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Last Best Hope

America in Crisis and Renewal

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Last Best Hope

By: George Packer
Narrated by: George Packer
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

What happened to America? Is there still hope?

We have arrived at a critical moment in American history. The United States is divided; its democracy is shaken. But all is not lost.

The remarkable fruit of two decades of research, Last Best Hope is a riveting, urgent, clear-sighted analysis of how America got here and how it can move forward. It presents a hopeful vision for a radical reform of American life - one that enables meaningful change, via policy, legislation, executive action, civic activism, scholarship and the media. Drawing on the best of American history - what once made it great - without being trapped in the past, Last Best Hope dares America to step into a new and better era.

The thrilling new work from one of America's most incisive thinkers, Last Best Hope is a modern classic of political and societal commentary.

©2021 George Packer (P)2021 Penguin Audio Political Science Politics & Government United States World Socialism Capitalism Social justice Liberalism American History Latin America
All stars
Most relevant  
Came away with better understanding and greater optimism. I am recommending it to everyone esp in this format as Packer breathes sincerity and conviction into his written words.

Superb analysis of America’s current dilemma

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If you want a reality check on the status of democracy and polarisation, then read the chapter titled ‘Strange Defeat’ in George Packer’s new book. Spoiler – it’s bleak! In an incisive and direct manner, the award-winning journalist has penned a concise ‘no holds barred’ summary of what it was like to experience 2020 if you were an educated worker living in a wealthy, western democracy during a global pandemic. While the book’s main conceit is to explain the causes of how the USA got to an uber state of polarisation, the drivers will resonate to Australians, Canadians, French etc. Leaving nothing in the sheds, Packer submits there are 4 camps all vying for supremacy in modern wealthy democracies, those committed to liberty (Free America), meritocracy (Smart America), populism (Real America) and identity (unJust America). Having identified all that’s wrong with the US, Packer devotes the last section of his book to profiling 3 inspiring 20th century citizen reformers and then listing a series of major policy reforms that will ‘make America again’. Agree or not, Packer is a skilled writer

Blunt, bleak and bold - remaking democracy

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.