Dennis Johnson

A quick read that is, both, still helpful and a bit regretful in that it was published at the onset of the Trump presidency, and many of the things the writers in this essay collection warned about have already come to pass. I just came upon it at our local library and, with a list of contributors that includes Elizabeth Warren, George Saunders, Bill McKibben, Bernie Sanders, Ilhan Omar, Dave Eggers, and Gloria Steinhem, I felt compelled to give it a shot.

The concerns the contributing essayists provide are painfully valid, as the past 2.5 years have frightfully proven. They worry that Trump may try to roll back environmental regulations, ignore climate change warnings, try to ban Muslims, incite racial divisiveness and violence, and try to send legal immigrants back to their countries of origin.

The book serves as a call to action, on many fronts. With the book broken into chapters on topics (Civil Liberties, Women's Rights, LGBTQ Rights, Racial Justice, Religious Freedoms, etc), and containing 2-3 essays under each of these it's easy to read the book and get overwhelmed at all we've now lost, all there is to regain, and how much must be done to do so. It's disheartening to read in many ways, but encouraging to hear these voices of hope and - perhaps - realize we're not too late to repair at least some of the damage done. But each day, as a trade war currently ramps up, the Amazon rainforest burns, and children stand in cages near our border, it's a bit hard to see where we begin. It's like "Crisis Whack-a-Mole". We can put our finger in the hole in the dam, but there are now so many damn holes, and only so many fingers.

Dave Eggers sums things up well in his closing "Coda" chapter titled "The Old Rules No Longer Apply". He says it's as if, as a collective, the American people said, "We've had enough decency for one decade. Give us chaos." He closes with a warning that has become all too prescient. "We are speeding toward a dark corridor, my friends. Keep your eyes open, your hearts stout, and be ready for the fight."… (more)

I received this as an ARC/eGalley from the publisher.

This collection is comprised of easily digestible speeches, essays, and letters from prominent figures imploring the progressive public to resist complacency and depression in the next Presidential administration. The theme is clear: We are the majority, you are not alone, and we need to stick together.

While this is geared towards the general "liberal" demographic, much of this reads as a primer for the dismayed white voter who has been jolted into grassroots activism as a result of the 2016 US Election. To that aim, it's an excellent way to focus one's thoughts without getting overwhelmed by the onslaught of social media commentary, blogs, and editorials. I would caution against this being the ONLY read on the subject, though. I suggest interested readers and community members combine this with reading many other writings from POC and LGBTQ activists over the past several decades.

(Review was originally posted on Edelweiss on January 4, 2017.)… (more)