As a student, debating with your peers is a common thing you will always find yourself doing. Aside from talking about special topics with your friends, your school can ask you to write an argumentative essay. During a time like this, you will want to access a wide range of information that would surely keep you smartly engaging your readers.
Winning political debates often comes with a wide range of benefits including getting the attention of the audience focused on you. One of the best ways to sound smarter is to improve your knowledge and prepare more arguments to defend your point of view. In this article, we will take a look at some of the top books that make you smarter at political debates.
The Gun Debate: What Everyone Needs to Know by Philip J. Cook and Kristin A. Goss
Do you take a stand on a gun question but lack arguments to convince your peers? Then you should definitely read this book. Just as the name implies, it equips you with knowledge based on gun debates and will be a perfect source of information for both a friendly conversation and an A+ gun control essay for your school. The authors have done a great research and provide insights into the history of guns in the United States, data on ownership laws, the gun industry, firearm violence, and public policy aimed at the restriction. Besides general information, the book also covers statistical data about guns, suicides and domestic violence. Despite loads of information, the book is written in an unbiased and conversational tone which makes it easy to understand and remember a lot of facts.
Fascism: A Warning by Madeleine Albright
After its release, ‘Fascism: A Warning’ became a No. 1 New York Times best-seller. As a student reading this, you can find information based on the fascist rule in the 20th century, including its warning signs and after-effects. Written by the US Secretary of State, this book provides a lot of personal insights into the early 20th century political history. However, along with the author’s personal story, the reader receives a deep and analytical report about fascism in Europe and the US. The book is written in quite a vivid language with many metaphors and allusions and will not leave you indifferent.
American Grace by Putnam and Campbell
The ‘American Grace’ is one of the most prominent research works ever made about religion in the US. It provides an overview of the religious development of the US, including but not limited to the appearance of various religious communities. Each chapter of the book shows a different perspective on religion, family, community, tradition and much more to the reader. It also covers some of the defining factors of the separation between religion and politics. All this information is supported by statistical data and unexpected societal trends which made you want to learn more about the influence of religion. If you are writing a college research paper on religion or sociology, reading the book is sure to prep you up with some of the best argumentative points.
‘What You Should Know About Politics…But Don’t’ – Jessamyn Conrad
This special piece covers information about American politics and how they break down sectors that deal with activities in the country. They range from health care and the economy to climate change and energy sources. The book has 13 chapters which cover homeschooling, trade, homeland security, civil liberties, elections and more. The author writes in a very unbiased and funny manner. All the chapters have similar outlines and include historical overview and statistical data of the issue at hand, which makes it easy to orient and read the book. As a student, this book should equip you with knowledge in various areas of the US economy and peculiarities of the political process.
Pro-Life Answers to Pro-Choice Arguments Expanded & Updated by Randy Alcorn
Randy Alcorn seems to have done impossible: he collected every possible pro-choice argument and statement and provided his answer to it. So what’s so extraordinary about it, you might want to say. And the answer is the research the author had to do and loads of data he collected. Even though this book does provide a one-sided perspective on the question of abortion, it is unbiased and the most comprehensive research among other books about abortion debate. Randy Alcorn does not fall into arguing for the sake of argument, he provides facts, stats and solutions for every question the reader might have. The book does not try to convince you, however, it provides a lot of information for you to make a decision. If you are already a pro-life supporter, this book will help you articulate and defend your point of view. If you are not, it will definitely give you some food for thought.
Conclusion
Students are not the only set of people who can read these books. The above review contains some of the top books every educated person should read. This goes a long way in preparing them for smart talks on just about any political issue.
