Not Even Mad: Michael A. Cohen and Jamie Kirchick

Mein Kampf, written by Adolf Hitler while he was imprisoned following the failed Beer Hall Putsch in 1923, is a two-volume work that combines autobiography and political treatise. The book details Hitler's early life, his experiences during World War I, and his increasing antisemitism and militarism. It outlines his vision for Germany, including the need for Lebensraum (living space) in Eastern Europe, and his racist and anti-Semitic views. The work became the central text of National Socialism and a blueprint for Hitler's policies, including aggressive foreign policy and the persecution of Jews and other minority groups.

In 'Secret City,' James Kirchick chronicles the hidden history of the gay community in Washington, D.C. , and its profound impact on American politics. The book begins with the story of Sumner Welles, Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s diplomatic advisor, and explores how cultural and political anxiety over gay people led to a decades-long witch hunt. This anxiety influenced various aspects of American history, including the rivalry between the CIA and FBI, the ascent of Joseph McCarthy, the struggle for Black civil rights, and the rise of the conservative movement. Kirchick’s work is based on thousands of pages of declassified documents, interviews with over a hundred people, and material from presidential libraries and archives, offering a detailed and intimate look at the intersection of gay history and American politics.