Progressive Book Lovers of the World, Unite!

posted by Katrina vanden Heuvel

“Books have always played a pivotal role in our nation’s history, changing America in remarkable ways. Imagine the American Revolution without Thomas Paine’s Common Sense. Where would the abolitionist movement have been without Uncle Tom’s Cabin? How would the social reforms of the Progressive Era ever have been enacted without Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle? What would be the condition of the natural environment today if Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring had never been published?”

This strong articulation of the power of books–and the ideas they bring to our politics and culture–comes from the mission statement for the newest organization in the progressive firmament, the Progressive Book Club (PBC). At this defining moment in our nation’s history–a time which demands we examine complex issues from new perspectives, ask tough questions and press for real change–it’s very good news that a venture like PBC, dedicated, like The Nation, to enriching our political and cultural conversation and debate, launches today.

As editor and publisher of a magazine that has taken ideas seriously for 143 years, I’m very pleased to be a part of its Editorial Board, along with Michael Chabon, Dave Eggers, Barbara Kingsolver, Hendrik Hertzberg, Edwidge Danticat, Mark Danner, John Podesta, Andy Stern, Bill McKibben, Robert Scheer, Jeff Faux, Eric Foner, Markos Moulitsas Zuníga, Amy Wilentz, Joan Bingham, Lewis Lapham and others.

I believe that the return of ideas to our politics is critical as we rebuild and strengthen our democracy. It’s also a vital time to enrich the marketplace of ideas and challenge a media universe which too often trivializes and sensationalizes politics.

“As Americans become increasingly involved with the political process and concerned about our nation’s direction, the progressive movement is at a critical crossroads,” said Elizabeth Wagley, Progressive Book Club founder and CEO. “We’ve created an innovative platform that encourages people to explore important issues and engage in debate, while empowering them to learn more–and do more–to make a difference.”

Joining PBC is simple. Members select three books for $1 and agree to buy four more books within two years, at 10 percent to 40 percent off list prices. Some titles will be offered for as much as 70 percent to 80 percent off list prices over the course of a membership. Each month there will be new titles covering a range of topics, along with a monthly “PBC Pick” selection from the Editorial Board. To help deepen readers’ understanding of the issues, PBC will also provide content in the form of videos, audio files, interviews, additional reading recommendations, and offline programming.

Members of the Editorial Board can suggest classics–such as Tom Paine’s Common Sense and Michael Harrington’s The Other America. (Next month, I plan to nominate John Kenneth Galbraith’s The Affluent Society, as eloquent an articulation of our mixed economy as one could ever read.) But the focus will be on current books, and also books from small presses that might otherwise not get the attention they deserve. In this way the PBC will promote cutting edge thinking and also the retrieval of ideas from the past which can inform our present. As we approach the most important election in my lifetime, the PBC and its books have a vital role to play in this regard–along with magazines, opinion journals, and other forums for thinkers and intelligent debate.

PBC expects to build a substantial membership base from a diverse pool of 63 million self-identified socially responsible consumers and 72 million-plus registered Democratic voters. In addition to The Nation, more than two dozen of the nation’s leading progressive organizations have signed on as Alliance Partners to help extend the PBC’s reach and mobilize the broader community, including Center for American Progress, Campaign for America’s Future, Media Matters, Mother Jones, the Service Employees International Union, and DailyKos.com. Members will have the opportunity to give back with every purchase, donating $2 to a progressive organization of their choice.

The Conservative Book Club began more than forty years ago, and the conservative movement has long used books and book clubs to promote their ideas. The Progressive Book Club was established to help restore balance to American discourse by bringing progressive voices, ideas, and issues to the forefront of the national debate. It offers a strong social networking platform–members can learn, debate, interact, and exchange ideas through PBC’s vibrant online community. Offline there will be opportunities to interact with authors, progressive opinion leaders and fellow members at local events, readings and book discussions.

In the world of politics today where there is so much emphasis on scoring points and the machinations of a 36/7 War Room, it seems a good time to rededicate ourselves to the notion that ideas have power and consequence, and that the grassroots can use those ideas to create change.

Source : http://www.thenation.com