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Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America
Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America | George Packer
The 2013 National Book Award Winner A "New York Times" Bestseller American democracy is beset by a sense of crisis. Seismic shifts during a single generation have created a country of winners and losers, allowing unprecedented freedom while rending the social contract, driving the political system to the verge of breakdown, and setting citizens adrift to find new paths forward. In "The Unwinding," George Packer tells the story of the past three decades by journeying through the lives of several Americans, including a son of tobacco farmers who becomes an evangelist for a new economy in the rural South, a factory worker in the Rust Belt trying to survive the collapse ofher city, a Washington insider oscillating between political idealism and the lure of organized money, and a Silicon Valley billionaire who arrives at a radical vision of the future. Packer interweaves these stories with sketches of public figures, from Newt Gingrich to Jay-Z, and collages made from newspaperheadlines, advertising slogans, and song lyrics. Packer's novelistic and kaleidoscopic history of the new America is his most ambitious work to date.
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review
LeaKell
Pickpick

I had to read this book for a Sociology class and I am so glad I did. Anyone interested in human nature and the state of American democracy should pick this book up.

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TiredLibrarian
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Congrats @Lizpixie on your 300,000 milestone! And thanks for offering this cool giveaway. Picking the 3 top genres isn't too hard for me, but picking the top 3 books took a lot of thought. 🤔📚😊

#Lizpixies3x3Giveaway

Lizpixie Thanks for entering!🙌 Some great choices there👍 5y
charl08 Happy litsyversary! 5y
56 likes2 comments
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Cyprian
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Another favorite place to read.

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Cyprian
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The landlord called it a sunroom, but I call it my reading nook.

TheBookgeekFrau Omg! Love it😍😍 6y
6 likes1 comment
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Cyprian
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Appropriate reading for July 4th, 2018.

RaimeyGallant Sounds interesting. And welcome to Litsy! #LitsyWelcomeWagon Some of us put together Litsy tips to help new Littens navigate the site. It's the link in my bio on my page in case you need it. Or if you prefer how-to videos, @chelleo put some together at the link in her bio. @LitsyWelcomeWagon 6y
Chelleo Hi and welcome 🤗 6y
Eggs Welcome to Litsy 😊🌸 6y
See All 12 Comments
Jess7 Welcome!! 6y
Ingerella Hi and Welcome to Litsy! 6y
Dr._Who_number10 Welcome to Litsy!!!🎉🎉🎉🎉 6y
CarolynM Welcome to Litsy👋🙂 6y
Wife Welcome to Litsy!🌹 6y
StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Welcome to Litsy 📚💕 6y
Bookspirit 😊👋Welcome to Litsy and Congrats on becoming a Litten👏☺ 6y
VenmariPasinos Welcome to the famiLitsy! 📚❤ 6y
GlassAsDiamonds Welcome 😊😊😊 6y
13 likes12 comments
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BarbaraTheBibliophage
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Yesterday was a good day the bargain store. I bypassed a lot of questionable fiction choices for these two nonfiction beauties. At least I hope they‘re good!

#bookhaul #whateverybookbuyerhopes

TiredLibrarian Lots of food for thought in The Unwinding - I really liked it. 7y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @TiredLibrarian I think I‘ll like it too! 7y
Graywacke The Unwinding is tough on the optimism. It‘s very good though. 7y
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mrozzz The Unwinding is SO GOOD. Read it years ago and recommended it to everyone who felt apathetic towards politics so they could have an in to understand the recession 7y
Leftcoastzen What @mrozz said ! Seemed so spot on I bet it holds up.Hope you let us know. 7y
kspenmoll How is your friend? 7y
126 likes2 stack adds6 comments
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jlondon1963
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Pickpick

This was a National Book Award winner. The book is an interesting look at different points in history that lead up to what occurred in our most recent election.

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Liz_M
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B is for books! #lrc2017, #bingo
The Underground Railroad -- 2016 award winner
The Unwinding -- Non-fiction, politics (I did alter this category a little, as I read so little nonfiction)
The Dud Avocado -- recommended by a GR friend
Poison, Shadow, and Farewell -- translated from another language

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Fancypants
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Panpan

I feel like this book had the potential to provide a lot of info and be really fascinating. But I listened to it on audio book and it just kept going from the 50s to the 80s to the 00s to the 50s and switching between so many people. It was rather confusing.

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ShannonOffDuty
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Pickpick

If you're an American then you should read this book. The downward spiral that's led to financial disparity is painfully revealed here. Though not without its optimism this is very much the sad truth of the post war years until now

3 likes1 stack add
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BookishMarginalia
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Pickpick

Breezed through this one on audiobook. Still as perplexed as ever about Trumpism, but feeling more empathetic toward his voters. Recommend it!

MrBook 🙄🤓😆 Yep....added! Do I get a cookie or something for adding all of these? 🍪🍪🍪 8y
BookishMarginalia @mrbook Of course! And seems only fair, as you keep tempting us with your posts 😇 Btw, love the new profile pic! Looking quite dapper 👍🏼 8y
MrBook Aww, thanks ☺️ *blushes* 8y
124 likes11 stack adds3 comments
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BookishMarginalia
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Because I want to understand.

shawnmooney I thought this was a great book – I still love Joe Biden, though… ❤ 8y
91 likes1 comment
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jennw1212
Pickpick

I will admit that this took me awhile to get going with. If it wasn't my book clubs pick I may have bailed.. not because it wasn't interesting but because with all that is going on right now since election it was too much to take. But I stuck with it and I would recommend for sure! By the end I wanted it to keep going so I would know how some of the people are doing now.

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jennw1212
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I have seven days to finish this book for bookclub. I am finding it interesting but my brain only wants to read fiction right now.

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jennw1212
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Writing to my Senator . .

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jennw1212
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Bookclub book for February....

4 likes1 stack add
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the_hibernator
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Hero and I are settling down to get a head-start on The Unwinding for my upcoming group read on my blog. I'm feeling a little skeptical of the biosketch format. But we'll see how it works. Supposed to be a good book!

8little_paws I spy cute little kitty paws 8y
SaintUrsula This is the Jan-Feb book, right? I'm on the waiting list for the Kindle version, and the audio is currently available, but I'll take my chances that it still will be in a couple of weeks. 8y
the_hibernator @8little_paws yup. Reading with the kitty 8y
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the_hibernator @SaintUrsula yes. It's the Jan-Feb book. I started early because some of us are also having a group read of Evicted in Jan. I think The Unwinding would probably be better on Kindle than audio based on the format. So hopefully it comes in! 8y
8little_paws Ok this is a readalong through your blog, I missed that when I first saw the post, too fixated on kitty lol. I'd like to join in. 8y
the_hibernator @8little_paws Sure! It's the first in a series of 6 readalongs I'm having next year and you're welcome to join for any of them. I'm putting up the introduction thread to The Unwinding on Jan 2, but here's the intro post to the set: http://hibernatorslibrary.blogspot.com/2016/11/new-york-times-6-books-to-help.ht... 8y
8little_paws Very nice. I'm not a blogger but I can join in here and in your comments on your blog. I have read White Trash already and it was fantastic. 8y
the_hibernator @8little_paws Absolutely! It'll be great to have you. Alternatively if you're on LibraryThing there will also be a thread there. 8y
Sace I'm just finding out about this. I won't be reading along but I'm definitely going to keep up with your blog and posts. 8y
40 likes2 stack adds9 comments
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Well-ReadNeck
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Bailedbailed

Put this aside yesterday to decide whether to continued. Picked up The New Jim Crow which, on page 30, is already more of what I'm looking for for my #TrumpedUpReadingList

The lack of an overall structure and thesis, ultimately, were what weren't working for me.

the_hibernator How far in did you get? It's supposed to be a great book. But I'm having trouble with the format too. I imagine connectedness is meant to come by the second half or at least the end... 8y
84 likes1 comment
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Well-ReadNeck
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I picked this up because I've been seeing lots of post-election recommendations and I wanted to put it on my #TrumpedUpReadingList But, I'm 150 pages in and while the stories are sort of interesting, there is no cohesive thesis to this book or any overarching message or call to action. I'm ready to bail, but feel like I must be missing something. Anyone out there who has read this and can give me some insight /advice?!?

BookishMarginalia I haven't read it, but I suggest you skim the beginning and end of each chapter and read the final chapter. That should give you the best idea of the point of the book without actually reading all of it. 8y
the_hibernator I plan on reading this book in January as a group read on my blog...for the same reason you're reading it now. I hope it gets better for you! 8y
88 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Well-ReadNeck
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Ugh! A pet peeve: referring to someone's adoptive father as "step-father". Not legally (therefore not factually) correct. I realize this was likely published before Simone Biles shut this sort of thing down, but as an adopted child, it rubs. (And, is also confusing. I had to read this several times to figure out what was being said).

Kkhalifeh I agree! As someone who has a bio-father, a father who adopted me AND a step-father those details mean a lot (my mom married 3 times 😂 and never gave up on true love). 8y
mrsh62010 "Steps" off soapbox ?? 8y
melbeautyandbooks I agree! Those terms cannot be used interchangeably. They do not mean the same thing. Another one I see/hear a lot is adopted father. No, it's adoptive. 8y
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OrangeMooseReads Step-father is not the same as adoptive. A tiny bit of thought would fix that. Definitely annoying. 8y
LitHousewife As an adoptive mother, I am not Emma's stepmother. She's 14, so she probably does think I'm evil... 8y
Laura317 Agreed!! 8y
BeththeBookDragon It's a worthy soapbox. I don't even like when they use the words 'adoptive parents'. They are PARENTS. 8y
Abby2 I totally agree. Adoption is forever. 8y
Jinjer I'm adopted and have never felt "adopted" so it baffles and irritates me when my mom makes a point of telling people "she's adopted." But mom is 89 and doesn't mean anything negative when she says it. If anything she's probably proud of the fact. Not sure why it bothers me so much, knowing that.? 8y
107 likes11 comments
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Well-ReadNeck
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Curled up in my favorite reading chair getting ready to dive into this one. #currentread

100 likes6 stack adds
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Minervasbutler
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Pickpick

Superb social history which attempts to explain exactly how the US has got to where it is today through the interwoven stories of individuals, some household names, (Oprah, Biden, Gingrich) some obscure. Takes in de-industrialisation, the sub-prime mortgage scandal, Walmart, the rise of the lobbyists and so much more. Terrifically readable and informative.

Laura317 Might see if the library has this. I've read Joel Rodenberg's 8y
BB1958 Packer's writings in The New Yorker are always interesting. Thanks for reminding me of his book. Something added to my 2017 Must Read list 8y
87 likes17 stack adds2 comments
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Minervasbutler
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"It was the second-to-last day of August. While the Republicans concluded their $ 123 million convention fifteen minutes away, the Hartzells, having paid all their bills, had five dollars left till the first of September."

67 likes4 stack adds
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Well-ReadNeck
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Hey Litsy! Wanted to do a little crowdsourcing and hope you can help. I'm putting together a list of books from the topics on this list (looking for the must reads on these issues). I feel like there is a lot to unpack after this election and I want to read and recommend books to everyone in the hopes that we can mix our red and blue into a beautiful purple. Any suggestions? Also, am I missing any broad strokes. THANKS!

Well-ReadNeck Am especially interested in books conservatives feel are must reads. 8y
BookishFeminist Check out #OverThis- @lemonlime799 and I already have 9 pgs of recs for post-election reading topics that I'll be distributing in a syllabus once I get it organized! 8y
moranadatter Some of the categories you already listed address this, but you may want to look for books focusing on the labor movement and unions. 8y
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[DELETED] 3517561138 I love your handwriting! 8y
melbeautyandbooks Great idea! 8y
snacksinthestacks Great idea! NPR posted a great suggestion to read Between the World & Me and Strangers in their Own Land as companion pieces, i love that. 8y
kristinshafel I'm starting to put together a list too. You may want to add LGBTQ+ rights/history and climate change to your categories. I second Just Mercy, oh man there are just so many. Twilight of the Elites was eye-opening when I read it a fee years ago, even more profound today. 8y
cathysaid Look at heritage.org (The Heritage Foundation) and https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/ as they examine (usually) less extreme conservative views. As related to immigration, some of the more subtlety racist views (I know, but they're sneaky) can be found at fairus.org and cis.org. An author you might also check out is Shelby Steele, a black conservative who is a bit more palatable. And look...I typed all of that *almost* without snark! 8y
drokka A bit economy, a bit class divides 8y
cathysaid From the non-conservative view of race and social issues, check out some books written or published by Tavis Smiley http://www.tavistalks.com/publishing/current#brainwashed particularly The Rich and the Rest of us. Also, work by Cornell West. Finally, in the area of race and social issues, try Jonathan Kozol's Shame of our Nation. 8y
cathysaid I got a bit excessive there 😁. I teach Freshman Comp and we focus on argument, so these topics have been my focus all semester. But thanks for posting this! I'm adding several to my TBR list. #knowledgeispower 8y
kgriffith @Jenshootsweddings beat me to Hillbilly Elegy, which I just heard of yesterday. (Recommended to a friend by her very conservative MIL) 8y
Sarahsbookshelves Another vote for Hillbilly Elegy 8y
BostonBookAddict Oh if you cone up with a list, can you please share? I am very anxious to read up on these topics as well! 8y
Well-ReadNeck @BostonBookAddict Glad to share. I had 2 typed pages of books before I posted this. So, will at least post highlights. Not sure whether I'm going to keep adding or do some culling. Will probably post to my blog in some format which I can link to. 8y
Well-ReadNeck @mischa Awesome! thanks! 8y
shelf-improvement For feminism, don't forget 8y
8little_paws Here's a great book about the history of private land ownership and squatting, which not totally related, is absolutely tied to class 8y
Louise This inspiring book discusses Nobel Prize winning economist Mohammed Yunus's ideas about a more humane banking system, lending system, and stock market. His other books are also fascinating. 8y
TheLadyHyatt NPR interviewed Lisa Lucas (of the National Book Foundation) recently and she made a great suggestion that we should read across the divide. She suggested Liberals should read Strangers In Their Own Land (I see this was suggested above) and Conservatives should read Between The World And Me! I thought this was a great idea 😊 8y
Yellowpigeon Race, class, and rural (ish) issues 8y
CandycaneBelle So much work to do! 8y
BraveNewBooks Great book on refugee experience 8y
samwinchester90 White Trash has been a very helpful read for me on understanding the role of class/economics to American life both historically and currently. 8y
RebL I also suggest Evicted. Looks at classism and racism in housing and how the social structures and lack of legal help prevent the poor from residential security. 8y
Theresa Have you seen @BookishFeminist feed? She's doing something similar & people have given her a ton of suggestions. Looking through the replies here I see a lot of similarities with the recommendations given to her. P.S. I second many of the recs here!! ❤️😄💜 8y
I-read-and-eat On the refugee crisis (though mostly an European 'problem' ) there is this great book 8y
Seonjoon When your list is all pulled together, will you post it? 8y
Victoria_C @librarian365 I just finished this over the weekend. Really interesting. 8y
teainthelibrary Post it when you're finished! 8y
Well-ReadNeck @seonjoon @teainthelibrary so far, my list is 4 typed pages. Trying to figure out a way to post. 8y
123 likes2 stack adds71 comments
review
cathysaid
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Pickpick

Given the events of this week, I mention this book as it is #nonfictionnovember. The author describes an America poised to end up where we now are, facing the fallout from a sense of disenfranchisement across the country. However, it is told in such an engaging way by following the lives of a few Americans, that all can relate, no matter your political affiliation or circumstance, and hopefully gain some insight as to how we got here.

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Cindy
Pickpick

A must read for those who want to understand the current state of American economics