Welcome to Litsy!

My June #bookspin picks! I‘ve had the Horowitz on my shelf for, oh, 20, 25 years now. I was quite the little college Republican. I suppose it may seem dated now, but I‘ll give it a try - if I can‘t get into it, then I‘ll make myself let it go. And Horowitz just passed away this year, so it‘s as good a time as any to revisit his writing.

Bag of Bones was my gift in a Halloween swap a couple of years ago and I‘ve somehow not yet read it. Let‘s go!

A UC Berkley sociologist spent 5 years conducting research in Louisiana as she sought to understand political divisions in our country & why people vote the way they do even in the face of seemingly obvious contradictions. One thing that becomes apparent is the tension between economic and emotional self-interests & the profound impact of the former in recent elections. A fascinating, even-handed, accessible, & thought-provoking read.

Thinking I may need to shift to books that are about escaping our current reality, as I keep reading the opposite and it‘s heavy. 🙃 But this is a good one, by a well-known sociologist (still doing vital work in her mid-eighties!) and based on ethnographic research where she deeply studies and truly listens to those whom we might perceive as voting against their own interests. A powerful takeaway is Hochschild‘s assertion that many (who ⬇️

A well done, investigative reporting in Appalachia of a community before and after a white nationalist march in Pikeville, KY. Interviews with residents give shape to the frustrations of loss, shame, and poverty though they work hard yet can‘t get ahead. It‘s a great book, but it didn‘t make me feel better.

Looking forward to the Dworkin reissues! (Great covers imo.) I‘ve read 2 of these 3, and had to read them as pdfs 🙃 so we‘re well overdue for the reprint.

With all due respect, if you couldn‘t answer that question the first time, you shouldn‘t be running for the office you‘re running for. I don‘t want a president who panders to a base who can‘t accept an honest answer.

https://www.npr.org/2023/12/28/1221988690/nikki-haley-didnt-say-slavery-caused-t...

This autobiography of the popular governor of Florida (Ron DeSantis) makes a compelling case for why he should be the next POTUS. Desantis is man of integrity, a conservationist, a conservative, and an overall champion of freedom and the rule of law.

The riot itself is actually the least interesting aspect of this book. What was far more interesting is the history and politics that lead up to it, and Kuhn tells that tale masterfully. This is the story of how the Democratic party lost the white, middle class voter, and why they shouldn't have. Worst of all, Kuhn shows how Democrats learned nothing from it, and continue to make the same mistakes to this very day.