Books and More with William Cooper

Alexandra is a critic for The New York Times Book Review and occasional features writer. She joined The Times in 2010. She is the author of the hit book: “Still Here: The Madcap, Nervy Singular Life of Elaine Stritch.” Website: https://www.nytimes.com/by/alexandra-jacobs Book: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250758057/stillhere/

In this episode of How America Works and Why It Doesn't, host William Cooper analyzes the legal and constitutional ramifications of the major election shift following the latest congressional results. Congressional Shift: The Democratic Party secured major gains, reaching 54 seats in the Senate (gaining 7) and taking a decisive leads in House races with 229 seats so far. Subpoena and Oversight Pow...

Host William Cooper speaks with veteran book reviewer Ron Charles about his career at the Washington Post and his wildly successful transition to Substack. Here's his new page: https://roncharles.substack.com/ . Charles shares insights on how major media outlets filter thousands of incoming titles, offers advice for aspiring authors, discusses classic and contemporary literary favorites, and refle...

Co-hosts William Cooper and Ed Larson sit down with legal scholar Duncan Hosie to examine the evolving role of the Supreme Court in American democracy. The discussion covers the Roberts Court's use of the shadow docket, political polarization, originalism, and why relying solely on the judiciary—rather than elections and public participation—is an unrealistic expectation for preserving democratic...

Hosts William Cooper and Edward Larson interview legal scholar Geoffrey Stone about his book, Academic Freedom in the Era of Trump. The conversation examines the history of academic freedom in the U.S., executive threats to university funding, political bias in higher education, and the court's role in defending First Amendment protections on campus. DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY

An analysis of Buffett's November 10, 2025 letter to shareholders.   DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY. will-cooper.com

We discuss his prose writing and poetry. https://lalitkumaronline.com/   https://will-cooper.com

Separation of powers--the tug of war. DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY.  

In this timely new book, professor Gloria Browne-Marshall delves into the history of protest movements and rebellion in the United States.  https://www.beacon.org/A-Protest-History-of-the-United-States-P2145.aspx   https://will-cooper.com/  

David details his new book, Artificially Intelligent. Our wide-ranging discussion covers many important topics in today's AI debates including the impact of AI on jobs and human flourishing. The book:  https://utppublishing.com/doi/book/10.3138/9781487567675   https://will-cooper.com  

A stimulating conversation with authors with H. Robert John and Nancy Merritt Bell about their new book Squawk 7700. https://www.waterstones.com/book/squawk-7700/h-r-john-and-m-mckinley-and-n-m-bell/9798896191698    

We discuss his new book, The Strategist. 

The Great Berkeley Law Dean joins the show.

In this video episode of How Our Constitution Works… And Why It Doesn’t, co-hosts Will Cooper and Edward Larson sit down with legendary legal correspondent Nina Totenberg. The conversation dives into the structural and cultural friction points in modern American democracy, exploring how societal polarization, the collapse of public discourse, and the dramatic expansion of the Supreme Court's emerg...

In this episode of How Our Constitution Works… And Why It Doesn’t, co-hosts Will Cooper and Edward Larson sit down with legendary legal correspondent Nina Totenberg. The conversation dives into the structural and cultural friction points in modern American democracy, exploring how societal polarization, the collapse of public discourse, and the dramatic expansion of the Supreme Court's emergency d...

Exploring the US Constitution with a critical eye looking forward and back with author, lawyer, and syndicated columnist William Cooper and Pulitzer Prize-winning American legal historian Ed Larson.   Will: will-cooper.com Ed: law.pepperdine.edu/faculty-research/edward-larson

A marvelous conversation about the book industry. Every author (and agent, and editor) should listen closely to Deanne. Deanne Katz, Editor, acquires and edits design-forward lifestyle books and illustrated paper products, including journals, decks, puzzles, and games. Her authors and projects include deVOL’s The deVOL Kitchen, Rachel Ignotofsky’s What’s Inside a Flower? Puzzle, Deepak Chopra’s Q&...

We discuss his marvelous new book, The Strategist: How to Think About War and Politics. An authoritative introduction to strategy—its enduring essentials, its inherent challenges, and the ways it will change in the twenty-first century.   https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691269443/the-strategist?srsltid=AU7gw4WdU3TKFKdYhR0pQb57hqz5yDkMod-INgGrmDE7elH4wqMYBjO4

ILYA SOMIN is Visiting Professor of Law at the University of Virginia, Professor of Law at George Mason University, and the B. Kenneth Simon Chair in Constitutional Studies at the Cato Institute. His research focuses on constitutional law, property law, democratic theory, federalism, and migration rights.  He is the author of Free to Move: Foot Voting, Migration, and Political Freedom (Oxford Univ...

We discuss her wonderful new book, How Bright the Path Grows: The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the March on Washington. Book Description From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Franchise comes the little-known story of the pioneering Black women artists and activists who were seen, but barely heard, at the 1963 March on Washington. “Chatelain lets us see the complexities of these women’s l...

We talk Niners, Warriors, and baseball.

In this episode of How Our Constitution Works and Why It Doesn't, hosts William Cooper and Edward Larson sit down with Zachary Shemtob, executive editor of SCOTUSblog, for a deep dive into the historical origins, modern perceptions, and institutional limits of the Supreme Court. The discussion traces the evolution of the Court’s role from the Founders' original expectations to its current position...

It's football season! We discuss Ken's great new bestseller: Every Day Is Sunday: How Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft, and Roger Goodell Turned the NFL into a Cultural & Economic Juggernaut. https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/ken-belson/every-day-is-sunday/9781538772577/?lens=grand-central-publishing DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY.   will-cooper.com

We discuss Melissa's fantastic new bestselling book, The U.S. Constitution A Comprehensive and Annotated Guide for the Modern Reader .   Melissa Murray is the Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law at NYU. Her award-winning public law scholarship considers constitutional law, family law, and reproductive rights and justice. Murray has written extensively about the Supreme Court, the legal...