Maya Kornberg: This Book Was an Exercise in Hope
In this interview, author Maya Kornberg discusses how her career focusing on democracy helped inspire her to write her new book, Stuck.
Maya Kornberg is a senior research fellow at the NYU Law's Brennan Center for Justice. She is the author of Inside Congressional Committees: Function and Dysfunction in the Legislative Process. Follow her on X (Twitter) and Bluesky.
In this interview, Maya discusses how her career focusing on democracy helped inspire her to write her new book, Stuck, her hope for readers, and more.
Name: Maya Kornberg
Book title: Stuck: How Money, Media, and Violence Prevent Change in Congress
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
Release date: March 10 2026
Genre/category: Nonfiction (Politics and History)
Previous titles: Inside Congressional Committees: Function and Dysfunction in the Legislative Process (Columbia University Press, 2026).
Elevator pitch: Our democracy is stuck, unable to deliver for ordinary people. This books looks backwards to chart a course forward, chronicling 50 years of reform efforts in Congress, documenting the mounting forces of money, violence, and media that thwart these efforts, and outlining tangible policy solutions to unstick Congress.
What prompted you to write this book?
I have dedicated my career to making democracy work better for the people it is meant to serve. I am endlessly fascinated by Congress, the people’s branch and the lynchpin of our democracy. And I am endlessly inspired by the energy and courage of new bright-eyed politicians seeking to improve our institutions of government. And so, at a very dark moment for our democracy, this book was an exercise in hope. I wanted to understand how Congress got here and draw lessons from reformers past and present about how to make it work better.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
It was two years from the initial idea to the book publication. The idea started as a seed and slowly took shape and became more tangible as I had conversations, dove into the research, and got feedback.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
I learned a lot from the editor about how to craft a title that both captures attention and conveys the meaning, which was not a simple task.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
Many. I learned so much from the members of Congress, advocates, and staff I interviewed. I was shocked to hear what some of them endure and touched by their courage and commitment to their constituents.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope they gain a deeper and more nuanced understanding of Congress and actionable tools for how to fix it.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Be open to the ending being somewhere different from where you started. You start with a question, and the research and writing journey is a winding and illuminating path. Be prepared to pivot, rethink, and be surprised.
