President's Book Club: Books and Videos

Could the promise of upward mobility have a dark side? In Tensions in the American Dream, Melanie and Roderick Bush ask, how does a "nation of immigrants" pledge inclusion, yet marginalize so many citizens based on race, class, and gender? The authors consider the origins and development of the U.S. nation and empire; the founding principles of belonging, nationalism, and exceptionalism; and their lived reality.

Tracing the history of the phrase in popular culture, Samuel gives readers a field guide to the evolution of our national identity over the last eighty years. Samuel tells the story chronologically, revealing that there have been six major eras of the mythology since the phrase was coined in 1931. That it is not real ultimately turns out to be the most significant finding and what makes the story most compelling.

Students of Color and the Achievement Gapis a comprehensive, landmark analysis of an incontrovertible racialized reality in U.S. K-12 public education---the relentless achievement gap between low-socioeconomic students of color and their economically advantaged White counterparts.

The Smart Society offers a detailed blueprint for how the United States can recast its human capital policies to make all Americans--not just a privileged elite--smarter and more successful than ever before, at the same time stemming the size and cost of the nation's "safety net."

G is for Genes shows how a dialogue between geneticists and educationalists can have beneficial results for the education of all children-and can also benefit schools, teachers, and society at large.

Big cities have mostly failed in their efforts to reform public schools. This book shows why, and offers a framework for achieving future success.

After spending more than two decades on the front lines, witnessing first-hand public education's shocking failures and remarkable successes, Mr. Tilson was inspired to assemble a powerful and at times unsettling presentation about the twin achievement gaps and what must be done to address them. He utilizes the latest data and research to paint the most detailed portrait of American public education ever committed to film.

Amidst a gloomy climate of failing schools and the stringent No Child Left Behind legislation, some communities have created a small revolution, achieving gains with children others had given up on--with implications for schools nationwide.