Maude Barlow’s latest book, Still Hopeful, is an eloquent and personal account of her experience of more than four decades as an organizer, activist, and writer in her fight against greed, patriarchy, pollution, and inequality, among other evils. Barlow’s writing is clear and concise, and her narrative is enhanced by personal stories gained over her decades of fighting for social and environmental justice.

Joel Bakan’s new book, The New Corporation: How “Good” Corporations Are Bad for Democracy, looks at how unbridled self-interest victimizes individuals, society, and the living nature on which we all depend. The problem has only grown worse as governments have freed the corporation from legal constraints through deregulation and granted it ever greater authority over society through privatization.

Although Philip Resnick did not run into any cyclopses in his life’s journey, the tale that he recounts is as fascinating as that of Odysseus. Part of the reason is that, like Homer’s Odyssey, his writing is also quite poetic, both in the way that he writes and also in the feelings and images that he calls up. This style is one of the reasons why his book is such a pleasure to read.

This volume provides essential ideas that are critical in overcoming the multi-faceted challenges that threaten humanity, especially the ecological crisis, racism, and pandemics. Organizing in cities can help us to be democratic and provide the groundwork for the national and international cooperation that is needed if humanity is to have any hope.

Kinzer has done a very thorough job of chronicling the many factors that influenced the Dulles brothers, as well as their record in promoting US political and economic interests. He also shows how closely the US media worked with Washington in propaganda campaigns to convince citizens that, “truth, justice, and the American way” always go together.