NOW IN PAPERBACK: From writer and political analyst Jared Yates Sexton comes an eye-opening journey through American history that unearths and debunks the myths we've always told ourselves. Recent years have brought a reckoning in America. As rampant political corruption, stark inequality, and violent bigotry have come to the fore, many have faced two vital questions: How did we get here? And how do we move forward?An honest look at the past-and how it's been covered up-is the only way to find the answers. Americans in power have abused and subjugated others since the nation's very beginning, and myths of America's unique goodness have both enabled that injustice and buried the truth for generations. In American Rule, Jared Yates Sexton blends deep research with stunning storytelling, digging into each era of growth and change that led us here-and laying bare the foundational myths at the heart of the American imagination.Stirring, unequivocal, and impossible to put down, American Rule tells the truth about what this nation has always been-and challenges us to forge a new path.

NEW MATERIAL: Jared has written a searing new Author's Note for the paperback.WELL-REVIEWED BOOK, WELL-CONNECTED AUTHOR: Jared has befriended CNN host Don Lemon and has become a valuable talking-head guest as Americans grapple with what's happening now, and in our history. American Rule received positive reviews, including a starred review from Booklist.WRITTEN FOR THE PEOPLE: Jared Yates Sexton tackles American history here, but his two previous nonfiction books chronicle the rise of the alt-right and his own upbringing steeped in toxic masculinity. His background feeds the urgency and fast pace of American Rule, making it perfect for readers curious about our history but intimidated by historians like Ron Chernow and Jill Lepore.THE RIGHT MOMENT: Many Americans have been shaken by America's increasingly obvious flaws of late, and they're seeking out resources to make sense of it all. An accessible look at how lies have shaped the nation from the start will be invaluable for readers hoping to push forward.LONG-TERM POTENTIAL: While new stories in our divided nation crop up often, American Rule transcends individual scandals and looks at the bigger picture. Its focus on history makes it an evergreen read, with opportunities for a longer tail as history continues to repeat itself.