USA: Myth vs. Reality

[t] [truthout] PROGRESSIVE PICKS [Tell a friend about Truthout!]( [Donate Today!]( Truthout is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization; donations are tax deductible. There are real challenges in changing the unjust status quo in the US -- and there is an ongoing need to debunk the myths of the nation in order to accomplish this. This month's Progressive Picks are essential reads focusing on a fundamental understanding of the myths versus the realities of the United States. First is [Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire]( in which Kurt Andersen pens a comprehensive history of the wishful dreamers, believers in religious myth, hucksters, and conspiracists who -- among others -- played a key role in forging the United States and the alternative reality expectations of many Americans. Meanwhile, in [The Battle for Paradise]( Naomi Klein exposes how predatory vultures are aiming, with the help of the US government, to make Puerto Rico serve the interests of the rich. Of course, they claim this will benefit the debt-ridden island in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Klein shows how it would do just the opposite. There is no incremental change that will rectify the ongoing injustices faced by Black people in the United States. That is a liberal fantasy, according to the authors of [As Black as Resistance: Finding the Conditions for Liberation](. White supremacy must be abolished, not reformed. In [Insurgent Supremacists]( Matthew N. Lyons dispels the myth that the "alt-right" is the only backbone of Trump's base. In order to resist, knowing the complexities and orientations of groups on the right is crucial. These books reveal the realities behind some of our nation’s most intractable challenges. After all, myths and fictions will not bring change, but informed resisters will. Support Truthout’s independent journalism by ordering any of these Progressive Picks now! To see our full catalog, [click here.]( [Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire]( By Kurt Andersen A rollicking history of a nation created on the foundation of fantasies. The book cogently and humorously describes the evolution of a nation based, in large part, on what people wanted to believe, not what was (or is) true. It is indispensable to understanding how we arrived at the epitome of hucksters -- Donald Trump -- as president. [The Battle for Paradise: Puerto Rico Takes on the Disaster Capitalists]( By Naomi Klein The author of the groundbreaking book The Shock Doctrine describes a battle between disaster capitalists and Puerto Ricans who want to create a sustainable, island-centered economics. Long impinged by their quasi-colonial status as a US commonwealth, many of the people of Puerto Rico are coalescing to determine their own destiny. [As Black as Resistance: Finding the Conditions for Liberation]( By Zoé Samudzi and William C. Anderson As Black as Resistance makes the case for a new program of self-defense and transformative politics for Black Americans. This is not a book of compromise, nor does it negotiate with intolerance. It is a manifesto for everyone who is ready to continue progressing towards liberation for all. [Insurgent Supremacists: The U.S. Far Right’s Challenge to State and Empire]( By Matthew N. Lyons Lyons provides the historical context for the right wing groups that are in play today, generally supporting Trump. It is vital to note, the book details that right wing organizations often differ in their strategies and end goals, but together create a volatile mix of backing for Trump. You can read exclusive interviews with Progressive Picks authors, book excerpts, reviews and more, at [Truthout's Progressive Picks section](. Order more choices using the links in any Progressive Picks article or interview! The Battle For Paradise [Get it now!]( Insurgent Supremacists [Get it now!]( Fantasyland [Get it now!]( As Black as Resistance [Get it now!]( [Support Truthout with a tax-deductible donation ]( Please add messenger@truthout.org to ensure you receive our messages Truthout is a proud member of the Newspaper Guild/CWA, Local 36047 [Subscribe]( | [Unsubscribe]( [Privacy Policy](   [The Newspaper Guild]