I need help with a book....

I received this e-mail earlier today from a very good friend. He is co-chair of a new organization that I think will soon become quite influential. My friend has been politically active for most of his life (he's in his 60s) and is very respected so this is a group that will have the backing it needs to become substantial. Any suggestions you have would be appreciated! Thanks!!





(excerpt from my friends e-mail)


We'd like to find a book that capsulizes the whole situation Americans face right now, but does it from the Progressive standpoint...and does it in a way that would cause readers to become both informed and radicalized.

The trouble is, neither of us could think of such a book. So what we're gonna try to do is invite suggestions from as many Progressives as we can reach with that question.

Could you throw it out to the members of the on-line groups you belong to?

What we're after would be a book that talks about most of the major issues: The corrupting influence of corporate money, the Iraq war, excessive secrecy without independent oversight, concentration of power in the Executive Branch, the loss of civil rights, the loss of public control of the media, the Income Gap, the effort to cripple government, attacks on the environment, the decline of American education, the potential for economic ruin by the Chinese and Japanese, etc.

But we'd want it to be a fiery manifesto, as much as possible, rather than a cool intellectual dissertation. And we'd want it to be a fairly easy read.

I'm seeing our target audience as being the people who aren't quite radicalized yet (I figure there's no need to preach to the choir). Those are the people who will make the difference, who could shift the balance of power strongly in our direction. Right now, they may feel vaguely disturbed by what they're hearing, but they don't yet see the magnitude of the assault on democratic principles.

Once they've read and discussed such a book, they'd be ripe for a book like "Doing Democracy," which would lay out the plan for activism (and for victory).

Others could be "What's the Matter with Kansas?" and several of Joe Conason's books, including "Big Lies."

I am doing a lot more reading now just to get to all of the exposes of what's going on. The issues are so numerous and so massive they cry out for attention.

I knew this was the place to come for great suggestions. I'm going to send my friend a link to this thread, but I wanted to personally thank each of you for responding. so thanks!!

He talks about what is wrong with this country to reach the average guy.
It's called "Straight Talk from the Heartland." It talks about what it
felt like to in DC on 9-11, it also talks about how he is disappointed in
George Bush. The problem with many of the most well meaning books especially
bloggers is that they are hard to read, since he is a radio broadcaster, he knows
how to keep the flow moving.

For economics there is Bruce Bartlett's book: Impostor: How George W. Bush
bankrupted America and betrayed the Reagan Legacy.

and I'll pass them on to him! Thank you for your help!

i think -- because it focuses on voting and that (i feel) is the essence of the democratic experience.

also -- very radicalizing!

an oldie but a goodie, that doesn't fit your paradigm is Rules for Radicals by Saul Alinsky. a must-read.

and I'm making a mental note to read the Crispin book myself! Thanks for your help!

hits on a whole range of issues - and gives the early roadmap to understanding how some of the things that have happened came to pass. Think of it as giving people a mindset to reinterpret the 'unexplainable' behavior of the admin over the past four years. Nothing radicalizes more, than having to reconceive and think about things from a different viewpoint - but being the one actively doing the reconceiving, rather than passively reading someone else's interpretation. I would suggest reading this book - but followed up with discussion groups - not just about the book - but about news stories of the past five years- and rethinking those stories from the perspective of Palast's book.

I've heard it mentioned often, but I'm ashamed to say I haven't read it yet. I'll pass on your suggestion, but I'll also add it to my reading list. Thanks for the help!

Worked for Kos.

I'll pass on your suggestion though! thanks for the response!

Hostile Takeover : How Big Money and Corruption Conquered Our Government--and How We Take It Back by David Sirota

In Hostile Takeover, David Sirota, a major new voice in American politics, seeks to open the eyes of ordinary Americans to the fact that corporate interests have undermined democracy, aided and abetted by their lackeys in our allegedly representative government. At a time when more and more of America’s major political leaders are being indicted or investigated for corruption, Sirota takes readers on a journey that shows how all of this nefarious behavior happened right under our noses—and how the high-profile scandals are merely one product of a political system and debate wholly owned by Big Money interests. Sirota considers major public issues that feel intractable—like spiraling health care costs, the outsourcing of jobs, the inequities of the tax code, and out-of-control energy prices—and shows how in each case workable solutions are buried under the lies of lobbyists, the influence of campaign cash, and the ubiquitous spin machine financed by Big Business.

your post is encouraging, because it sounds like Sirota has real solutions to offer. I'll pass on your suggestion, and look for a copy for myself as well. Thank you!

"Unequal Protection-The rise of Corporate Dominance and the Theft of Human Rights"" by Thom Hartmann

and you're right about there being lots of good candidates on the list. Thanks for adding yours to the mix!

My book club is going to read it next month.

Thanks!!

...
1) Your very good friend.
2) This new organization that you think will soon become quite influential.
3) What groups your friend has been politically active with for most of his life.
4) Who will be providing the backing it needs to become substantial.
5) Why it must be a fiery manifesto rather than a cool intellectual dissertation.

That way we could be very, very specific about what your friend should read.

Thanks!