Best Selling Books by The Washington Post

A collection of articles on how ISIS took over a region the size of the UK, sparked a humanitarian crisis, and developed into a global threat. With coordinated attacks in Paris and the downing of a Russian passenger plane, the Islamic State (ISIS) declared war on the wider world, galvanizing new calls for an intensified global response. The Washington Post spent a year tracking the political and military spread of ISIS—investigating its roots and chronicling what life is really like for the people under its rule. Kevin Sullivan, a senior correspondent for the paper, conducted a series of interviews, often in secret, with people who have fled the “Caliphate.” Other correspondents, including Souad Mekhennet and Loveday Morris, spoke with those still inside. What they discovered is that, while world leaders watched, the Islamic State instituted a brutal, tiered society, in which the faithful are given control, in which women are in constant danger, and wherein dissent is met with swift and deadly retribution. This is the inside story of how ISIS combined the bloodiest aspects of religion, terrorism and statehood and became a global threat.

Washington Post reporter Joel Achenbach explores our relationship with technology—frequently beneficial, occasionally adversarial, and rapidly changing in a world growing more connected by the minute. In the second decade of this new millennium, we are more connected than we have ever been, and digital utopians speak of the new wonders ahead—artificial intelligence and augmented intelligence, a merger of humans and machines, and a coming era of transhumanism that we cannot possibly imagine. But there are dissenters. They see the rise of a surveillance state. They see personal data turned into a commodity. They see profits swirling to a few huge corporations. They see basic human interactions impaired by gadgetry. The most apocalyptic thinkers fear that machines will soon escape our control. They believe artificial intelligence will be our most catastrophic invention. These people do not form a coherent movement. But if they share a common message, it''s that technology should serve humans and not the other way around. Joel Achenbach explores his own relationship with the digital revolution, as well as its future, in this eye-opening, intelligent, and entertaining look at how we connect today.

Presidential candidates are a breed apart, often propelled by traits that have shaped their careers and have deep roots in personal histories. Often their greatest strength can turn at supernova speed into their greatest weakness. The exact qualities that set them apart from the field trip them up eventually over the long haul of a presidential campaign. Some see former Texas governor Rick Perry as one of the most instinctive retail politicians in the 2016 GOP field. Others see a glib pitchman who must overcome the perception that he’s all flash and little substance. Four years after his famous ‘oops’ incident, can he persuade voters that he’s the real deal? In this series of eBooks, The Washington Post is exploring in-depth all these key characteristics of the leading presidential contenders, the very characteristics that could help make one of them the country’s next commander in chief—or forever sink their presidential ambitions.

Expand kids’ horizons with this collection of real-life stories of children’s lives in countries from Nepal to the Netherlands. Filled with fascinating details that enrich young people’s understanding of geography, culture, and history, these stories by Washington Post foreign correspondents feature the true stories of kids all over the world. From Yuki, who rides a subway train to school every day in Tokyo, to Sayeed, who guides tourists on camel rides in Egypt, children can discover the dramatic differences—as well as the universal human experiences—of their counterparts around the globe. In addition to its educational value, Kids Around the World also provides an entertaining and enlightening travelogue to satisfy young people’s hunger for discovery and adventure.

The Washington Nationals entered the 2019 season with high hopes but an uncertain identity under second-year manager Dave Martinez. Gone was Bryce Harper. Still around were dominant starting pitchers in Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg star third baseman Anthony Rendon talented young outfielders Juan Soto and Victor Robles – and the specter of past playoff disappointments. A slow start dragged down by bullpen collapses saw the team 12 games below .500 and 10 games out of first place entering Memorial Day weekend. And then began a turnaround for the ages. Behind bedrock pitching from Strasburg and offseason acquisition Patrick Corbin clutching hitting from Howie Kendrick and midseason signing Gerardo Parra the Nationals played the final 112 games of the regular season as well as any team in baseball to capture a wild-card berth. Along the way they discovered the camaraderie and joy that would propel them to a wild-card victory over Milwaukee an upset of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the division round a sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Championship Series and finally a World Series victory over the Houston Astros. In Fight to the Finish relive the Nationals'' run through the images and words of The Washington Post photographers and reporters who followed the team every step of the way.

Presidential candidates are a breed apart, often propelled by traits that have shaped their careers and have deep roots in personal histories. Often their greatest strength can turn at supernova speed into their greatest weakness. The exact qualities that set them apart from the field trip them up eventually over the long haul of a presidential campaign. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s big personality and bold political instincts have put him on the national radar. His willingness to speak from the gut has enabled him to connect directly with voters on both sides of the aisle better than any of the other candidates. But that same bluntness sometimes jeopardizes the very agenda he wants to accomplish. In this series of eBooks, The Washington Post is exploring in-depth all these key characteristics of the leading presidential contenders, the very characteristics that could help make one of them the country’s next commander in chief—or forever sink their presidential ambitions.

Presidential candidates are a breed apart, often propelled by traits that have shaped their careers and have deep roots in personal histories. Often their greatest strength can turn at supernova speed into their greatest weakness. The exact qualities that set them apart from the field trip them up eventually over the long haul of a presidential campaign. It was as a lifelong broadcaster that Mike Huckabee, the onetime “pastor on TV,” perfected the conservative amiability that helped him win the Iowa caucuses in 2008 and could again set him apart from an increasingly crowded field of Republicans. But in the GOP of 2016, when the sharp edge plays better than the soft smile, Huckabee enters the race facing a key question: Will the same “I’m not mad at anybody” on-air vibe that fueled his rise make him a non-starter for mad-as-hell early Republican voters? In this series of eBooks, The Washington Post is exploring in-depth all these key characteristics of the leading presidential contenders, the very characteristics that could help make one of them the country’s next commander in chief—or forever sink their presidential ambitions.

Presidential candidates are a breed apart, often propelled by traits that have shaped their careers and have deep roots in personal histories. Often their greatest strength can turn at supernova speed into their greatest weakness. The exact qualities that set them apart from the field trip them up eventually over the long haul of a presidential campaign. Rand Paul’s ability to sell himself as the most libertarian of the presidential candidates—defending civil liberties at home and opposing military adventurism and nation-building abroad—is what can set him apart. But those unconventional ideas could also box him in. Libertarians don’t win national elections, unless you count Thomas Jefferson in 1800 and 1804. In this series of eBooks, The Washington Post is exploring in-depth all these key characteristics of the leading presidential contenders, the very characteristics that could help make one of them the country’s next commander in chief—or forever sink their presidential ambitions.

Presidential candidates are a breed apart, often propelled by traits that have shaped their careers and have deep roots in personal histories. Often their greatest strength can turn at supernova speed into their greatest weakness. The exact qualities that set them apart from the field trip them up eventually over the long haul of a presidential campaign. Hillary Clinton’s won’t-back-down resolve is the quality that could make her America’s first female president if it doesn’t sabotage her first. She may have gotten her first campaign for the Democratic nomination wrong, but now she is doggedly determined to get it right. But that past campaign and her controversial years as first lady, while leaving her with more experience with the nuts and bolts of being president, have also left a trail of ethical questions that provide her challengers ample ammunition on the trail. In this series of eBooks, The Washington Post is exploring in-depth all these key characteristics of the leading presidential contenders, the very characteristics that could help make one of them the country’s next commander in chief—or forever sink their presidential ambitions.

From one of the world''s most renowned novelists to a truth-telling comedian to a courageous warrior for civil rights, 2014 bid farewell to many great men and women who have changed the way we think about our world. In 22 LIVES OF 2014, THE WASHINGTON POST turns to its Pulitzer Prize-winning reportage to gather the obituaries of some of the greatest artists and icons. It honors memories and remembers legacies. This uplifting look at figures such as Gabriel García Márquez and path-breaking Olympian Alice Coachman acknowledges the mark they left on our world and on our lives.

Presidential candidates are a breed apart, often propelled by traits that have shaped their careers and have deep roots in personal histories. Often their greatest strength can turn at supernova speed into their greatest weakness. The exact qualities that set them apart from the field trip them up eventually over the long haul of a presidential campaign. It’s Ted Cruz’s ramrod devotion to principle—or, its flip side, an unyielding insistence on getting his way—that could propel him to the front ranks of Republican contenders for president or render him unelectable. In this series of eBooks, The Washington Post is exploring in-depth all these key characteristics of the leading presidential contenders, the very characteristics that could help make one of them the country’s next commander in chief—or forever sink their presidential ambitions.

Presidential candidates are a breed apart, often propelled by traits that have shaped their careers and have deep roots in personal histories. Often their greatest strength can turn at supernova speed into their greatest weakness. The exact qualities that set them apart from the field trip them up eventually over the long haul of a presidential campaign. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is a man in a hurry, whose dizzying political ascent—he has never lost a race—is a testament to his quickness to spot openings and go for them. The question now, as he aims for the White House, is whether voters ultimately see Rubio as refreshing and bold, the inspiring face of a new generation—or just a promising young pol getting ahead of himself. In this series of eBooks, The Washington Post is exploring in-depth all these key characteristics of the leading presidential contenders, the very characteristics that could help make one of them the country’s next commander in chief—or forever sink their presidential ambitions.

Presidential candidates are a breed apart, often propelled by traits that have shaped their careers and have deep roots in personal histories. Often their greatest strength can turn at supernova speed into their greatest weakness. The exact qualities that set them apart from the field trip them up eventually over the long haul of a presidential campaign. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s immovability, his polite but firm determination to stay the course, both intrigues and frustrates Wisconsin voters. They acknowledge that Walker’s uncompromising stance helped him implement his policies in Wisconsin and win a standoff with unions over collective bargaining that gained him a national reputation. But they say the governor’s victories have come at a steep price: the polarization of a state with a long history of progressive politics and bipartisan civil governance. In this series of eBooks, The Washington Post is exploring in-depth all these key characteristics of the leading presidential contenders, the very characteristics that could help make one of them the country’s next commander in chief—or forever sink their presidential ambitions.

Heroes and icons. Athletes and entertainers. Trailblazers and game-changers. The world lost many brilliant women and men in 2015, but legacies live on. The Washington Post beautifully and comprehensively encapsulates some of the luminaries the world lost in 2015. Brilliant and beloved, fiery and controversial, these twenty-one lives live on through sheer influence. From legends like B.B. King, whose guitar-playing inspired musicians across all genres, to Julian Bond, whose tireless work on behalf of Civil Rights resonates to this day. From wildly exciting lives, like Elizabeth McIntosh, the spy who helped defeat the Axis, to more contemplative lives, like that of Oliver Sacks, who revolutionized the way we look at the human brain, the recounting of these twenty-one lives showcase the impact a human being can have on the world.

Presidential candidates are a breed apart, often propelled by traits that have shaped their careers and have deep roots in personal histories. Often their greatest strength can turn at supernova speed into their greatest weakness. The exact qualities that set them apart from the field trip them up eventually over the long haul of a presidential campaign. Jeb Bush’s DNA string might as well be tied around his neck. It’s a twisting, double-edged lariat, this family inheritance, at once his greatest advantage and disadvantage. On the one hand, it makes him an immediate force in the crowded GOP presidential field. On the other hand, it saddles him with a problem of self-definition; people think they already know him, which means they see him as more of the same of something they already got. Twice. In this series of eBooks, The Washington Post is exploring in-depth all these key characteristics of the leading presidential contenders, the very characteristics that could help make one of them the country’s next commander in chief—or forever sink their presidential ambitions.

The Washington Capitals entered the 2017-18 season still stinging from their latest playoff disappointment months earlier after another dominant regular season. But the team retained its captain, Alex Ovechkin, and its core, including goaltender Braden Holtby and standouts such as Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov and T.J. Oshie. After a solid if uneven regular season, the Capitals entered the postseason without the crushing expectations of years past but also no assurance that this year would be different, especially after losses in their first two playoff games. Then something special happened: Ovechkin led with both his play and emotion, Holtby rekindled his magic in net, rookies complemented veterans and the franchise found itself in unprecedented heights: hoisting the Stanley Cup. Relive the magical run through the images and words of The Washington Post photographers and reporters that followed the team every step of the way.