What if American democracy isn’t undergoing a political crisis but a racial reckoning?

In The Price of Union, political scientist and civic leader Kelly Burton argues that our democratic crisis runs deeper than political divisions. It is—and has always been—ultimately a matter of race.

From the beginning, American democracy and racial caste have existed in a codependent relationship, each shaping and sustaining the other.

Drawing on four hundred years of history—from Jamestown to January 6—Burton shows how this arrangement has defined the nation’s institutions and values and how as the caste system begins to weaken, the democracy it upheld is beginning to come apart.

Picking up where Isabel Wilkerson’s modern classic Caste left off, Burton offers a deeply researched, narrative-rich retelling of the American story that exposes the original bargain that more than anything else made America what it is today. The result is a sweeping and provocative work that challenges and reframes how we understand power, race, and belonging in the “land of the free.”

The Price of Union invites readers to confront the true cost of the American experiment as we have known it—and to imagine what has never been: a nation built on shared humanity and capable of serving the common good.

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GZXC3M78

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Amplify Publishing

• Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 15, 2026

• Language ‏ : ‎ English

• Print length ‏ : ‎ 368 pages

• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8900260990

• Author: Kelly Burton PhD

An urgent call to rekindle our shared American ideals.

We are living through a time of crisis. The problems we face grow more serious, while our divisions continue to widen. But our history overflows with people who used the power of our foundational virtues to overcome impossible obstacles.

In Stand, Senator Cory Booker offers a hopeful and practical path forward, weaving together powerful stories and stirring personal reflections to remind us that our country’s shared ideals can serve as a North Star to guide us, even when our journey feels especially dark and perilous. He argues that our principles are not luxuries; they are vital, strategic keys to our survival and success. By wielding these tools, we can reclaim our sense of common cause and change the course of our country’s history.

Stand takes readers on a trip through America’s past and present, showcasing moments when individuals and communities―in unexpected situations and against staggering odds―prevailed by embodying the best of our nation’s virtues. Through the stories of leaders from President George Washington and Congressman John Lewis, to suffragist Alice Paul and Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, to environmental justice advocate Ron Finley and disability rights activist Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins, Booker offers inspiring and actionable insights for Americans from all walks of life.

Published ahead of America’s 250th anniversary, Stand is a defiantly optimistic challenge to reclaim our national story and work together to redeem the American dream.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Press

• Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 24, 2026

• Author: Cory Booker

• Language ‏ : ‎ English

• Print length ‏ : ‎ 272 pages

• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250436737

• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250436733