Unthinkable

Unthinkable was written by U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin and published in early 2022 by HarperCollins. The memoir was composed in the wake of two profound personal tragedies: the death by suicide of Raskin’s son, Tommy, in late 2020, followed just days later by Raskin’s experience serving as a lead manager during the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump following the January 6th Capitol attack. The book functions as a dual narrative, weaving together a deeply personal account of grief with a detailed legislative and historical analysis of the events surrounding the insurrection.

The design and tone of the work reflect a deliberate attempt by Raskin to bridge the gap between his role as a public official and his identity as a grieving father. Written with the intellectual rigor of a constitutional law professor, the memoir was generally received as a raw and reflective piece of political literature. It serves as both a meditation on the resilience of democratic institutions and an intimate look at the human cost of public service during a period of national volatility.