The End of White Politics, Zerlina Maxwell
The End of White Politics, Zerlina Maxwell
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The End of White Politics
How to Heal Our Liberal Divide

Author: Zerlina Maxwell

Narrator: Kylah Frye

Unabridged: 5 hr 49 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Legacy Lit

Published: 07/07/2020


Synopsis

An MSNBC political analyst and former Hillary Clinton staffer examines the past and present problems of the Left—and makes a compelling case for how to take back our government and secure a better future for America.In the entire history of the United States of America, we've never elected a woman as our president. And we've only had one president who was not a white man.

After working on two presidential campaigns (for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton), MSNBC political analyst and SiriusXM host Zerlina Maxwell gained first-hand knowledge of everything liberals have been doing right over the past few elections-and everything they are still doing wrong. Ultimately, these errors worked in President Donald Trump's favor in 2016; he effectively ran a campaign on white identity politics, successfully tapping into white male angst and resistance. In 2020, after the Democratic Party's most historically diverse pool of presidential candidates finally dwindled down to Joe Biden, once again an older white man, Maxwell has posed the ultimate question: what now, liberals?

Fueled by Maxwell's trademark wit and candor, The End of White Politics dismantles the past and present problems of the Left, challenging everyone from scrappy, young "Bernie Bros" to seasoned power players in the "Billionaire Boys' Club." No topic is taboo; whether tackling the white privilege that enabled Mayor Pete Buttigieg's presidential run, the controversial #HashtagActivism of the Millennial generation, the massive individual donations that sway politicians toward maintaining the status quo of income inequality, or the lingering racism that debilitated some Democratic presidential contenders and cut their promising campaigns short, Maxwell pulls no punches in her fierce critique. However, underlying all of these individual issues, Maxwell argues that it's the "liberal-minded" party's struggle to engage women and communities of color-and its preoccupation with catering to the white, male working class—that threatens to be its most lethal shortfall.

The times—and the demographics—are changing, and in order for progressive politics to prevail, we must acknowledge our shortcomings, take ownership of our flaws, and do everything in our power to level the playing field for all Americans. The End of White Politics shows exactly how and why progressives can lean into identity politics, empowering marginalized groups, and uniting under a common vision that will benefit us all.

***TIME, 100 Must-Read Books of 2020!***

"Witty and piercing."
—TIME

Reviews

Goodreads review by Lilli on February 21, 2022

MSNBC political analyst and certified practitioner of Black Girl Magic™️ Zerlina Maxwell bears down on the broken and outdated political framework of the United States Democratic party in her scathing and eye-opening book The End of White Politics: How to Heal Our Liberal Divide. She dismantles the......more

Goodreads review by Nathalie on October 02, 2020

My first review! There are astute insights in the book, and I agree with the author's general theory on identity politics, which has been so misrepresented and twisted over the years. I did have trouble getting past some of the personal biases in the book relating to the 2020 candidates. Others have......more

Goodreads review by Adri on July 18, 2020

3.5 Stars This was an insightful and powerful look at the flaws of our current political system. Maxwell is absolutely correct when she says that American politics are white politics, and that there is no neutrality when it comes to policies that seek to destroy or unseat human rights. Her point that......more

Goodreads review by Susanna on September 03, 2020

Whether The End of White Politics will really help "heal our liberal divide" I don't know, but as a white longtime feminist who's relatively new to electoral politics (like so many of us I jumped in with both feet in 2016), I value and recommend this book. Plenty of pundits, journalists, and other co......more

Goodreads review by Jessica on July 02, 2020

The End of White Politics is full of passionate writing about American politics and in particular, what is ailing the Democratic party and liberals. Zerlina Maxwell worked on Hillary Clinton's 2016 Presidential Campaign and includes thoughts on that campaign and election as well as Obama's election......more


Quotes

*TIME, "Best New Books of July"*
*O MAGAZINE, "Best Books of August 2020"*
*Ms. Magazine, "July 2020 Reads for the Rest of Us"*
*Fortune, "7 New Books to Read in July"*
*Project Censored, "Summer Reading List (2020)"*
*LibroFM, "Hot New Releases"*

"With a style that is as infectious as it is cogent and accessible, the author outlines and defends her recommendations and strategies so thoroughly that the only possible dissent is a willful disregard for the future of not just the Democratic Party, but the future of all but the most privileged Americans."—Kirkus, Starred Review

"Maxwell has produced a worthwhile blueprint for a party that seems to have lost its way."—Booklist

"[This book shows exactly how] uniting under a common vision... will benefit us all."—New Books Network

"As an analysis of the current state of America's political system, The End of White Politics - How to Heal Our Liberal Divide is an important book that reads like the future, like an awakening, like common sense. Written with passion and commitment, Zerlina Maxwell presents her argument persuasively and unapologetically, and with enough anecdotes to lift it above the political thesis."—Manhattan Book Review

"[This] book aims to confront the inherent whiteness at the heart of America's politics on both sides of the aisle... [it is] so current and immediate and gripping that reading it feels like someone let Maxwell peek at summer 2020's headlines before she sat down to write it."—Glamour

"In her classic truth-telling, no-holds-barred style, Zerlina flips the 'identity politics' debate on its head, laying out why Democrats should reject the notion that it's a politics of social division, and instead embrace it as a bridge to social cohesion and inclusion. The book underscores a powerful truth: centering the voices and experiences of those too long marginalized in our politics--including women of color and particularly black women--will not only strengthen our democracy, it will win elections."—Maya L. Harris, civil rights advocate, former seniorpolicy advisor to Hillary Clinton, and author of Women of Color: A GrowingForce in the American Electorate