“He’s Created His Own Ecosystem.” The Lavin Interview with Mark Leibovich: On Trump and Political Disruption
Mark Leibovich’s trenchant take on the elite world of Washington politics—the major and minor players, the whole gilded institution—has earned him the #1 spot on the bestseller list (for This Town) and won him praise as “the reigning master of the political profile” (Washingtonian magazine). One of... Continue Reading →
The Definitive Book on the Islamic State: Graeme Wood’s The Way of the Strangers Arrives Next Week
Graeme Wood’s The Way of the Strangers—a gripping and myth-busting study of ISIS—hits shelves next week. Wood’s full-length expose follows his electrifying Atlantic article “What ISIS Really Wants”: a key text to understanding the theology, psychology, and strategy of the Islamic State. Wood’s... Continue Reading →
What Does ISIS Really Want? Ask Our Newest Speaker, The Atlantic’s Graeme Wood
Graeme Wood’s Atlantic cover story “What ISIS Really Wants” was the most-read article on the Internet—the entire Internet—in 2015. In it, he delves deep into a group few of us truly understand. And in his keynotes, he asks—and answers—vital questions. What does ISIS actually want? Who are they? And... Continue Reading →
Trump Roundup: Ali, Fallows, & Francis
The Donald Trump-Ghazala Khan saga has evolved once again. Khan, the mother of slain U.S. military captain Humayun Khan, came under fire from Trump after remaining silent while her husband spoke at last week’s Democratic National Convention. “If you look at his wife, she was standing there,” Trump... Continue Reading →
Mark Leibovich’s NYT Magazine Cover Story on the GOP Identity Crisis
What does Donald Trump’s campaign—both highly public and decidedly unconventional—mean for the party he represents? Will the GOP become inextricably tied to Trump’s manner and viewpoints, win or lose? Two Lavin speakers have recently written high-profile pieces on Trump and the fate of the... Continue Reading →
Clinton, Trump Winning Same States for Different Reasons: Derek Thompson in The Atlantic
In this morning’s Atlantic, senior editor Derek Thompson reveals a curious trend in the presidential primaries: where Hillary Clinton is winning, so is Donald Trump. Despite heavy losses west of the Mississippi, both candidates have won a stretch of 15 contiguous states—from Louisiana along the Gulf... Continue Reading →
#AskASpeaker #3: Twitter Q&A with John Ibbitson
Last Thursday, October 29th saw our third #AskASpeaker Twitter Q&A! Our guest this week was political expert John Ibbitson: author of Stephen Harper: A Biography (2015), the bestselling The Big Shift (2013), and other essential books on the Canadian political landscape. As The Globe and Mail’s... Continue Reading →
Understanding the PM: John Ibbitson’s Stephen Harper Reviewed & Profiled
Political authority John Ibbitson’s latest book, Stephen Harper: A Biography, has rocketed to the centre of the Canadian political conversation. A high-profile review in The Globe and Mail and an interview with CBC’s The Current shed some light on a book that captures our 22nd Prime Minister in ways... Continue Reading →