243: Shopping Our Way to Safety: How We Changed from Protecting the Environment to Protecting Ourselves by Andrew Szasz

Shopping Our Way to Safety: How We Changed from Protecting the Environment to Protecting Ourselves

Book description from the University of Minnesota web site:

"Many Americans today rightly fear that they are constantly exposed to dangerous toxins in their immediate environment: tap water is contaminated with chemicals; foods contain pesticide residues, hormones, and antibiotics; even the air we breathe, outside and indoors, carries invisible poisons. Yet we have responded not by pushing for governmental regulation, but instead by shopping. What accounts for this swift and dramatic response? And what are its unintended consequences?

Andrew Szasz examines this phenomenon in Shopping Our Way to Safety. Within a couple of decades, he reveals, bottled water and water filters, organic food, “green” household cleaners and personal hygiene products, and “natural” bedding and clothing have gone from being marginal, niche commodities to becoming mass consumer items. Szasz sees these fatalistic, individual responses to collective environmental threats as an inverted form of quarantine, aiming to shut the healthy individual in and the threatening world out.

Sharply critiquing these products’ effectiveness as well as the unforeseen political consequences of relying on them to keep us safe from harm, Szasz argues that when consumers believe that they are indeed buying a defense from environmental hazards, they feel less urgency to actually do something to fix them. To achieve real protection, real security, he concludes, we must give up the illusion of individual solutions and together seek substantive reform."

Why this is progressive/liberal: Can we really buy a more green and sustainable world? In this book Szasz argues that we cannot. Sometimes, despite our best intentions, our desire to do good makes things worse.

Buy the Kindle version: Shopping Our Way to Safety: How We Changed from Protecting the Environment to Protecting Ourselves

244: Lula of Brazil: The Story So Far by Richard Bourne

Lula of Brazil: The Story So Far

Book description at the University of California Press:

"Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's dramatic life story has captured the imagination of millions, and his progressive politics have brought hope and excitement to Brazil—and the world. This compelling work is the first major English-language biography of the metalworker who became president of Latin America's largest and most powerful country. In a clearly written, vividly detailed narrative, Richard Bourne describes Lula's childhood hardships in an impoverished family, his days as a revered trade unionist, and the strike movement that brought down Brazil's military dictatorship. The book chronicles Lula's campaigns for the presidency, his first term in office beginning in 2002, a major corruption scandal, and his reelection in 2006. Throughout, Lula of Brazil connects this charismatic leader's life to larger issues, such as the difficulty of maintaining a progressive policy in an era of globalization. Brazil's contemporary history, parallels with other developing countries and other world leaders, the conservatism of Brazilian society, and other themes provide a rich backdrop for assessing the struggles, achievements, and failures of this major figure on both the Brazilian and the world stage."

Why this is progressive/liberal: Lula's experience in Brazil demonstrates the challenges of implementing progressive policies. One of the most highly visible progressive leaders in the world, this book makes for fascinating reading.

245: The Autobiography of Malcolm X

The Autobiography of Malcolm X (Penguin Modern Classics)

Summary via Wikipedia:

"The Autobiography of Malcolm X is an account of the life of human rights activist Malcolm X, born Malcolm Little (1925–1965). It begins during his mother's pregnancy and describes his childhood in Michigan, the death of his father under questionable circumstances, and his mother's deteriorating mental health that resulted in her commitment to a psychiatric hospital. Little's young adulthood in Boston and New York City is covered, as is his involvement in organized crime that led to his arrest and subsequent eight- to ten-year prison sentence, of which he served six-and-a-half years (1946–1952). The book addresses his ministry with Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam (1952–1963) and his emergence as the organization's national spokesman. It then documents his subsequent disillusionment with and departure from the Nation of Islam in March 1964, his conversion to orthodox Sunni Islam, his pilgrimage to Mecca, and his travels in Africa. After Malcolm X was assassinated in New York's Audubon Ballroom in February 1965, the book's coauthor, journalist Alex Haley, summarizes the last days of Malcolm X's life, and describes in detail their working agreement, including Haley's personal views on his subject, in the Autobiography's epilogue."

Why this is progressive/liberal: Malcolm X was one of the most important voices of the Civil Rights movement. He was also a complicated and contradictory man. This book has elicited scores of critical responses, condemning and praising the collaboration between X and Alex Haley. It has been labeled one of the most important autobiographies in American letters, and been dismissed as a complete fabrication. Regardless of the critical interpretation it remains significantly influential.

246: Free Culture: The Nature and Future of Creativity by Lawrence Lessig

Free Culture: The Nature and Future of Creativity

From the Website:

"All creative works—books, movies, records, software, and so on—are a compromise between what can be imagined and what is possible—technologically and legally. For more than two hundred years, laws in America have sought a balance between rewarding creativity and allowing the borrowing from which new creativity springs. The original term of copyright set by the First Congress in 1790 was 14 years, renewable once. Now it is closer to two hundred. Thomas Jefferson considered protecting the public against overly long monopolies on creative works an essential government role. What did he know that we’ve forgotten?

"Lawrence Lessig shows us that while new technologies always lead to new laws, never before have the big cultural monopolists used the fear created by new technologies, specifically the Internet, to shrink the public domain of ideas, even as the same corporations use the same technologies to control more and more what we can and can’t do with culture. As more and more culture becomes digitized, more and more becomes controllable, even as laws are being toughened at the behest of the big media groups. What’s at stake is our freedom—freedom to create, freedom to build, and ultimately, freedom to imagine."

Why this is progressive/liberal: Walt Disney lived in an era where he could combine his entrepreneurial genius with creative works in the public domain to create a national treasure. As corporations have grown more powerful they have claimed more of the scarce resources that once were understood to belong to the public. Lessig makes an argument for resisting the tide of corporate ownership over culture that should belong to us all.

Buy the Kindle version: Free Culture: The Nature and Future of Creativity



Check out the free version available on the Web.

247: The Conscience of a Liberal by Paul Krugman

The Conscience of a Liberal

There was a time when the United States was an economic powerhouse. There was a time when the middle-class was expanding and families could buy a house, save for college, and have enough money to retire on. Building a strong middle-class didn't happen by accident. Krugman shows how government policies helped shape the economic environment so that the middle-class could flourish. He then shows how those policies were dismantled piece by piece, and argues that they should be reinstated. A clear, well-written, well-argued economic history.

Why this is progressive/liberal: Krugman is one of the most visible liberals in the United States. His credibility received an enormous boost in 2008 when he was awarded the Nobel Prize in economics. However, he's been arguing for economic justice and liberal economic policies in pages of the New York Times for over a decade now. If you ever wanted to understand why a national health care policy is a good idea, read this book.

Buy the Kindle version: The Conscience of a Liberal

248: The Unsettling of America: Culture & Agriculture by Wendell Berry

The Unsettling of America: Culture & Agriculture

Wendell Berry has been a leading figure in the progressive movement for decades. From protesting the Vietnam War to opposing the building of nuclear power plants to fighting against giant agribusinesses he has he has been a touchstone for the deep, enduring values of American liberalism. This book celebrates community and agriculture.

Why this is progressive/liberal: From the locavore movement to the resistance to corporate influence on our food system, Wendell Berry has been ahead of the curve. He has had a tremendous influence on how liberals and progressives understand the value of independent farmers and the communities that grow up around local agriculture.

249: The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Ruined Government, Enriched Themselves, and Beggared the Nation by Thomas Frank

The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Ruined Government, Enriched Themselves, and Beggared the Nation

Our current situation is no accident. The failure of the federal government to rein in corporate greed is the result of a long-term strategy. Widespread government incompetence is the purposeful result of conservative ideology. With a clear eye and abundant facts, Frank explains how decades of cynical, methodical work has brought the US federal government to its knees.

Why this is progressive/liberal: If I were forced to choose only one book from the whole year of A Progressive's Library it might very well be this one. Frank does an excellent job of explaining how Republicans and conservatives systematically and intentionally destroy the federal government. Everyone, right and left, should read this book.

Buy the Kindle version: The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Rule

250: Shaping Things by Bruce Sterling

Shaping Things (Mediaworks Pamphlets)

In this short book futurist and science-fiction writer Bruce Sterling coins a word -- spime -- to describe the future he sees unfolding. A spime is an object that can be located in space and time. The time is rapidly approaching when most objects in our world will be spimes. In the not too distant future, we'll be able to "google" our lost car keys. We will also have the opportunity, if we choose it, to follow the production stream of every object we use. This is a rousing manifesto about the future of design.

Why this is progressive/liberal: This is less "progressive" and more "this is really cool." I suppose if I had to fit it into some progressive pigeonhole it's be that Sterling focuses on making the invisible visible. We have an abundance of new tools at our fingertips, and rather than bemoaning the loss of a life gone past we should be figuring out how these new tools can make out lives better. And, we also need to pay attention to the almost certain ways they will make out lives worse.

251: Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century edited by Alec Steffen

Worldchanging, Revised and Updated Edition: A User's Guide for the 21st Century

This encyclopedia of brilliant ideas shows how the world could be a very different and very better place. This is the desktop encyclopedia for the sustainability and green movements.

Why this is progressive/liberal: This compendium of good ideas and optimism reminds even the most cynical progressive that there's always hope. We can change the world for the better. We already have.

252: Free Software, Free Society: Selected Essays of Richard M. Stallman

Free Software, Free Society: Selected Essays of Richard M. Stallman

Certainly the earliest, and perhaps still the most substantive argument for making software code freely available. Stallman is writing specifically about the Free Software Movement (which he helped found), but his argument can be broadly applied to science and research.

Why this is progressive/liberal: This is a book about freedom. While many people understand free software to mean software without any price (which if often does) free also means liberate and freedom. Stallman's emphasis is on the freedom to see and re-write code. This often involves making code available without any price, but more importantly Stallman argues that if you buy a car you should be able to open the hood and futz around with the engine. If you buy software the same rules should apply. Ownership is better than licensing. Freedom means freedom to tinker. A free society doesn't mean one with no cost, or one without capitalism. A free society is open to change.



These works by Richard Stallman are freely available here. (Or, you can use the same link to purchase a copy from the Free Software Foundation and give your money to them instead of Amazon.)

253: The Cathedral & the Bazaar: Musings on Linux and Open Source by an Accidental Revolutionary by Eric S. Raymond

The Cathedral & the Bazaar: Musings on Linux and Open Source by an Accidental Revolutionary

Eric Raymond's essay "The Cathedral & the Bazaar" is a seminal essay in explaining the importance of open source development. Along with the companion piece "Homesteading the Noosphere," this is essential reading for understanding the role and importance of the open source movement for developing software.

Why this is progressive/liberal: It's about sharing and finding alternatives to capitalism. It is not an anti-capitalism work, but suggests alternative models can be viable, and can even work in conjunction with traditional capitalistic models.

Buy the Kindle version: The Cathedral & the Bazaar



You can find the whole essay freely available here, as well as critiques and works building on the original essay

254: The Wealth of Networks: How Social Production Transforms Markets and Freedom by Yochai Benkler

The Wealth of Networks: How Social Production Transforms Markets and Freedom

It's evident that the Internet has had profound effects on society, but few have analyzed or theorized those effects as deeply as Yochai Benkler. Benkler makes a strong argument for the value of keeping the networked information economy as open and accessible as possible. For anyone trying to understand the importance of the Internet or social media networks, this book is a must read.

Why this is progressive/liberal: Want to better understand why Facebook was so important to the Arab Spring? This is the book to read. Benkler lays out a substantive argument for why networked information and open access helps promote democracy and undermines traditional systems of authority, from the Encyclopedia Britannica to the Muburak regime. While the Occupy movement and the Tea Party movement might not see eye-to-eye, both have grown out of the new possibilities of the networked culture.

Buy the Kindle version: The Wealth of Networks: How Social Production Transforms Markets and Freedom

255: Whole Earth Discipline: An Ecopragmatist Manifesto by Stewart Brand

Whole Earth Discipline: An Ecopragmatist Manifesto

Stewart Brand is a progressive icon. From his work with the Grateful Dead and life as one of Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters in the 1960s to his launch of the seminal Whole Earth Catalog, his participation in creating the WELL, to his involvement in the Long Now Foundation Brand has continuously been ahead of the curve. He has an uncanny knack for seeing into the future. It's because of this long history of intelligence and progressive values that those who lean green should pay attention to this book. Brand is at his contrarian best in this "ecopragmatic manifesto," making the case for nuclear power, larger cities, genetically modified crops, and geoengineering. Before you reject these ideas outright, read the book.

Why this is progressive/liberal: It's true that there is a lot of tribal allegiance among progressives, just as there is among every ideology. No one can read and understand everything, so we often resort to accepting an idea just because of its label, or because it's endorsed by an authority we trust. It's hard to find progressives who endorse nuclear power, however, more important than ideological allegiance is keeping an open mind and studying the evidence. In this book Stewart Brand makes a progressive argument for nuclear power, genetic modification of crops, and moving to the city.

Buy the Kindle version: Whole Earth Discipline: Why Dense Cities, Nuclear Power, Transgenic Crops, RestoredWildlands, and Geoengineering Are Necessary

256: Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition, and Health by Marion Nestle

Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition, and Health

In this authoritative work nutritionist Marion Nestle examines the history of nutritional advice and explains how the food industry games government regulations and advisory boards to their benefit. Arguing that governmental advice should benefit the consumer rather than the producer, Nestle exhaustively demonstrates how this is often not the case. This work will help you understand why sometimes the nutritional advice you get from the USDA may not be in your best interest.

Why this is progressive/liberal: Progressives prefer science to PR spin. Information about nutrition should come from research and scientific investigation rather than the media departments of the food industry. Marion Nestle dissects the misinformation and explains how it even contaminates government reports on nutrition.

257: Hopes and Prospects by Noam Chomsky

Hopes and Prospects

With someone so prolific it's sometimes difficult to know where to start. This collection is a good start for those unfamiliar with Noam Chomsky's work. In this collection of essays Chomsky touches on issues he's been writing about for decades.-- the US empire and the double-standards the US applies to other nations, but not to itself, the failures of the intellectual class, the collusion between corporate media and corporate government. He also offers some insight and background to various resistance movements across the globe.

Why this is progressive/liberal: Chomsky is probably the leading progressive intellectual in the United States. I've seen plenty of ad hominem attacks on Chomsky, but never a substantive rebuttal. Or at least, not one I could take seriously. That's not to say people haven't tried, but there are very few people in the world whose mastery of facts and history can match Chomsky's. There is the occasional error, and you can quibble with some of his sources or conclusions, but on the whole he provides clear, articulate, well-reasoned, and astonishingly well-researched arguments supporting progressive principles.

Buy the Kindle version: Hopes and Prospects by Noam Chomsky

258: Rights of Man, Common Sense, and Other Political Writings by Thomas Paine

Rights of Man, Common Sense, and Other Political Writing

Thomas Paine's pamphlet Common Sense helped launch the American Revolution. His American Crisis brought the revolutionaries courage when they seemed to be teetering on the edge of defeat. The Rights of Man is one of the cornerstones of progressive political philosophy. If you're not familiar with the works of Thomas Paine, then you're missing some of the earliest, most fundamental arguments for the importance of progressive and liberal government.

Why this is progressive/liberal: The problem with history is that it's often difficult to find a starting place. Every starting place needs some background to explain how it came to be. The same is true for learning about the history of progressive thought in the United States. But, without digging too deep into the past, Thomas Paine is as good a place to start as any. In fact, much of the argument between the radical firebrand Thomas Paine, and the conservative traditionalist Edmund Burke continues today.

Buy the Kindle version: Rights of Man, Common Sense, and Other Political Writings (Oxford World's Classics)

259: How to Practice : The Way to a Meaningful Life by the Dalai Lama

How to Practice : The Way to a Meaningful Life

If you want to learn more about Buddhism this book by His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a good place to start. There's no need to change your religion or faith to learn from the teachings of the Dalai Lama.

From the publisher's description:

"Divided into a series of distinct steps that will lead spiritual seekers toward enlightenment, How to Practice is a constant companion in the quest to practice morality, meditation, and wisdom. This accessible book will guide you toward opening your heart, refraining from doing harm, and maintiaining mentaltranquility as the Dalai Lama shows you how to overcome everyday obstacles, from feelings of anger and mistrust to jealousy, insecurity, and counterproductive thinking. Imbued with His Holiness' vivacious spirit and sense of playfulness, How to Practice offers sage and practical insight into the human psyche and into the deepest aspirations that bind us all together."

Why this is progressive/liberal: While progressives adhere to a wide range of spiritual beliefs Buddhism and Zen resonate with many on the left. Some turn to Buddhism, at least the ideas if not the practice, as a way to understand the spiritual complexities of existence. Regardless of your faith there is plenty of wisdom in these pages for all.

Buy the Kindle version: How To Practice by the Dalai Lama

260: Vegetarian America: A History by Karen & Michael Iacobbo

Vegetarian America: A History

Vegetarianism in the United States didn't start with the hippies. Benjamin Franklin kept to a vegetarian diet in his youth, eventually adding fish and some meat to his diet in middle age. In 1838 the American Health Convention recommended vegetarianism as a healthful diet. The American Vegetarian Society was formed in the middle of the 19th century. This history reveals the widespread appeal of vegetarianism throughout the existence of the United States. The authors actually start their history well before the USA came into existence. There have always been vegetarians in the US, and this book helps flesh out their history.

Why this is progressive/liberal: Despite being practiced by people of many different faiths and many different political persuasions, vegetarianism is closely associated with liberals and progressives. This book explains why there's a lot more to the vegetable diet than than the desire to treat animals ethically.



You might also want to check out Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer.

261: Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero

Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook

Maybe the only vegan cookbook you'll ever need. But, if you're a vegan, probably not the only vegan cookbook you'll ever want. If you're thinking about veganism, but don't know where to start, this is the place. While vegetarians don't eat meat, vegans don't use any animal products. Jell-O brand gelatin, for example, obviously isn't meat, but is composed partially of animal products (gelatin is derived from the collagen in an animal's skin and bones). So, while a vegetarian might eat some Jell-O brand gelatin, or drink a glass of milk, or have a slice of cheese, a vegan removes theses items from her or his diet. Vegans also generally avoid wearing leather, fur, or wool. The rule of thumb for vegans is to live without exploiting animals.

The Veganomicon packs a few hundred recipes into a little less than 300 pages. In addition to the recipes the authors help guide the newbie cook through such basics as cooking beans, cooking grains, and cooking vegetables. One especially nice attribute of this collection is that the authors never call for fake meat or egg substitutes. Even if you're not a vegan or vegetarian this is a terrific cookbook to add to your collection.

Why this is progressive/liberal: The overwhelming majority of US progressives and liberals are meat-eaters. And yet vegetarianism is part of the liberal stereotype. This is because if you meet (or are) a vegetarian you are almost certainly tilt to the left side of the political spectrum. And vegans? Forget about it. They're so progressive they make Noam Chomsky look like Rick Perry.

262: Radical Evolution: The Promise and Peril of Enhancing Our Minds, Our Bodies -- and What It Means to Be Human by Joel Garreau

Radical Evolution: The Promise and Peril of Enhancing Our Minds, Our Bodies -- and What It Means to Be Human

Not only will the future be weirder than we imagine, but it will probably be weirder than we CAN imagine. To get a taste of that weird future Joel Garreau (a top-notch journalist) travels across the US interviewing scientists about how their research will change humanity.

From the publisher's description:

"Through advances in genetic, robotic, information, and nanotechnologies, we are altering our minds, our memories, our metabolisms, our personalities, our progeny–and perhaps our very souls. Radical Evolution reveals that the powers of our comic-book superheroes already exist, or are in development in hospitals, labs, and research facilities around the country–from the revved-up reflexes and speed of Spider-Man and Superman, to the enhanced mental acuity and memory capabilities of an advanced species."

Why this is progressive/liberal: In all candor I'm not absolutely sure the transhuman movement IS progressive or liberal. Perhaps it might best be described as techno-libertarian with a dash of secular metaphysics. It's liberal in the sense that liberals are generally supportive of people doing whatever they want to their bodies. Think tattoos, piercings, a woman's right to choose to carry an embryo, and everyone's right to surgically alter their sex. However, there's a weird metaphysical current underlying the transhumanist movement that doesn't really hold up to scientific scrutiny. There's also a strong element of Randian self-importance among many of the acolytes. And, it seems in some ways anti-human. Nonetheless, it's a tremendously attractive idea to many people, and it's a topic that everyone should at least have on their radar. To his credit, Garreau maintains a critical skeptical eye while contemplating what the future may bring.

Buy the Kindle version: Radical Evolution: The Promise and Peril of Enhancing Our Minds, Our Bodies -- and What It Means to Be Human

263: Sustainable Energy - Without the Hot Air by David J. C. MacKay

Sustainable Energy - Without the Hot Air

MacKay's clear, straight-forward explanation of energy and energy use helps clear away all the gobbledy-gook surrounding sustainable energy use. Seriously, turning off your phone charger is pointless. If you want to reduce energy usage adjust your thermostat. MacKay claims "I am not pro-wind or pro-nuclear: I am just pro-arithmetic." And by demonstrating the arithmetic of energy use he clearly explains why some ideas about energy sustainability are bogus, and why some should be widely embraced.

Why this is progressive/liberal: Conservative criticism of science is nothing new. Science undercuts the concepts of faith and authority, two of the core pillars of conservatism. And there are times when those conservative ideals are important and beneficial to society. However, denying the science of climate change is not one of those times. While progressives might already be ideological allies with MacKay, they can benefit greatly from the clear insight provided in this book.

Buy the Kindle version: Sustainable Energy - Without the Hot Air

264: Radical Democracy by C. Douglas Lummis

Radical Democracy

Anyone following the Occupy Together movement has seen radical democracy at work. Volunteers form working groups. The working groups research and discuss the topic for which the working group exists, and then, once they have options to vote on, take it to the whole group. The whole group votes and then everyone abides by the majority. Sometimes there are non-binding polls to determine if the options are divisive are not well understood. It's a fascinating process, almost completely neglected by the mainstream press, and probably one of the most progressive structural elements within the Occupy Together movement. (Here's a .pdf that explains the process in more detail.)

Radical Democracy by C. Douglas Lummis is a book that can help explain the process of radical democracy as well as the importance of its theoretical underpinnings. At its best radical democracy isn't just about majority rules, but about constructing something new that no one group, or interest, could have created on its own.

Why this is progressive/liberal: The conservative/liberal division has been built into the federal government since its inception. During the Constitutional Convention there are very few people who believed that a total democracy would work as a way to govern a nation. However, some democracy was seen as a way to temper the dangers of Republicanism. Pure democracy couldn't work because the people couldn't be counted on to work in the nation's best interest. Sectarian politics and popular enthusiasms would detract from working for larger goals. On the other hand, while leaders should aspire to Republican virtue, history was littered with examples of the less-than-virtuous taking the reins of government. And so, the democratic republic was born. Ever since these two forms of governance have been fighting, just as the framers intended. The democratically-inclined have extended the franchise to more and more of the population, while those who favor the ideals of a Republic have worked to ensure that the levers of government are most likely controlled by a well-educated elite from privileged economic backgrounds. Liberals generally support the democratic republic, while progressives would like to see even more radical forms of democracy infiltrate many more aspects of society.

265: When Abortion Was a Crime: Women, Medicine, and Law in the United States, 1867-1973 by Leslie J. Reagan

When Abortion Was a Crime: Women, Medicine, and Law in the United States, 1867-1973

We forget or we never knew. There was a time when abortion was illegal. Leslie Reagan provides the history of this time and helps explain why decriminalization was fought for and advocated by so many progressives. Her history covers the era from the mid-nineteenth century when abortion was criminalized until the Supreme Court's ruling in Roe v. Wade which ruled that laws criminalizing abortion were unconstitutional.

Why this is progressive/liberal: One of the brightest lines separating conservatives from liberals is the issue of abortion. For many progressives the science of embryonic development, the history of natural and induced abortion, and the importance of individual freedom combine to make a woman's right to choose to continue or to end a pregnancy a fundamental right. The idea that life begins upon conception is rooted in religion rather than science. Neither the government nor one specific faith should interfere with an individual's right to their body.

Buy the Kindle version: When Abortion Was a Crime: Women, Medicine, and Law in the United States, 1867-1973

266: To Die Well: Your Right to Comfort, Calm, and Choice in the Last Days of Life by Sidney Wanzer & Joseph Glenmullen

To Die Well: Your Right to Comfort, Calm, and Choice in the Last Days of Life

Do you have the right to take your own life? Should we allow physician's to help hasten their patients death? In this book the answer is yes. Proponents argue that especially in cases of extraordinary pain and imminent death patients should be allowed to aggressively manage the pain even if it shortens life or leads to death. Opponents worry that unscrupulous people will use the law as a loophole to murder and that suicidal people, who might presumably be cured of their desire to die, might find a way to take advantage of the system. The doctors who wrote this volume argue that the ethical requirements are to let people choose how they will die.

Why this is progressive/liberal: An example of the right/left dimension of the right-do-die movement occurred in the middle of the George W. Bush presidency. The Bush administration opposed Oregon's Death with Dignity act. When the case came before the Supreme Court several state Democrats wrote the court in defense of the law and the liberal/moderate wing of the court found in favor of Oregon. Scalia, Thomas and Roberts dissented.

Buy the Kindle version: To Die Well: Your Right to Comfort, Calm, and Choice in the Last Days of Life

267: Why Marijuana Should Be Legal by Ed Rosenthal

Why Marijuana Should Be Legal

If you think marijuana is a harmful narcotic that must be criminalized, then almost everything you know about marijuana is wrong. Ed Rosenthal, a long-time advocate for decriminalization, lays out his argument in this well-researched, thoughtful, and well-reasoned book. Whether you support or oppose marijuana decriminalization you should at least be familiar with the pro-pot argument.

Why this is progressive/liberal: Many conservatives and libertarians feel that liberals and progressives got off the individual liberty track somewhere in the middle of the 20th century. That isn't true. While the Democratic party (except for Barney Frank) doesn't seem interested in taking up the mantle of marijuana decriminalization, poll after poll shows it's an important issue for liberal and progressive voters.



Also check out Reefer Madness: Sex, Drugs, and Cheap Labor in the American Black Market by Eric Schlosser.

268: Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism by Muhammad Yunus

Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism

When you live in extreme poverty a small loan can make a substantial difference. Economist Muhammad Yunus began experimenting with micro-loans nearly 40 years ago. The fruit of his efforts, the Grameen Bank, has helped millions of people and helped thousands of businesses get off the ground. Nearly 99% of the loans made by the bank have been re-paid. Yunus' ground-breaking work won him a Nobel Peace prize in 2006. This book explains the concept of microcredit and makes argument that it is in a businesses best interest to help people while pursuing profits.

Why this is progressive/liberal: One of the pillars of progressive philosophy is helping the poor. The innovation of microcredit and microfinance has had some success in combating poverty.

Buy the Kindle version: Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism

269: Making Sense of the Troubles: The Story of the Conflict in Northern Ireland by David McKittrick & David McVea

Making Sense of the Troubles: The Story of the Conflict in Northern Ireland

The time of "the Troubles" in Ireland is complicated and hotly contested. No one book can wholly make sense of something so intensely personal and heart-felt, but this book by McKittrick and McVea comes closest. The authors do their best to present unbiased scholarship to explain this decades-long violence.

There has been Irish resistance to British occupation in Ireland for 400 years. From the late 1960s to the late 1990s (and some place the dates both earlier and later) Northern Ireland was wracked with violence as those wanting Irish Independence fought with those who wanted to remain part of the UK. Making Sense of the Troubles offers a solid, even-handed introduction to this period in Irish history.

Why this is progressie/liberal: The Troubles present both the best and worst of progressive values. Fighting for freedom and independence embody the best of progressive values. Acts of terrorism and violence embody the worst fears of what progressive movements might become. Studying the Troubles in Ireland is both an inspiration and a warning.

270: Alter-Globalization by Geoffrey Pleyers

Alter-Globalization by Geoffrey Pleyers

What is alter-globalization? There are those who aren't really anti-globalization, but oppose the dominance of the neo-liberal economic model on the world stage. With this work Geoffrey Pleyers attempts to establish alter-globalization as the term for the globally-minded who don't want to see the Washington Consensus rule the world. Pleyers isn't the first to use this term, but his work in this book helps give the idea some substance and depth.

Why this is progressive/liberal: The alter-globalization movement is at its core a fight for social justice. From opposing slavery to working for women's suffrage around the world, the progressive movement often transcends national borders.

271: The Eyes on the Prize Civil Rights Reader: Documents, Speeches, and Firsthand Accounts from the Black Freedom Struggle

The Eyes on the Prize Civil Rights Reader: Documents, Speeches, and Firsthand Accounts from the Black Freedom Struggle

One of the problems with historical events as substantial as the Civil Rights movement is that because we've heard about it so much we think we know what happened. Rosa Parks sat on a bus, King dreamed and marched and yadda yadda yadda we got Civil Rights. The reality is far more complicated and fascinating than what we think we know about the movement. The lessons learned through this period are in danger of being lost if we don't continue reminding ourselves how conflicted and challenging the Civil Rights movement really was. This collection is the primary source material -- letters, speeches, court rulings, interviews, etc. -- to accompany the ground-breaking documentary Eyes on the Prize.

Why this is progressive/liberal: Progressives are often accused of not being able to get things done. Despite mobilizing millions of people to protest the Global War on Terror, for example, there has been no discernible impact. So, it's important to remember that the progressive struggles to create a more egalitarian society do succeed, though it sometimes takes generations.



Another book on the Civil Rights movement worth picking up is Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice by Raymond Arsenault.

272: The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women

The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women

In this bestseller Naomi Wolf argues that as women gain more power the socially constructed standards of beauty become more rarefied and harder to attain. Striving for this artificial concept of beauty hurts women. But where does this idea of beauty come from? Wolf argues that concepts of feminine beauty are largely constructed men and serve as a way of shaping women's behavior.

Why this is progressive/liberal: Feminism is one of the key foundations of progressivism. Wolf's book is flawed by its attempt to be a popular work, but her engaging writing and relatively well-done research makes this a good introduction to the complicated relationship between the social ideal of beauty and how it affects women.

Buy the Kindle version: The Beauty Myth



Some more feminist titles of interest:

273: I, Rigoberta Menchu: An Indian Woman in Guatemala by Rigoberta Menchu

I, Rigoberta Menchu: An Indian Woman in Guatemala (Second Edition)

From the Wikipedia page:

"Rigoberta Menchú Tum is an indigenous Guatemalan, of the K'iche' ethnic group. Menchú has dedicated her life to publicizing the plight of Guatemala's indigenous peoples during and after the Guatemalan Civil War (1960–1996), and to promoting indigenous rights in the country. She received the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize and Prince of Asturias Award in 1998. She is the subject of the testimonial biography I, Rigoberta Menchú (1983) and the author of the autobiographical work, Crossing Borders. Later, American anthropologist David Stoll visited Guatemala and uncovered evidence that some of the claims presented in Menchú's Nobel Prize-winning testimonial were inaccurate or false."

Later researchers showed that Stoll's claims were inaccurate. It's amazing how much vituperation and abuse the American right has leveled against Menchú. A few minor cases of poetic license has turned her into "one of the greatest hoaxes of the 20th century" according to US conservative David Horowitz. Unfortunately, Menchú did not make up the violence of the Guatemalan military against the indigenous K'iche'. For nearly fifty years the Guatemalan government and its soldiers slaughtered and tortured the natives of that region. Menchú tells the story of her people's struggle.

Why this is liberal/progressive: The United States supports horrendous, murderous governments. For some reason few US citizens seem to care. Books like this remind us that our tax dollars are being used to help murder and torture innocent people. Generally (though not exclusively) it is Progressives who protest the US government's barbaric foreign policy.

Buy the Kindle version: I, Rigoberta Menchu: An Indian Woman in Guatemala



Some more books on indigenous movements: