THREAD: Book Recommendation: Hiding in Plain Sight, by @sarahkendzior. The subtitle is “The Invention of Donald Trump and the Erosion of America”. There is an excellent audiobook version narrated by the author. (1/8)

From the outset, Kendzior does not contend that constitutional checks and balances will stop the administration’s criminality. One of my most distressing realizations was that many of the country’s vaunted institutions have been compromised over a period of several decades. (2/8)

The author differs markedly from opinions discussed on TV, where even respectable pundits seem to ignore historical context. This leads them to propagate misguided theories and make optimistic predictions about personal or institutional accountability that don’t bear out. (3/8)

Kendzior deprives you of idle hope, describing the ugliness that has festered in government, in the courts, and in the machinations of America’s wealthy elite over 50 years. Viewed in that light, the actions of the current administration make a certain kind of sense. (4/8)

The book gets unbearably amazing in its autobiographical passages. "…. I saw America through Missouri’s eyes, which means I saw hell and I saw it in advance." The chapter on Missouri is raw and tragic and one of the most beautiful pieces I’ve ever read. (5/8)

It’s a bitter pill, and does not suggest easy solutions to the mess that we are all in. But, the alternative to Kendzior’s perspective is foolishly hoping that crime will be prosecuted by the rule of law, and having those hopes dashed again and again. (6/8)

How does one respond (personally) to this erosion of the American Dream? Kendzior writes poignantly about holding on to our values, of not giving in and accepting a 1984-like existence, of preserving innocence, surprise, and love for the world our children will inhabit. (7/8)

Some passages might reduce you to tears, others will, almost certainly, fill up a deepening pit of horror in the back of your mind. It is an uncomfortable book for a difficult time, but I hope more people get to read it. (8/8)