Books published by Basic Books

An illuminating biography of Alfonso X, the 13th-century philosopher-king whose affinity for Islamic culture left an indelible mark on Western civilization

How filling life with play-whether soccer or lawn mowing, counting sheep or tossing Angry Birds-forges a new path for creativity and joy in our impatient age

A bestselling historian holds our political choices up to the glare of social science to show just how illogical our voting habits are-and how we can fix them, and by extension, our democracy

"[A] ground-breaking new history of the Vatican-German Resistance.... Writing with the craft of a novelist and the conscience of a meticulous scholar, Riebling has produced a masterly account." -National Review

A dramatic portrait of the innovative Special Forces commanders and FBI agents who wage war against America's hidden enemies

An award-winning historian presents a cultural history of German-occupied Europe during World War II, as told through the writings of civilians who experienced the horrors of war firsthand.

From the chief architect of the controversial Bush tax cuts, an updated edition of one of the classic texts on the subject of tax rates and growth.

"As enthralling as any epic novel. Full of mystery and danger, bravery and tragedy, with a rapturous love story at its core that transcends both time and continents. A marvellous read."-Dennis Lehane

The definitive account of the 1945 Potsdam Conference: the historic summit where Truman, Stalin, and Churchill met to determine the fate of post-World War II Europe

From the celebrated biographer of Washington, Hamilton, and Madison comes an original portrait of our 16th president's life, career, and thought

The strange, disquieting, and sometimes delicious story of humanity's love affair with meat

A bold challenge to the faddish obsession with neuroscience, showing how our conceptions of free will, personal responsibility, and identity are compromised by reductive explanations of the human mind.

Founding chairman of the Digital Public Library of America John Palfrey explains how libraries can survive and flourish in a digital world.

A globe-trotting history of the domestic pig, showing how this humble and oft-maligned beast has helped humans to survive and thrive from the Neolithic Period to the present day.

A prizewinning military historian explores a critical but overlooked cause for World War I: the staggering decrepitude of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

A psychologist explodes the myths surrounding talent, practice, genius, and intelligence

"A brilliant work that speaks in eloquent and human terms.... A major contribution to the literature of mental illness."-William Styron, author of Darkness Visible

"Linked could alter the way we think about all the networks that affect our lives."-New York Times

From the palaces of the Habsburg Empire to the torture chambers of Stalin's Soviet Union, the extraordinary story of a life suspended between the collapse of the imperial order and the violent emergence of modern Europe

An acclaimed historian unravels Brazil's deft geopolitical machinations during World War II, showing how the country became a modern nation by first manipulating, then joining, the Allied powers.

A colourful history of Dada, leading readers through the germination and dissemination of this revolutionary but little-understood artistic movement.

"A serious and acute work.... Weigel's ability to combine the spiritual insights of a believer with the dispassionate analysis of a historian makes Evangelical Catholicism valuable for Catholics and non-Catholics, of all political persuasions, who care about the Church's future."- National Review

An entertaining tour of the science of humour and laughter

"Bold and provocative... Regenesis tells of recent advances that may soon yield endless supplies of renewable energy, increased longevity and the return of long-extinct species."-New Scientist

Democrats and Republicans have two very different visions of America. Which one will make us happier?

"Compelling... [Marrs] neatly capsulizes the plethora of theories offered by critics of the lone-gunman theory."-The Washington Post

A must-read that lays out a road map for how new technologies in genomics, information technology, and mobile medicine may completely change the way we treat and prevent illness.... Highly recommended', Forbes

"This is easily the best book on the fall of the Berlin Wall. It reads like a thriller, it's deeply researched and smoothly written."- Fareed Zakaria GPS Book of the Week