Barbara C. Jordan, Selected Speeches

Edited by Sandra Parham

You won't have to pull hard to find the thread between the country's greatest female orator and Barack Obama.

Sammy's House

Kristin Gore

Al's daughter is full of insider knowledge. And the book is charming. The heroine, Sammy, is simultaneously sweet, sarcastic, laugh out loud funny, and relatable as a young woman making her way through life and politics and a life in politics.

Smoke and Mirrors

Barbara Michaels

Young Erin Hartsock joins the campaign staff of a charismatic congresswoman but the trail turns threatening and, ultimately murderous. A novel set in the world of politics ... blood, death, intrigue, suspense (and in that order too).

And finally, there are the murder mysteries of Margaret Truman. Yes, she's related. And the books are more fun than a You Tube-sponsored debate moderated by Amy Winehouse with questions submitted by the Staff of The Daily Show. OK, they're nothing like that, but they bring the iconic places of D.C. to life with energy and wit.