[libber]

Its a biography but a biography I derived a lot of philosophy from - The Years of Lyndon Johnson by Robert Caro. Here is a blurb that wikipedia lists as the theme:

Throughout his books, Caro examines the acquisition and use of political power in American democracy, from the perspective both of those who wield it and those who are at its mercy. In an interview with Kurt Vonnegut, he once said: "I was never interested in writing biography just to show the life of a great man," saying he wanted instead "to use biography as a means of illuminating the times and the great forces that shape the times particularly political power."

I agree with that theme and enjoyed the description of how power is wielded in democracies and all the gory details of getting elected, how issues help/hurt a candidate and just how nimble a fish you must be as a presidential wannabe in Americas 1950s democracy.