The Fall of Roe

The Rise of a New America

By: Elizabeth Dias, Lisa Lerer

Narrated by: Lipica Shah

“The most important book in the lead up to this election.”—Nicolle Wallace, MSNBC

“As Dias and Lerer write, the fight against legal abortion is tied inextricably to the fight for America’s soul.”—New York magazine

“A tour de force. However you read books, hardcover, ebook, audio… Just read it.”—Alex Wagner on Alex Wagner Tonight

This program includes a bonus conversation with the authors, moderated by narrator Lipica Shah.

From two top New York Times journalists, the breathtaking untold story of the plan to overturn Roe v. Wade and the consequences for women, abortion, and the future of America

In June 2022, Americans watched in shock as the Supreme Court reversed one of the nation’s landmark rulings. For nearly a half century, Roe was synonymous with women’s rights and freedoms. Then, suddenly, it was gone.

In their groundbreaking book The Fall of Roe, Elizabeth Dias and Lisa Lerer reveal the explosive inside story of how it happened. Their investigation charts the shocking political and religious campaign to take down abortion rights and remake American families, womanhood, and the nation itself.

Reeling from Barack Obama's 2012 landslide presidential victory–and motivated by a spiritual mission–a small but determined network of elite conservative Christian lawyers and powerbrokers worked quietly and methodically to keep their true cause alive: ending abortion rights. Thinking in generational terms, they devised a strategic, top-down takeover at every level of political and legal life, from little-known anti-abortion lobbyists in far flung statehouses to the arbiters of the constitution at the highest court in the land. Broad swaths of liberal America did not register the severity of the threat until it was far too late. At a moment when women had more power than ever before, the feminist movement suffered one of the greatest political defeats in American history.

With stunning scope, journalistic rigor, and unprecedented access to the highest echelons of conservative and liberal power, Dias and Lerer chronicle the end of the Roe era. Their reporting stretches from inside abortion clinics to the halls of the White House, exposing powerful behind-the-scenes actors and recasting the actions of those already in the spotlight. The result is a sweeping and intimate narrative of secrets, power, jaw-dropping revelations, and a beacon to guide us forward.

A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books.

©2024 Lisa Lerer and Elizabeth Dias (P)2024 Macmillan Audio

They won’t stop here

Gives you a full perspective of what was behind the fall of Roe. Next are women’s rights, and so much more.

Depth and breadth of the reporting

Excellent cautionary tale about how anti-abortion and anti-progressive health policies are well organized, focused, effective, and smart.

Incredible and heartbreaking story

Like many Americans I was shocked when Roe was overturned. This book walked me through the series of failures that democrats preformed and the determination of the antiabortion movement to overturn Roe. This horrible constellation resulted in the new America we live in today and this book does an incredible job of explaining how we got here.

Very powerful information

This book gave me great insights. Thank you for sharing so much information! I highly recommend it.

Good Perspective

I enjoy the thorough research and perspectives from both sides. I only wonder if all the time, energy, money and everything else the Pro Life side put into removing rights for women could have been put into immigration reform granting rights to the many people who could bring a richness to our great melting pot.

Great book.

I can’t believe what the Christian nationalist did. :( This book made me so mad, but what a great read.

Heartbreaking and enlightening

If the extreme Right Wing can make a plan to burn down Roe, we should be able to make a plan to take it back.

Great information

This book was well written and provided good information about the people who have been responsible for taking women's rights back to the 1800's.

Historical content and relevant information

This reading provided information that I lived through but had forgotten, or did not even realize had occurred; and current events just makes this topic even more clear and relevant.

Important book

The Fall of Roe presents an important historical accounting of the fight for reproductive freedom in the US.