Dark MoneyDark Money
Score Modern
What it's about
The investigative journalist Jane Mayer traces how a small group of very rich conservatives, led by the brothers Charles and David Koch, used their fortunes, often through hidden donations, to fund think tanks, university programs, advocacy groups and political campaigns, and how they reshaped American politics from the 1970s to the Tea Party era.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and became a key book for understanding money in modern American politics.
You'll love it if you liked
The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty
A People's History of the United StatesGood to know
It's detailed and has a clear point of view. It was published in 2016, before the most recent elections.
By the numbers
- Readers91 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics24 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller48 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz4 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #10 of the 44 politics books we rank
- #72 of the 198 history books we rank
- #202 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #401 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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Quick answers
Is Dark Money worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and became a key book for understanding money in modern American politics. It ranks #401 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 79.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Dark Money about?
The investigative journalist Jane Mayer traces how a small group of very rich conservatives, led by the brothers Charles and David Koch, used their fortunes, often through hidden donations, to fund think tanks, university programs, advocacy groups and political campaigns, and how they reshaped American politics from the 1970s to the Tea Party era.
How long does it take to read Dark Money?
About 14 hours (576 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Dark Money?
If you liked it, try The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America by George Packer, Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe or A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn.