I'm thinking carefully about what I want to say here because it's going include critical comments about a bookstore where I really enjoy shopping. On the other hand, they appear to have some stocking policies that do their customers a disservice and I want to strongly urge that they consider adjusting those policies.
Today is #IndieBookstoreDay and, being huge book lovers, my wife and I went to one of our favorite bookstores today, Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park, WA. Some fun browsing was done and we did bring home some books. However, I also noticed something that actually bothered me a lot given contemporary trends in American politics.
This is an admirable sign.
However, the sign is posted all over a Political Science section with all the ideological diversity of a Berkeley Trump effigy burning contest. There are literally dozens of books about confronting the dangers of President Trump and Fascism (at least they don't completely conflate the two). I spotted exactly one book in the entire section that was not left-oriented in its political focus.
Why is this important? Because our country is outrageously fractured along political lines rights now and I think it is critically important for us to start working together instead of treating each other like enemies. Part of that includes coming to understand each others' perspectives better, which to me seems infinitely preferable to a catastrophic continued social deterioration.
An alternative view is that expressed by Jack Dorsey of Twitter recently, when he tweeted his praise for this article:
The Great Lesson of California in America’s New Civil War
Why there’s no bipartisan way forward at this juncture in our history — one side must win (link)
I sincerely hope that is not the policy of Third Place Books. Here are some quick pictures of the Political Science section. I will follow them with some suggestions for books to consider adding.
Here are some books that would make excellent, informative reads for that Poli Sci section and give it some much-needed variety.
"Attention Deficit Democracy" and "Lost Rights: The Destruction of American Liberty" by James Bovard. Mr. Bovard is an impassioned and consistent critic of governmental forces when they attack our civil liberties, regardless of party.
"Free For All: Defending Liberty in America Today" and "Worst Instincts: Cowardice, Conformity and the ACLU" by Wendy Kaminer. An unflinching and deeply principled liberal, Ms Kaminer was on the national board but found her uncompromising civil liberties positions unwelcome there.
"Flyover Nation" and "Hands off My Gun" by Dana Loesch. Mrs. Loesch is an impassioned and intelligent conservative and these books are packed with useful information.
"Republican Like Me (How I Left the Liberal Bubble and Learned to Love the Right)" by Ken Stern. The former CEO of NPR takes look and discovers some affinity for...and understanding of...the non-liberals who make up half of our country.
All of these books would serve the political diversity that Third Place Books claims to want and make a better variety of information available to the store's clientele.
That's crazy I was thinking the exact same thing in that section just the other day. I counted the books too, it's not even close to representative of both sides equally
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