First published 2017
Chris Hayes examines how America has divided into two separate realms he calls the Colony and the Nation. The Emmy Award winning news anchor and New York Times bestselling author builds his case through historical analysis, social research, political examination, and his own encounters with police. Hayes argues that in the Nation, citizens respect and trust the law. In the Colony, authorities prioritize control and suppress civil liberties through fear. He traces this split to racial inequality, widespread gun violence, and decisions driven by anxiety rather than justice. Hayes approaches this systemic division with compassion, seeking to understand how American criminal justice became so flawed. The book offers readers insight into how policing and democracy interact in modern America.
Genres: political-science, crime, non-fiction, 21st-century, current-affairs, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: social-commentary, systemic-issues
Setting: America
Period: Modern
256 pages · Hardcover · W. W. Norton & Company
Content warnings: racism