Newsmax Rising Bestsellers looks at "liberty and tyranny," examining historical and contemporary contexts.

In the liberty category, one selection outlines that period of American history when the Constitution declared that all men were finally free, and another confirms that a free society promotes the ability to rise above our station at birth.

In the tyranny theme, one author describes how elites in America have used immigration to destroy the American dream, while a final nonfiction pick argues that TV programming and commercials have been used to reshape morality and fundamental truths.

And for fiction, there is the latest from the imagination of the undisputed king of the mystery-thriller genre.

"Born Equal: Remaking America's Constitution, 1840-1920," by Akhil Reed Amar (Basic Books)

Constitutional historian Amar, who is described as "one of our most prodigious constitutional scholars," explains and describes the 80 years that converted American slaves into full voting U.S. citizens.

By the time the process was complete, the U.S. Constitution had finally caught up with the famous phrase of Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

It was made possible only through the vision, voices and determination of 19^th century figures like Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Abraham Lincoln.

"No scholar knows more about the Constitution," wrote Gordon Wood, Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy. "1840 to 1920 was an amazing period of constitutional history, and Amar has captured all the dynamism of those 80 years in this wonderfully readable volume."  [Nonfiction]


"From Cotton Fields to Courtrooms: A Texas Lawyer's Memoir," by Thomas R. Conner (SkillBites LLC)

This memoir is one that would be possible only in the U.S. — where freedom reigns and no matter what your status at birth, your future is limited only by your imagination, determination, and perseverance.

The book starts off with the stirring courtroom drama of one of the author's biggest, most famous cases, then reverts to the dirt road hometown he grew up in.

From there, his life takes a number of turns, including major-market disc jockeying and chauffeuring college girls across Europe, before settling on the law.

"In his engaging memoir, Conner shares anecdotes largely culled from his decades-long practice as a divorce attorney and trial lawyer," according to BookLife Reviews. "Conner's lean, precise prose sparkles with energy and good humor. His characterization is deft, with a few well-chosen words painting evocative portraits of the people he encounters."  [Nonfiction]


"The Invisible Coup: How American Elites and Foreign Powers Use Immigration as a Weapon," by Peter Schweizer (Harper)

If you ever had the impression that there was a purpose behind open borders and unfettered immigration, your instincts are clairvoyant, author Peter Schweizer suggests.

The criminal illegal aliens that ICE agents arrest each day — murderers, rapists, drug and human traffickers — didn't just come here. They were sent here.

And as they arrived, political elites kept selling Americans on the idea that accepting more foreign born individuals was both compassionate and a celebration of America as being a "country of immigrants."

"If you believe in the principles of the Declaration of Independence, please read this book," wrote Steve Randall for GoodReads. "Meticulously researched and documented, it outlines our future if Democrats regain power."  [Nonfiction]


"Programmed to Obey: How TV Destroyed America's Soul," by Carmine Sabia Jr. (Carmine Sabia)

Dinner is finished, the dishes are washed and put away, and the family gathers in the living room for another evening of television. Little is said as all eyes are glued to the TV.

Is it possible that in addition to informing and entertaining, the TV may be sending us subliminal messages meant to control our thoughts, our opinions, and ultimately our lives?

It's not merely possible, it's happening right now, according to journalist, podcaster, and author Carmine Sabia.

He draws on history, psychology, and personal experience to make the case that broadcast and cable networks use programming and commercials to erode morals and distort basic truths.

"What I liked most is that it is honest, direct, and feels like a conversation that needed to happen a long time ago," wrote M.B. Jones for Amazon. "A thought-provoking and timely read that lingers long after you close the book. I walked away questioning a lot more than I expected to. But you don't have to take my word for it — read it and see what it stirs up in you."  [Nonfiction]


"The Invisible Woman: A Thriller," by James Patterson & Susan DiLallo (Little, Brown and Co.)

FBI agent Elinor Gilbert acquired the moniker "invisible woman" with her ability to become unnoticed, to blend in, and figuratively disappear in any social setting.

But she leaves the bureau when her boss outs a confidential informant she'd used for years.

She returns 10 years later when her former boss asks for her help to expose an art dealer with believed ties to a Mexican drug cartel. He wants her to work in the suspect's home as a nanny.

The more that Elinor becomes a fixture within the dealer's family, the more dangerous her assignment becomes.

The novel "comes with the intensity and frequent cliffhangers that we have come to expect from a James Patterson novel," wrote Ray Palen in The Book Reporter. "And, of course, his trademark short chapters keep the action moving at a brisk pace with high levels of suspense."  [Fiction]