David Greenberg
@davidgreenberg.bsky.social
Historian, writer, author of John Lewis: A Life, Republic of Spin, Nixon's Shadow, more. Professor at Rutgers University. Politico columnist. Occasional contributor to NYT, WP, WSJ, Liberties, Atlantic, old TNR, more. Email: [email protected].
Dick Cheney embodied the strain of modern conservatism that Trump repudiated. But his full-speed-ahead political style and belief in an unfettered executive helped make Trump's wrecking-ball presidency possible. www.politico.com/news/magazin...
How Dick Cheney’s Lack of Restraint Paved the Way for Donald Trump
The former vice president wanted to strengthen the presidency. He didn’t see where it would lead.
www.politico.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Dick Cheney embodied the strain of modern conservatism that Trump repudiated. But his full-speed-ahead political style and belief in an unfettered executive helped make Trump's wrecking-ball presidency possible. www.politico.com/news/magazin...
For years it's driven me crazy to see so many people misunderstand and misuse the term "neoliberalism" -- and then, based on their misunderstandings, to engage in bad history and policy analysis. Herewith, an attempt at a corrective. libertiesjournal.com/articles/the...
The Nonsense of ‘Neoliberalism’ - Liberties
A Conceptual Trash Heap Toni Morrison was wrong when she intoned that language is violence. But let’s give her this: the reckless use of words can do violence, idiomatically speaking, to clear thinkin...
libertiesjournal.com
October 14, 2025 at 9:14 PM
For years it's driven me crazy to see so many people misunderstand and misuse the term "neoliberalism" -- and then, based on their misunderstandings, to engage in bad history and policy analysis. Herewith, an attempt at a corrective. libertiesjournal.com/articles/the...
In 2016, Trump promised to ban foreign lobbyists from raising money for U.S. elections. He didn’t. If anything, the swamp became more miasmatic. I lay out the story (well, part of it) in my review for The New York Times Book Review of a new tome on foreign lobbying. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/14/b...
Is American Foreign Policy Really for Sale?
www.nytimes.com
October 14, 2025 at 12:22 PM
In 2016, Trump promised to ban foreign lobbyists from raising money for U.S. elections. He didn’t. If anything, the swamp became more miasmatic. I lay out the story (well, part of it) in my review for The New York Times Book Review of a new tome on foreign lobbying. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/14/b...
Friends: JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE comes out in paperback today, and I'll be on Reddit (there's a first time for everything) as part of its feature, "I'm a Historian. Ask Me Anything!" Come find me! www.reddit.com/r/AskHistori...
October 7, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Friends: JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE comes out in paperback today, and I'll be on Reddit (there's a first time for everything) as part of its feature, "I'm a Historian. Ask Me Anything!" Come find me! www.reddit.com/r/AskHistori...
Rutgers has created a “Democracy Lab” for cultivating democratic ideas and ideals & fostering the lost art of engaging with others across differences. We're searching for an inaugural director. More about the position in the link. Email me w/questions. wittkieffer.com/positions/20...
September 4, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Rutgers has created a “Democracy Lab” for cultivating democratic ideas and ideals & fostering the lost art of engaging with others across differences. We're searching for an inaugural director. More about the position in the link. Email me w/questions. wittkieffer.com/positions/20...
mailchi.mp/095f6583de59... Excited that JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE has been named to the short list for the Museum of African American History Stone Book Award!
The MAAH Stone Book Award Short List for 2025!
mailchi.mp
August 22, 2025 at 8:01 PM
mailchi.mp/095f6583de59... Excited that JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE has been named to the short list for the Museum of African American History Stone Book Award!
Thank you! It's always great to find readers appreciating the book -- and finding inspiration in John Lewis's remarkable life. The e-book is on sale for only $3.99 this month at Amazon. www.amazon.com/John-Lewis-L...
Fascinating book by @davidgreenberg.bsky.social - tracing the life of John Lewis, “the conscience of Congress”! Compelling to read now, comparing the challenges of the civil rights era and what we are witnessing today.
"Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America."
"Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America."
August 14, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Thank you! It's always great to find readers appreciating the book -- and finding inspiration in John Lewis's remarkable life. The e-book is on sale for only $3.99 this month at Amazon. www.amazon.com/John-Lewis-L...
Reposted by David Greenberg
Fascinating book by @davidgreenberg.bsky.social - tracing the life of John Lewis, “the conscience of Congress”! Compelling to read now, comparing the challenges of the civil rights era and what we are witnessing today.
"Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America."
"Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America."
August 14, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Fascinating book by @davidgreenberg.bsky.social - tracing the life of John Lewis, “the conscience of Congress”! Compelling to read now, comparing the challenges of the civil rights era and what we are witnessing today.
"Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America."
"Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America."
New Havenites: I'll be talking with my friend Eric Liu to discuss JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE on Friday, May 23 at 2 pm at the Yale Bookstore. Please join us!
May 20, 2025 at 2:44 PM
New Havenites: I'll be talking with my friend Eric Liu to discuss JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE on Friday, May 23 at 2 pm at the Yale Bookstore. Please join us!
Very proud and humbled to have JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE chosen as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Biography. It was a privilege to write the life of this remarkable man, and it's been a joy to watch so many appreciative readers draw sustenance and hope from his story.
May 7, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Very proud and humbled to have JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE chosen as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Biography. It was a privilege to write the life of this remarkable man, and it's been a joy to watch so many appreciative readers draw sustenance and hope from his story.
buttondown.com/courtofhisto... What is going on with freedom of speech and the rule of law under this administration? Join this Zoom for a serious, knowledgeable discussion.
Freedom from Fear: The Assault on the Rule of Law
Norman Rockwell, Freedom of Speech (1943) Join The Court of History and our expert panelists for an urgent webinar discussing the administration’s assault on...
buttondown.com
April 9, 2025 at 1:37 AM
buttondown.com/courtofhisto... What is going on with freedom of speech and the rule of law under this administration? Join this Zoom for a serious, knowledgeable discussion.
Demoralized by all the horrible news out of Washington? Draw inspiration from the life of civil rights hero John Lewis. I'll be with Nick Lemann of The New Yorker & Columbia University. www.showclix.com/event/greenb... Tues., Mar. 25, at the NY Public Library on 42nd St. I'd love to see you there!
John Lewis: David Greenberg with Nicholas Lemann
Tickets for John Lewis: David Greenberg with Nicholas Lemann in New York from NYPL. A major biography of civil rights icon John Lewis, celebrated as “the conscience of Congress,” offers profound insig...
www.showclix.com
March 16, 2025 at 11:48 PM
Demoralized by all the horrible news out of Washington? Draw inspiration from the life of civil rights hero John Lewis. I'll be with Nick Lemann of The New Yorker & Columbia University. www.showclix.com/event/greenb... Tues., Mar. 25, at the NY Public Library on 42nd St. I'd love to see you there!
Back by popular demand! Come talk about John Lewis, whose courage, determination, and hopefulness we need more than ever. March 25 at the NYPL! With the great Nick Lemann. www.showclix.com/event/greenb...
John Lewis: David Greenberg with Nicholas Lemann
Tickets for John Lewis: David Greenberg with Nicholas Lemann in New York from NYPL. A major biography of civil rights icon John Lewis, celebrated as “the conscience of Congress,” offers profound insig...
www.showclix.com
February 28, 2025 at 2:47 AM
Back by popular demand! Come talk about John Lewis, whose courage, determination, and hopefulness we need more than ever. March 25 at the NYPL! With the great Nick Lemann. www.showclix.com/event/greenb...
I’m not sure what “White Lotus” offers that wasn’t achieved 50+ years ago by the Brady Bunch going to Hawaii.
February 17, 2025 at 5:18 AM
I’m not sure what “White Lotus” offers that wasn’t achieved 50+ years ago by the Brady Bunch going to Hawaii.
Reposted by David Greenberg
Added an easter egg to the inside of my copy of JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE by @davidgreenberg.bsky.social
February 10, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Added an easter egg to the inside of my copy of JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE by @davidgreenberg.bsky.social
My Rutgers colleague Din Ambar and I will be talking John Lewis and the past and future of democracy at ROOSEVELT HOUSE on Monday, February 3. Open to the public! www.roosevelthouse.hunter.cuny.edu/events/david...
January 29, 2025 at 2:09 PM
My Rutgers colleague Din Ambar and I will be talking John Lewis and the past and future of democracy at ROOSEVELT HOUSE on Monday, February 3. Open to the public! www.roosevelthouse.hunter.cuny.edu/events/david...
Upcoming tour dates for JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE ... Los Angeles - New York City - Savannah - Montgomery - New Brunswick, NJ ... Come and hear about the remarkable life of civil rights hero and distinguished congressman John Lewis.
January 21, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Upcoming tour dates for JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE ... Los Angeles - New York City - Savannah - Montgomery - New Brunswick, NJ ... Come and hear about the remarkable life of civil rights hero and distinguished congressman John Lewis.
Martin Luther King Jr. was many things to John Lewis: inspiration, mentor, friend, lodestar, partner, father figure. Their closeness, personally and ideologically, was a revelation of my research for JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE. Only the book can do the full story justice. www.amazon.com/John-Lewis-L...
January 20, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Martin Luther King Jr. was many things to John Lewis: inspiration, mentor, friend, lodestar, partner, father figure. Their closeness, personally and ideologically, was a revelation of my research for JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE. Only the book can do the full story justice. www.amazon.com/John-Lewis-L...
Joe Biden was probably the only major candidate in the 2020 field who could've beaten Trump and was qualified to deal with the invasion of Ukraine. If he or Harris had beaten Trump in 2024, his legacy would probably look very different. www.politico.com/news/magazin...
Joe Biden Didn’t Just Lose the White House. He Lost His Legacy.
What might have been a great chapter in the history books could be just a footnote.
www.politico.com
January 20, 2025 at 3:14 AM
Joe Biden was probably the only major candidate in the 2020 field who could've beaten Trump and was qualified to deal with the invasion of Ukraine. If he or Harris had beaten Trump in 2024, his legacy would probably look very different. www.politico.com/news/magazin...
Biden's presidency may be ultimately seen in a tragic light: great promise unrealized. www.politico.com/news/magazin...
Joe Biden Didn’t Just Lose the White House. He Lost His Legacy.
What might have been a great chapter in the history books could be just a footnote.
www.politico.com
January 18, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Biden's presidency may be ultimately seen in a tragic light: great promise unrealized. www.politico.com/news/magazin...
"The notion that Clinton & Newt Gingrich, or Obama & Paul Ryan, were partners with a shared ideology that could be usefully defined by a single term ['neoliberalism'] ignores almost everything that happened during these years." Chait, as usual, slices through the conventional wisdom trenchantly.
Biden fully bought into the post-neoliberal model of American politics. It didn't work. At all. theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
January 13, 2025 at 4:51 PM
"The notion that Clinton & Newt Gingrich, or Obama & Paul Ryan, were partners with a shared ideology that could be usefully defined by a single term ['neoliberalism'] ignores almost everything that happened during these years." Chait, as usual, slices through the conventional wisdom trenchantly.
If you'd still like to go to an event for JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE here's a nice one (w/a modest price tag): a private NYC salon with 20 ppl + yours truly. Wed, Jan 29, 7:30pm (Zoom also possible.) Tickets HERE: www.eventbrite.com/o/bookthewri... One week before they'll send you the address. Check it out!
BOOKTHEWRITER
BOOKTHEWRITER presents
www.eventbrite.com
January 6, 2025 at 8:18 PM
If you'd still like to go to an event for JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE here's a nice one (w/a modest price tag): a private NYC salon with 20 ppl + yours truly. Wed, Jan 29, 7:30pm (Zoom also possible.) Tickets HERE: www.eventbrite.com/o/bookthewri... One week before they'll send you the address. Check it out!
The insufferable Nick Kristof is up to his celebrity name-dropping ways once again...
December 24, 2024 at 11:11 PM
The insufferable Nick Kristof is up to his celebrity name-dropping ways once again...
www.amazon.com/John-Lewis-L... ... Still time to order it for Christmas or Hanukkah!
John Lewis: A Life
John Lewis: A Life [Greenberg, David] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. John Lewis: A Life
www.amazon.com
December 23, 2024 at 9:48 PM
www.amazon.com/John-Lewis-L... ... Still time to order it for Christmas or Hanukkah!
Almost everyone has left Slate since I worked there, but the "Gabfest" is still hosted by the wonderful David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson. It was great fun to gab with Plotz about JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p...
Political Gabfest
Politics Podcast · 688 Episodes · Updated Weekly
podcasts.apple.com
December 21, 2024 at 1:10 PM
Almost everyone has left Slate since I worked there, but the "Gabfest" is still hosted by the wonderful David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson. It was great fun to gab with Plotz about JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p...