What Happens When You Put the Right People in the Room
In a year when the world often feels like it’s spinning faster than any of us can process, there’s something radical about slowing down to think deeply, ask good questions, and talk to people who care about more than winning the argument.
That’s what we do inside Governerds Insider.
It’s a book club, yes. But it’s also a lot more than that. It becomes a Zoom call with hundreds of curious people who’ve underlined the same sentence. A conversation that stretches long after we close out our private meeting with the author. A follow-up message after a workshop that says, “I haven’t stopped thinking about...” And often, a renewed belief that there are still places where wisdom, empathy, and nuance actually matter.
Tomorrow morning, registration opens for Governerds Insider Season Three — and if you’ve ever considered joining, this is the moment to be ready. There are limited spots, and once they’re gone, they’re gone.
So if you’ve been wondering what Governerds Insider is really like, here’s your sneak peek.
We’re reading. But we’re not stopping there.
Every season, we pick headlining books — not beach reads or romantasy trilogies, but the ones that leave you changed. This fall, that includes Listening to the Law by Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett — a rare, first-person window into her time on the bench, her judicial approach, and her life outside the courtroom.
But we don’t stop at reading.
We bring the authors in. We ask the questions you’d never get a chance to raise otherwise.
This season, we’ll sit down with Justice Barrett for an exclusive, live hour-long conversation. You’ll hear from her directly — not filtered through someone else’s interpretation.
And that’s only one of our events.
Our guests are icons — and so are our members.
In past seasons, Governerds Insider has hosted some of the most thoughtful and impactful voices in public life: Isabel Wilkerson, Bryan Stevenson, Adam Grant, Ina Garten, and Percival Everett.
This season, we’re welcoming:
Ken Burns, America’s foremost documentarian, who will join us for a special event to explore the power of storytelling and memory in shaping democracy –– after we host watch parties for his new The American Revolution series, of course.
Suleika Jaouad, bestselling author of Between Two Kingdoms and founder of The Isolation Journals — we’ll be reading her gorgeous memoir and speaking to her about it directly.
Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Kevin Sack, whose reporting on race and medicine has reshaped public policy
Historian and educator Jemar Tisby, whose clear-eyed teaching on race, religion, and justice invites deeper reckoning
Jermaine Fowler, host of The Humanity Archive, whose storytelling brings history to life
Amber Johnston-O’Neal, educator and author centering marginalized voices in literature and learning
Casey Burgat, congressional expert who explains what’s actually happening on Capitol Hill (without melting your brain)
But the real magic is in the members who show up. The ones who stay late on Zooms to encourage others. The ones who bring their teenagers. The ones who say, “This is the only space I’ve found where I feel smarter and more hopeful after logging off.”
Learning that doesn’t feel like homework
You don’t need a Ph.D. in political science to love Governerds Insider. You just need curiosity — and maybe a highlighter.
Each season includes:
Live Zoom events with authors, experts, and instructors
Exclusive book selections and behind-the-scenes access
Workshops, bonus Q&As, and private chats to connect with other members
Historic deep dives — where I take you into the lesser-known corners of U.S. history to make sense of what’s happening right now
Those deep dives might unpack a forgotten court case, a presidential power struggle, or a turning point in American immigration policy. You’ll come away with more than trivia — you’ll come away seeing the present in a whole new way.
And because life is full, everything is available to watch on your own time. Whether you join live or catch the replays, you won’t miss a thing.
This isn’t just a book club. It’s a room full of possibility.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
A teacher in Arkansas rethinks her lesson plan after a Zoom about constitutional law
A retired nurse in Wisconsin encourages new members in the chat
A teenager watches the replays with her mom and emails me questions about immigration and hope
That’s the thread through it all: hope.
Not the feel good, sunshine-and-rainbows kind. The kind rooted in action, in knowledge, in the stubborn belief that people can change the world. But only if they understand it first.
Why you need to be ready Tuesday morning
We only open enrollment a few times per year, and we have limited spots.
Registration for Season Three opens Tuesday morning.
If you’ve ever thought:
“I wish I had a community like this…”
“I want to learn, but I don’t want more noise…”
“I want to feel smarter, calmer, and more grounded about the news…”
Then this is your place.
You're invited.
Not because you “should.” Not because we’re running a sale. But because if you’re someone who wants to learn with people who believe in clarity, courage, and curiosity, this is the room you’ve been waiting for.
Set your alarm. Check your inbox tomorrow. Send this email to a friend who might want to join.
I’ll see you inside.
—Sharon McMahon
Editor-in-Chief