No Is Not Enough: Resisting Trump's Shock Politics and Winning the World We Need
New York Times BestsellerNational Book Award LonglistPublishers Weekly Best Books of 2017Donald Trump's takeover of the White House is a dangerous escalation in a world of cascading crises. His reckless agenda--including a corporate coup in government, aggressive scapegoating and warmongering, and sweeping aside climate science to set off a fossil fuel frenzy--will generate waves of disasters and shocks to the economy, national security, and the environment. Acclaimed journalist, activist, and bestselling author Naomi Klein has spent two decades studying political shocks, climate change, and "brand bullies." From this unique perspective, she argues that Trump is not an aberration but a logical extension of the worst, most dangerous trends of the past half-century--the very conditions that have unleashed a rising tide of white nationalism the world over. It is not enough, she tells us, to merely resist, to say "no." Our historical moment demands more: a credible and inspiring "yes," a roadmap to reclaiming the populist ground from those who would divide us--one that sets a bold course for winning the fair and caring world we want and need. This timely, urgent book from one of our most influential thinkers offers a bracing positive shock of its own, helping us understand just how we got here, and how we can, collectively, come together and heal.
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
I started this book on New Year's Eve. I finished it on New Year's Day.
During that time:
⢠Puerto Rico's power grid collapsed.
⢠A suspected terrorist sped down Bourbon Street with the intent of killing as many people as possible at a New Year's celebration in New Orleans.
⢠Another possible terrorist drove a Cybertruck to the entrance of a Trump hotel in Las Vegas and detonated explosives.
When this book arrived in my monthly Haymarket subscription box, I assumed it was a new Naomi Klein title, so I jumped right in. It was not. It was published in 2017, during the first Trump presidency. Before Covid. Before January 6. Before he was elected a second time. And it was every bit as prescient today as it was in 2017.
Klein relates the numerous factors that led up to Trump being able to hold office, from the greed facilitated when money was injected into politics, to the missed opportunities and downright deviance of our political leaders, to the neoliberal ideology that had become apparent in her earlier title, No Logo. Klein maintains no specific event opened the door for Trump to take hold of the highest office. He simply saw circumstances were right for him to seize the office to further his brand (and consequently increase his fortune) and took the opportunity. This knowledge is critical to understanding how we can begin to shift the country into a more positive, equitable direction.
A lot of the events were already well known to most, but Klein has a knack for piecing them together to show the obvious shift that was taking place over decades. Some of the information was a little more obscure and when it came to light was infuriating. However, Klein does a good job of illustrating why a large portion of the country felt the country needed a novel change. I get it.
What I was hoping for were actionable resources to ensure our democracy doesn't dissolve into something we can't recover from. There are a few sprinkled here and there, but what Klein so expertly does is make apparent past circumstances where ordinary people were able to prevail when various governments usurped power. She posits that we only need to remember and relate to those examples in order to gain the momentum needed to return power back to the people and regain a sense of community we've lost in a capitalist society. It may not be a playbook, but it left me feeling hopeful, so that's a good start.
During that time:
⢠Puerto Rico's power grid collapsed.
⢠A suspected terrorist sped down Bourbon Street with the intent of killing as many people as possible at a New Year's celebration in New Orleans.
⢠Another possible terrorist drove a Cybertruck to the entrance of a Trump hotel in Las Vegas and detonated explosives.
When this book arrived in my monthly Haymarket subscription box, I assumed it was a new Naomi Klein title, so I jumped right in. It was not. It was published in 2017, during the first Trump presidency. Before Covid. Before January 6. Before he was elected a second time. And it was every bit as prescient today as it was in 2017.
Klein relates the numerous factors that led up to Trump being able to hold office, from the greed facilitated when money was injected into politics, to the missed opportunities and downright deviance of our political leaders, to the neoliberal ideology that had become apparent in her earlier title, No Logo. Klein maintains no specific event opened the door for Trump to take hold of the highest office. He simply saw circumstances were right for him to seize the office to further his brand (and consequently increase his fortune) and took the opportunity. This knowledge is critical to understanding how we can begin to shift the country into a more positive, equitable direction.
A lot of the events were already well known to most, but Klein has a knack for piecing them together to show the obvious shift that was taking place over decades. Some of the information was a little more obscure and when it came to light was infuriating. However, Klein does a good job of illustrating why a large portion of the country felt the country needed a novel change. I get it.
What I was hoping for were actionable resources to ensure our democracy doesn't dissolve into something we can't recover from. There are a few sprinkled here and there, but what Klein so expertly does is make apparent past circumstances where ordinary people were able to prevail when various governments usurped power. She posits that we only need to remember and relate to those examples in order to gain the momentum needed to return power back to the people and regain a sense of community we've lost in a capitalist society. It may not be a playbook, but it left me feeling hopeful, so that's a good start.
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.