"Van Jones is an American treasure … one of the few Americans in recent years to have generated powerful new ideas that are creating more jobs here.”
“Van has successfully brought together urban youth with clean-tech entrepreneurs, labor leaders with business leaders, civil rights activists with environmentalists.”
“Van Jones is an exceptional and inspired leader who has fought to bring economic and environmental justice to communities across our country.”
“Van Jones has worked tirelessly to bring jobs and environmental progress to some of the poorest communities in our nation. His dedication and leadership are exactly what we need more of in Washington.”
—Justin Ruben, Executive Director of Moveon.org
“Jones is an extraordinarily important leader. He cares, passionately, about helping young men and women find their way in the world, even if they had the misfortune to grow up in bad neighborhoods or make bad choices – and he sees in a new green economy a powerful instrument to heal their lives.”
—Carl Pope, Executive Director of the Sierra Club
“This guy is a Yale-educated lawyer, he is a best-selling authority about his specialty.”
—Howard Dean, Former Governor of Vermont, Presidential Candidate and Chair of the Democratic National Committee
“Van is a gifted leader of ideas and of action. He makes connections, thinks beyond the box, and inspires others to join… He inspired people across the country with the insight that the transition to a sustainable economy could be the greatest jobs program since the mobilization for World War II – and that we could insure that those who were left out of the old economy could be central to the green jobs of the new economy.”
—Robert Borosage, President of Institute for America’s Future
“Van Jones, one of the most effective organizers and strategists on the left, is out with a new book. Rebuild the Dream, which debuted last week on the New York Times bestseller list… seeks to harness the insurgent energies expressed by the Occupy movement into lasting institutional reform.”
—Rick Perlstein, Rolling Stone
“Activists know that building mass movements entails a variety of cognitive and action steps. Sometimes it is useful for a skilled activist like Van Jones to provide us with a framework for discussing how to proceed. Rebuild the Dream does that. It would be a good resource for study group discussion.”
—Harry Targ, professor of political science at Purdue University, via The Rag Blog
“In Rebuild the Dream, Jones joins other contemporary political figures in seeking an ideology-free politics powerful enough to unite people of all walks of life in the mission to achieve some moderately liberal objectives.”
—People’s World.com
“Jones deftly explains the rise and failings of the Tea Party and the Occupy Wall Street movements in objective but engaging language that illuminates American’s shared experiences and hopes across the ideological divides fracturing us.”
—Joseph Bloodworth, Dominion of New York (online)
“In his new book, Rebuild the Dream, former special advisor to the Obama White House Van Jones drafts a thoughtful plan for the reconstruction of the simple American ideals and principles that secure the dream of a better life for everyone willing to work hard and play fair. With a vision centered on the benefits of a fully integrated green economy and practices of sustainable living, Jones’s book offers a detailed analysis of the circumstances that led to rise of the Tea Party and the Occupy Wall Street movement. The author also provides a game plan for political activists looking to transform hope into lasting change and get the U.S. economy working again for everyone.”
—James Edward Mills, Sierra Club Green Blog
“Anyone whom Glenn Beck considers an anarchist radical, a black liberation theologian, a black nationalist and an avowed communist is clearly someone with a story worth hearing. And former Barack Obama advisor Van Jones, whom Beck drove from the White House with relentless, racist, red-baiting attacks in 2009, is telling his now.”
—Bloomington Alternative (online)
“Van Jones is back with a message for disappointed progressives, Occupy Wall Street and other ‘post-‘Hope’ Democrats still looking to President Barack Obama for the change they voted for in 2008: Get over it. . . . Jones’ new book, “Rebuild the Dream,” [is] his blueprint for grassroots action to restore the economy as well as attempt to turn Obama into the kind of president they want. The book is a companion piece to Jones’ activities since leaving the White House — and his new rock-star status within the progressive movement.”
—Politico
“[M]ore political prescription than memoir. . . . [Jones] is trying to push that agenda from the outside, by seeking to better organize various progressive movements that include the Occupy efforts, labor, women, environmentalists, civil rights supporters, and peace activists.”
—USA Today
“Rebuild offers a fairly honest critique of Obama's successes and failures during the president's first year in office.”
—San Francisco Bay Guardian
“In the end, Rebuild The Dream, like its author, is optimistic. Jones saw the rallies in 2008, the football stadiums filled to overflow capacity with cheering, hopeful, energized voters who were demanding change.”
—Jeff Turrentine, ONEARTH Blog
“In Rebuild the Dream, Jones explains seven crucial missteps by the White House and by social change movements since 2008 and analyzes the rise of the tea party and occupy movements. He lays out a strategic game plan for the next chapter—turning anger into action, protest into power and suffering into solutions. It is a road map to re-energizing the progressive movement.”
—Mike Hall for the AFL-CIO
“A confident clarion call sure to arouse controversy in this election year.”
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Kirkus Reviews
“[T]his is a must-read book for the renewable energy industry.”
—Joanna Schroeder, Domestic Fuel.com
“Van is a gifted leader of ideas and of action. He makes connections, thinks beyond the box, and inspires others to join… He inspired people across the country with the insight that the transition to a sustainable economy could be the greatest jobs program since the mobilization for World War II – and that we could insure that those who were left out of the old economy could be central to the green jobs of the new economy."
—Robert Borosage, President of Institute for America’s Future
“Let me just say that Van Jones is a very, very intelligent man. A Yale graduate, someone who came up from the public schools of Jackson, Tenn. to make something of himself. People have a deep and abiding respect for his expertise for on the environment.”
—Donna Brazile, CNN Political Commentator/Political Strategist
“I introduced Van, noting our past differences and my great admiration for his vision, passion and intelligence. I was amazed by his new vision – green-collar jobs – and the collaborative way he was building a movement to work with the system to make a difference for the planet and low-income people. Later that night, he shared with me his leadership journey during the 10 years since we met, how he had learned and grown. I saw his impressive charisma, intellect, and passion gain from the addition of humility, wisdom, and collaborative orientation.”
—Paul Schmitz, CEO of Public Allies
“[Van is] in fact a Yale-educated attorney, best-selling author, and one of the most strategic minds in contemporary politics…he has been fighting for a lifetime to try and improve the world around him – most recently by pushing for green jobs and pathways out of poverty for millions of people around this country of ours.”
—Gillian Caldwell, Campaign Director, 1Sky
“We didn’t agree, a lot of times on things, we still don’t agree on things sometimes. I think I’ve helped him understand a different perspective, he’s certainly helped me understand a different perspective. He’ll find something in your background, something that you’ve answered, that he can connect with... He really truly wants to make a difference; he is committed to leaving this world a better place."
—Jerald Ogg, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of Tennessee, Martin
“Van Jones is not a leader in our movement in the past tense. He is still a leader and an inspiring figure and we have no doub...
