From Publishers Weekly
Arguing that "fantasy and spectacle have become the property of fascism," theorist, performer and activist Duncombe asserts that progressives should "build a politic that embraces the dreams of people and fashion spectacles that give those dreams form." His persuasive and pyrotechnic display of radical political thinking draws on a quirky mix of models—celebrity culture, the video game
Grand Theft Auto and Umberto Eco's idea of
opera aperta or free interpretation of art—to delineate how progressives can convey their message to a larger audience. What makes this polemic both inventive and exciting is its author's love of high and popular culture, which allows for deft juxtapositions of cultural icons like Bette Davis, Charles Baudelaire, Dungeons and Dragons and Tony Soprano. While many of his arguments have a flashy aura, Duncombe (
The Bobbed-Haired Bandit) also makes incisive observations, such as that Cindy Sheehan and Rosa Parks had significant political experience before they entered the public eye or that politics rests as much on the imagination as reality. Noting that much current progressive writing retools old modes of thought, he persuasively and entertainingly argues that "if we really want to change reality, then we have to try and do something different."
(Jan. 8) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
His appeal to the Left to think outside the box is a refreshing voice. --
Tikkun, Rabbi Michael LernerMakes the case that spectacle can be an ethical and sophisticated means of appealing to, even seducing, the American public. --
Village Voice, Emily WeinsteinOne of those indispensable...books that progressives who are interested in strategies to achieve political power and goals must read. --
BuzzFlashReminds us of the passion and creativity of a left political tradition worth reclaiming. --
The Nation blog, Katrina vanden HuevelThis is not a wake-up call—what Duncombe asks of progressives is to dream better. --
Slate, Joshua GlennWe should thank [Duncombe]: the progressive movement needs a lot more creative thinking if we're to win over the country. --
Huffington Post, Chuck Klosterman[Duncombe] offers a re-imagined brand of progressivism, suggesting that his readers play politics a bit more like a video game. --
Boldtype, Justin Kazmark
