Special Episode: How Novels Defend Democracy

This special episode of The Context includes voices from three previous guests on the show: James Comey, Stacey Abrams, and David Pepper. All three have had significant careers in public service, and all three have also written multiple novels. In these short excerpts, they all also argue that their creative writing is a method to communicate some of their knowledge and insights about democracy and public institutions. James Comey spent many years in public service, culminating in serving as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation from 2013 until 2017. He is also a senior fellow at the Kettering Foundation. He’s written three novels, including one that will be published next year. Stacey Abrams served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2007 until 2017, including six years as minority leader. She ran two celebrated gubernatorial campaigns in Georgia in 2018 and 2022. She’s written eleven novels. David Pepper is a former elected official and an adjunct law professor who served as chair of the Ohio Democratic Party from 2015 until 2021. He is also a senior fellow at the Kettering Foundation. He’s written six novels. https://jamescomeybooks.com/ https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2214766/stacey-abrams/ https://davidpepper.com/ https://davidpepper.substack.com/p/2025-a-novel