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I’ll Be Short: Essentials for a Decent Working Society by Robert B. Reich Rating: •• (Mildly Recommended)
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His Long Suit Robert B. Reich introduces his new book, I’ll Be Short, with these words: “… the strength of our economy and the security of our society rest on the bonds that connect us. But what, specifically are these bonds? What do we owe one another as members of the same society? This is a small book about these large questions. Some of the observations recorded here are culled from my writing during these fitful years. In collecting and fitting them together, my hope is to reveal a larger perspective on what is at stake and what we can do about it. One of my themes concerns politics, and the heightened importance now of a politically active and engaged citizenry. As this volume goes to press, I am heeding my own advice in the extreme by running for governor of Massachusetts. By the time you get around to reading it, I may have succeeded – or else have returned to the far safer ground of commenting from the sidelines. If it’s the former, I hope I can put some of these principles into action; if the latter, I hope others will.” Over the remaining 120 pages of I’ll be Short, Reich preaches his view of our common life in the following chapters: 1. Whatever Happened to the Social Contract? 2. Corporate Citizenship 3. Work That Pays, Insurance if It Doesn’t 4. Lifelong Learning: Education for the Twenty-first Century 5. The Day I Became a Feminist: Real Family Values 6. The long View: A Decent Working Society Reich presents his straightforward, unabashed, liberal opinions in a lively way, and with great passion. Readers who miss discussion about big questions, citizen involvement, and government policy, will enjoy these brief pages. Steve Hopkins, September 10, 2002
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