Memoirs to explain how we got here

[Anonymous]

Starting a separate thread but inspired by the META book ... list all the book that can help explain how we got here. For me, the book Targeted by Brittany Kaiser is very enlightening. She worked at Cambridge Analytica and talks about how Facebook embedded in the first Trump campaign. She also talks about how CA educated Trump's team about how elections are about triggering people's emotional reactions more than informing them.

[Anonymous]

Only memoirs? There are so many good history books that explain how we got here that aren't memoirs. Off the top of my head:
Caste, by Wilkerson
Spell Freedom, about the freedom schools during the civil rights movement
Mothers of Massive Resistance, about fighting against integration
The Icon and the Idealist, about the fight legalize birth control
Ours Was the Shining Future, about how the democrats became associated with elitism
Fight Like Hell, a history of unions
How the Word is Passed, about teaching about racism

[Anonymous]

Not really a memoir, but Masha Gessen's (now goes by M. Gessen but listing their full name as it makes it easier to find their work) The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia is really enlightening. I also recommending reading their column when you can -- they do a great job of explaining the ways in which Trump is, in many cases, using the same playbook Putin used in Russia (and has been used by politicians like Orban and others who Trump claims to admire).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not really a memoir, but Masha Gessen's (now goes by M. Gessen but listing their full name as it makes it easier to find their work) The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia is really enlightening. I also recommending reading their column when you can -- they do a great job of explaining the ways in which Trump is, in many cases, using the same playbook Putin used in Russia (and has been used by politicians like Orban and others who Trump claims to admire).[/quote


Just read this book based on this recommendation. I read The Man Without a Face several years ago, but didn't track Gessen had written another book. This one is very good- and very disturbing. Highly recommend if you want to be smarter, but not if you are looking to feel better