CLASSIC: A Long Shadow: Life and Times of David Koch

In 'Kochland,' Christopher Leonard traces the history of Koch Industries from its origins as a regional pipeline company to its current status as a global corporate giant. The book details the company's growth under Charles Koch's leadership, its strategic operations in the petroleum and financial sectors, and its extensive influence on American politics, labor unions, and climate change policies. Leonard's work is praised for its meticulous research and balanced narrative, providing insights into the Koch brothers' business strategies and their impact on modern corporate America.

In this meticulously researched book, Jane Mayer exposes the systematic efforts of a network of extremely wealthy conservative Republicans, led by the Koch brothers, to influence American politics. The book delves into how these billionaires have funded various organizations to shape academic institutions, think tanks, courts, statehouses, Congress, and the presidency according to their radical free-market beliefs. Mayer highlights the opaque nature of political finance, the use of non-profit front groups to hide donors, and the significant impact of the Citizens United decision on the rise of 'dark money' in politics. The book provides a comprehensive and historical view of the financial takeover of US politics and its social consequences.