So I wrote a book on the history of American political parties a few years ago called Washington's Nightmare - so-named because at the end of his presidency, George Washington warned Americans about forming and supporting political parties. He called political coalitions "truly our worst enemy" and noted that they represented a "frightful despotism."
I think it's fair to say we're currently living Washington's nightmare in real-time, every day.
More relevant now than ever, if you haven't picked up a copy of my book, maybe now is the time to do it. It's a brief survey of the history of party politics in America, covering all the major parties that have come and gone throughout American history. It includes chronological looks at the Democratic and Republican parties and how they have changed through the years.
You can buy Washington's Nightmare here. It's available in both Kindle e-book and paperback formats. If you like podcasts, I also wrote a six-part series based on the book for American History Tellers and Wondery. They're currently (as of Fall 2020) re-airing the series, which originally ran in 2018.
