👶🏼👶🏼👶🏼👶🏼👶🏼: Backslide: Reclaiming a Faith and a Nation After the Christian Turn Against Democracy, by Robert P. Jones

I must somehow communicate the importance of this optimally researched book! If ever you have ever racked your brain to understand how this administration rose to power with the help of the Christian right, this is an absolute must-read. @robertpjonesdc , a theologian and social scientist with endless credentials, has crafted a timely and effective depiction of the chaos we're experiencing, shedding light on how it has intensified. The writing is so accessible and the data is absolutely fascinating. I especially appreciate the clever double meaning of the title, *Backslide*, which captures the regression in both moral standards and democratic ideals.

I wholeheartedly encourage everyone, regardless of their faith or lack thereof, to pick up this book to fully grasp the current state of our nation. It lays out the ways in which our democracy is faltering and the historical and cultural context that brought us here.

As I read, I found myself nodding along to so much of what Mr. Jones shares. We are living in a pivotal moment where the choices we make now could either lead to serious consequences or guide us back to a righteous path. Don't miss out on this eye-opening book!

Many thanks to partners, @stmartinspress and @netgalley for sharing this critical review e-copy!

Read 9/15/26

👶👶👶👶👶: Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person's Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds, by John Fugelsang

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the divisive atmosphere in our nation, tired of the endless stream of confusing rhetoric, or even if you're convinced that the current events in the United States are straight out of the bible, then you MUST READ THIS BOOK NOW! Everyone across the political spectrum - from both sides of the aisle - would benefit from this book.

@johnfugelsang has crafted an in-depth - albeit sometimes slightly irreverent - exploration of the true motives behind the actions of today’s administration. Are these actions aligned with true Christian principles? You’ll have to dive in to this book to fully understand. It’s penned by a comedian whose unique perspective comes from being the son of a former Catholic nun and a Franciscan brother, so you’ll certainly gain a whole new perspective by reading it!

I WHOLEHEARTEDLY RECOMMEND this book to both believers and non-believers alike! It’s a fantastic resource to help you navigate the tumultuous times we’re facing.

Read 6/1/26

👶👶👶👶: Black Skinhead: Reflections on Blackness and Our Political Future, by Brandi Collins-Dexter

What an insightful, informative, and engaging book. I can't tell you the number of "aha moments" I had while reading this book. @brandingbrandi did an exemplary job of presenting facts that allow readers to step outside their own political understanding while showing the reality of black voters and their circumstances.

"𝑩𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒅𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒅, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒔𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒄𝒊𝒓𝒄𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒐𝒖𝒔. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒂 𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒏-𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒂."

Although I am constantly learning and open to new information when it comes to the black experience in our nation, I learned that I STILL have preconceived notions about black voters. Prior to reading this book, I just could NOT comprehend the likes of those such as Kanye West and Candace Owens. Enter Ms. Collins-Dexter, & I get it now.

"𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚: 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒆 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒆 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒖𝒔."

And boy, do we get those stories delivered incorrectly all too often. I appreciate the author's willingness to be real with us; if readers can be open to this book's wealth of information about a social circle outside our own, we will be all the better for it.

Many thanks to @celadonbooks for this #gifted review copy!

Read 3/22/23

👶👶👶👶: Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation, by Kristin Kobes Du Mez

Okay, okay, don't @ me just yet... I have struggled big-time on whether or not to post this review, hence the reason it's a throwback. I read it a year ago and just didn't want to raise a ruckus. But don't unfollow me just yet... please hear me out...

I will be the first to admit, the title is a bit off-putting. I have absolutely NOTHING against Evangelicals. I am a Christian myself, and respect ALL denominations and religions. Your journey with your maker is just that, YOUR JOURNEY! So you won't find any judgment here. To that end, do I feel like the author could have reached a wider audience with a different title? Absolutely.

Next up, the historical facts. I learned A LOT from this book about things that can not be denied - events in our history that actually happened. That was the most fascinating part for me. Is there other content in here that could be refuted? Absolutely. Some of it is objective, and Trump supporters will disagree with much of this novel - I'll just warn you now.

HOWEVER, if you are open to trying to understand ALL sides, and if you are willing to put aside any pre-conceived political notions, this book is truly fascinating. I had no idea about half of the historical facts that I actually lived through but was honestly too young to understand. I could see how much of this came to pass, and I now understand how and why Trump came to office.

That is all I will say about that. I'm not trying to start any political discussions. I do not want any controversy. I just think that with an incredibly important vote coming up in less than a month, it is important to know ALL sides! And this book will give you insight from a historian that did her homework.

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk!

Read 12/29/21

👶👶👶 Traitor: A History of American Betrayal from Benedict Arnold to Donald Trump, by David Rothkopf

First, as a preface to my review, let me assure you that I am not attempting to sway anyone politically in any way. I am first and foremost a seeker of information on both sides of the aisle. I do not purport to know any more than anyone else nor do I expect anyone to share my views. Most importantly, I am not here to judge anyone's opinions, as that is not what I was put on this earth to do... now, with that disclaimer out of the way, perhaps you will indulge me as I review what will surely become a very controversial book.

In his newest book, David Rothkopf shares his hard-hitting, compelling argument in a treatise that commands attention. As he very clearly states, "the purpose of this book, after all, is to understand how history will view Donald Trump's presidency and to examine how his crimes and abuses may compare with those of others who betrayed the country in U.S. history."

Straight out of the gate, David Rothkopf comes on strong with his very first sentence, "The President of the United States is a traitor," in an attempt at a cogent analysis of the current President and what Mr. Rothkopf describes as his crimes. If I'm honest, I struggle with this forceful approach, as it is likely that the only people that will consider reading any further will be those whom already oppose Trump. Therefore, if the author is attempting in any way to sway citizens who have perhaps considered this theory, but are not yet fully convinced, this may be an initial turn-off.

What I most appreciated about Rothkopf is his description of historical events and his detailed account of how our country came to uphold our current political system. As a political historian and scientist, and professor of international relations, this is his greatest strength. The information he presents is meticulous, authentic, and well researched and his intellect lends credibility to his argument. I learned an exceptional amount, and was surprised to discover that some of my historical knowledge had been constructed from a melange of myth and sensationalized legend.

I will be honest, there is a lot of information to digest, and you must be in a "studious" mood to take it all in. However, if you are looking for a fascinating history lesson and an overview of our political landscape, along with a well-construed argument as to why the current president may, in fact, fit this rather harsh label, then get ready for the release of Traitor on October 27th.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for gifting me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Read 10/18/20 

👶👶👶👶 Permanent Record, by Edward Snowden

Whether you're a firm believer that Edward Snowden is a traitor or you are more of a staunch supporter of his actions, this autobiography will leave you pondering your privacy and rights as an American citizen. I realize much of what is discussed in this novel is highly controversial, and my intention is not to assuage any anger or hatred toward Snowden's actions, but I will always underscore the importance of being open to all angles of any given debate. Despite his polarizing effect, no one can deny Snowden's exceptional intellect, nor his personal and familial history of service to this country. 

His story is well-told and compelling. It doesn't much matter that the information contained herein is nothing that hasn't been published before, but it is a stark reminder that we, as American citizens, should not forget our rights. Personally, I do believe it is our duty to gather information, think for ourselves, and honor the rights and freedoms that were so bravely fought for throughout our history.

Read 4/6/20

👶👶👶👶 Shortest Way Home: One Mayor's Challenge and a Model for America's Future, by Pete Buttigieg

Pete Buttigieg is certainly an impressive individual. His resume is superb, his education is remarkable, and his credentials are above reproach. I enjoyed learning about Mr. "Boot-edge-edge" and the history of what drew him into the political mainstream. His ability to place South Bend on the road to recovery is certainly notable, and his unconventional methods to accomplish such goals are intriguing. Having used enough adjectives to describe this extraordinary individual, I'll finally cut to the chase: I highly recommend reading this autobiography - he is a breath of fresh air in the political arena.

Read 12/28/19