213: Juxtapoz

Juxtapoz

From the magazine description:

"Juxtapoz magazine presents a gallery of underground artists who influence much of the fashion, graphics, and new art we see today. Full color layouts featuring painters, sculptors, cartoonists and photographers are featured along with interviews, rare portfolios, sketches and reviews."

Why this is progressive/liberal: While not all artists are progressive in their politics, art, especially the genre-busting kind of art championed by Juxtapoz, is progressive. Any art that inspires you to think differently about the world is art that makes you think. And thinking is one of the values most cherished by progressives.

214: Mother Jones

Mother Jones

From the magazine description:

"Mother Jones provides investigative reports, national and international news, and perspectives on politics, culture and current controversies. In addition, it reports on the environment, family, national politics, individual liberties, personal choice and corporate and government power. Mother Jones challenges conventional wisdom, exposes abuses of power, helps redefine stubborn problems and offers fresh solutions."

Why this is progressive/liberal: Launched in 1976 Mother Jones has consistently provided high quality journalism. Nominated for 23 National Magazine Awards Mother Jones has won six times, including for General Excellence in 2001, 2008, and 2010.

215: The Progressive

Progressive

From the magazine description:

"Committed to the publication of articles and editorials that promote peaceful solutions to international disputes, the attainment of economic justice, and the protection of individual rights."

Why this is progressive/liberal: For over a century The Progressive has stood for progressive values and opposed military intervention. Founded by progressive giant Senator Robert La Follette The Progressive magazine continues to be an important outlet for progressive voices today.



You can visit their website here.

216: Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone (1-year auto-renewal)

From the magazine description:

"This magazine is edited for young adults who have a special interest in popular culture. Its regular features include state-of-the-art audio and electronics columns, record reviews, reader correspondence, interviews and photojournalism features."

Why this is progressive/liberal: I don't think Rolling Stone has been particularly liberal for the past 30+ years. The exception, and the reason it gets mentioned here, is the work of Matt Taibbi. His work since 2008 on the economic meltdown is essential reading.

217: The Nation

The Nation

From the magazine description:

Founded in 1865, The Nation is America's oldest weekly magazine, the flagship of the Left, and now the country's most widely read journal of opinion. Published to inform the national debate on critical issues of the day, The Nation seeks to enlighten and empower a community of concerned citizens and influential readers.

The Nation has long served as an early-warning system, exposing prejudice, discrimination, and abuse of power through investigative reporting, analysis, commentary, and cultural reviews. Proudly independent of political parties and corporate interests, The Nation exposes, in print and online, issues often ignored by the mainstream media.

Championing civil liberties, human rights, economic justice, and peace, The Nation challenges the status quo, encourages dissent, and presents ideas from a variety of voices, always seeking a more tolerant and just future.

Why this is progressive/liberal: Founded by abolitionists this is the longest-running liberal magazine in the United States.

218: Adbusters

Wonder where the Occupy movement came from? Look no further than Adbusters, a countercultural critique of capitalism.

Adbusters is a not for profit organization. Our magazine is entirely ad free.

Our mission is to cut through the fog of mental pollution, changing the way information flows in our society. With incisive philosophical thrusts, activist commentaries and visual mindbombs from around the world, we want to enlighten you, enrage you and enlist you in creating a new future. We hope Adbusters is a kick in the head, a life changing epiphany and a compelling call to arms.

Why this is progressive/liberal: Adbusters was instrumental in launching the Occupy Wall Street campaign. Plus, Kalle Lasn's book is mandatory reading for progressives across the globe.

Culture Jam: How to Reverse America's Suicidal Consumer Binge--And Why We Must

Magazine Week

Since a good progressive library includes magazines as well as books, movies, websites, etc. the last week of November is officially magazine week.

Erratic Posting

An uptick in the demands of work and working on a book for National Novel Writing Month have made the daily posts sporadic. My apologies.

However, given that daily posts have not been appearing daily, I'm just going to post the rest of November tonight, and get back to the daily schedule in December.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! And thank you for following along.

219: The Jefferson Bible, Smithsonian Edition: The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth

The Jefferson Bible, Smithsonian Edition: The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth

From the book description:

The Jefferson Bible, or The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth as it is formally titled, was Thomas Jefferson's effort to extract what he considered the pertinent doctrine of Jesus by removing sections of the New Testament containing supernatural aspects as well as perceived misinterpretations he believed had been added by the Four Evangelists. Using a razor, Jefferson cut and arranged selected verses from the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in chronological order, mingling excerpts from one text to those of another in order to create a single narrative. After completion of The Life and Morals, about 1820, Jefferson shared it with a number of friends, but he never allowed it to be published during his lifetime. The most complete form Jefferson produced was inherited by his grandson, Thomas Jefferson Randolph, and was published in 1895 by the National Museum in Washington. Once published in black-and-white facsimile by the Government Printing Office in 1900 as a gift for new members of Congress, the Jefferson Bible has never before been published in color in its complete form. The Jefferson Bible, Smithsonian Edition is an exact facsimile reproduction based on the original copy in the Smithsonian collections. The Jefferson Bible, Smithsonian Edition is as beautiful an object as was so painstakingly crafted by Thomas Jefferson himself.

Why this is progressive/liberal: Thomas Jefferson was one of the first, and certainly one of the most prominent, progressives in the early US. The Declaration of Independence is one of the foundational texts for progressives. Jefferson's determination to keep church and state separate, and his devotion to higher education also place him firmly in the upper echelon of progressive heroes.

Buy the Kindle version: The Jefferson Bible or, The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth (mobi) (Little Books of Wisdom)

220: Steal This Book by Abbie Hoffman

Steal This Book

From the book description:

"A driving force behind the social revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, Hoffman inspired a generation to challenge the status quo. Meant as a practical guide for the aspiring hippie, Steal This Book captures Hoffman's puckish tone and became a cult classic with over 200,000 copies sold. Outrageously illustrated by R. Crumb, it nevertheless conveys a serious message to all would-be revolutionaries: You don't have to take it anymore. 'All Power to the Imagination was his credo. Abbie was the best.' — Studs Terkel"

Why this is progressive/liberal: Abbie Hoffman is an icon of the progressive movement. A founder of the Yippies and one of the Chicago Seven, Hoffman's ability to introduce humor and theatricality to protests helped distinguish the protests of the New Left from their forebears. Hoffman suffered from bipolar disorder and finally succumbed to depression in 1989 at the age of 52. His prankster spirit lives on in social justice protests to this day.

In Steal This Book he lays out a way to live for free. Sadly, the book is almost wholly out-of-date, but worth reading for its spirit of finding a way to live outside the system.

221: The Book of Mr. Natural by R. Crumb

The Book of Mr. Natural

From the book description:

"This collection features over 120 pages of vintage Crumb comics starring the white-bearded, diminutive sage-cum-charlatan, ranging from charming, free-wheeling early '70s stories to the disturbing, controversial '90s stories (as seen in the Crumb movie), including the entire 40-page "Mr. Natural and Devil Girl" epic. Crumb's Mr. Natural is probably the most famous underground character of all (topping even Fritz the Cat and the Freak Brothers), recognizable even to "civilians." Don't miss this opportunity to snatch up this jam-packed collection of comics from one of the all-time masters! 112 pages of black-and-white comics."

Why this is progressive/liberal: R. Crumb's celebration of sex and drugs, and his portrayal of his acid-drenched life in San Francisco in the 1960s makes this the essential record of the hippie era. That Crumb was able to take comics and turn them into a uniquely American art form, makes his work worth reading. If you're not familiar with the work of R. Crumb you're missing out. There are lots of places to start and this volume is one of them.

222: American Splendor and More American Splendor: The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar

American Splendor and More American Splendor: The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar

From the book description:

"American Splendor is the world's first literary comic book. Cleveland native Harvey Pekar is a true American original. A V.A. hospital file clerk and comic book writer, Harvey chronicles the ordinary and mundane in stories both funny and touching. His dead-on eye for the frustrations and minutiae of the workaday world mix in a delicate balance with his insight into personal relationships. Pekar has been compared to Dreiser, Dostoevsky, and Lenny Bruce. But he is truly more than all of them—he is himself."

Why this is progressive/liberal: Harvey Pekar's appearances on David Letterman, where he openly criticized the network, demonstrate his progressive sensibilities. While an iconoclastic and independent thinker, Pekar's willingness to place art before wealth places him squarely in the progressive camp.

223: The Book of the SubGenius : The Sacred Teachings of J.R. 'Bob' Dobbs

The Book of the SubGenius : The Sacred Teachings of J.R. 'Bob' Dobbs

From the book description:

"Sometimes a book goes too far. Sometimes is... now. First, there was The Gilgamesh. Then... the Bhagavad-Gita Then... the Torah, the New Testament, the Koran Then... the Book of Mormon, Dianetics, I'm OK You're OK. And now...The Book of the Subgenius (How to Prosper in the Coming Weird Times)."

Why this is progressive/liberal: From Voltaire to Richard Dawkins liberals and progressives have been critical of religion. The Book of the SubGenius unflinchingly embraces everything weird and odd about faith and mixes it together with abundant dollops of absurdity and surrealism. More than a parody, it's a way of life. Praise Bob.

Buy the Kindle version: Book of the Subgenius



Books in a similar vein:

224: Optimism One: The Emerging Radicalism by F. M. Esfandiary

Optimism One: The Emerging Radicalism

The son of an Iranian diplomat F. M. Esfandiary also worked as a diplomat, was an Olympic basketball player, and a novelist. In the early 1970s he laid out a truly remarkable philosophical vision rooted in extreme optimism. Esfandiary yearned to break the shackles of tradition with the possibilities of a techno-utopia. Esfandiary's work was a significant influence on the modern transhumanist movement.

Why this is progressive/liberal: Breaking with tradition and optimistically embracing the future are liberal traits, but very few are willing to go as far as Esfandiary. Read this with his book Up-Wingers: A Futurist Manifesto.

225: Info-Psychology: A Manual for the Use of the Human Nervous System According to the Instructions of the Manufacturers, and a Navigational Guide for Piloting the Evolution of the Human Individual by Timothy Leary

Info-Psychology: A Manual for the Use of the Human Nervous System According to the Instructions of the Manufacturers, and a Navigational Guide for Piloting the Evolution of the Human Individual

Richard Nixon called him "the most dangerous man in America." But the revolution Leary fought was for the liberty to control one's own brain. Written while he was serving a life sentence Info-Psychology (originally titled Exo-Psychology) introduces readers to his 8-Circuit Model of Consciousness. While not the most reliable of research scientists or theorists, Leary's far-reaching ideas are unlike anything else you've ever read.

Why this is progressive/liberal: Leary is a progressive icon. From the moment he first tried hallucinogens he fought for their acceptance in the US. A lot of liberals and progressives still hate Leary for various perceived transgressions, but such a dynamic larger-than-life figure won't be along again for generations. Nobody thinks like Leary.



Read this with his two other futurist masterworks--Neuropolitics: The Sociobiology of Human Metamorphosis & The Intelligence Agents (Future History)

226: Race Matters by Cornel West

Race Matters

From the book description:

"First published in 1993 on the one-year anniversary of the L.A. riots, Race Matters has since become an American classic. Beacon Press is proud to present this hardcover edition with a new introduction by Cornel West. The issues that it addresses are as controversial and urgent as before, and West's insights remain fresh, exciting, and timely. Now more than ever, Race Matters is a book for all Americans—one that will help us build a genuine multiracial democracy."

Why this is progressive/liberal: This brilliant book by Cornel West reveals how how race matters continue to haunt the United States.



For a companion work check out: Democracy Matters: Winning the Fight Against Imperialism

227: Anti-Intellectualism in American Life by Richard Hofstadter

Anti-Intellectualism in American Life

Hofstadter's brilliant historical analysis shows that anti-intellectualism has a long rich tradition in US politics.

Why this is progressive/liberal: This book is as relevant today as it was when it was published in 1963. If you've ever wondered why a non-trivial portion of the US embraces politicians like Sarah Palin who wear their ignorance as a badge of pride, and why so many people reject the science of climate change to go with their gut feelings on the topic, then read this book to better understand the historical culture that nurtures such attitudes.

228: Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

Silent Spring

From the Book Description:

"Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring was first published in three serialized excerpts in the New Yorker in June of 1962. The book appeared in September of that year and the outcry that followed its publication forced the banning of DDT and spurred revolutionary changes in the laws affecting our air, land, and water. Carson's passionate concern for the future of our planet reverberated powerfully throughout the world, and her eloquent book was instrumental in launching the environmental movement. It is without question one of the landmark books of the twentieth century."

Why this is progressive/liberal: One of the earliest works on the substantial dangers of pollution. Still one of the best.

Buy the Kindle version: Silent Spring

229: The Idea of Justice by Amartya Sen

The Idea of Justice

Book description:

Social justice: an ideal, forever beyond our grasp; or one of many practical possibilities? More than a matter of intellectual discourse, the idea of justice plays a real role in how—and how well—people live. And in this book the distinguished scholar Amartya Sen offers a powerful critique of the theory of social justice that, in its grip on social and political thinking, has long left practical realities far behind.

The transcendental theory of justice, the subject of Sen’s analysis, flourished in the Enlightenment and has proponents among some of the most distinguished philosophers of our day; it is concerned with identifying perfectly just social arrangements, defining the nature of the perfectly just society. The approach Sen favors, on the other hand, focuses on the comparative judgments of what is “more” or “less” just, and on the comparative merits of the different societies that actually emerge from certain institutions and social interactions.

At the heart of Sen’s argument is a respect for reasoned differences in our understanding of what a “just society” really is. People of different persuasions—for example, utilitarians, economic egalitarians, labor right theorists, no­-nonsense libertarians—might each reasonably see a clear and straightforward resolution to questions of justice; and yet, these clear and straightforward resolutions would be completely different. In light of this, Sen argues for a comparative perspective on justice that can guide us in the choice between alternatives that we inevitably face.

Why this is progressive/liberal: If you think justice should be more than some aspirational Platonic ideal, then this book is for you. Sen argues that justice must also include reducing injustice and advancing justice in places it doesn't exist. Essential reading for the modern progressive.

Buy the Kindle version: The Idea of Justice

230: A Theory of Justice: Original Edition by John Rawls

A Theory of Justice: Original Edition

Book description:

"Though the revised edition of "A Theory of Justice," published in 1999, is the definitive statement of Rawls's view, so much of the extensive literature on Rawls's theory refers to the first edition. This reissue makes the first edition once again available for scholars and serious students of Rawls's work."

Why this is progressive/liberal: One of the most substantial works on liberal thought available.

Buy the Kindle version: A Theory of Justice: Original Edition



If you only read one book by Rawls, however, read Justice as Fairness: A Restatement.

231: What Are Intellectuals Good For? -- (with a Foreword by Scott McLemee) by George Scialabba

What Are Intellectuals Good For? -- (with a Foreword by Scott McLemee)

Book description:

"What Are Intellectuals Good For? contains searching appraisals of a large gallery of twentieth-century intellectuals, including Randolph Bourne, Dwight Macdonald, Lionel Trilling, Irving Howe, Isaiah Berlin, William F. Buckley Jr., Allan Bloom, Richard Rorty, Stanley Fish, Christopher Lasch, Edward Said, Ellen Willis, and Christopher Hitchens. It also includes two wide-ranging general essays on intellectuals and politics and concludes with a speculative essay on the moral and political consequences of our species cyber-evolution. George Scialabba, a book columnist for the Boston Globe and frequent contributor to the Boston Review, Dissent, the American Prospect, and the Nation, is admired by a small circle of discerning readers. What Are Intellectuals Good For?, his second essay collection, brings his eloquent and modest (Christopher Hitchens) voice to a larger audience. Mark Oppenheimer, a columnist for the Huffington Post, included Scialabba s first collection, Divided Mind (2006), in a list of Great Books the Pulitzers Missed. Scott McLemee, the popular Intellectual Affairs columnist of InsideHigherEd, profiled him at length and has contributed a foreword."

Why this is progressive/liberal: Scialabba is a good, old-fashioned thinker. And in this collection of essays he thinks about what it means to be an intellectual and what it means to be a man of the left. Worthwhile for anyone who enjoys careful thought.

232: Like a Hurricane: The Indian Movement from Alcatraz to Wounded Knee by Paul Chaat Smith and Robert Warrior

Like a Hurricane: The Indian Movement from Alcatraz to Wounded Knee

Book description:

"For a brief but brilliant season beginning in the late 1960s, American Indians seized national attention in a series of radical acts of resistance. Like a Hurricane is a gripping account of the dramatic, breathtaking events of this tumultuous period. Drawing on a wealth of archival materials, interviews, and the authors' own experiences of these events, Like a Hurricane offers a rare, unflinchingly honest assessment of the period's successes and failures."

Why this is progressive/liberal: Progressives are often not so progressive on Indian rights. For example, I've never known an Indian that referred to him or herself as a Native American. We've taken hundreds of nations and lumped them all together. This is akin to asserting that a citizen of Mexico, a citizen of the United States, and a citizen of Canada are all roughly the same because they're "Americans." Or, North Americans if you want to be more specific. This history of the American Indian protest movement in the early 1970s is a must read for anyone interested in Indian civil rights.

233: William Beveridge: A Biography by Jose Harris

William Beveridge: A Biography

Book description -

This new edition of Harris's biography of William Beveridge draws upon extensive new archive material about his private and public career. It expands the account given in the first edition of the origins and reception of the Beveridge Plan, and shows how the tortuous character of Beveridge's personal and emotional history helped to shape his contribution to twentieth-century social reform.

Why this is progressive/liberal: Lord William Beveridge was the primary architect of the British welfare state. He chaired the committee that produced the deeply influential Beveridge Report, which identified five "Giant Evils" in society: squalor, ignorance, want, idleness and disease. A well-functioning state should do something to address these evils. If you want to know the logic behind welfare and social security this obscure book will help.



Mr. Social Security: The Life of Wilbur J. Cohen by Edward Berkowitz is a terrific companion piece and looks at the man who helped create Social Security policy it the United States.

234: A History of the Cuban Revolution by Aviva Chomsky

A History of the Cuban Revolution (Viewpoints / Puntos de Vista)

From the book description:

A History of the Cuban Revolution presents a concise socio-historical account of the Cuban Revolution of 1959, an event that continues to spark debate 50 years later.

Balances a comprehensive overview of the political and economic events of the revolution with a look at the revolution’s social impact

Provides a lively, on-the-ground look at the lives of ordinary people

Features both U.S. and Cuban perspectives to provide a complete and well-rounded look at the revolution and its repercussions

Encourages students to understand history through the viewpoint of individuals living it

Why this is progressive/liberal: It's almost impossible to get an unbiased analysis of the Cuban Revolution. Aviva Chomsky's history is probably the closest you can come.

Buy the Kindle version: A History of the Cuban Revolution (Viewpoints / Puntos de Vista)

235: Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life by Jon Lee Anderson

Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life

From the book description:

Jon Lee Anderson's definitive and acclaimed biography of Che Guevara manages to transcend the myth of Che and portray in unrivaled detail a complicated human being. In his quest to discover who the real Che was, Anderson moved to Havana and gained unprecedented access to the personal archives maintained by Che's widow. He spent months with Che's old friends in Argentina, where Che was born into an aristocratic family and went to medical school. He interviewed Che's comrades from battles fought in Cuba and the Congo and Bolivia, and he talked to figures on both sides of the Cold War, in Moscow and in the CIA.

The book completes the epic saga of an extraordinary life. In 1995, Anderson broke the story of how Che's body had been secretly hidden after his assassination in Bolivia in 1967. He recounts how the body was finally recovered, thirty years after the murder, brought back to Cuba, and interred in the place Che had won his most famous battle in the Cuban revolution. Meticulously researched, Anderson's book reveals many details of Che's life that were long cloaked in secrecy and intrigue. This edition, which has been carefully revised and updated, has a new introduction and epilogue, new maps, and a new chronology of Che's life.

Why this is progressive/liberal: Everyone knows the image, but few take the time to learn the life or philosophy. Anderson's biography is one of the best available. Love Che or hate him, you can learn a lot from this work.

Buy the Kindle version: Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life

236: Simon Bolivar: A Life by John Lynch

Simon Bolivar: A Life

From the book description:

Simón Bolívar was a revolutionary who freed six countries, an intellectual who argued the principles of national liberation, and a general who fought a cruel colonial war. His life, passions, battles, and great victories became embedded in Spanish American culture almost as soon as they happened. This is the first major English-language biography of “The Liberator” in half a century. John Lynch draws on extensive research on the man and his era to tell Bolívar’s story, to understand his life in the context of his own society and times, and to explore his remarkable and enduring legacy.

The book illuminates the inner world of Bolívar, the dynamics of his leadership, his power to command, and his modes of ruling the diverse peoples of Spanish America. The key to his greatness, Lynch concludes, was supreme will power and an ability to inspire people to follow him beyond their immediate interests, in some cases through years of unremitting struggle. Encompassing Bolívar’s entire life and his many accomplishments, this is the definitive account of a towering figure in the history of the Western hemisphere.

Why this is progressive/liberal: Bolivar helped six different nations win their independence. Maybe no one in history has done more for the cause of freedom in the Americas. Understanding his sometimes contradictory ideas about democracy helps explain some of the differences between progressives in South America and progressives in North America.

Read the Kindle version: Simon Bolivar: A Life

237: The Battle of the Story of the Battle of Seattle by David Solnit and Rebecca Solnit

The Battle of the Story of the Battle of Seattle

From the book description:

"From dawn to dusk on November 30, 1999, tens of thousands of people shut down the World Trade Organization meeting, facing cops firing tear gas and rubber bullets, the National Guard, and the suspension of civil liberties. An unexpected history was launched from the streets of Seattle, one in which popular power would matter as much as corporate power, in which economics assumed center stage, and people began envisioning who else they could be and what else their economies and societies might look like.

"The Battle of the Story of the Battle of Seattle explores how that history itself has become a battleground and how our perception of it shapes today's movements against corporate capitalism and for a better world. David Solnit recounts activist efforts to intervene in the Hollywood star-studded movie, Battle in Seattle, and pulls lessons from a decade ago for today. Rebecca Solnit writes of challenging mainstream misrepresentation of the Seattle protests and reflects on official history and popular power. Core organizer Chris Dixon tells the real story of what happened during those five days in the streets of Seattle."

Why this is progressive/liberal: In light of the OWS protests sweeping the nation this work (which I randomly assigned to this date back in July) is especially pertinent. This book by the Solnits isn't so much about the 1998 protest as it is about trying to control the story afterwards. Anybody who has attended an Occupy protests and then read about it in the news (or seen it reported on TV) has noticed the disconnect between the "official" version presented by the media elites, and the experiential version of those who witnessed and participated. This book helps explain how that

238: Nuclear Power Is Not the Answer by Helen Caldicott

Nuclear Power Is Not the Answer

In Nuclear Power Is Not the Answer Caldicott argues that "Nuclear power contributes to global warming, the real costs of nuclear power are prohibitive (and taxpayers pick up most of them), there’s not enough uranium in the world to sustain long-term nuclear power, and that potential for a catastrophic accident or terrorist attack far outweighs any benefits."

Why this is progressive/liberal: Liberals like Barack Obama and iconoclastic progressives like Stewart Brand argue that some form of nuclear power is a necessity. Caldicott counters those arguments in this book.

239: America and the Pill: A History of Promise, Peril, and Liberation by Elaine Tyler May

America and the Pill: A History of Promise, Peril, and Liberation

Book description:

"In 1960, the FDA approved the oral contraceptive that would come to be known as "the pill." Within a few years, millions of women were using it. At a time when the population was surging, many believed that the drug would help eradicate poverty around the globe, ensure happy and stable marriages, and liberate women. America and the Pill reveals the ways in which the pill did and did not fulfill these utopian dreams, while also chronicling the stories of the creators, testers, and users who ultimately made the pill their own."

Why this is progressive/liberal: It may be impossible to exaggerate the impact the Pill had on the women's liberation movement. This book puts the arrival of this easy and efficient contraceptive into historical context. Arriving as it did, as the baby boom demographic was about to enter college, the Pill influenced second wave Feminism and the sexual revolution of the 1960s.

Buy the Kindle version: America and the Pill: A History of Promise, Peril, and Liberation

240: No University Is an Island: Saving Academic Freedom (Cultural Front Series) by Cary Nelson

No University Is an Island: Saving Academic Freedom (Cultural Front Series)

From the book description:

"No University Is an Island offers a comprehensive account of the social, political, and cultural forces undermining academic freedom. At once witty and devastating, it confronts these threats with exceptional frankness, then offers a prescription for higher education's renewal. In an insider's account of how the primary organization for faculty members nationwide has fought the culture wars, Cary Nelson, the current President of the American Association of University Professors, unveils struggles over governance and unionization and the increasing corporatization of higher education. Peppered throughout with previously unreported, and sometimes incendiary, higher education anecdotes, Nelson is at his flame-throwing best. The book calls on higher education's advocates of both the Left and the Right to temper conviction with tolerance and focus on higher education's real injustices. Nelson demands we stop denying teachers, student workers, and other employees a living wage and basic rights. He urges unions to take up the larger cause of justice. And he challenges his own and other academic organizations to embrace greater democracy."

Why this is progressive/liberal: The role and purpose of higher education has been debated and contested for as long as it has existed. Some see higher education as a way to teach about the human experience, others as a sort of vocational training to improve earning potential. Cary Nelson, president of the American Association of University Professors, sees the role of universities as upholding progressive values, and makes the argument for the importance of that role in this book.

Buy the Kindle version: No University Is an Island (Cultural Front)

241: Democracy and the Problem of Free Speech by Cass Sunstein

Democracy and the Problem of Free Speech

Via Wikipedia:

"In his book Democracy and the Problem of Free Speech Sunstein says there is a need to reformulate First Amendment law. He thinks that the current formulation, based on Justice Holmes' conception of free speech as a marketplace “disserves the aspirations of those who wrote America’s founding document." The purpose of this reformulation would be to “reinvigorate processes of democratic deliberation, by ensuring greater attention to public issues and greater diversity of views.” He is concerned by the present “situation in which like-minded people speak or listen mostly to one another,” and thinks that in “light of astonishing economic and technological changes, we must doubt whether, as interpreted, the constitutional guarantee of free speech is adequately serving democratic goals.” He proposes a “New Deal for speech [that] would draw on Justice Brandeis' insistence on the role of free speech in promoting political deliberation and citizenship."

Why this is progressive/liberal: Despite conservative claims to the contrary, Sunstein is a moderate liberal. For example, he endorsed Bush's choice of John Roberts for Supreme Court Chief Justice. What makes this book important for progressives is that liberals often fall down when it comes to protecting free speech. From concerns about political correctness to advocating for legislation to halt hate speech, liberals and progressives sometimes find themselves at odds over what speech should be protected and what speech should not. You may not agree with every aspect of Sunstein's argument, but at least he's making one. Along the way he brings up many interesting ideas worth considering.

Buy the Kindle version: Democracy and the Problem of Free Speech

242: A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam by Neil Sheehan

A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam (Modern Library)

Publisher's book description --

In this magisterial book, a monument of history and biography that was awarded the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction, renowned journalist Neil Sheehan tells the story of Lieutenant Colonel John Paul Vann–"the one irreplaceable American in Vietnam"–and of the tragedy that destroyed that country and the lives of so many Americans.

Outspoken and fearless, John Paul Vann arrived in Vietnam in 1962, full of confidence in America's might and right to prevail. A Bright Shining Lie reveals the truth about the war in Vietnam as it unfolded before Vann's eyes: the arrogance and professional corruption of the U.S. military system of the 1960s, the incompetence and venality of the South Vietnamese army, the nightmare of death and destruction that began with the arrival of the American forces. Witnessing the arrogance and self-deception firsthand, Vann put his life and career on the line in an attempt to convince his superiors that the war should be fought another way. But by the time he died in 1972, Vann had embraced the follies he once decried. He went to his grave believing that the war had been won.

A haunting and critically acclaimed masterpiece, A Bright Shining Lie is a timeless account of the American experience in Vietnam–a work that is epic in scope, piercing in detail, and told with the keen understanding of a journalist who was actually there. Neil Sheehan' s classic serves as a stunning revelation for all who thought they understood the war.

Why this is progressive/liberal: Opposition to the Vietnam war is one of the key aspects of the 20th century Left in the US. This journalistic tour de force by Neil Sheehan demonstrates why the Left got this one right.

Buy the Kindle version: A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam (Modern Library)