Books with author Joan Walsh

""In this wonderfully insightful book, Joan Walsh shows how America built a large and vibrant (although mostly white) middle class that fueled the greatest economic boom in history and made a reality of the American dream. Hers is the story of postwar America told through a working class New York Irish Catholic family whose political divisions mirrored the nation's. Moving and powerful, her account will help people of all races think through how we can build a just and prosperous multiracial America."" —Robert B. Reich""A brilliant and illuminating book about America since the upheavals of the '60s and '70s. What's the Matter with White People? is about the heart and soul of America, from our Founding Fathers to Hillary and Barack.It's about our middle class, which so recently flourished, and how it has been injured and diminished almost beyond repair by greed and racist fear-mongering. It's about America's greatness and delusion, the betrayal of the working class, and the fragmentation of the Democratic party. It's about how Walsh's own Irish Catholic family from New York was treated, responded and fared in the years between Richard Nixon and Barack Obama Walsh writes with passion, precision, and insight into how racism has made such a bold public comeback. Her book was heaven for a political junkie like me, somehow managing to be painful and exhilarating at the same time."" —Anne Lamott""Joan Walsh's reflections and observations from her personal journey as an Irish Catholic daughter of a Northeastern blue collar family provide a unique window into the hearts, aspirations, anguish, anger, fears, and pride of white working class voters during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. No one can properly understand current class politics and race relations in America unless they've read this book."" —Dr. Clarence B. JonesThe size and stability of the American middle class were once the envy of the world. But changes unleashed in the 1960s pitted Americans against one another politically in new and destructive ways. These battles continued to rage from that day to now, while everyone has fallen behind economically except the wealthy. Right-wing culture warriors blamed the decline on the moral shortcomings of ""other"" Americans—black people, feminists, gays, immigrants, union members—to court a fearful white working- and middle-class base with ever more bitter ""us vs. them"" politics. Liberals tried, but mostly failed, to make the case that we're all in this together.In What's the Matter with White People?, popular Salon columnist Joan Walsh argues that the biggest divide in America today is not about party or ideology, but about two competing narratives for why everything has fallen apart since the 1970s. One side sees an America that has spent the last forty years bankrupting the country providing benefits and advantages to the underachieving, the immoral, and the undeserving, no matter the cost to Middle America. The other sees an America that has spent the last forty years bankrupting the country providing benefits and advantages to the very rich, while allowing a measure of cultural progress for the different and the downtrodden. It matters which side is right, and how the other side got things so wrong.Walsh connects the dots of American decline through trends that began in the 1970s and continue today—including the demise of unions, the stagnation of middle-class wages, the extension of the right's ""Southern Strategy"" throughout the country, the victory of Reagan Republicanism, the increase in income inequality, and the drop in economic mobility.Citing her extended family as a case in point, Walsh shows how liberals unwittingly collaborated in the ""us vs. them"" narrative, rather than developing an inspiring, persuasive vision of a more fair, united America. She also explores how the GOP's renewed culture war

A CLEAR-EYED, COGENT CLARION CALL FOR ENDING THE DIVISIVE CLASS WARS THAT THREATEN THE AMERICAN MIDDLE-CLASS DREAM In What’s the Matter with White People? Walsh argues that the biggest divide in America today is based not on party or ideology but on two competing explanations for why middle-class stability has been shaken since the 1970s. One side sees an America that has spent the last forty years bankrupting the country by providing benefits for the underachieving, the immoral, and the undeserving—no matter the cost to the majority of Americans. The other side sees an America that has spent the last forty years catering to the wealthy while allowing only a nominal measure of progress for the downtrodden. Using her extended Irish-Catholic working-class family as a case in point and explaining her own political coming-of-age, Walsh shows how liberals unwittingly collaborated in the “us versus them” narrative and how the GOP’s renewed culture war now scapegoats segments of its own white demographic. Part memoir, part political history, What’s the Matter with White People? is essential reading to combat political and cultural polarization and to build a more just and prosperous multiracial America in the years to come. WITH A NEW AFTERWORD

A little book with a lot of heart. A modern take on a beloved classic, now in full-color!A Friend Is Someone Who Likes You is a little book that has warmed the hearts of children—and adults—for generations. Joan Walsh Anglund showcases her signature line drawings—now in full-color—paired with her inspirational and heartfelt words that have been in print for an astounding sixty years. This special gift edition also features an updated cover, a new sweet square trim size, lovely endpapers, and a note from the author. Sharing this modern take on a tried and true classic is a perfect way—on a holiday, a birthday, or any day—to remind one another that we are loved.

A CLEAR-EYED, COGENT CLARION CALL FOR ENDING THE DIVISIVE CLASS WARS THAT THREATEN THE AMERICAN MIDDLE-CLASS DREAM In What’s the Matter with White People? Walsh argues that the biggest divide in America today is based not on party or ideology but on two competing explanations for why middle-class stability has been shaken since the 1970s. One side sees an America that has spent the last forty years bankrupting the country by providing benefits for the underachieving, the immoral, and the undeserving—no matter the cost to the majority of Americans. The other side sees an America that has spent the last forty years catering to the wealthy while allowing only a nominal measure of progress for the downtrodden. Using her extended Irish-Catholic working-class family as a case in point and explaining her own political coming-of-age, Walsh shows how liberals unwittingly collaborated in the “us versus them” narrative and how the GOP’s renewed culture war now scapegoats segments of its own white demographic. Part memoir, part political history, What’s the Matter with White People? is essential reading to combat political and cultural polarization and to build a more just and prosperous multiracial America in the years to come. WITH A NEW AFTERWORD

Amos Jellybean is a bright child, but sometimes he has problems remembering. From sitting on his breakfast to eating his clothes, jumping on his hat and carrying his bike, he muddles his way to school and home again. No matter how hard he tries, poor Amos just can't seem to get it right. A wonderful picture book for all those who have ever been in a muddle!

Early in his life, John Walsh made a commitment that he would do whatever the Lord told him to do, even if he didn't understand why. This commitment provided a foundation for his life. He has followed God's direction from the heartland of America to a bustling market in Cambodia, from a bus in Jerusalem to a water taxi in Bangkok. John doesn't seek God's direction in every decision he makes, but he has found that God steps in whenever he needs to change course. This audiobook tells about a few times when God interfered with John's plans. This usually brought about a battle of wills between a man and the master of his destiny. The stories of these struggles are written in a casual, authentic voice that invites you to pour a cup of coffee and join John on the front porch. He will touch your heart with his hard-earned insights and delight you with his adventures around the world.

Khoa and his grandfather, Tristian are thought to be the last two descendants of an ancient pack of white wolves who followed ‘the way of the wolf.’ As the novel opens, Tristian lies dying, having been torn apart by the pack, for teaching Khoa ‘the way,’ which is now forbidden. The old wolf sends Khoa on a quest to find a watcher wolf, a book, and a society of white wolves; none of which may exist.As Khoa escapes through a mole tunnel that his grandfather had prepared for him, the pack waits outside the hut to ‘set upon him’. In this Revisionist pack wolves kill wolves. Khoa is a reluctant hero, but through his adventures he takes on more belief in the traditions his grandfather had opened him up to. Khoa goes over a waterfall, runs into vipers, and has other troubles, but finally makes it to the river where Tristian told him he would find the Watcher Wolf. It is here that his new family finds him. His adopted zoo is made up of Washer, the raccoon, Pieces, the old chewed rabbit, and Serious, the young, officious rabbit, to name a few who add a lighter side to Khoas quest. Khoa has a love interest in the story in the form of Ani, an artic white wolf. They grew up in the Revisionist Society together, but never knew they had feelings for each other. Ani sees Khoa escape, and hopes to have Staver, Dueces' son, rescue her instead of hounding Khoa's trail to give him a head start. She places her paw in the mouth of the red iron dog, a man trap, and puts a twig in it to prevent her from really getting hurt, but the steel trap snaps the twig and she is caught in it for real. Scout, her father, and the pack are on the trail of Khoa, but get her scent and follow it until they realize Khoa isn't with her. Through a twist in the tale, Scout talks his daughter into leaving the pack and setting out to look for Khoa, which she does with the help of Retread, who happens to be one of the alpha pack leader, Dueces’ son. They have turned against the pack.The Watcher Wolf finally meets up with Khoa and teaches him to ‘humble himself’ before he can read ‘the way of the wolf.’ The watcher and the other animals tell him the true story of the Last Revolt, how Duece came to be in possession of the oryx, and how it was that the black wolves killed Khoa’s mother and father. Duece believes the oryx is the magic that has protected the white wolves and seeks after it as well as Khoa.The young cub has learned through the Watcher that there are other white wolves and a twin cub, his brother, Tor, who did survive the Last Revolt. He meets up with his twin as Duece and the black wolves close in on him; gathering their great armies of the East, South, and West against the white wolves. Both armies come face to face on the mountain of fire and ice where the spirit of the Venger wolf is unleashed. Through the use of the oryx and the ways of the wolf, the two brothers triumph over the Venger spirit of the dark wolves and make it to the realm of the Wilds and their ancestral home.