Nixonland (Rick Perlstein)

[VoodooGuru]

I'm reading this one right now, and it's tremendous. Perlstein convincingly traces the exploitation of anti-intellectualism and the politicization of social class resentment back to Nixon. It's kind of an undertaking, given its size and heft, but it's proving well worth it. It really should be read by anyone who seeks to understand how we got to where we are, and why half the country looks at the other half with undisguised hostility. Maybe if we can see that, we can learn how to soothe that resentment in our fellows.