A Return to Common Sense: How to Fix America Before We Really Blow It by Leigh McGowan (Politics Girl) is a basic guide to how our country works. It's a Civics 101 class that will tell you exactly what the vice president's job description is along with all other facets of the government. McGowan addresses such problems as the electoral college, gerrymandering, the filibuster, and the Supreme Court. It is a very timely book that everyone needs to read. I highly recommend this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria/One Signal Publishers for the advanced digital copy of the book.

A master class in civics

I've followed the author on social media for quite a while, always appreciating her clear and concise approach to explaining current political events. I eagerly looked forward to reading her book, and I was not disappointed.

She lays out her thesis - that our nation's citizens need to return to a common sense approach to government - as a set of six guiding principles:

1. America is a land of freedom.
2. Everyone should have the opportunity to rise.
3. Every citizen should have a vote, and that vote should count.
4. Representatives should represent the people who elected them.
5. The law applies to all of us.
6. Government should be a force for good.

These are neither liberal nor conservative ideas; they are simply basic human decency and, dare I repeat the theme, common sense, which doesn't seem to be so common anymore. Each principle is fleshed out with detailed ideas and encouragement to ensure that every political action taken is focused on ensuring that one or more of these principles is protected and enacted.

I love the author's matter-of-fact delivery, her no-nonsense approach, and the clarity with which she makes her case. You don't need a poli-sci degree to feel empowered by this book, and it does a terrific job of demonstrating why every citizen should have a basic grasp of how to use our role as voters to strengthen our nation's core values.

If you're frustrated with feeling like there's nothing you can do to make an impact, I urge you to read this book - soon - and discover the many small ways you can help steer our great nation to its fullest potential. If you're a homeschooler like I am, it's a perfect textbook for a thorough high school civics course. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

‘“A return to common sense” by Leigh McGowen is a very timely book with a very critical election around the corner. I follow Leigh McGowen on Twitter so when I saw when this came on NetGalley I had to jump at it. The author is giving a much needed civics lesson that all Americans would benefit from reading prior to November 5th. This helps us all understand clearly what does and doesn’t work in our government.

I highly recommend this book and thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I give the book 4.25 stars. I received a free ebook from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review. I really like politics and political books. I was excited to read this book.

This book is very informative. It explains how and why the constitution,, electoral college, and political system was set up. It explains why and how the system is today. It goes over a lot of details. It would actually be a good book to reread.

It's a book for democrats. It explains why systems work and don't work. I learned a lot from this book. It's a good book to read when an election is coming up.

It's a fairly easy read. It goes over a lot. The chapters aren't too long. It is very interesting. I feel most people need and really should read this book. It mainly a positive spin on politics. Makes you believe that the system can be better.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for this book. I have more knowledge now. I look forward to reading more from the author.

Very timely perspective on the current state of US politics.

I like how matter-of-fact the author was in presenting the basic tenets of American democracy. The author's politics are clear from her examples and arguments, but the most of the changes that she's in favor of (like ethics reforms) should be things that go beyond political party.

If you've been following US politics at all over the last few years, none of the concepts in this are really new, but I liked the presentation, and I hope it gets everyone thinking about the reforms we can all fight for to make democracy better for everyone.

This book was absolutely amazing!
Anyone who wants to get an into politics, or learn about how the government works, or even want to be more educated during this and further political seasons, read this book.
It well written and provides facts.
I absolutely recommend this book!

"Common sense is not so common." -- Voltaire

This should be must reading for anyone interested in politics or, for that matter, maybe more so for those who claim to be uninterested in politics. As the author notes, whether we're paying attention or not, politics affects us.

I'm not going to try to summarize the author's points but will point you to the blurb and countless lengthy reviews that have already been posted. I first encountered McGowan online where she's known as Politics Girl. Her straight-forward, no nonsense comments appealed to me, so when I stumbled across her book to review, I grabbed it. I was not disappointed. McGowan writes in such a way that you'd swear you're sitting in the room with her having a conversation. The conversational tone makes it easy to follow as she details, first, basically how our government was formed and what falls under the various branches of government (among other things), before offering possible suggestions on how to fix it. She recognizes that the first step in solving a problem is recognizing that there is a problem. Ever political decision made impacts us.

There were many standout moments in the book but for brevity's sake, I'll only mention a few. First, a reminder that the framers of the Constitution saw it as a living document, a work always in progress, so to speak. In the grand scheme of things, only a handful of people make decisions that will have an impact on our lives so we need to be more attentive to who we select to make up that small, core group. Something is broken and ignoring it isn't going to fix it. The other thing that gave me pause was her suggestion for how to make the Supreme Court more effective and fair. Nope, I'm not going to share how. Read the book. Grin. And, finally, her reminder that freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom from accountability. That is something many seem to forget or ignore.

Seriously, this book should be required reading. It's a relatively quick, easy read, too, despite the importance of what it covers. The book opens with what might be dubbed a mini-refresher course of our high school civics class (do they even still have civics classes?) and then into how we've strayed from the ideals of our nation's founders and how we can find our way back. My sincere thanks to #AtriaBooks for allowing me this early look. As Benjamin Franklin once said, "Common sense if something that everyone needs, few have, and none think they lack." McGowan's book will go a long way toward helping us find our way.

I think I know more about civics and government than most Americans, but it turns out, there is a lot more to learn to understand these things in today’s climate. In her passionate (but not angry) style, Leigh McGowan outlines 6 principles that, if followed, will help America return to sanity. For each principle, McGowan provides valuable context that is missing in much of our current political context. She defines the process of how bills become laws, but also describes how today's Congress has learned to game the system in ways that make it extremely difficult to pass meaningful legislation.

We hear a lot about "common sense solutions" from politicians, but McGowan's proposed solutions are firmly grounded in history and current practices. For example, she discusses the current state of the Supreme Court, explains in detail why we are unlikely to see meaningful ethics reform or partisan nominations and confirmations the way the court is currently structured. She proposes expanding the court, not to 12 or 15 as some have suggested, but to 27. This would essentially create a pool of judges from which 9 can be chosen to hear any given case. The advantages are many: plaintiffs would not know who would be on the bench for their case, the court could hear many more cases, and it takes the incentive for partisan court packing out of the nomination process.

I really loved this book and wish it could be read by every citizen, especially now when our system seems to be irrevocably broken. Many thanks to Atria and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I liked this a lot! Leigh takes her title and inspiration from Common Sense, which helped inspire U.S. independence. gives a lot of information such as how Congress works, how the courts work, and also the history of where we have been, information on where we currently are, and ideas for a greater future. I like the way she presents her ideas, and I will read this again in the near future.

Really appreciated this thoughtful and back-to-basics view of the American government and how it should work for the people. This was especially timely and informative.

A Return to Common Sense is “a political book for non-political people from viral TikTok sensation PoliticsGirl.”

I went into this book blindly, and I think that was both a benefit and an opportunity. Leigh McGowan, also known as PoliticsGirl, is an extremely popular social media personality. Interestingly enough, she is a Canadian immigrant who chose to move to America to live the “American Dream”.

In this book, Leigh provides an outsider’s point of view on the current state of American politics. It was extremely interesting how she took the principles of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense and updated them to reflect her version of what she perceives American principles to be in today’s political climate.

She has six principles 1) America is a land of freedom, 2) everyone should have the opportunity to rise, 3) every citizen should have a vote, and that vote should count, 4) representatives should represent the people who voted for them, 5) the law applies to all of us, and 6) government should be a force for good.

While these principles seem to be pretty simple, Leigh goes into extreme detail explaining what they should be and how far we as a country has strayed away from them. The best part is that she uses language that everyone can understand and she provides a basic overview of American history including what the founding fathers accomplished with the Consitution.

After reading this book, I can honestly say that I see today’s political atmosphere from a new perspective and it came at the perfect time. As I sit here writing this review, the first (only?) presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is getting underway.

Reading this allowed me to look at today’s political situation with new eyes and I garnered a better understanding of what is truly at stake. This book is not just for those who do not follow politics, although the message Leigh provides is definitely at a level that anyone who reads this book will have a better understanding what is at stake.

This book should be required reading for high school seniors who are going to be voting this year and in future elections and I think that Legih’s perspective as an immigrant is something that made this book that much better. She doesn’t have to be here, she chooses to. Having that in the back of your mind helps you consider her words through different lenses.

A Return to Common Sense is a quick read, which is refreshing considering the topics that are discussed. It also provides you with a concise and clear recap of what you learned in high school about the Constitution and our government, in terms that are easy to understand and relevant to today’s political situation.

It comes out on September 17th, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in making a difference in this election. Regardless of who or what your politics are, Leigh gives a fresh perspective that truly reminds you of what our American democracy should stand for.

Thank you, Leigh McGowan, for this amazing book! An even bigger thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

"A Return to Common Sense" by Leigh McGowan is a book that should be read by every American when it is available on September 17th.

Chocked full of common sense solutions that examine 6 American principles that most Americans will recognize and I suspect, agree with. Our country seems to become more divisive and splintered along party lines; and we need to realize that is up to each of us to become informed and involved if we want the grand experiment that is our nation to continue. Written in conversational tones with a refresher civic lesson for some of us...that may be new to others...Leigh has written a compulsively readable book that is so very important in this election year and into the future. Her section on Identity politics was especially noteworthy and thought provoking. I want to thank NetGalley and Atria for an advanced electronic copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

A Return to Common Sense by Leigh McGowan, also known as PoliticsGirl, is a must-read for anyone looking to understand the current state of American politics. McGowan blends a refresher on the basics of the U.S. government with an insightful analysis of how we've strayed from our founding principles. Her conversational writing style makes complex topics easy to grasp, and her six American ideals offer a clear roadmap for reclaiming a government that truly serves its people. This book is both informative and engaging, making it perfect for those new to politics and those needing a refresher. Highly recommended for all Americans.

This book is part a reminder of how the US’s government is set up (for those of us who need a reminder because it’s been a while since high school), mixed in with how we got to where we are in current politics and what we can do to get it back on track. It’s a relatively easy read, even with all the information she throws at you and is definitely worth picking up, especially now. Her writing style is conversational, which I liked and I also appreciated her list of other resources/works to check out at the end. I would definitely recommend this one for all Americans.

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the review copy.

Pub date: September 17, 2024

This book is part reminding us how the government was set up to work - which harkened back to high school civics/government class and part discussing where and how things have gone so wrong along the way. I've watched a lot of Leigh McGowan's videos online and that same common sense explanation is in full force in this book. Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for a chance to read an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Return to Common Sense is a timely book that should be a must read before the election. It was interesting to me that the author is an immigrant (ok...Canada, but still...) but is more well versed in politics than most of us. And, by well versed, I mean looking at it as a citizen should, making sure you are finding the truth (whatever that might be,) and that you VOTE. Like many, I'd first seen Ms. McGowan in her YouTube videos, and then later, her podcast. It was a refreshing read that made me think. Preorder this one so that you can read it well before you make your decisions about your vote. Using common sense will help you make your decisions.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.