Welcome to Litsy!

This is a history of public religion in the U.S. from the 1930s through the 1970s. It's not as scandalous as I was expecting (and maybe hoping) but it is extremely enlightening for explaining origins of the weird monster that is American religious politics. Well-documented and organized, and hits points new to me.

This is my #BookSpin read for March.
@TheAromaofBooks

The inauguration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower was much more than a political ceremony. It was, in many ways, a religious consecration.

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

It's nonfiction March for my #BookSpin and #DoubleSpin reading: first an account of the cozy relationship between corporate interests and the evangelical movement; then a short volume of pop neurology. Looking forward to both. Thanks @TheAromaofBooks !

Excellent citations. I need a deeper understanding of history in the USA between 1945-1970 to really understand this book. Fascinating how corporate America successfully used religion to reshape American politics to make more profits and remove a negative perception of corporations. But the movement got away from them, and now religion is intertwined with politics in ways never imagined. 3.5/5 stars, needs more contextual history but worth reading

This is quite literally the only time you‘re going to hear me chant this... say it with me now... BUILD THAT WALL!!! BUILD THAT WALL!!! BUILD THAT WALL!!!
#KevinKruse #OneNationUnderGod #history #whyhistorymatters #factsmatter #buildthatwall #whyconservativesdontlikehistorians

This is a terrifying book that, as a modern American who is not Christian, is a window into the conservative so-called Christian movement that has now become “the right” and more frighteningly the “alt-right.” For a movement that likes to tell everyone else to “learn your history,” they clearly have no idea about their own. This is such an important book for all Americans. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

This seems like the most logical follow up to Ed Asner‘s “The Grumpy Historian.” It probably won‘t be as funny, but it‘s been on my TBR for ages and this seems to dovetail with part of Asner‘s book quite well.
#KevinKruse #OneNationUnderGod #history #whyhistorymatters #factsmatter

Fact: America is not a Christian nation

Fascinating, lively and engaging history. Reveals the origins of the peculiar religiosity of American politics to deepen our understanding of recent U.S. political history in general and the modern conservative movement in particular.

Let me start by admitting to being a history nerd along with my general geekdom. This one will get a bit slow but I found it quite fascinating in its explanation of how we got to this point in American politics. I will never look at some key players quite the same again.

Started listening to this book on Audible earlier this week. Had it on my TBR list since I heard the author in Terry Gross last year. Compelling story of the way corporate interests enlisted religion to fight the New Deal and in the 50s created the myth of America's Christian origins