by Dan Rather & Elliot Kirschner
Hennepin County Library paperback 284 pages
Published: 2017
Genre: Non-fiction, history, government, society
Sadly, I didn't get to finish reading this before needing to return it to the library. There's a waiting list (and I had waited a while to get it after requesting it . . . ) but my time management skills are not at their peak.
One of the things I loved about this book was Rather's general attitude and approach. After observing this:
For I have seen how a nation can pick itself up and make progress, even at divisive and dysfunctional political moments like the present when we seem to be spinning backward.
he next makes this statement:
I have found that the vast majority of men, women, and children I have met over the course of my life are kind and well intentioned.
Rather has seen a lot of this country and a lot of human activity. I love that he can come away from it all believing this about people.
The entire chapter on Dissent (starting on page 35) is incredibly powerful. I thought about scanning it and keeping it.
This would be an amazing discussion book. I'm sure that some would see him as too left-leaning, but he makes some very worthwhile observations and raises some legitimate questions about America and patriotism (which is not the same as nationalism!).
I may need to request this again to finish reading it . . .
(The above was written 8/4/2021. I'm adding the below on 9/7/2021.)
Scott County Library - 270 pages ( Due to font differences? Or did the version from Hennepin County have more material? Curious.)
This book is amazing. There were so many thoughts and expressions that really resonated with me that I didn't even use post-it notes. I just enjoyed it and thought about buying my own copy. What an incredible man! I love how he (and his co-author) mixed stories from his childhood and young adult life with the content he was writing about.
The book has these sections and chapters:
What Is Patriotism?
Freedom (The Vote / Dissent / The Press)
Community (Inclusion / Empathy / Immigration)
Exploration (Science / Books / The Arts)
Responsibility (The Environment / Public Education / Service)
Character (Audacity / Steady / Courage)
Some of this book was very educational for me! On page 58 of the section on The Press, he wrote
"None of us could have predicted how technological and regulatory changes would usher in a new media landscape that, building on the Nixon legacy, would transform the very nature of news. In 1987, under President Ronald Reagan, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) abolished the Fairness Doctrine. In place since 1949, it had stipulated equal airtime for differing points of view. In this environment where media outlets felt less compelled to present balanced political debate, AM radio stations in particular started to switch to a lucrative form of programming best exemplified by Rush Limbaugh - right-wing talk radio. For hours on end, Limbaugh, and others who followed his lead, would present their view of the world without rebuttal, fact-checking, or any of the other standards in place at most journalistic outlets.
Later, Rather writes in the chapter on Science:
So how did we get to a juncture in our history where we are rallying, marching, and lobbying to defend science against the forces of misinformation, greed, and narrow self-interest? There are many factors contributing to our current crisis: the political divide, a general loss of faith in experts and authority, and suspicion of corporations . . . Science has also had some self-inflicted wounds. We have been told that chemicals like DDT were safe, we have seen unethical research like the Tuskegee Study exposed, and we are confused by shifting directives from scientists on our own health (Is fat in our diet bad or good?).
Although Rather definitely skews liberal (IMO), he is intelligent, articulate, and thoughtful. He doesn't denigrate people he disagrees with. He's been around a long time and has seen a lot of life. This book is wonderful. I thought about trying to list my three favorite chapters, but that's tough. My favorites from each section were The Vote, Immigration, Books, Service, and Steady.
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