Every election season, American readers cling to buzzy political books. But how do publishers make plans despite an uncertain outcome, and how do their decisions influence the national conversation?

Palimpsest, by Gore Vidal . Vidal wrote some of the greatest American novels about politics—Burr, Lincoln, 1876.In this magnificently malicious memoir, he trains that political acumen on himself.

These Are the Political Books You Actually Want to Read. We get it — you love politics, but you’re looking for something different to take to the beach this year. We’ve got you covered.