“In The Time of Our Lives: A Conversation about America, Tom Brokaw discusses various issues plaguing the American society and outlines possible solutions. What I felt were the over-arching issues were education and public service. He talks about ways that our educational system could be improved, including through partnerships with corporations, which is already happening in some cities. He believes that public service should be mandatory. I can't imagine what kind of stir that would cause if it ever became a reality, but I happen to agree with him. Too many people in our society today are all about increasing their wealth, or their social or career standing, and not about helping those less fortunate.
The book is broken down into four parts with multiple chapters in each:
1. Getting the Fundamentals Right
Discusses in part: History, politics, the military, the recession and its far-reaching effects, and the legacy that generations leave behind.
2. Assignment America
Discusses in part: Mandatory public service, volunteerism, NGOs (non-governmental organizations), the Middle East, people and organizations doing good work for others, and public-private partnerships.
3. Help Me Make It Through This New Age Dot Com
Discusses in part: The "transformative technology" of the Internet, social networking, and journalism (how newspapers and even TV news programs are losing readers/viewers because more people get their news online now).
4. What Now, Grandma and Grandpa?
Discusses in part: America losing its standing in education, the sciences and economy to India and China. Loss of income growth, increase in welfare, etc. Our aging population of Baby Boomers. The cost of Medicare and health care in general. The struggles of America's middle class. Wall Street and owning up to one's mistakes. 2012 election. Becoming a grandparent.
This book will no doubt appeal more to those who lean left politically than right, as Brokaw himself leans left and there are a lot of issues that could be politically divisive in this book. Still, I would hope that right-leaners would not dismiss or avoid the book because of that. I think that these issues are an important conversation that needs to be had, regardless of partisanship.
Brokaw's perspective as a journalist of several decades is helpful to these discussions, as he has been on the front lines of political campaigns, has covered many politicians, has travelled to the Middle East and has experienced many other things that bring important facts to the table.
I took off a star in rating the book because, while the book is very easy to read, it felt repetitive at times due to the same subjects coming up in different parts of the book. For me, it led to a deja vu "Didn't I just read that?" feeling.
4 Stars. Most Definitely Recommended. ”
Sheri A wrote this review Monday, January 2, 2012.
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