July 25, 2006

Bread And Butter Calumnies

How often do you see an imaginative, incisive, and utterly original structural analysis of American political rhetoric? Not very. (Well, you may not be looking for them, but that's not the point.) Kevin Baker's recent article in Harper's is a jem, making a stunning observation that I dare say even the most diehard history buff will never have seen or thought of before. Though I may quibble with bits and pieces, he's definitely on to something that's an important part of the puzzle, and I'd suggest to those on the receiving end that they should do some brain-storming to come up with practical rhetorical antidotes. Beyond that, though, Kevin's a wickedly gifted writer, author of four novels which have received A-level critical acclaim. He's a widely ranging witness to the human condition with insights that cover the gamut—well worth paying attention to. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation and hope to have Kevin back. As an exercise in 'notes from the field conversations,' and to expedite its publication here, I've given this one minimal editing. Total podcast runtime of an hour and four minutes. Enjoy!