Cast-Off #1: What's the Matter With Kansas?

What's the Matter With Kansas? by Thomas Frank is my first set-aside book of 2009. I still had a bookmark in it from a few years ago, when I read 96 pages and stopped. This time, I only made it 19 pages before I had to admit that I'm just not into it.

Partly, I think I don't feel like reading about the 2000 election right now. I want to enjoy the current President and Congress as much as possible while I can.

Partly, I want to read a story rather than commentary right now.

There's nothing wrong with it. It's a book that makes me nod along, going, "Yeah, I know! I agree! I said that before." Like, why do farmers tend to vote Republican, when it is completely in their best interests to vote Democratic? Why do poor people vote Republican when that party rips them off more and more every year?

Because of abortion and gay marriage, BUT the Republicans never actually accomplish much, if anything, in the way of outlawing abortion/preventing unwanted pregnancies by reading the Bible OR in the way of disposing of/straightening out/hiding all gay people. So, their voters lose economically and culturally/so-called morally. Frank sees that this is just nonsense, and he does it with humor.

I might come back to it again in a different mood.

Dear book,
It's not you. It's bad timing.
Love,
Tonya