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The Plot Against America
The Plot Against America: A Novel | Philip Roth
When the renowned aviation hero and rabid isolationist Charles A. Lindbergh defeated Franklin Roosevelt by a landslide in the 1940 presidential election, fear invaded every Jewish household in America. Not only had Lindbergh, in a nationwide radio address, publicly blamed the Jews for selfishly pushing America toward a pointless war with Nazi Germany, but upon taking office as the thirty-third president of the United States, he negotiated a cordial understanding with Adolf Hitler, whose conquest of Europe and virulent anti-Semitic policies he appeared to accept without difficulty. What then followed in America is the historical setting for this startling new book by Pulitzer Prizewinner Philip Roth, who recounts what it was like for his Newark family and for a million such families all over the country during the menacing years of the Lindbergh presidency, when American citizens who happened to be Jews had every reason to expect the worst.
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Nathan_Opland-Dobs
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Mehso-so

😟

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DHill
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Of course 4 loans would come in at the same time. 🫤

brittanybooks Yes, that happens to me all the time!! Argh! 2y
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yoavshai
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#BookCoverChallenge
Day 195.
Here I will note 365 books (or as many as I will have before I get tired) that have shaped my taste in literature. No explanations, no reviews. Just the cover of the book.
I do not challenge anyone. You are all welcome to take part.

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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

In this alternate history, WWII is raging when a Hitler-embracing Charles Lindbergh runs for President against FDR and wins. Seen from the vantage point of one Jewish family, there is first fear and turmoil, then things get even more sinister. This was published in 2004 and many events feel so real and frightening after 2016. It‘s good but chilling.

GingerAntics I‘ve been avoiding this book for that very reason. I‘ve heard it‘s so good. I just don‘t think my anxiety can take it. 3y
Hooked_on_books @GingerAntics I totally get that. There are definite strong parallels, but then in parts of the book, it‘s clearly quite different from now. I think it‘s a good choice to hold off until you feel you‘re ready. 3y
GingerAntics @Hooked_on_books it sounds so intriguing and creative, I‘m glad I know someone who has read it to get the advice to recover a little more from the last 5 years. Hopefully we don‘t have a repeat in another 3 years. That is definitely not helping. 3y
Hooked_on_books @GingerAntics I truly believe we will not have a repeat of him. But the reality is, we could have someone in the same mold who actually knows how the government works, and that would be even worse, though that feels hard to believe. It‘s so unclear where things are going given what the bulk of the republican party has bizarrely decided to cling to. It‘s a scary time for sure. 3y
GingerAntics @Hooked_on_books oh, I certainly have that concern as well. There are times when you think (emotionally) that nothing could be worse than him, but intellectually it‘s clear that it‘s definitely possible. The midterm elections are already making me nervous and we haven‘t even gotten to the one hear mark on Biden‘s presidency. 3y
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Bookboss
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Pickpick

I enjoy alternate history novels. In this world, Charles Lindbergh becomes president of the United States, and embarks on a course of isolationism and appeasement of Hitler. The story is told from the perspective of a Jewish child growing up in New Jersey. I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of the time period and the speculation of the political situation. The ending was a bit rushed, but the narration was excellent.

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Leftcoastzen
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Funny , I can‘t find the tagged book , I know it‘s around here somewhere.🤔Philip Roth‘s birthday is today March 19th (1933-2018)Sometimes I didn‘t like his characters, but I mostly always liked his books.

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BarbaraBB
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Pickpick

In an alternate history Charles Lindbergh wins the 1940 US elections. It seems plausible: he was a national hero at the time. One that sympathized with Hitler however. The fear among the jewish population is told by the young Philip. The menacing euphemistic talk from the White House, the divided population, the Jewish resistance: Roth‘s story is not only easy to imagine, the comparison with contemporary America is unavoidable either. #1001books

Cinfhen Great review!! It is scary, indeed!!!! 4y
TrishB Great review 👍🏻 4y
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BarbaraBB
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#WeeklyForecast 06/21

An ambitious week. I started the tagged one already (print and audio). The other ones will have to wait until I finish my current read, The Wonder. The New Me is my #bookspin, The Headmaster‘s Wager my #FoodAndLit/#ReadingAsia2021 choice and if there‘s time left I want to finally start A Children‘s Bible for the #ToB21!

Cinfhen I‘m not a fan of Roth 🙈Hope you have a better reading experience than me xx 4y
TrishB Have a good reading week 👍🏻 4y
BarbaraBB @Cinfhen I have read about 7 of his books through the years and even though he is a whining white man I mostly like them. And, you know, the #1001books list... 😉 (edited) 4y
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Amiable I read the tagged book early in the Trump presidency and it was scary and horrifying. (Actually, both of those things were scary and horrifying —the book and the president. 😖) 4y
squirrelbrain Have a great week! 😘 4y
BarbaraBB @Amiable I can see the comparisons, it‘s scary! 4y
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain @TrishB Thank you dear Helen and Trish, you too 🤍 (edited) 4y
readordierachel I enjoyed The New Me. Hope it works for you! 4y
Kalalalatja I‘m so interested to see what you‘ll think of A Children‘s Bible 👀 4y
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Ksvz
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Mehso-so

Jan 2021 - reread / dystopian - good words, interesting premise, some might find it close to home atm

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Readerann
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Oh my. Too many parallels to the present day for comfort. #deweys24hourreadathon #readathon #deweysoct2020

LauraBrook Hey buddy! Congrats on finishing your first book! How are you today? 4y
Readerann @LauraBrook I‘m having a blah day, so it won‘t be a stellar RAT, I‘m afraid. I haven‘t finished a book - will probably just be reading bits of several. I‘ll head over and see what you‘re up to. 4y
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Anna40
Plot Against America | Philip Roth
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Pickpick

Alternative history: what if the US had supported Nazi Germany? Roth blends fiction and facts and his depiction of the descent into a totalitarian regime is realistic. Our current political climate makes this book even more unsettling. Very scary

TheBookHippie Pretty much where we are now.. 4y
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Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick
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Thanks for the tag @MallenNC

Tagged set in Newark, NJ & the series filmed some in my town.

Lots from conventions & my hotels. Authors Sherrilyn Kenyon, Melissa de la Cruz, & Danielle Page. Other famous ones are Tim Curry, the Coreys (Haim & Feldman), Tracy Lords, Scott Wilson from TWD, Dick Dale, Gedde Watanabe..

I can't wait to get back to live concerts!

Would new friends @DHill @Varshaa @Jennaree3 like to play?
#thankfulthursday @cosmosmoon

MallenNC You have a good list of famous people too! My middle school self is jealous about the Coreys. 4y
Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick @MallenNC Haim was nice but there wasn't much time for personal interaction. Feldman seemed like he wasn't comfortable being there so it was a bit awkward. 4y
Butterfinger Wow! Tim Curry. I love him. 4y
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Scochrane26 I saw Scott Wilson once at a comic con. I‘m not a fan of Walking Dead but liked his character. 4y
Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick @Butterfinger Tim was very nice but it was post-stroke so it was more quiet & brief. 4y
Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick @Scochrane26 Scott Wilson hugged me like we were old friends. Such a personable guy. Sad we lost him a few years ago. 4y
Jennaree3 1. I have never met anyone famous, but a friend of mine was Bob Saget‘s bartender for the night once. She said he was a total jerk, but then left a $1,000 tip to make up for it! 2. I am thankful for the people in my life who are unwavering sources of support, some far across the miles, and sometimes going months or even years between communication. Time doesn‘t matter. Love does. 4y
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Anna40
Plot Against America | Philip Roth
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This book is so scary.

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MicrobeMom
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Pickpick

I finished this one today. It is incredibly eerie and reflective of our times. It is 1940, Pearl Harbor never occurs, and Charles Lindbergh the republican candidate for president wins on an anti war platform. Quickly the country devolves in to antisemitic policies, racism, and propaganda. I found this story very scary, and there are many parallels with what is happening on the US today. I was just not thrilled with the ending. 3.5⭐️

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Jeg
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Pickpick

I saw this recommended somewhere. Published in 2004 it‘s a fictional account of the war years in the USA with Lindbergh as president. I could not help but draw comparisons with what is happening in US right now. Have since found out it‘s an HBO series. Seems Roth , before his death in 2018 cautioned against drawing to close a parallel between his Lindbergh and Trump. Now I want to see the series to see if he does.
#2020joybooks.
@MrsMalaprop

Suet624 I forgot that I wanted to read this book ages ago. Thank you for the reminder. 4y
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Brooke_H
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Pickpick

I had to keep reminding myself that this alternative history novel—where a foreign power helps to place a bigot in the White House in 1940—was not actually reality. Roth's convention of using his own childhood, his own family and friends, actual historical figures to craft this terrifying story is incredibly successful. It's not hyperbole to say I don't think I've read anything quite like it.

REPollock That book freaked me out so much! 5y
BarbaraTheBibliophage We‘ve been watching the show. It‘s intense! I‘m sure the book is too. 5y
Brooke_H @BarbaraTheBibliophage I‘m excited to watch! 5y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Brooke_H Not having read the book, I can‘t say how they compare. But the show is gooood. 5y
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Texreader
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Interesting review and some historical details and photos:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/true-history-behind-plot-against-america-...

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Leftcoastzen
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I was stunned by this novel when I read it , not long after it was published in 2004. David Simon has turned it into a HBO series.Dystopian fiction that is more relevant in Trump times. Link to NPR interview with Simon here. https://www.npr.org/2020/03/13/814602908/in-plot-against-america-david-simon-fin... Air date March 16th

HannaPolkadots I did not know it had become an HBO series! Must watch🤓😎 5y
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SamAnne
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This novel is on my #Bookspin list. Written decades ago, mirroring the ascendancy of Trump. Might have to move to my nightstand pile. Have to believe David Simon will do a great job bringing it to HBO! https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/05/arts/television/plot-against-america-hbo-davi...

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sarahjane1077
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Up next!

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Wannabe_Quijote
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Pickpick

This one took a while to get through. It‘s great, but a bit dense and definitely not a light read. But the prescience of Roth‘s novel, written 10 years before Trump was elected, is pretty impressive and a bit creepy!.
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#Roth #politics #DogsOfLitsy #Sancho

Samplergal Isn‘t it creepy? So many similarities. 6y
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Wannabe_Quijote
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Wannabe_Quijote
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Wannabe_Quijote
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Wannabe_Quijote
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Wannabe_Quijote
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Wannabe_Quijote
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The prescience of this book (published in 2004) is a bit creepy and frightening.
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#Roth #StrangerThanFiction #Fiction? #nightstand #FridayReads

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Wannabe_Quijote
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Starting my first #Roth novel.
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#Hester #DogsOfLitsy

Samplergal So good. 6y
Wannabe_Quijote @Samplergal So far, I‘m loving it...and finding it a bit creepy. In 2004, Roth sure had a lot to say about what would happen in 2016! 6y
Samplergal @Wannabe_Quijote no kidding. It was one of my favorites from last year. 6y
18 likes3 comments
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Samplergal
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#paranoia
#anglophileApril

One of my all time favorite books.

Cinfhen Think I need to finally read Roth! For some unknown reason I‘ve “disliked” him 🤷‍♀️ 6y
Samplergal @Cinfhen start with this one. So. Good. 6y
emilyhaldi @Reviewsbylola posted about this one yesterday and got me interested! Now I‘m doubly intrigued 🤗 6y
Reviewsbylola Loved this one!! 6y
Mdargusch Now I‘m very interested! 6y
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Reviewsbylola
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Touted as #paranoid fiction, this is the fictional account of the presidential win for Charles Lindbergh. Obviously, he never ran for the presidency, but suppose he did. Having once called Hitler “a great man,” what would the world have been like should Lindbergh have been elected in 1940?

A co worker lent me this book unsolicited years and years ago. I wasn‘t at all interested in reading it, but wouldn‘t you know, I LOVED it. #anglophileapril

Kimberlone I‘ve never read Phillip Roth but he is one of those mid century “white, male” authors that I‘ve been meaning to get to for a long time. Somehow I missed out on reading him while doing my English degree in college. 6y
vivastory Excellent choice! 6y
Mdargusch Sounds fascinating! Who was the co worker? (edited) 6y
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Leftcoastzen Wonderful choice! An amazing book. 6y
MicheleinPhilly I absolutely LOVED this book. It‘s the last decent Roth IMO. 6y
Reviewsbylola Any of his other books I should read? I have a few on my shelves. @MicheleinPhilly 6y
Reviewsbylola Paul Goodburn at L&L. @Mdargusch 6y
MicheleinPhilly This is my other favorite. 6y
Reviewsbylola I don‘t think I have that one but I‘ll be stacking it! @MicheleinPhilly 6y
emilyhaldi I think you bought me this!! Still haven't read it 😬 6y
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Samplergal
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Pickpick

5⭐️ This is a must read for everyone. #oneofthebestin2018

Cathythoughts Stacking 👍🏻❤️ 6y
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Samplergal
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Next up because the library hold came in. Everything else to back burner! I‘ve waited for almost six months for this one! #florida

Leftcoastzen It‘s been a long time since I read it but remember it being powerful. 6y
Aims42 I have this one on my TBR list! 6y
Freespirit This sounds amazing 6y
Samplergal @Aims42 only 15% in but wow! 6y
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Amiable
Pickpick

Set in the 1940s, this novel postulates an alternative history where the Republicans nominate a fascist candidate who reveres Hitler and runs for United States president on a slate of fear, hatred and bigotry. When he wins the election, he proceeds to target religious minorities in the country for persecution and oppression. Reading this right now in the midst of the circus that is the Trump administration, all I can say is Holy. Shit.

RaimeyGallant Sounds like that Amazon series The Man in the High Castle, or I think that's the name of it. 6y
Amiable @RaimeyGallant Which is also based on a book! 👍🏼 6y
Reviewsbylola Such an amazing book. One of the men I used to work with lent me his copy and told me I had to read it. It was one of those situations where I had absolutely no interest in reading the book and only did so out of obligation, but it turned out to be so good! 6y
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Valeka
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It‘s a sad day but we must continue to fight the good fight.

mrozzz 💪🏻 6y
Sleepswithbooks So true 😢 6y
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Well-ReadNeck
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#OctoberXFiles #OneWayOrAnother

One way or another? Alternative history fiction, of course. 😉

Leftcoastzen I loved this book. 6y
REPollock I also loved this book. 6y
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REPollock
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Pickpick

There‘s a lot happening in this book which is uncannily similar to what‘s happening in this country right now. The restricted POV of a Jewish-American child keeps the scope limited to the rapid rise of antisemitism in this alternative-historical novel of WW2.

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REPollock
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Doing this. Actually kind of with trepidation bc it seems terrifying but ok...

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Aims42
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The trip to Half Price Books tonight was a success!! Both my aunt and I found books, AND I had a gift card so both books were free for me 😍🤩🎉 The Left book is ‘Gulliver‘s Travels & A Modest Proposal‘, The Great American Read on PBS got me intrigued

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KimHM
Plot Against America | Philip Roth
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Philip Roth has died. No matter what your feelings may be about white male novelists, his was a major American voice and we should mark his passing.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/23/books/philip-roth-apprasial.amp.html

(Photo courtesy of the Times.)

Erinsuereads Well said. 7y
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knp4597
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After reading this amazing, terrifying book I became interested in the story behind it and came across this great article by the author in the NYT. Worth a read 📰: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9500E7DB1338F93AA2575AC0A9629C8B6...

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knp4597
Pickpick

This book is sooooo terrifying and soooooo terrifyingly relevant 😧

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andrew61
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#septembowie #thisisnotamerica
This is my only philip roth but what an astonishingly prescient picture of trumps America this book presented as fdr loses a pre war election to charles Lindbergh . It is definitely not the wonderful America i see in litsy, in the pages of books, art, film, and culture.

Leftcoastzen I love this book !Disturbing how appropriate it is now . Love your post.Roth is one of my favorite writers . 7y
Reviewsbylola Loved this book. I never would have read it if a former co worker hadn't insisted. 7y
BarbaraBB Great choice 7y
DivineDiana This was a Book Club choice which had not been on my radar. Incredible foreshadowing! 7y
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GeekGrl82
Plot Against America | Philip Roth
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Pickpick

I decided that it was time for a re-reading of this book after the Nazi rally in Charleston, South Carolina this year. I never thought that I would see so many Nazis marching in America in my life. But everything that has happened since this despicable "President" took office was beyond my imagination a year ago. I feel like we have gone through the looking glass. So many minor indignities in this book can be related to current events.

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My_novel_obsession
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I've posted this stack before but I'm not near my books right now. This is the stack I collected after the election and my own little type of #resistance. Knowledge is power 📚💪#JuneTunz @Cinfhen

LaraReads Totally screencapped this! 💕 7y
Cinfhen Definitely a worthy repost 👊🏼💞😊 7y
underthebelljar So many great reads! A lot of these are also on my TBR. 7y
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AAdamson
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Pickpick

I can't recommend this book highly enough. Amazing. Also listened to a discussion of the book on Slate's Trumpcast podcast from March 13.

AllenTStClair Sounds like a timely read. Adding it to my TBR. 😁 8y
AAdamson @astclair79 I couldn't put it down! Check out the discussion on the podcast, too. 8y
AllenTStClair Will do! Thanks for the suggestions. 8y
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CoreySF
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"'There's a plot afoot all right, and I'll gladly name the forces propelling it-hysteria, ignorance, malice, stupidity, hatred, and fear. What a repugnant spectacle our country has become! Falsehood, cruelty, and madness everywhere, and brute force in the wings waiting to finish us off" (p. 315). Though this statement was being made about anti-Semitism in America in the 1940s, its sentiment rings true today.

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LisaAnnGallagher
Plot Against America | Philip Roth
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MEGR
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Just beginning this book. It's my first time reading this author.

Notafraidofwords I read Indignation by him. I liked it for it's description of Newark. He's definitely interesting. 8y
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bmorski
Pickpick

Living in the alternative reality that is the United States right now, this book scared me. However, it also gave me hope that good people working together can preserve human dignity.