The Unraveling

Name: The Unraveling
Brand: Bloomsbury Publishing (AUS)
Price: 38.75 AUD
Availability: PreOrder

Reflections on Politics without Ethics and Democracy in Crisis

By: Bob Bauer

Write A Review

Paperback | 22 January 2026

At a Glance

Paperback
256 Pages

Edition Type
Revised

Dimensions(cm)
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.82

Paperback

$38.75

or 4 interest-free payments of $9.69 with

Available: 22nd January 2026

Preorder. Will ship when available.

Now with a new foreword by Harvard Law Professor and former Assistant Attorney General Jack Goldsmith, and with a new concluding chapter from the author on the unprecedented ethical challenges in the first year of Trump 2.0.

Essential reading for anyone interested in modern American politics, get the book that former President Barack Obama on X calls "a deeply thoughtful book" and says, "couldnât be a more timely read."

Part memoir, part rumination on the declining moral compass of the American political class, The Unraveling is the first book to place restoring political ethics at the center of the renewal of American democracy. Politics is a brutal game, but Bauer asks where does the line fall between the âhardballâ of politics and attacks on the very foundation of democracy? Looking back on 46 years in the political arena, Bauer tries to better grasp what has gone wrong and to understand what shaped his own decisions and actions. He offers anecdotes, perspectives, and insights that are vitally relevant in our world today, including efforts in 2020 (and 2024) to defend our democratic system of elections from attack and distrust, and the struggles with social media, such as Meta, to combat disinformation in a post-truth politics. The expanded paperback edition includes a new concluding chapter highlighting the ethical failures of public institutions under the the second Trump administrationâ"law firms, universities, and the media, as well as the Trump administration itselfâ"and the imperative to do better in order to preserve the consent of the governed in American democracy.

He writes about the various personal experiences along the wayâ"the highs, the lows, and the absurd. Bauer presents a smart and serious look at our political culture and the role that he has played in shaping it. The Unraveling will be essential reading for anyone interested in American politics of the last 50 years--and the next.

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.