Larry Diamond, senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and Stanford’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, has spent his life studying democracy. A professor of political science and sociology at Stanford University, and former director of its Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law, he served in Baghdad as a senior adviser on

With public interest in The Supreme Court percolating, we’re highlighting books about the highest court in the land—its history, landmark cases, personalities and its crucial role in American democracy.

The United States’ current border issues with Mexico draw attention to the hardships of life there. CNN reports that nearly 35,000 individuals were arrested crossing the southern US border illegally in June. The separation of children from their families created public outcry and nationwide human rights protests. Read on for a selection of books about Mexico and border crossing.