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philipkenner's review against another edition
3.0
What follows are some conflicting thoughts on Lauren Duca’s new book:
1) This is an accessible, funny, and engaging call to action for Americans of all walks of life, specifically young people. This book is a valiant and earnest step towards a more engaged citizenry.
And yet,
2) Lauren Duca consistently undermines herself by making repetitive jokes, using gratuitous expletives, and at times, mentioning she tweets while high. She then justifies these editorial decisions by claiming they don’t follow the “secret” or “insider” respectability politics of being a journalist. To this point, I say: “Sure! Screw the rules! Use your unique voice! Be frank!” But then, this feeling of performance lingers. Why is she cursing so much? I’d like to think I curse a good deal in my walking life and am not squeamish when others do it, so why did Lauren’s use of “fuck” and “bullshit” bother me so much? It felt like she was making an argument for her legitimacy as a political writer while simultaneously apologizing by using lazy diction. “Fuck” doesn’t make a writer sound like they’re edgy; it makes them sound like they ran out of words. Maybe I’m being picky. Maybe I wish she took herself and her topic a little more seriously.
———————————
3) This book has a nuanced understanding of racial and gender politics. It unpacks invisible political structures that limit our ability to exercise our rights. She clearly outlines what an oligarchy is and how we’re living in one. If this is someone’s first time reading that term and understanding its accuracy as a label for our political system, then Duca has done her job beautifully. We don’t need the flashiest take down of the “political-industrial-complex;” we simply need to be made aware of it.
And yet,
4) I got the sense that Duca is only paying lip service to folks of color in an effort to seem “woke,” a word which Duca, a white woman, uses without irony a few times. It’s a little cringe inducing. Again, maybe I’m being too critical. However, it feels like there were a few more stings that could have been pulled; the book would have benefited from a deeper look at why political engagement for disenfranchised communities can be met with institutional discrimination, police violence, deportation, you name it. One of Duca’s consistent points can be summed up as: “Get involved!” But, she doesn’t quite go deep enough as to why participation in protests, riots, boycotts, even local elections can be a very high stakes situations for folks of color.
———————————
Okay, last two:
5) This book is intended for pre-teens, teenagers, and young adults. It succeeds with its audience when making easy to follow yet critically sound arguments about systems of oppression.
And yet,
6) As clear as the intended audience may be, I kept asking myself while reading, “Who is this for???” The constant cursing made it feel like it was supposed to be for teens, but I don’t know if teens want cursing in their political literature so much as they just like the freedom to use it in their everyday life. The easy to follow concept definitions made it feel like it was for Jr. High audience, yet the jokes about getting high caution me to hand this to any 11-year-old (not because they should fear weed or stigmatize its use, but because this is book isn’t a great first impression if you’re hoping to encourage informed, responsible drug use).
Overall, I enjoyed the book and think it’s a noble call to action. I found parts of it to undermine its own mission, which frustrated me. I recommend it if you’re looking for a saucy pep talk to get involved in local politics and organizing.
1) This is an accessible, funny, and engaging call to action for Americans of all walks of life, specifically young people. This book is a valiant and earnest step towards a more engaged citizenry.
And yet,
2) Lauren Duca consistently undermines herself by making repetitive jokes, using gratuitous expletives, and at times, mentioning she tweets while high. She then justifies these editorial decisions by claiming they don’t follow the “secret” or “insider” respectability politics of being a journalist. To this point, I say: “Sure! Screw the rules! Use your unique voice! Be frank!” But then, this feeling of performance lingers. Why is she cursing so much? I’d like to think I curse a good deal in my walking life and am not squeamish when others do it, so why did Lauren’s use of “fuck” and “bullshit” bother me so much? It felt like she was making an argument for her legitimacy as a political writer while simultaneously apologizing by using lazy diction. “Fuck” doesn’t make a writer sound like they’re edgy; it makes them sound like they ran out of words. Maybe I’m being picky. Maybe I wish she took herself and her topic a little more seriously.
———————————
3) This book has a nuanced understanding of racial and gender politics. It unpacks invisible political structures that limit our ability to exercise our rights. She clearly outlines what an oligarchy is and how we’re living in one. If this is someone’s first time reading that term and understanding its accuracy as a label for our political system, then Duca has done her job beautifully. We don’t need the flashiest take down of the “political-industrial-complex;” we simply need to be made aware of it.
And yet,
4) I got the sense that Duca is only paying lip service to folks of color in an effort to seem “woke,” a word which Duca, a white woman, uses without irony a few times. It’s a little cringe inducing. Again, maybe I’m being too critical. However, it feels like there were a few more stings that could have been pulled; the book would have benefited from a deeper look at why political engagement for disenfranchised communities can be met with institutional discrimination, police violence, deportation, you name it. One of Duca’s consistent points can be summed up as: “Get involved!” But, she doesn’t quite go deep enough as to why participation in protests, riots, boycotts, even local elections can be a very high stakes situations for folks of color.
———————————
Okay, last two:
5) This book is intended for pre-teens, teenagers, and young adults. It succeeds with its audience when making easy to follow yet critically sound arguments about systems of oppression.
And yet,
6) As clear as the intended audience may be, I kept asking myself while reading, “Who is this for???” The constant cursing made it feel like it was supposed to be for teens, but I don’t know if teens want cursing in their political literature so much as they just like the freedom to use it in their everyday life. The easy to follow concept definitions made it feel like it was for Jr. High audience, yet the jokes about getting high caution me to hand this to any 11-year-old (not because they should fear weed or stigmatize its use, but because this is book isn’t a great first impression if you’re hoping to encourage informed, responsible drug use).
Overall, I enjoyed the book and think it’s a noble call to action. I found parts of it to undermine its own mission, which frustrated me. I recommend it if you’re looking for a saucy pep talk to get involved in local politics and organizing.
scylla87's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
4.25
This book turned out to be completely different than I expected it to be. More of a dissertation on the importance of getting involved in politics, especially at the local level, than anything else, it was a great commentary on why our current political system doesn’t seem to work and ways in which the younger generations can begin to get involved. There are a lot of very good ideas in this book about how to get started if you wish to be more involved. It was very easy to read, but I plan to give this one another pass here in the near future as I am contemplating the best ways that I can lend my voice in the world around me.
jeninmotion's review
funny
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
3.75
Me: Local politics were a thing before 2016! On the other hand, I think the analysis is mostly correct about "bizarre secret rules" and that democracy is a habit, not something you only engage with in presidential election years. My general feels come from being a political person since forever and being 10-ish years older than Lauren Duca so my "awakening" was the 2000 election.
jenny_librarian's review against another edition
4.0
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
4 ⭐️
Lauren Duca is a Millenial and, as such, has a bone to settle with the generations that came before. Like most Millenials, she feels cheated by those in power who act as if her generation - OUR generation - isn't important. I agree wholeheartedly with her, and think that this book is a new political bible for American Millenials and Gen Z.
If, like many young Americans, you didn't wake up until 2016 to realize that politics are going straight into a wall, this is a perfect starting point to change things around. As Duca mentions in the very beginning of her book, politics has always looked like football to most people:
But Millenials and Gen Z are changing things around, and Duca gives numerous examples of young people becoming involved in politics, whether by educating others or by running for different seats themselves.
With the typical sarcasm known to Millenials, Lauren Duca defines the Industrical-Political Complex and Gatekeeping, explores privilege and explains why old white men wearing boat shoes hold the keys to important offices. She also drags Carlson Tucker (and damn! that tea is HOT!) and other conservatively biased people who try to "own the libs" regularly - although the only thing they usually manage is to make themselves look like perfect idiots.
But don't think Duca is completely detached from the debate. Her parents are conservatives through and through, who voted for Trump without a second thought. Part of this book is about Duca's journey to try and educate her parents as to why not talking about politics is bad. Hint: her father does see the light eventually. She doesn't tell them to vote Democrat, but rather shows them how to evaluate and verify the credibility of their sources, and then form their own opinion from there.
This is why I qualify Duca's book as the new political bible. Not only does she take a feminist approach to politics and doesn't hesitate to drag those who would rather keep the status quo, she also gives incredibly good advice to those who seek to become better citizens and political activists. As she says "[w]e have to actively engage with the political questions that define our lives, debating policy, pressuring those who make the rules, and demanding a voice in the process, or our freedom is but an illusion." (p.35)
In the end, Lauren Duca is just another 20-something who likes politics and Ariana Grande's style equally. And while some gatekeepers would like to make us think those things are mutually exclusive and therefore cancel any relevance her opinion might have, let us not forget that those same people believe golf is a more respectable hobby than nail art - as if the latter wasn't objectively harder.
So, fellow young people, if you need a push in the back to start your own campaign or get involved, this is it. Live long and prosper, young padawans! (yes, I am aware those are from two different fandoms)
[Quote references are from the advance reading copy. Final editions might differ.]
4 ⭐️
Lauren Duca is a Millenial and, as such, has a bone to settle with the generations that came before. Like most Millenials, she feels cheated by those in power who act as if her generation - OUR generation - isn't important. I agree wholeheartedly with her, and think that this book is a new political bible for American Millenials and Gen Z.
If, like many young Americans, you didn't wake up until 2016 to realize that politics are going straight into a wall, this is a perfect starting point to change things around. As Duca mentions in the very beginning of her book, politics has always looked like football to most people:
"Every four years, everyone would gather around for the election, or as I came to understand it, "the big game."[...] Without intricate knowledge of the inner workings of the sport, you might watch along with half interest, mostly to see who was going to win. (Also, obviously, the men were always yelling louder than anyone else.)" (p.1)
But Millenials and Gen Z are changing things around, and Duca gives numerous examples of young people becoming involved in politics, whether by educating others or by running for different seats themselves.
With the typical sarcasm known to Millenials, Lauren Duca defines the Industrical-Political Complex and Gatekeeping, explores privilege and explains why old white men wearing boat shoes hold the keys to important offices. She also drags Carlson Tucker (and damn! that tea is HOT!) and other conservatively biased people who try to "own the libs" regularly - although the only thing they usually manage is to make themselves look like perfect idiots.
But don't think Duca is completely detached from the debate. Her parents are conservatives through and through, who voted for Trump without a second thought. Part of this book is about Duca's journey to try and educate her parents as to why not talking about politics is bad. Hint: her father does see the light eventually. She doesn't tell them to vote Democrat, but rather shows them how to evaluate and verify the credibility of their sources, and then form their own opinion from there.
This is why I qualify Duca's book as the new political bible. Not only does she take a feminist approach to politics and doesn't hesitate to drag those who would rather keep the status quo, she also gives incredibly good advice to those who seek to become better citizens and political activists. As she says "[w]e have to actively engage with the political questions that define our lives, debating policy, pressuring those who make the rules, and demanding a voice in the process, or our freedom is but an illusion." (p.35)
In the end, Lauren Duca is just another 20-something who likes politics and Ariana Grande's style equally. And while some gatekeepers would like to make us think those things are mutually exclusive and therefore cancel any relevance her opinion might have, let us not forget that those same people believe golf is a more respectable hobby than nail art - as if the latter wasn't objectively harder.
So, fellow young people, if you need a push in the back to start your own campaign or get involved, this is it. Live long and prosper, young padawans! (yes, I am aware those are from two different fandoms)
[Quote references are from the advance reading copy. Final editions might differ.]
shirst's review against another edition
4.0
A book about politics for young people (like me) who never thought they would get into politics, but find they can't ignore them anymore.
Full review on my blog: https://sarahsreads.home.blog/2019/09/24/how-to-start-a-revolution-by-lauren-duca/
Full review on my blog: https://sarahsreads.home.blog/2019/09/24/how-to-start-a-revolution-by-lauren-duca/
civreader's review against another edition
4.0
3.5*
I know I am not really the intended audience of this book, but I found it interesting and sometimes useful. I think it could have benefited from being longer. Some chapters could have been structured better, and the argument and presentation thereof sometimes seemed contradictory.
“Accessible” and “entertaining” needed to be better explained - I thoroughly disagree that politics needs to be more entertaining. More *interesting* and *accessible*, yes. But “entertaining” is how we got into this mess we’re in. The Hollywood Effect on US (presidential) politics has had a terrible impact, and it’s something the media seems resistant to examining.
The book will serve as a very useful primer for young people (and older) who want to become more engaged in politics. It helps explain certain truths about US politics and its industry (although, this could have been expanded upon and more rigorously examines, IMHO).
I know I am not really the intended audience of this book, but I found it interesting and sometimes useful. I think it could have benefited from being longer. Some chapters could have been structured better, and the argument and presentation thereof sometimes seemed contradictory.
“Accessible” and “entertaining” needed to be better explained - I thoroughly disagree that politics needs to be more entertaining. More *interesting* and *accessible*, yes. But “entertaining” is how we got into this mess we’re in. The Hollywood Effect on US (presidential) politics has had a terrible impact, and it’s something the media seems resistant to examining.
The book will serve as a very useful primer for young people (and older) who want to become more engaged in politics. It helps explain certain truths about US politics and its industry (although, this could have been expanded upon and more rigorously examines, IMHO).
baileyvk's review against another edition
4.0
Great bite-size book about how to begin activism and get involved in politics.
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