Jimmy Carter's Presidency

Until recently, I knew very little about Jimmy Carter. I knew he was a peanut farmer, that he built homes with Habitat for Humanity after his presidency, and that he was very old. His passing has inspired many different reactions from people I know who knew a little bit more about him. The range of emotions I saw in response to his death was curious; everything from grief and sadness to contempt and resent. I wanted to learn more about his presidency.

If We Can Keep It - Chapters 1 and 2

If We Can Keep It: How the Republic Collapsed and How it Might be Saved was written by Michael Tomasky in 2019. I've noticed that a lot of books written about American politics before the 2020 election feel like they're missing the important context of those events. But this book shoots all the way back to the inception of our country as the Great Experiment it is, to provide historical context which is often overlooked or underestimated.

On Tyranny - Lesson 20: Be as Courageous as You Can [and final thoughts]

We did it! We're here! To the 5ish people who've been consistently reading these posts, I don't know who you are but thanks for joining me on this journey and I hope you stick around for the next book. :) 

The final lesson Timothy Snyder gives us from the 20th Century On Tyranny is to be as courageous as possible. The chapter sub-header is a little ominous: "If none of us is prepared to die for freedom, then all of us will die under tyranny." Oof, right?

On Tyranny - Lesson 19: Be a Patriot

 Lesson 19 of 20 from the 20th Century On Tyranny is to be a patriot by setting an example for what America should be for the next generation. 

On Tyranny - Lesson 18: Be Calm When the Unthinkable Arrives

Lesson 18 of 20 from the 20th Century On Tyranny: Be calm when the unthinkable arrives. Don't let the government freak you out enough to willingly usher in the fall of democracy. In this lesson, Snyder focuses on how Hitler and Putin both managed to retain power and destroy public institutions.