What book would you recommend for a complete political newbie?

[More Than A Feeling]

Something that would keep a person who isn't a political junkie interested, and yet at the same time introduce them to the nuts and bolts of politics and our government and how we got where we are today. Many thanks!

[fooj]

1. I think Jimmy Carter's book is a keeper!

Peace.

[bpilgrim]

27. What Uncle Sam Really Wants - read free online (short too) - > LINK

Noam Chomsky

Copyright © 1993
Table of Contents

* Editor's forward
* Source material

The main goals of US foreign policy

1. Protecting our turf
2. The liberal extreme
3. The "Grand Area"
4. Restoring the traditional order
5. Our commitment to democracy
6. The threat of a good example
7. The three-sided world

Devastation abroad

1. Our Good Neighbor policy
2. The crucifixion of El Salvador
3. Teaching Nicaragua a lesson
4. Making Guatemala a killing field
5. The invasion of Panama
6. Inoculating Southeast Asia
7. The Gulf War
8. The Iran/contra cover-up
9. The prospects for Eastern Europe
10. The world's rent-a-thug

Brainwashing at home

1. How the Cold War worked
2. The war on (certain) drugs
3. War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery.
Ignorance is Strength.
4. Socialism, real and fake
5. The media

The Future

1. Things have changed
2. What you can do
3. The struggle continues
4. Notes

read here...
http://www.zmag.org/chomsky/sam/sam-contents.html

covers from WWII till Clinton

:hi:

peace

[renate]

2. "Worse Than Watergate"

Or maybe something by Molly Ivins if they need humor to keep them interested (and to keep them from going into a deep dark depression).

[MadisonProgressive]

3. Losing America: Confronting a Reckless and Arrogant Presidency

By Senator Robert Byrd

I can highly recommend this one!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393059421/002-3643303-2144009?v=glance&n=283155

[petgoat]

9. "Winning Back America" by Howard Dean

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0743255712.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

A little bit corny, but a commonsensical and quick read. The paragraph about taxation rates
under Eisenhower is worth the whole read.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743255712/102-1918447-1516948?v=glance&n=283155

And hey, you can buy it used for $.01 plus shipping from IN or MI here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/offer-listing/0743255712/ref=dp_olp_2//102-1918447-1516948?condition=all

[stillcool]

4. My favorite book....

so far is 'The Sorrows of Empire', by Chalmers Johnson. I read it maybe a year ago and it still sticks in my mind as very readable and informative.

[ThomWV]

5. Against All Enemys .... See Where This Powergrab Began

Richard Clarke

[niyad]

6. howard zinn's "people's history" as the ultimate primer and then, as

another poster said, anything by molly ivins.

oh, and I would have your friend check out the web site of the national women's history project:

www.nwhp.org for information that was basically left out of most history books.

[Zen Democrat]

7. Our Endangered Values by Jimmy Carter.

[az chela]

8. Cronies by Robert Bryce

It takes you thru the last 20 yrs and explains exactly how the group from papa bush's white house made all this happen!!!!It started with the old bush and James Baker.It is an excellent book that explains how Texas became the ruler of the US

[stillcool]

10. Hey.....check out the non-fiction forum...

here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=209

edited for link

[StellaBlue]

11. ditto on niyad - zinn

People's History of the United States



then perhaps

Toqueville's America

Thoreau's Civil Disobedience and first chapters of Walden

those two are just personal, historical favorites of mine! :D

[bananas]

12. The Nixon Tapes

"You know, it's a funny thing, every one of the bastards that are out for legalizing marijuana is Jewish. What the Christ is the matter with the Jews, Bob? What is the matter with them? I suppose it is because most of them are psychiatrists."
http://www.mapinc.org/newscsdp/v02/n520/a08.html

[reality based]

13. Michael Parenti: The Assassination of Julius Caesar

One of the best books on the economic and social underpinnings of all politics

[shraby]

14. That piece you let me send to the editor of

our newspaper was printed. Thanks a lot! It was about Bush breaking the law with his wiretapping. It got printed the day before Christmas.

[More Than A Feeling]

15. That's awesome! What's the name of the paper was it? n/t

[shraby]

28. Herald Times Reporter, Manitowoc, Wisconsin

Thanks again for writing exactly what I wanted to say.

[Clara T]

16. "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man"

Reads like a thriller.

If they are more interested in a bit drier/factual read: "Killing Hope" by William Blum

[ladjf]

17. For now, just stick with the DU on a regular basis. You will read

lots of good , current information about politics.

[More Than A Feeling]

18. It's not for me. It's for my new lady friend

I don't know if she'd be down with DU just yet. She's a complete newbie as I said, so I'm trying to ease her in

[ladjf]

19. Carter's book on "Endangered Values" is excellent.

[GrumpyGreg]

20. A People's History of the Supreme Court---Peter Irons

A "must have"---I refer to it almost weekly.

[man4allcats]

21. Chairman Mao's little red book

Sorry. I just couldn't resist. I'm still trying to get on Bush's enemies list.

[oasis]

22. "Blinded By the Right" by David Brock. Ex-right wing media insider tells

he knows about his former conservative media pals and their puppet master/employers such as Richard Mellon Scaife and Rupert Murdoch.

Brock is now the head of Media Matters. They're a kick-ass outfit that holds the main stream media's feet to the fire.

[loftycity]

33. "Blinded by the Right" this is a great one to start with IMO

second in line would be "American Dynasty" by Kevin Phillips

[bemildred]

23. "The Politics of War" -- Walter Karp

A couple other good ones are in this thread too.

[xxqqqzme]

24. 'Homegrown Democrat'

Garrison Keillor....every reason you can ever list for being a liberal/progressive is in that book w/ heart, tears and humor. His story about his (then) illegal immigrant house-keeper is a winner!

[leftofthedial]

25. lots of great suggestions in this thread. here's two more

The Corporation by Joel Bakan

and Lost History by Robert Parry

put what's going on in perspective

[proud2BlibKansan]

26. Clinton's bio

[tkmorris]

29. People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn

Buy it, don't get it from the library. This book will open your eyes, and wide.

[newspeak]

30. Howard Zinn's book is a must

and, I just started reading "What Every American Should Know About Who's Really Running the World" by Melissa Rossi. Wow, the one chapter on Rev. Moon is very enlightening. I didn't know Moon owned property in North Korea and has given money to Kim Jong II. Also, the chapter shows ties with the Bush Family, Moon's Businesses, his wacky beliefs (he's the new Messiah don't you know), and his contributing money to televangelists and LaHaye. Haven't gotten to the chapter on Halliburton--but it is a must read.

[CornField]

31. Is the person a book junkie and/or very literary?

If so, there are *many* books that would work great. Check out the non-fiction book group for more lists than you've ever wanted to see.

If the person isn't really into "good" writing, they might like "What's the Matter with Kansas." It is an interesting read and it outlines quite a bit as far as the current political climate. I'd never give it or recommend it to someone who likes good writing however. ;)

Another interesting read is "God's Politics." If your friend is someone who likes religious non-fiction, this would be a great cross-over book for him/her.

Good luck!

[davekriss]

32. How we got to where we are today?

Start with Howard Zinn's A Peoples' History of the United States.

But don't stop there, read (some recent, some classics from the seventies and eighties)...

Labor and Monopoly Capital by Harry Braverman
Power and the Powerless by Michael Parenti
Captains of Consciousness by Stuart Ewen
Deterring Democracy by Noam Chomsky
Manufacturing Consent by Noam Chomsky and Ed Herman
Necessary Illusions by Noam Chomsky
Friendly Fascism by Betram Gross
Killing Hope by William Blum
Rogue Nation by William Blum
Twighlight of Capitalism by Michael Harrington
Monopoly Capital by Paul Sweezy
The Sorrows of Empire by Chalmers Johnson
Road to Dominion by Sara Diamond
Day of Reckoning by Benjimin Friedman

...and for the lighter read (fiction, poetry)...

Jack London's The Iron Heel
Sinclair Lewis' It Can't Happen Here
Carolyn Forche's The Country Between Us
D.A. Levy's "Suburban Monastery Death Poem"

...there, that should get you started. Surely there's better out there and better I could think of tomorrow, but these above come to mind.