Thursday, May 15, 2008

Bestselling Author to Discuss “The Uprising” – New Book on Rise of Populism in New York and Across the Country

Readers of this blog absolutely won’t want to miss the opportunity to hear and meet one of America’s leading progressive authors, David Sirota, in New York City on May 30 and June 3. The New York Times has called Sirota a “populist rabble-rouser” with a “take no-prisoners mind-set.” Meanwhile Barron’s has said that Sirota may emerge as the “answer” to Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter.

From personal experience as both campaign colleague and loyal reader, I can attest that Sirota is a sharp strategist; an incisive writer; and an extremely compelling, while also refreshingly humorous, speaker. His first book, Hostile Takeover: How Big Money & Corruption Conquered Our Government — And How We Take It Back quickly became a bestseller. Why? Because Sirota’s thorough research, direct style, and merciless truth-telling resonated with the readers around the country who have made him one of America’s leading syndicated columnists. That’s also why he is a regular pundit on programs ranging from NPR’s Talk of the Nation to Comedy Central’s Colbert Report.

A veteran of political campaigns and of the Center for American Progress, where the National Review described his work as “the most aggressive, most energetic opposition research in politics,” Sirota’s new book The Uprising: An Unauthorized Tour of the Populist Revolt Scaring Wall Street and Washington, hits shelves on May 27th.

The Uprising is the product of exhaustive research on populism in America today. Pertinently for readers of this blog, it includes an entire chapter on populism in New York politics, with Sirota reporting on the Working Families Party’s efforts to throw control of the State Senate to Democrats. It also features inside stories on major figures from across the political spectrum, from CNN’s Lou Dobbs, and Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer, to Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillorsen and former Connecticut Senate candidate Ned Lamont.

Sirota has two major rollout events planned in New York City, each with a slightly different emphasis. Readers of this blog know well how desperately New York — and America — needs fresh perspectives. Sirota is that and more. He is fresh perspective and fireball rolled into one.

I’ll simply say this: if you have the opportunity to join Sirota at the events below, I personally assure you that you will leave with your mind churning; your passions stirred; and your optimism for reform piqued. I hope to see you there.

May 30, Riverside Church, 7pm: "The Underground Uprising: Alternative Routes to Social Justice in the 21st Century"
with Bertha Lewis, New York ACORN

June 3, The Strand Bookstore, 7pm, discussing his book's chapter on the influence New York is having on American populism
with Senator Eric Schneiderman
Dan Cantor, Working Families Party
Joel Barkin, Progressive States Network
Andrea Batista Schlesinger

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Wouldn't it be nice if he had an upstate event, in say, Albany or Syracuse?
After all, Populist revolt is not necessarily limited to NYC,is it?