Eitan Hersh

This is a great book with revolutionary ideas about individuals and political power; distinguished from politics as a hobby. The book provides varied examples of people taking effective action instead of sitting around and talking about it. I know his suggestions are effective because in 2022 I participated in the Washington County Oregon Neighborhood Leader program that the author describes in Chapter 17. It was a great experience. I am going to continue with it. I am planning to read the book again to get the full impact and learn more.

I don't understand another reviewer's comment saying that she wished there was more detail on what to do. From my reading I see chapter after chapter describing what others have done and providing a guide for action.… (altro)

Hersh is a political scientist. His thesis is that politics as now practiced in the United States is mostly a hobby for the educated urban classes, rather than a way to accrue enough power to make actual changes and solve problems. This state of affairs has evolved over time, often as a byproduct of attempts to clean up corruption. There has been a tendency, too, for the major political parties to limit direct participation by voters at the local level -- I wish he'd gone into more detail on this and what might be done about it. But Hersh thinks there are ways for citizens to make changes in their communities -- again, I wish he'd gone into a little more detail here. Recommended.… (altro)