Book Review #016 - A Promised Land

Rating: 4/5 humanizing reflections on life and duty

Author:
Barack Obama

Amazon Link: referral program on hold :(

I first opened the cover of Obama’s long awaited memoir many months ago. I put it down and picked it back up many times, never able to maintain the motivation to continue reading for more than a few weeks at a time. Thankfully, the last few months have provided ample time on my daily commute to return to reading regularly, and I was able to push through to the end. As may be gathered from my recounting of this process, the book doesn’t drive a narrative that is particularly engaging, but I still think it is a worthwhile read because it delivers a much needed grounding perspective for a man who’s legacy, in hindsight, seems more abstract and ethereal than ever.

Nothing makes a political text more tangible than living and working in Washington. I can read about a specific interaction, then be walking past that literary scene a few days later, giving the text a closeness that wasn’t appreciable while I was living in San Diego. I see the jaded staffers, the confused but excited tourists, the protestors, the agitators, and the people just trying to make a living by selling cheap merchandise across the street from the white house, featuring whatever slogan happens to be driving emotion in those who visit. It makes the whole dance of politics seem more like a one-dimensional production, but also makes the concept of political careers seem ever so slightly less egregious, if only due to the unbearable droll and repetition of deriving progress from the ever-swinging pendulum.

Pertaining to Obama’s purpose with this book and the impending second volume, It shines as a revealing retelling of the challenges and pivotal moments of a truly historical presidency, but sometimes loses itself as a means to have the last word in petty interactions that have long been forgotten by those not immediately involved. Barry is human after all, revealing the bruises and scars of two presidential terms reminds the reader that his decision making was not always perfect, though his ideals and motivations were respectable and more appreciated now than ever. Obama’s recounting informs our current understanding of those that are still carrying the fire in Washington, making Biden’s actions as president traceable to his work in the Obama administration an interesting derivative.

Overall I would say that I personally enjoyed the book, although it wasn’t fascinating or particularly engaging, it provides some context into who Barack Obama is and was, as a person, rather than as an idealogue or abstract force of societal change that he is sometimes reduced to. I think that people who respect and appreciate Obama will enjoy the book in nostalgic terms, recounting a presidency that was well intended, purposeful, but perhaps not as effective as once hoped. People who dislike Obama may find some humanizing aspects in the text, but I fear that those people will never make it through the long read, which often requires some personal interest to carry the reader through drawn out anecdotes that are scattered throughout the book.

Book Review #013 - Where We Go from Here: Two Years in the Resistance

Rating: 4/5 missed opportunities for political revolution

Author:
Bernie Sanders

Amazon Link: referral program on hold :(

After finishing Our Revolution I was compelled to pick up Sanders most recent book, Where We Go from Here, to see what he had to say about the new administration and his desire to run for president again in 2020. As I was reading this book, Sander’s campaign was slowly conceding that the chances for his selection as the Democratic candidate were extremely slim. I wanted to hear Sander’s case for the presidency and give his campaign one last moment of attention before we inevitably move on. Overall, the book was interesting to read, but was more or less what I had expected in that it doesn’t necessarily cover any new philosophical ground and is essentially a collection of public addresses given from 2016 to his presidential campaign announcement in 2018.

It should be no surprise that not much has changed since the 2016 election, Sanders is nothing if not consistent in his message and motivations. I half-expected to read a furious rebuttal to the Trump administration, as the progressive narrative generally and vigorously opposes most recent conservative policies. Sanders avoids this pitfall and manages to abstain from overly focusing his most recent work on Trump and his policies, instead he reinforces his support for the various policy platforms that he described in 2016 and delivers a chronological review of his recent campaign efforts. The positive integration approach is refreshing, effective, and demonstrates Sanders central values of political civility.

Sanders latest book is not significantly different in tone or content than what he presented in Our Revolution. The book serves a different purpose, this time utilizing a recounting of campaign events to drive the central narrative rather than his personal history. I don't find the difference in narrative approach to be compelling for the average reader and I feel the book still suffers the same flaws as his previous text. Fans of Sanders will find the book engaging, but those who aren't motivated to investigate his recent activity will struggle to find motivation for pushing through the material. The book is capable, but the dry, methodical narrative approach does detract from the overall effectiveness of the literature as a tool for his campaign. I would recommend the book to anybody with political interests and progressive leanings. As the Democratic primary draws to a close, it helps to connect the dots of Sanders political trajectory and illustrates the tragedy of missed opportunity if Sanders is not ultimately chosen as the Democratic candidate.

Book Review #010 - This Fight Is Our Fight

Rating: 5/5 calculated, but charming phrases

Author:
Elizabeth Warren

Amazon Link:
referral program on hold :(

Elizabeth Warren is the democratic candidate that I most closely align with in terms of political beliefs. I didn’t know much about her background or motivations, so I thought I’d pick up her book and see if I could take a closer look at what separates her from other candidates, what kind of background she has, and what motivates her to run for president. I must say that I am very impressed with Warren. She seems genuine and very sharp in her text and she develops her primary policy goals from initial motivation to actionable strategy on a number of progressive fronts. I would recommend the book to any democrat who wants to be politically informed and any progressive who wants to know how her and Sanders differ in their approach to progressive strategy.

Warren’s effort here should be the gold standard for political manifestos. She expertly weaves her personal story in with her political platform. She provides approachable narrative to support her experiences and pulls back the curtain on the political machine in Washington in her policy sections. What she describes as her primary political motivators are progressive goals with a populist shade that are easy to support. Reasoned arguments for policy to strengthen the middle class provides balance to Warren’s emotional argument for progressive social standards concerning education and healthcare.

Warren already was an easy candidate for me to support because of her progressive stance on financial policy and labor. Adding her touching personal story on top of that makes her the total package as a candidate. She is very intelligent, empathetic, has integrity, and has reasoned political motivations that are aimed at correcting the power imbalance in government. She is also a woman, which is significant on it’s own, but especially so, considering the 2016 election. America is ready for a female president and we should recognize that Hilary’s defeat may have been the only path to this moment for Warren. I feel that most liberal-leaning voters will have no choice but to be enthusiastic and supportive.

Warren describes her political goals and provides a means to achieve them. Her primary draw of resources is from restructured tax plans to increase government income from the richest Americans, corporations included. If you have an income-utility outlook on taxation, this is absolutely the right direction. Warren provides data and numbers to support her policies, enough to convince the reader she knows what she is doing, but not enough to distract from her narrative. Overall, Warren has crafted a fine book and has set the stage for political and popular support toward her bid at the presidency. I absolutely support her and I can’t wait to see how she handles the rest of the election cycle.

Book Review #009 - Shortest Way Home

Rating: 4/5 glowing river lights

Author:
Pete Buttigieg

Amazon Link:
referral program on hold :(

Mayor Pete Buttigieg lays out his background and describes his journey through life as a student, soldier, son, husband, and public servant in his first text; Shortest Way Home. The personal stories are varied and integrated with small descriptions of his political philosophy, making that narrative flow naturally as he steps through each stage of his life and arrives at his present position as a candidate for the American presidency. The book was emotional, reasoned, and as down-to-earth as a candidate can be when setting their public record as they see fit. I’d recommend the book to anyone who is interested in Pete Buttigieg as a candidate and wants to know more about his background. His story is authentic and creates enough personal interest to stand on it’s own as an inspection of American culture from the prospective of a young politician at the launch of his national career.

The most refreshing characteristic to see in a modern presidential candidate is some kind of personal modesty regarding their arrival at such an illustrious position. The ability to admit that not all answers are immediately clear, but that the path to a solution is a rational result of transparent consideration of the challenges and options available is something that I appreciated at a time when political ideals are so emotionally charged. Mayor Pete describes his approach to solving problems more than he discusses specific policy solutions. This can perhaps be considered a weakness of his exposition, as a candidate is typically expected to bare his arms and armor regarding policy objectives in his candidate biography. Pete takes a different approach by establishing his identity as a primary objective, adding policy only as needed. I would agree that I was looking for clear policy actions and found myself wondering how valuable character development is to his candidacy, as there is so much of that material to be found. Much like other politicians in the past, Pete Buttigieg aims to set his history to public record with this text, rather than cement his positions on policy. I think the material is thin as it stands, but if he releases future material which is more precise in describing his plans, he could easily fill that void. As it stands, I think this text will be viewed as the character development for Pete and will serve as a part of a wider body of material meant to sway voters and establish his political aims.

I felt the book was interesting but not enough of a declaration of principle to build confidence in Mayor Pete as a candidate. I finished the text with a deep emotional connection to Pete, but without the confidence I need as a voter to be sure that he will drive the change I believe we need to see in our government. I think his candidacy is a statement with respect to American political culture, but he needs more steel in his foundation before he can really build anything more significant. A good start, hopefully Mayor Pete follows this book up with more material that will demonstrate his intentions beyond a simple explanation of his personal character. Although that wouldn’t be bad, it isn’t what I feel we need in a post-Trump candidate.

Book Review #006 - The Future is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia

Rating: 4/5 arrested protesters

Author: Masha Gessen

Amazon Link: 
referral program on hold :(

The Future is History was an intriguing perspective of Russia from a native Russian who has lived through and participated in many key events in recent Russian history. Masha Gessen provides a narrative that is both deeply personal and massive in scope. She has been on the progressive side of Russian social movements for many years and has met a number of key players in the events that would eventually lead Russia to where we stand today. Her story is woven through the larger narrative in a way that makes the text readable and underlines the personal impact of a nation’s heavy-handed social regulations. Russia is a complicated political environment, but Gessen does an excellent job of taking it apart piece-by-piece and providing the context that each individual moment in history deserves, allowing it to be understood from a human perspective.

From a western viewpoint, Russia can be enigmatic in it’s underlying social framework and motivations. The people of Russia are distinctly different from their western counterparts and are unique in that they have been created from an environment that is deeply entrenched with historical norms surrounding distribution of power, wealth, and a familiarity with authority that is monolithic and unlike anything seen in the west. Russia’s history is, and should be, a source of pride to it’s people, but that history also brings with it a crushing amount of inertia that makes progressive social movements much more difficult and raises the stakes for those involved. This text is as much a story of Putin, his rise to power, and means of control as it is about navigating the political landscape as a young person who finds themselves in a nation of people who seem to be rejecting themselves. Her fellow Russians seem to be taking comfort in a past that offers no future to those who want to move their society forward towards western ideals of individual freedom. The conflict of love for one’s country and love for one’s identity is jarring and difficult to maintain without feeling immediately overwhelmed. Gessen does a spectacular job of describing that conflict in a way that makes the situation recognizable but foreboding. The case she makes for Russia’s slow descent into totalitarianism is clear and troubling, and surely will continue as long as the Russian people continue to accept and enable a society in which the concentration of power is allowed to progress.

Gessen’s book is very good. It is well written, well paced, and packed with historical perspective. It isn’t a definitive hard-edged recounting of Russian history; it is a human story and filled with the sort of softness that the human perspective brings to history. This might not be suited for someone purely interested in concrete historical review, but I would recommend it for anyone who wants human context coupled with historical perspective.