The Gardens of Democracy

A revolutionary little book on democracy that made the list of 10 books Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau thinks everyone should read Eric Liu and Nick Hanauer outline a simple but revolutionary argument for why our most basic assumptions about democracy need updating for the 21st century. They offer a roadmap for those looking for a way forward from an American life marked by divisive conversations. In a world with widespread political upheaval, a deep wellspring of civic engagement and collective action is emerging. America is finding that our cultural and political dialogue is spiking over everything from racial and social justice to fighting the ever-widening income gap, to climate change-even how we might best collaborate as active citizens to heal our democracy. Timely, inspiring, and highly charged, The Gardens of Democracy is a much-needed call to action for citizens to embrace their roles in a democratic society. To model positivity and good citizenship, plus ensure liberty and justice for all, we must achieve compromise by reaching across the aisle and putting the power to execute programs back in the hands of individuals, not big government. We must redefine how we view prosperity in order to move from a dog-eat-dog mentality that perpetuates the top 1% to a communal and inclusive movement that illustrates that we're all better off when we're all better off. A refreshing new conceptual approach to understanding our economic and political situation--Francis Fukuyama, author of The Origins of Political OrderEveryone will find something to disagree with here, and that's the point: getting us out of our comfort zones is an immensely useful democratic undertaking.--E.J. Dionne Jr., author of Why Americans Hate Politics