Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
The Grouchy Historian
The Grouchy Historian: An Old-Time Lefty Defends Our Constitution Against Right-Wing Hypocrites and Nutjobs | Ed Asner, Ed. Weinberger
35 posts | 9 read | 43 to read
In the tradition of Al Franken and Michael Moore, Ed Asnera.k.a. Lou Grant from The Mary Tyler Moore Showreclaims the Constitution from the right-wingers who think that they and only they know how to interpret it. Ed Asner, a self-proclaimed dauntless Democrat from the old days, figured that if the right-wing wackos are wrong about voter fraud, Obamas death panels, and climate change, they are probably just as wrong about what the Constitution says. Theres no way that two hundred-plus years later, the right-wing ideologues know how to interpret the Constitution. On their way home from Philadelphia the people who wrote it couldnt agree on what it meant. What was the presidents job? Who knew? All they knew was that the president was going to be George Washington and as long as he was in charge, that was good enough. When Hamilton wanted to start a national bank, Madison told him that it was unconstitutional. Both men had been in the room when the Constitution was written. And now today there are politicians and judges who claim that they know the original meaning of the Constitution. Are you kidding? In The Grouchy Historian, Ed Asner leads the charge for liberals to reclaim the Constitution from the right-wingers who use it as their justification for doing whatever terrible thing they want to do, which is usually to comfort the comfortable and afflict the afflicted. Its about time someone gave them hell and explained that progressives can read, too.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
blurb
GingerAntics
post image

Terrible news!!! We have lost a national treasure today!!!

Lcsmcat So sad. 3y
Traci1 Aw no. 😢 3y
See All 6 Comments
kspenmoll 😢 3y
CarolynM That's one of the best subtitles I've ever seen. RIP Ed. 3y
GingerAntics @CarolynM right? It really just cemented his “national Treasure” title for me. 💙💙💙 He will certainly be missed. 3y
25 likes2 stack adds6 comments
review
mandarchy
post image
Pickpick

While I'm probably as left leaning as Asner, I don't like calling people nut jobs. I think it defeats the purpose of steering our perspectives toward a common understanding. I hope that my nation can turn its focus on the 21st century with the intent of inclusion and drop the fears that perpetuate meritocracy. #readforperspective

Nebklvr I think everyone is a nut job in their own special way 😂 3y
bthegood Agree @mandarchy , once name calling starts meaningful debate and discussion, which leads to finding common ground, ends. 3y
47 likes1 stack add2 comments
blurb
mandarchy
post image

#NutsInMay update: finishing a puzzle and the tagged book. Refugee by Gratz next up on the Kindle.

41 likes1 stack add
blurb
mandarchy
post image

Thanks for the suggestion @Traci1 . I came home early from work as my son was exposed to covid and sent home early from school. Couldn't get this at the two libraries on my Libby app, so added a library card two counties over and voilà! Here we go quarantine again. #IloveLibby #librarybooks

Traci1 I hope you love it! 3y
47 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
GingerAntics
post image
Pickpick

This book is funny and entertaining, but also so very important. It addresses some of the hypocrisy of modern conservative thought regarding the constitution along with the actual history on the subject. This book is most assuredly not for a conservative audience or anyone who does not believe in verifiable historical fact. The audiobook is highly recommended as Ed Asner really makes this an enjoyable listen.
#EdAsner #TheGrouchyHistorian

CarolynM I'm nominating this for subtitle of the year😆 3y
GingerAntics @CarolynM the subtitle is stellar!!! 🤣😂🤣 3y
14 likes2 comments
quote
GingerAntics
post image

Asner closed with this gem from Thomas Jefferson. Sadly, our current government isn‘t meeting this objective in the slightest.
#EdAsner #TheGrouchyHistorian #ThomasJefferson #GoodGovernment #YouHadOneJob

quote
GingerAntics
post image

Asner said the NRA would sell guns to your dog if it could shoot one. Then, he ever so helpfully came up with this new slogan.
🤣😂🤣
#EdAsner #TheGrouchyHistorian #GunControl

quote
GingerAntics
post image

This is a stunning and terrifying fact.
7 mobsters die, we get several new gun laws.
20 children and a teacher die, we get thoughts and prayers.
Tell me again how children are valued as “our future” and educators are so important.
#EdAsner #TheGrouchyHistorian #GunControl

quote
GingerAntics
post image

Fact.
The founders never wanted everyone to have guns, only state militias to prevent the national standing army from over running the country. The 2nd amendment was about military weapons, not individual weapons.
#EdAsner #TheGrouchyHistorian #GunControl

quote
GingerAntics
post image
quote
GingerAntics
post image

An absolutely terrifying statistic. Oh no, we don‘t have a gun problem in America. Clearly, we have a death problem. I bet that explains the “pandemic” too. 🙄
#EdAsner #TheGrouchyHistorian #GunControl

quote
GingerAntics
post image

I wonder what he felt as he took his pulse one last time?
#EdAsner #TheGrouchyHistorian #GeorgeWashington

quote
GingerAntics
post image

Hey Madison, why are you talking to yourself?
#EdAsner #TheGrouchyHistorian #JamesMadison

quote
GingerAntics
post image

Also a fair point.
#EdAsner #TheGrouchyHistorian

quote
GingerAntics
post image
quote
GingerAntics
post image
quote
GingerAntics
post image

He always has a great point, and then the punchline.
🤣😂🤣
#EdAsner #TheGrouchyHistorian

quote
GingerAntics
post image
Traci1 😆 3y
11 likes1 comment
quote
GingerAntics
post image

🤣😂🤣💙💙💙
I‘m sorry, but I would straight up pay money to watch modern lawmakers (and any man at that, really), attempt to figure out how to piss in trousers without a fly. Now THAT‘S a solid idea for a reality TV show.
🤣😂🤣 Men in Pants (with no fly) 😂🤣😂 Wednesday‘s on the history channel at 8/7central.
🤣😂🤣
#EdAsner #TheGrouchyHistorian

Chrissyreadit Off to see if I can get it on audio. 3y
Eggbeater ???!!! Otherwise known as "wet n wild" 3y
Cuilin 😂😂😂 3y
See All 10 Comments
Ericalambbrown How did I not know this existed?!?! I must get my hands on this. 3y
GingerAntics @Eggbeater 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣 3y
GingerAntics @Ericalambbrown I stumbled upon it accidentally. I highly recommend the audio. 3y
Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I would absolutely watch that show. 🤣🤣🤣 3y
GingerAntics @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick you and me both!!! Can you imagine the virtual watch parties we could have through lockdown with this show?! 🤣😂🤣 3y
Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I wish I had a contact at any media company right now! 😆 3y
GingerAntics @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick right?! It‘s totally doable to be filmed and released in quarantine!!! 🤣😂🤣 How do we pitch something to a network with no previous credits? Who can we get on board who does? We need a celebrity backer. 3y
21 likes2 stack adds10 comments
quote
GingerAntics
post image

🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣
#EdAsner #TheGrouchyHistorian

quote
GingerAntics
post image

🤣😂🤣
I‘m dying!!!
🤣😂🤣
#EdAsner #TheGrouchyHistorian

quote
GingerAntics
post image
quote
GingerAntics
post image

This is a cool little factoid.
#EdAsner #TheGrouchyHistorian #funfact

quote
GingerAntics
post image
quote
GingerAntics
post image

“I promise not to use that word again.”
🤣😂🤣
#EdAsner #TheGrouchyHistorian

quote
GingerAntics
post image

Woops! 🤷🏼‍♀️ I‘d love to see Lin-Manuel Miranda put that into the show! 🤣😂🤣
#EdAsner #TheGrouchyHistorian #Hamilton

quote
GingerAntics
post image

🤣😂🤣
This book has be laughing out loud like a lunatic repeatedly. It‘s almost as funny, but in a totally different way, as Clanlands.
#EdAsner #TheGrouchyHistorian #WeAreLooneyAndWeAreProud

Traci1 Are you listening to this on audio? It sounds awesome. 3y
GingerAntics @Traci1 yes I am. I highly recommend the audio as he reads it himself. 3y
15 likes1 stack add2 comments
blurb
GingerAntics
post image

I‘m taking this for a spin now, too. I love the description, especially when he says “It‘s about time someone gave [Republicans] he‘ll and explained that progressives can read, too.”
🤣😂🤣
#EdAsner #TheGrouchyHistorian

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick This already sounds good then I saw the cover says "with John Amos" ? 3y
GingerAntics @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick oh it was good!!! The audiobook was SO well done. 3y
18 likes2 stack adds2 comments
review
ralexist
post image
Pickpick

While not exactly comprehensive, Asner does walk through some interesting points. It helped to remind me that as long as laws and government are created by people there will always be flaws, and there will always be people who will twist those flaws to their purpose. Our moving forward as a nation doesn't actually have an end point, we will always be striving to be better - and that definition of better will always be defined by who sits in power.

LauraJ Good review! 5y
36 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
NotCool
Pickpick

I wasn‘t familiar with Ed Asner, but I enjoyed his exasperated review of history. There were a few parts of this book written from the POV of different people. Theses weren‘t horrible, but I wanted to get back to Asner‘s narrative before they were over.

review
bunneeboy
post image
Pickpick

Sardonic, earnest and timely. I even learned something! Thanks, Professor Asner!

review
BookishMarginalia
post image
Pickpick

This is an entertaining take on the creation of the US Constitution, with quite a few necessary reminders thrown in, such as: many founders were slave owners; most founders benefitted financially from the new rule of law they instituted; the whole purpose of the Constitution was to set up a strong federal government; most founders did not believe in God in the way currently espoused by evangelical Christians. Recommended audio!

Craftylikefox Oh geez! I have a hard time focusing when listening to audio books but I might need to try this one. 6y
8little_paws Oh dude this sounds fantastic 6y
124 likes20 stack adds2 comments
blurb
WanderingBookaneer
post image
Readergrrl I had no idea that Asner had written this book! I so want to read it!! 6y
AlaMich This sounds awesome!!! 6y
IamIamIam WOW!!! 😍😍😍 6y
SleepyDragon I was going to take a break from political reads for a bit, but then I saw this ... dang! 6y
102 likes11 stack adds4 comments
blurb
LibrarianRyan
post image

#bookmail. My #bookandtreat today is by the grouchy historian. I know quite a few of those. And the treat is fake, but fun. #seasonsreadings2017

blurb
GidgetsTreasures75
post image

Can't wait!!!