This book takes the glamour out of politics, and because of that, the results feel deeply cynical. But that's more to do with us wanting to believe the myths than the book's logic.

It explains the selectorate theory in easy to understand terms, which suggests that political behaviour depends solely on the size of the coalition of essential supporters one needs. Democratic ideals or autocratic ambitions barely factor into it.

It's a popular science summary of a 500 page scientific tome (mitpress.mit.edu/books/logic-political-survival), and should be read a such.

This year, I don't think I've recommended a book more often than this one.