Book Club with Michael Smerconish

In this engaging discussion, Amy Chua, a Yale Law School professor and author of "Political Tribes," shares insights on the influence of identity politics in America. She explores how tribalism shapes foreign policy, particularly in conflicts like Iraq and Afghanistan, and examines the complexities within white American identity. Chua also delves into how tribalism contributed to Trump's appeal and the polarization in today's political landscape, highlighting the cultural resonance that impacts perceptions of political discourse.

Listen to Michael chat with author Adam Buckman in a conversation about his book "Jerk: How I Wasted My Life Watching Television." Original air date 22 July 2014. The book was published on 14 September 2014.

Division in society. The spread of misinformation. The rise of extremism. Centrism holds the answers. Listen to Michael's conversation with Yair Zivan, editor of "The Centre Must Hold: Why Centrism is the Answer to Extremism and Polarisation." Original air date 2 July 2024. The book was published on 27 June 2024.

The definitive, inside story of the Idaho murders from bestselling author Howard Blum, whose groundbreaking coverage of the story was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Timed for a trial that will capture national attention, "When the Night Comes Falling: A Requiem for the Idaho Student Murders" examines the mysterious murders of the four University of Idaho students. Having covered this case from its start, Edgar award winning investigative reporter Howard Blum takes readers behind the scenes of the police manhunt that eventually led to suspected killer, Bryan Christopher Kohberger, and uncovered larger, lurid questions within this unthinkable tragedy. Listen to Blum's conversation with Michael now. Original air date 1 July 2024. The book was published on 25 June 2024.

A longtime Washington insider argues that former FBI Director James Comey’s letter to Congress, sent just before the presidential election in 2016 was a key determining factor in Trump’s win. Listen to Michael's conversation with attorney Lanny Davis, author of "The Unmaking of the President 2016: How FBI Director James Comey Cost Hillary Clinton the Presidency." Original air date 7 February 2018. The book was published on 6 February 2018.

Doctor Anthony Stephen Fauci is an American physician-scientist and immunologist who served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases from 1984 to 2022, and the chief medical advisor to the president from 2021 to 2022. He joins Michael to discuss his new book "On Call: A Doctor's Journey in Public Service." Original air date 21 June 2024. The book was published 18 June 2024.

What J. D. Vance did for Appalachia with Hillbilly Elegy, CNN analyst and one of the youngest state representatives in South Carolina history Bakari Sellers does for the rural South, in this important book that illuminates the lives of America’s forgotten black working-class men and women. Part memoir, part historical and cultural analysis, "My Vanishing Country: A Memoir" is an eye-opening journey through the South's past, present, and future. Listen to Michael's conversation from 22 May 2020. The book was published on 19 May 2020.

Jack Valenti, former special assistant to President Lyndon B. Johnson and former President of the Motion Picture Association of America, penned a memoir, but did not live to be able to talk about it when it was published. Therefore, Michael welcomed his daughter, Courtney Valenti, for a wonderful conversation on "This Time, This Place: My Life in War, the White House, and Hollywood." Mr. Valenti passed away in April 2007. Original air date 20 June 2007. The book was published on 15 May 2007.

Since its opening in 1965, the Watergate complex has been one of Washington's chicest addresses, a home to power brokers from both political parties and the epicenter of a scandal that brought down a president. In "The Watergate: Inside America's Most Infamous Address" writer and political consultant Joseph Rodota paints a vivid portrait of this landmark and the movers and shakers who have lived there. Listen to his conversation with Michael here. Original air date 23 February 2018. The book was published on 20 February 2018.

From New York Times bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize finalist Garrett Graff comes the most up-to-date and complete account of D-Day—the largest seaborne invasion in history and the moment that secured the Allied victory in World War II. Garrett joins Michael to talk about his new book "When the Sea Came Alive: An Oral History of D-Day." Original air date 5 June 2024. The book was published on 4 June 2024.