Overview

Part memoir, part rumination on the declining moral compass of the American political class, The Unraveling is the first book to place restoring political ethics at the center of the renewal of American democracy. Politics is a brutal game, but Bauer asks where does the line fall between the “hardball” of politics and attacks on the very foundation of democracy? Looking back on 46 years in the political arena, Bauer tries to better grasp what has gone wrong and to understand what shaped his own decisions and actions. He offers anecdotes, perspectives, and insights that are vitally relevant in our world today, including efforts in 2020 (and 2024) to stop one president from overturning democratic elections, and the struggles with social media, such as Meta, to combat disinformation in a post-truth politics. He writes about the various personal experiences along the way—the highs, the lows, and the absurd. Bauer presents a smart and serious look at our political culture and the role that he has played in shaping it. The Unraveling will be essential reading for anyone interested in American politics of the last 50 years--and the next.

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9781538191842

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Reviews

"""A man of the arena, Bob Bauer is remarkably candid about his own role in defining and in deploying the law of politics--or, sometimes, the politics of the law--in recent decades. In these pages he takes honest account of the conflicts and compromises of an inherently complex sphere of life."" --Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian ""With wit, insight, self-awareness, and humility, Bob Bauer reflects on his life as a leading political lawyer, making an urgent plea for a renewed commitment to political ethics. A must-read warning about how our existential politics has led to norm collapse, and how to bring us back from the brink."" --Richard L. Hasen, Author of A Real Right to Vote and Election Meltdown"

Author Information

Bob Bauer has been involved in many of the biggest political struggles of the past five decades, from the post-Watergate 1970s to the 2020 election and beyond. He was White House Counsel to President Barack Obama, the chief lawyer for his presidential campaign, and for many years has been his personal counsel. Bauer currently represents President Biden in the special counsel investigation in the matter of classified documents. Bauer is a regular contributor to The Atlantic, The New York Times, Lawfare, and The Washington Post. He resides in Washington, DC.

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