John Avlon talks with former Rep. Steve Israel about his new historical thriller ‘The Einstein Conspiracy’, Israel’s life as a small bookstore owner, the politics of Long Island, rising antisemitism, and the reforms he thinks could fix American democracy.

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Buy The Einstein Conspiracy: https://www.amazon.com/Einstein-Conspiracy-Steve-Israel/dp/B0FVNQ1ZXS

America used to build big things fast, highways, power grids, rail, entire cities. So why does it feel like nothing works anymore? John Avlon sits down with Marc Dunkelman, author of the new book Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress and How to Get It Back, to dig into the real reasons our government can’t get shovels in the ground, and how we fix it. 

From EV chargers that take years to install, to high-speed rail blocked by endless lawsuits, to progressive ideals that accidentally created a veto-ridden system where anyone can stop everything. Dunkelman explains how we broke the ability to build, and what it will take to restore it.

John Avlon sits down with Ryan Holiday for a deep dive into virtue, character, and what ancient wisdom can still teach a country drowning in cynicism. They trace the Stoic roots behind Holiday’s bestselling series, unpack the dangers of America’s “wisdom deficit,” and explore how applied history can ground us in a moment when the loudest voices are often the least serious. Holiday opens up about his writing process, the influence of Robert Greene, and the books he returns to when he needs clarity. It’s a conversation about courage, justice, self-discipline, and why these old virtues feel newly urgent.

The Last Lion (William Manchester)

The Old, Weird America (Greil Marcus) 

The World of Yesterday (Stefan Zweig)

Montaigne (Stefan Zweig)

The Moviegoer (Walker Percy)

The Nightingale’s Song (Robert Timberg)

Stoicism (Ryan Holiday)

The Obstacle Is the Way (Ryan Holiday)

Ego Is the Enemy (Ryan Holiday)

The Daily Stoic (Ryan Holiday)

Perennial Seller (Ryan Holiday)

The 48 Laws of Power (Robert Greene)

Mastery (Robert Greene)

The Laws of Human Nature (Robert Greene)

Former congressman and January 6 Committee member Adam Kinzinger joins John Avlon to talk about fixing what’s broken, from using Russia’s own frozen cash to rebuild Ukraine, to confronting Trump-era corruption, to why Democrats have to “fight fire with fire” on redistricting. They also dive into the cost of moral courage, what it means to be a “good Republican” in the MAGA age, and how to break Washington’s pay-to-play cycle.

The Last Republican

How to Make Putin Pay: The $2 Billion-a-Day Plan That Could End the War

The Trump–Epstein Relationship: What We Know & Why Republicans Won’t Address It

Ken Burns joins John Avlon for a conversation that feels like a pep talk America desperately needs. From the messy, human story of the Revolution to the warning signs we’re ignoring today, Burns makes the case that our past isn’t a museum piece, it’s a manual for saving the country.

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Investigative journalist Patrick Radden Keefe joins John Avlon to unpack what Northern Ireland’s “Troubles” can teach America about polarization, violence, and the fight for truth. From the lessons of Say Nothing to the perils of propaganda, they trace how societies unravel, and how we can stop it before it’s too late.

Keefe also dives into his craft, fact-checking at The New Yorker, writing like a novelist, and keeping faith in truth amid social media chaos.

The Bench Burner Article: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2001/12/10/the-bench-burner

Books Mentioned:

Say Nothing — by Patrick Radden Keefe

Empire of Pain — by Patrick Radden Keefe

A Secret History — by Donna Tartt

Presumed Innocent — by Scott Turow

Wingnuts — by John Avlon

Harvard law professor and democracy reformer Larry Lessig is taking on the big money machine. In Maine, he’s helping defend a ballot initiative that bans super PACs, backed by a stunning 75% of voters. If he wins, this case could crack Citizens United wide open and bring campaign finance reform to the entire country. This might just be the moment to end dark money’s grip on American politics.

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John Avlon talks with Senator Andy Kim about Trump’s “mob boss” politics, the rise of fear inside the GOP, and Kim’s plan to build an anti-corruption movement that takes on what he calls “the cowards and the crazies.”

Does “broken windows” policing actually work? John Avlon and John Miller dig into how a small idea changed New York City — and why it still sparks huge debates today. It’s a lesson in data, strategy, and how crime narratives get twisted for politics.

Are we really close to a second civil war? John Avlon talks with Barbara F. Walter, author of How Civil Wars Start and How to Stop Them, about the dangerous warning signs in America today. From democratic decline to political violence and Trump’s authoritarian playbook. But it’s not just doom: Walter lays out real solutions, from regulating social media algorithms to empowering citizens through peaceful resistance and local reforms. This episode is a sobering look at the risks,  and a hopeful roadmap for stopping the spiral before it’s too late.

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