Discover these new perspectives on American history during tonight’s fireworks display

History is immutable, but new perspectives on our past can shed light on hidden stories—stories that paint a completely different picture than what we thought we knew. Let’s celebrate and contemplate America’s history this Fourth of July weekend with these seven new perspectives for understanding our nation.

Learn something new every day with Book Bites, 15-minute audio summaries of the latest and greatest nonfiction books. Get started today by downloading the Next Big Idea app!

The Triumph of the Yuppies: America, the 1980s, and the Making of an Unequal Nation

By Tom McGrath

The triumph of the Yuppies The article traces the transformation of baby boomers from hippie idealists to careerists in the early 1980s, and details how marketers, media outlets, and politicians adapted to appeal to this influential new group. More importantly, the yuppie “me-first” mindset helped create the greatest income inequality in a century. Listen to our summary of Book Bite, read by author Tom McGrath, on the Next Big Idea app

Presidents and the People: Five Leaders Who Threatened Democracy and the Citizens Who Fought to Defend It

By Corey Brettschneider

American presidents have often pushed the boundaries set by the Constitution; here are the inspiring stories of the people who pushed the boundaries. Listen to our summary of Book Bite, read by author Heather McGhee, on the Next Big Idea app

Ben & Me: In Search of a Founder’s Formula for a Long and Useful Life

By Eric Weiner

New York Times Bestselling author Eric Weiner follows in the footsteps of Benjamin Franklin, drawing inspiring and practical lessons from his life in a book that is part biography, part travelogue, and part personal prescription. Listen to our summary of Book Bite, read by author Eric Weiner, in the Next Big Idea app

The Situation Room: The Inside Story of Presidents in Crisis

By George Stephanopoulos

George Stephanopoulos, former senior adviser to President Clinton and host of the show for more than 20 years This week and co-presenter of Hello Americachronicles the crises that have shaped the course of history, from the place where 12 presidents have made their most pressing decisions: the White House Situation Room. Listen to our summary of Book Bite, read by author George Stephanopoulos, in the Next Big Idea app

The Infernal Machine: A True Story of Dynamite, Terror, and the Rise of the Modern Detective

By Steven Johnson

A comprehensive account of the anarchists who terrorized the streets of New York and the detective duo who transformed the police force to meet the threat—a story of fanaticism, forensic science, and dynamite from the bestselling author The Ghost CardListen to our summary of Book Bite, read by author Steven Johnson, in the Next Big Idea app

Poverty for Profit: How Corporations Get Rich at America’s Expense

By Anne Kim

A devastating investigation into the “corporate poverty complex”—the myriad companies that prey on the poor. Listen to our summary of Book Bite, read by author Anne Kim, in the Next Big Idea app

An Undue Burden: Life and Death Decisions in Post-Roe America

By Shefali Luthra

An urgent investigation into the experience of people seeking abortion after Roe v. Wade, and the potentially deadly consequences of denying reproductive freedom. Listen to our summary of Book Bite, read by author Shefali Luthra, on the Next Big Idea app

Key ideas in 15 minutes

“If you want to succeed in life, you must read a lot of books,” said Roald Dahl. The only problem is that reading a single book from cover to cover takes hours, and you may not have much time to devote to the task.

But imagine for a moment: what if you could read a new, revolutionary book every day? Or better yet, what if you could invite a world-renowned thinker into your headphones, where he would personally describe to you the 5 key points of his work in just 15 minutes?

With the Next Big Idea app, we’ve made that fantasy a reality. We’ve partnered with hundreds of acclaimed authors to create “Book Bites,” short audio summaries of the latest nonfiction books curated and read aloud by the authors themselves. Discover cutting-edge leadership skills, productivity hacks, the science of happiness and well-being, and more—all in the time it takes you to get to work or walk your dog.

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Learn faster, from the world’s greatest thinkers

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