The votes of 63 million Latino Americans will be a deciding factor in the November election. Despite his history of anti-immigration rhetoric, Donald Trump has been making inroads with this constituency, which in the past leaned Democratic. Award-winning journalist Paola Ramos investigates this shift in her new book "Defectors: The Rise of the Latino Far Right and What It Means for America."

While working-class regions like Appalachia have stereotypically been associated with the Republican MAGA movement, author Sarah Smarsh says the real picture is more complex. She joins the show to discuss all this, as well as her latest book.

In honor of “Banned Books Week,” Hari interviews Amanda Jones, author of "That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America." Jones details the online and in-person abuse she experienced after speaking out against book bans.

Culture wars and hyper-partisanship are overwhelming voters and sowing distrust. Dr. Francis Collins, former Director of the National Institutes of Health, believes an antidote may be found in both faith and science. He joins the show to explain.

The prospect of a wider war in the Middle East is creating anxiety among Americans -- including the Lebanese American mayor of Dearborn, Michigan. Michigan is home to the nation’s largest Arab American population. Mayor Abdullah Hammoud joins the show to talk about growing voter dissatisfaction in his community, and what it would take to restore their trust in the upcoming election.

In a busy week for diplomacy, world leaders are weighing up what a second Trump term could mean for the U.S. and the world. To the former president's niece, Mary Trump, it would spell nothing but bad news for American democracy. Mary Trump joined Michel Martin to discuss her views on the upcoming election and her latest book, "Who Could Ever Love You."

In his new book, historian Timothy Snyder explores what freedom is, how it has been misunderstood, and why it's our only chance for survival. The author joins the show.

Artificial Intelligence is the next frontier of the technological revolution. As it continues to evolve at breakneck speed, how can we ensure it is safe, ethical and accessible to all? Carme Artigas, Co-Chair of the U.N. Artificial Intelligence Advisory Body, joins the show to discuss all this.

Democracy has undergone a major stress test this year, with nearly half the world's voting population heading to the polls in a time of democratic backsliding and growing extremism. Francis Fukuyama, senior fellow at Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute, discusses the danger of taking democracy for granted, and -- following his trip to Ukraine -- how he believes the war there might end.

Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, a leading marine biologist and climate policy expert, offers a hopeful look at how to confront the climate crisis gripping our world — and flourish in the process. Johnson sits down with Hari to discuss her vision for a thriving, sustainable future. She explains how a diverse set of experts in fields such as farming, finance, and fashion helped to shape her ideas.

Complication is rife this election season, in view of Trump's indictments, Biden bowing out, Kamala Harris stepping in, and now an apparent second assassination attempt against the former president at his Florida golf course. Presidential historian Timothy Naftali talks to Walter Isaacson about the events of this weekend and what they say about American politics today.

In Yuval Noah Harari's new book "Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI," the bestselling author and historian looks at the unique challenges that artificial intelligence represents for our time. Harari joins the show.

Jerusalem Demsas, staff writer at The Atlantic, calls the American housing market a "national tragedy." In her new book, "On the Housing Crisis: Land, Development, Democracy," Demsas addresses questions of class segregation and why it is so difficult to find an affordable home. The author sits down with Hari Sreenivasan.

After the recent debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump, some voters are still deciding whom to vote for in November. Senator Rand Paul, who backed Trump in 2020, is not yet ready to give him his endorsement. The Senator joins Walter Isaacson to explain why.

The country's most prominent Latino civil rights organization has made an unprecedented move in choosing to endorse the Harris-Walz ticket for the White House. It is LULAC's first official endorsement in nearly 100 years. Juan Proaño is the head of that organization, and he joins Michel Martin to explain what motivated the decision.

America's public school system is in crisis. Enrollment has plummeted since the pandemic, with one million families opting for private schools or homeschooling. The result? School closures across the country, with disproportionate impact on Black and Latino communities. ProPublica reporter Alec MacGillis joins Hari to discuss his latest article for The New Yorker: "The Death of School 10."

With democracy under threat around the world, author Jason Stanley warns that the fundamental danger lies closer to home: in the schools. In his latest book, the American philosopher argues that attacks on education empower authoritarian regimes by reshaping our understanding of the past. Stanley joins the show to discuss.

While VP Kamala Harris has earned voter support on the issue of abortion, former President Donald Trump has been shifting his stance on the matter - while failing to offer specifics on how he would make childcare more affordable. In a new book, Anastasia Berg and Rachel Wiseman are exploring how public perceptions of parenthood are shaped by political rhetoric about reproductive rights.

The U.S. Army's 2024 recruiting target is some 10,000 fewer recruits than last year. And yet the Army is struggling to fill the ranks. Missy Ryan, National Security and Defense Reporter at the Washington Post, finds a range of reasons for this shortfall -- from changing norms within American society to mistrust of its institutions. Ryan joins the show to discuss.

In the U.S. presidential race, the economy continues to top the polls as a voter issue. Brian Deese is advising Kamala Harris in her campaign. He makes the case to Walter Isaacson that the fight against climate change can pave the way for a new era of American leadership.