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hikemogan's review
2.0
Political autobiographies are tricky things; even more so when it's a politician still running for office (as opposed to someone retiring or retired). The form presents the author with one of the few chances in life to put down in extended form their ideas unabridged and uninterrupted. However, the author has to please as many people as possible and touch all the important bases representing all their constituencies, mention all the important people, and address all the peculiar pet issues that their district/ward/state finds important. What usually results is one part family history, one part stock platitudes about "This great nation...blah, blah, blah," and one part shallow discussion of the issues the author wants to address in their next term. "My Country, `Tis of Thee" follows the format.
Keith Ellison's political views line up very closely with my own, so I don't intend this criticism as a partisan cut on his position as one of the most progressive members of congress. But this book very much reads like a shallow campaign speech. There are some deeper moments, such as his visit to Somalia, or his views on America's modern interactions with the Middle East. But the bulk of the book (not including the first few chapters on his upbringing and education) reads like a "Minneapolis liberal Democrat by the numbers" text that could be lifted and applied to a lot of people. And again, I say this as a person who agrees with 99% of Ellison's views.
Keith Ellison is not a political theorist or an essayist, but I was hoping for a more in-depth look at the issues he hopes to address if (okay... "when") he's re-elected. Unfortunately, I think the form of political autobiography--especially one timed for a reelection campaign--just doesn't allow for that.
Keith Ellison's political views line up very closely with my own, so I don't intend this criticism as a partisan cut on his position as one of the most progressive members of congress. But this book very much reads like a shallow campaign speech. There are some deeper moments, such as his visit to Somalia, or his views on America's modern interactions with the Middle East. But the bulk of the book (not including the first few chapters on his upbringing and education) reads like a "Minneapolis liberal Democrat by the numbers" text that could be lifted and applied to a lot of people. And again, I say this as a person who agrees with 99% of Ellison's views.
Keith Ellison is not a political theorist or an essayist, but I was hoping for a more in-depth look at the issues he hopes to address if (okay... "when") he's re-elected. Unfortunately, I think the form of political autobiography--especially one timed for a reelection campaign--just doesn't allow for that.
onceandfuturelaura's review
3.0
Low drama book by a guy who’s been involved in some grand drama. Appreciate that he pulls in the Powell Memo (shudder) and Hubert Humphrey’s magnificent convention speech in 1948 (“To those who say my friends, that we are rushing this issue of civil rights, I say to them we are one hundred seventy-two years late!”). This passage about voter suppression got me hard:
An excellent point. That is the fight; do we welcome everyone into the franchise or do we allow people to be excluded. I know what side I’m on. I’m glad he’s on it too.
All I could think about was James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner threatened, beaten shot, and buried in 1964. They lost their lives fighting for all folks to have the right to vote freely. We owed it to their memories to make sure we didn’t turn back the clock on this issue.
An excellent point. That is the fight; do we welcome everyone into the franchise or do we allow people to be excluded. I know what side I’m on. I’m glad he’s on it too.
kevinhendricks's review
3.0
The memoir of America's first Muslim Congressman and Minnesota's first non-white Congressman. I'm usually not into political memoirs, but this was pretty interesting. He grew up in Detroit and moved to Minnesota for college, like I did (well, Detroit suburbs) and it was kind of fun to see a little inside Minnesota politics.
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