21 yr old daughter wants beginners book on politics-Please Help

[kpete]

My newly introspective 21 year old daughter wants a good and easy beginners book on politics. I want to encourage her because I love her and because she has many impressionable friends who she could help turn to our side.

I am serious about this, so please do not suggest anything silly. There is so much information out there, I think many young people get overwhelmed. So, I would like to give her some books that will send her on a path to intelligent political thinking.

Please help me!!!

[PaDem]

1. "Reason" by Robert Reich

is a good primer on progressive political philosophy. I think it would be good start for someone that age.

[MojoXN]

2. America: The Book. (a citizen's guide to democracy inaction)

Though it's not the most pertinent resource, it IS hilarious! Seriously though, any 20th century American history book that focuses on politics is bound to be filled with useful information.

MojoXN

[AlCzervik]

3. omg, i had to read that in a separate room from my family

because i was laughing so much!! Huge 2nd on that recommendation!!!

[ret5hd]

4. i would suggest (only slightly sarcastically)...

Satanic Bible, by LaVey: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0380015390/104-7736844-6087912?v=glance&n=283155&n=507846&s=books&v=glance

[bigbrother05]

5. The constiution

its all in there.

[murray hill farm]

21. i agree..start with the constitution...

and then follow with a beginning text...many out there..on modern political and economic stystems..it is really important to start with the basics..it still is amazing to me..that so many people confuse the economic and political institutions of any govt..lumping them together, etc. something basic..that includes graphs etc to explain the differences is such systems...........an example is the economic system graph that is portrayed...as the continuum from leftish to rightish.ha..of communism (on the far left) to............................fascism (on the far right)...such books are of great help in understanding what folks are talking about when she advances to more complex readings.

[mandyky]

42. That was my first thought, too

That the Declaration of Independence and then a serious discussion of how she feels the country is doing. Then you'll have a better idea of some sub-interests - politics is an awful big field. And a lot of it is based on history.

[rainy]

6. The Best Democracy Money Can Buy by Greg Palast

[DoctorMyEyes]

51. That or Lies and the Lying Liars

Palast's "The Best Democracy Monye Can Buy" or Franken's "Lies and the Lying Liars" are the first two that popped into my mind.

I think they're both available in paperback, relatively cheaply.

[Neecy]

7. hmmmm

If she prefers light reading, any of the Franken books would be good. If she wants to go a little deeper, I'd suggest Robert F. Kennedy/His Life and Times - All the President's Men - The Republican War on Women (a terrific book, written by a life-long Republican who left the party after Reagan allowed the religious right to take it over), What's the Matter with Kansas (not terribly dry, and actually a great read if you want to give her a good case for liberalism).

[kpete]

9. Thanks Neecy

What's the Matter with Kansas is a great suggestion. So far, thats one stocking stuffer.

[Neecy]

11. Biographies are good, too

I hate to suggest it because she's so maligned here, but Donna Brazile's autobiography is a great introduction to politics. She began as a grass-roots campus organizer and worked her way up to manage Gore's campaign. She's also (at least in the book, not so much on television) very liberal. It's a good inside look at our current political system and how it works - and she's a good writer to boot. You can get it now in paperback.

[justiceischeap]

16. Weird suggestion but a good read and insights into politics

The Biography of Susan B. Anthony.

Not only does it tell the history of the woman's movement but it also explains the early politics of our nation.

It also show's that politics have always been just that, politics.

[realFedUp]

8. history book first...Howard Zinn's A People's History of the U.S.

that should give her the piss and "vigor" to read further.

[jane_pippin]

14. Ooh, seconded!

I finally picked that up too. Great book.

[mom cat]

37. Thirded! Zinn's People's History is a great start.

:bounce:
Then move her onto Chomsky!

[the other one]

39. Do I hear a "fourthed"? Aye!

[Talismom]

41. Ooh, ooh, me too! This book is the greatest! It's really the way to start

understanding the role the US has played in history. After that, Chomsky's collection is amazing!

[Dinger]

45. O Yeah . . . My Mom Just Got Me That For My Birthday

I only just started to read it. Pretty dark stuff about ColoumbASS, I mean BAD.

[Dinger]

46. And After That, . . . Politics the Wellstone Way . . .

How to Elect Progressive Candidates and WIN On Issues

[mom cat]

47. It is heavy stuff. When you finish it, you wil never be the same.

It is better to know the truth than be taken in by fantasyland lies.

[DawgHouse]

54. Highly recommend! NT

[milkyway]

56. Oops, meant to reply to Howard Zinn's book...I sixth it! I'm thinking of

suggesting it to my son next summer before he begins 11th grade American History.

[QC]

61. Excellent suggestion!

That book influenced me more than any other.

[jane_pippin]

10. Here's a grassroots guidebook too:

"Politics the Wellstone Way: How to elect progressive candidates and win on issues"



http://shop.1asecure.com/prod.cfm?ProdID=192680&StID=3291

[TheGunslinger]

12. American politics or political theory/ideology? These will cover the bases

For theory/ideology:

Machiavelli's The Prince and The Discourses
Thomas More's Utopia
Plato's Republic
Sun Tzu's The Art of War


For American politics:

Paine's Common Sense
Lakoff's Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think
Wallis's God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It
Chomsky's Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest for Global Dominance (The American Empire Project)
Zinn's People's History of the United States: 1492-Present

[acmejack]

13. "We The People"- Thom Hartmann

It's a neat little book, it is illustrated like a comic, but I assure you the content is dead serious. It is relevant for the present times.

Take a look at it, if you decide you require something with more depth then I'd go with this with the same title We the People: An Introduction to American Politics, Shorter Edition-Benjamin Ginsberg, Theodore J. Lowi, Margaret Weir.

[NMDemDist2]

15. "The Truth (with jokes)" I hear it's a great gift

:rofl:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0525949062/102-1010591-4960907?v=glance&n=283155

[sandnsea]

17. Presidential speeches

There's about 200 online right here. May as well here what the people of the times actually said, not what somebody said they said.

http://millercenter.virginia.edu/scripps/diglibrary/prezspeeches/

[justiceischeap]

18. I don't know any personally but I think it's good to be balanced

And find some books about the other side, that way she knows what she's fighting against.

[TahitiNut]

19. "Blinded By The Right" by David Brock for a current perspective

"A Theory of Justice' by John Rawls is the seminal text on liberalism. If people read no other book on the tenets of liberal politics, this should be the one.

[1932]

20. It's on my list, haven't read it: Barack Obama's book.

Also, I'm really impressed with Parker's biography of John Kenneth Galbraith. It's an incredible overview of 20th century politics and really shows the differences not only between Democrats and Republicans, but between progressive Democrats (like FDR New Dealers, JFK, and George Ball) and conservative Democrats (like Adlai Stevenson, Harry Truman, Robert McNamara, Talbot, and the whole Kennedy State Department).

[goclark]

29. Read it, highly recommend it nt

[CrispyQ]

22. "We the People: A Call to Take Back America" by Thom Hartmann

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1882109384/104-5792740-7358366?v=glance&n=283155&n=507846&s=books&v=glance


Don't be put off by the comic book fashion. This book is a serious primer on what our founding fathers intended for this country, how far off track we've gone & what we can do about it. It's a quick read, but packed full of great info!


And everyone should have a copy of this little gem!

"The U.S. Constitution: And Fascinating Facts About It" by Terry Jordan

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1891743007/104-5792740-7358366?v=glance&n=283155&%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance

[Neocondriac]

23. Thanks for the Memories

by Bryce Taylor.She won't leave the house again for years.

[readmylips]

24. First Lady Barbara Bush....learn about the enemy...

Read any book on Barbara Bush. Learn what an arrogant-rich trash, let them eat cake, the bush's bloodline is.

[welshTerrier2]

25. "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" by John Perkins and ...

"Sorrows of Empire" by Chalmers Johnson ...

"Confessions" is a very easy read ... "Sorrows of Empire" is dense with information and a bit more scholarly ... it is truly remarkable and incredibly detailed and thorough ...

both books make a powerful case about the US role in the world and how much of our foreign policy, perhaps all the way back to the late 1800's, has been driven by corporate greed and imperialism ...

[MelissaB]

26. Whoever recommended this thread, I'm joining you.

This looks like a great reading list. Thanks to everyone participating.

[LoKnLoD]

27. Read DU and other blogs

I've learned so much since I started investigating the crimes of this administration from these sources on the web.

[Pithy Cherub]

28. "All the Kings Men", by Robert Penn Warren

It is outstanding and a new edition is out and on sale at B&N. :)

[OxQQme]

30. This one is fiction but very relevant.

Ecotopia, the novel of your future. Ernest Callenbach.
"1999. America's Northwest has seceded from the United States."
Written in 1975. This story is getting closer and closer to becoming truth. Has a late teens female leading character.

[alfredo]

31. For a good how to book I recommend:

"Buck Up, Suck Up...and come back when you foul up by James Carville and Paul Begala.

If she wants to learn on the ground politics she needs to join something like Democracy For America, or dive head first into political organizing by joining Green Corps.

If she joins Green Corps she better be ready to work her butt off.


http://www.democracyforamerica.com/ Grassroots politics from dog catcher to president.

http://www.greencorps.org/ Dedicated to environmental activism. Learn how to live on "orange food" and caffeine. If you survive you will be a leader ready to man the barricades against the corporatist and the politicians who do their bidding. Be sure to kiss good bye the normal life and comfort of home and hearth for that year of study and hands on work. Not for wimps.

[seafey]

32. Soul of a Citizen (nt)

[bettyellen]

33. also the documentary film version of "Manufacturing Consent" Chomsky's

book about the consolidation of the media and how it seriously has skewed their reporting. i think it's a bit more accessible than the book.

[TheGunslinger]

35. I was going to add that book to my list but figured Hegemony and Survival

was sufficient. ;)

[bettyellen]

38. see my theory is. it's a lot easier to share the DVD documentary with

friends at that age. you know, spread it around, maybe spark some media activism. :)
and it's very well done.

[tishaLA]

50. Is Foucault in that?

I seem to remember Foucault and Chomsky doing something together...I thought it was that...and Foucault was simply astonishing while Chomsky was not.

At any rate, I don't think Foucault or Chomsky is exactly right for someone with a burgeoning interest in American politics! Hee! That's for when you're comfortable enough diving to be willing to drown.

[fed-up]

34. Lots of good suggestions above, I am adding "Addicted To War" which is in

comic book format. A great idea for a stocking stuffer as it is really cheap, between $5-10.

This book is what got my then 13 YO son interested in politics. It is a great primer for adults also.

A fun movie that we just watched "Distinguished Gentleman" gives an idea of what happens in Congress.

[kpete]

36. These are some great ideas

What a great resource DU is!!!

[Hamlette]

40. Animal Farm, the constitution and the declaration of independence

Lord of the Flies. What's great about these is you can talk about them. I find Chomsky, Plato and Moral Politics too....heavy. If she really gets going they would be great.

They came out with a boxed set of the oral arguments made at SCOUS. My friend (at my suggestion) told my husband to buy them for me for Christmas. We visited my sis for Christmas so he had them with him and we listened to them as we drove around Europe. My sis, the computer geek (said in the most loving way) was the most interested of all of us. (Hubby and I are lawyers). So maybe she might like something like that. I'd guess you could get them at the library.

My favorite Christmas present for a political junky or history buff this year are the posters of the history of the US poltical parties. They are kind of expensive but very interesting. I found them from an ad on talkingpointsmemo. http://www.historyshots.com/parties/

[mandyky]

43. I think a few autobiographies and biographies of political women

Ellanor Roosevelt, Abigail Addams might be helpful, too. But not initially

[ms liberty]

44. There are some great suggestions here...

Here's my nickel (inflation):
Orwell: 1984
Carville: We're Right, They're Wrong (or anything - he's a very funny writer)
Mark Crispin Miller: The Bush Dyslexicon (anything else, but this 1st)
Molly Ivins: Anything, again!
Author ?: The L Word - great book, a bit older
Any Franken: He's an easy read
DVD/VHS: Manufacturing Consent, Orwell Rolls Over in His Grave, any of the Greenwald (Uncovered, Unprecedented, etc)
The I Hate Republicans Reader, The I Hate Bush Reader: These are compilations of essays
You might want to consider a compilation of essays, whether you choose the above or something else; there are several really good ones out there.

[La_Fourmi_Rouge]

48. "All the King's Men"

by Robert Penn Warren

Depicts the rise of Huey Long in Louisiana - it doesn't age at all.

"The Last Hurrah" by Edwin O'Connor - great character study.

[the_real_38]

49. History of the American People by Howard Zinn...

.... the first step is understanding how American politics got this way.

[Democrat 4 Ever]

52. A light read but I really enjoy being reminded how right

the Democrats are for this country every time I open the covers - "Homegrown Democrat" by Garrison Keillor. You will find yourself nodding in agreement with every other word. He takes back the term "Liberal" and wears it with pride.

[pinto]

53. The originals for "background" - Declaration of Independence, Preamble to

the Constitution and the Amendments, Washington's farewell address, Lincoln's Gettysburg address, FDR's "All we have to fear" address, Eisenhower's farewell address, JFK's "Ask not" address, etc. You get the drift. Most of us have read them once and, as you know, they are a reference point for much of American politics.

[ItsThePeopleStupid]

55. john locke. the Federalist papers.

Second Treatise of Government by John Locke:
http://www.ilt.columbia.edu/academic/digitexts/locke/second/locke2nd.txt

Federalist Papers:
http://www.law.ou.edu/hist/federalist/

Not that hard to read. Both are absolutely basic to U.S. government.

[Renew Deal]

57. The Conscience of a Liberal by Paul Wellstone

That's a nice starter. Interesting and not too long.

[ourbluenation]

58. For shits and giggles - All The Presidents Men...

or confessions of an economic hitman...great read.

[Douglas Carpenter]

59. Outsider in the House by Bernie Sanders

for lite reading

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1859848710.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIlitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,32,-59_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

link at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1859848710/ref=cm_bg_f_2/103-4114994-3128646?v=glance

for heavy reading:

Who Will Tell The People? : The Betrayal Of American Democracy
by William Greider

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0671867407.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

link at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0671867407/qid=1131860730/sr=8-6/ref=pd_bbs_6/103-4114994-3128646?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

also I have a book recommendation guide at Amazon:


http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/guides/guide-display/-/15ZW9BVUGCDSS/cm%5Faya%5Fsylt%5Ftitle.sylt/103-4114994-3128646

[WilliamPitt]

60. Lincoln, by Gore Vidal

[milkyway]

62. For history, "Guns, Germs and Steel."

[omega minimo]

63. 1984