Professor Joyce Vance’s debut book, Giving Up Is Unforgivable: A Manual for Keeping a Democracy, claimed the #4 spot on The New York Times Best Sellers list for non-fiction last week and is #1 in General Constitutional Law on Amazon.
The book examines current challenges to democratic institutions through the lenses of constitutional law, history, and civic engagement. Drawing on recent events—including debates over democratic norms, legal precedents, and political transitions—Vance situates these issues in a broader historical context to highlight both risks and enduring strengths. Giving Up Is Unforgivable aims to provide readers not only with analysis of legal and institutional constraints but also with practical tools for engagement—ranging from local participation to organized action. Ultimately, it argues that sustaining democracy requires ongoing vigilance, collective effort, and informed citizenship.