re: What are your Top 5 books about American Politics?

Anti-Federalist Papers is the single most important item to read. The Federalist Papers are magnificent, but too much attention has been paid to them with a resulting focus on government activity and less emphasis on restricting government activity and power, which The Anti-Federalists called attention to. There would not be a Bill of Rights without those papers, and because they are not given enough credit and attention, things like the 9th and 10th Amendments have not had the impact they ought to have had.

Side note - the Bill of Rights originally had 12 items. Two did not get ratified. The first to get ratified was our current First Amendment.