORTLISTED FOR THE FINANCIAL TIMES AND SCHRODERS BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2025** THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AND OBAMA BOOK OF THE YEAR 'A must-read for progressives' BARACK OBAMA 'Downing Street's current hot read' ANDREW MARR 'Forceful, quick-moving, important' FINANCIAL TIMES The threat to liberal democracy isn't just autocrats - it's a lack of effective action by so-called progressives. We have the means to build an equitable world without hunger, fuelled by clean energy. Instead, we have a politics driven by scarcity, lives defined by unaffordability and public institutions that no longer deliver on big ideas. It's time for change. Bestselling authors Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson have spent decades analysing the political, economic and cultural forces that have led us here. In this once-in-a-generation intervention, they unpick the barriers to progress and show how we can, and must, shift the political agenda to one that not only protects and preserves, but also builds. From healthcare to housing, infrastructure to innovation, they lay out a path to a future defined not by fear, but by abundance.

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BIG DUMB EYES
Nate Bargatze
Cover of BIG DUMB EYES

BIG DUMB EYES

by Nate Bargatze · Grand Central

5 wks on list

AN INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A #1 TORONTO STAR BESTSELLER AN INSTANT USA TODAY AND INDIE BESTSELLER A GLOBE AND MAIL BESTSELLER From one of the hottest stand-up comedians, Nate Bargatze brings his everyman comedy to the page in this hilarious collection of personal stories, opinions, and confessions. Nate Bargatze used to be a genius. That is, until the summer after seventh grade when he slipped, fell off a cliff, hit his head on a rock, and “my skull got, like, dented or something.” Before this accident, he dreamed of being “an electric engineer, or a doctor that does brain stuff, or a math teacher who teaches the hardest math on earth.” Afterwards, all he could do was stand-up comedy.* But the “brain stuff” industry’s loss is everyone else’s gain because Nate went on to become one of today’s top-grossing comedians, breaking both attendance and streaming records. In his highly anticipated first book, Nate talks about life as a non-genius. From stories about his first car (named Old Blue, a clunky Mazda with a tennis ball stick shift) and his travels as a Southerner (Northerners like to ask if he believes in dinosaurs), to tales of his first apartment where he was almost devoured by rats and his many debates with his wife over his chores, his diet, and even his definition of “shopping.” He also reflects on such heady topics as his irrational passion for Vandy football and the mysterious origins of sushi (how can a California roll come from old-time Japan?). BIG DUMB EYES is full of heart. It will make readers laugh out loud and nod in recognition, but it probably won’t make them think too much. *Nate’s family disputes this entire story.

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THE DISENLIGHTENMENT
David Mamet
Cover of THE DISENLIGHTENMENT

THE DISENLIGHTENMENT

by David Mamet · Broadside

1 wks on list

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "Great playwright and filmmaker, DAVID MAMET, just wrote an incredible new book, The Disenlightenment, Politics, Horror, and Entertainment. David is a special man and talent. Get his book, NOW!" — President Donald Trump One of America's greatest living literary legends invites you think for yourself in this compelling narrative of manipulation, power, and the human condition. "Government, like Circe, turns men into swine," David Mamet writes in his latest political tour de force. Prepare to be challenged, enlightened, and entertained by The Disenlightenment as Mamet dissects the modern world with enthusiasm, wisdom, and lots of references to movies about the mafia. Once a stalwart of liberal thought, Mamet now turns his penetrating gaze on the cultural milieu that nurtured his artistic growth, revealing how America's elites have twisted our institutions into tools of manipulation. With his one-of-a-kind wit, he exposes the intricate dance between power and myth, unmasking how the elites manipulate media and culture to maintain control. The Disenlightenment fearlessly tackles topics from war to love, success to death, offering a fresh perspective on the human condition. His observations, ranging from the carnival-like nature of politics to the power of language, reflect a society where traditional values are under siege. This book is an opportunity to engage with one of the most provocative and insightful writers of the modern era. Whether you're a long-time Mamet aficionado or new to his work, The Disenlightenment promises to challenge your perceptions, stimulate your mind, and perhaps change how you view the world.

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EVERYTHING IS TUBERCULOSIS
John Green
Cover of EVERYTHING IS TUBERCULOSIS

EVERYTHING IS TUBERCULOSIS

by John Green · Crash Course

12 wks on list

Instant #1 New York Times bestseller! • #1 Washington Post bestseller! • #1 Indie Bestseller! • USA Today Bestseller! John Green, acclaimed author and passionate advocate for global healthcare reform, tells a deeply human story illuminating the fight against the world’s deadliest infectious disease. “The real magic of Green’s writing is the deeply considerate, human touch that goes into every word.” –The Associated Press ″Told with the intelligence, wit, and tragedy that have become hallmarks of the author’s work.... This is the story of us.” –Slate “Earnest and empathetic.” –The New York Times Tuberculosis has been entwined with hu­manity for millennia. Once romanticized as a malady of poets, today tuberculosis is seen as a disease of poverty that walks the trails of injustice and inequity we blazed for it. In 2019, author John Green met Henry Reider, a young tuberculosis patient at Lakka Government Hospital in Sierra Leone. John be­came fast friends with Henry, a boy with spindly legs and a big, goofy smile. In the years since that first visit to Lakka, Green has become a vocal advocate for increased access to treatment and wider awareness of the healthcare inequi­ties that allow this curable, preventable infec­tious disease to also be the deadliest, killing over a million people every year. In Everything Is Tuberculosis, John tells Henry’s story, woven through with the scientific and social histories of how tuberculosis has shaped our world—and how our choices will shape the future of tuberculosis.

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LINCOLN’S LADY SPYMASTER
Gerri Willis
Cover of LINCOLN’S LADY SPYMASTER

LINCOLN’S LADY SPYMASTER

by Gerri Willis · Harper

1 wks on list

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In this gripping Civil War history, Fox Business's Gerri Willis charts the making of a spymaster genius. Wealthy Southern belle Elizabeth Van Lew had it all. Money, charm, wit—the most elegant mansion in Richmond. So why risk everything to become a Union spy? The answer was simple: freedom. Right in the heart of the Confederate capital, Elizabeth played the society lady while building a secret espionage network of slaves, Unionists, and prisoners of war. It would cost her almost everything. Flouting society’s expectations for women, Elizabeth infiltrated prisons and defied public opinion. Her story is filled with vivid personalities, including: Assassin John Wilkes Booth Washington socialite and Southern spy Rose Greenhow Prison escape artist Thomas Rose Cavalry hero Ulrich Dahlgren Black spy Mary Bowser who infiltrated the Confederate White House From grave robbery to a bold voyage across enemy lines, Elizabeth’s escapades only grew more daring. But it paid off. By the war’s end, she had agents in both the Confederate War Department and the Richmond White House, and her couriers provided General Ulysses S. Grant with crucial, daily intelligence for his final assault. With extensive and fresh research, Gerri Willis uncovers the Southern abolitionist heroine that the Lost Cause buried—an unbelievable tale of one woman’s courage, resistance, and liberation. Heartfelt, thrilling, and inspiring, Lincoln’s Lady Spymaster restores a forgotten hero to her rightful place as an American icon.

Historical bestseller data sourced from the New York Times Book Review, archived by Hawes Publications.