{"product_id":"were-better-than-this-my-fight-for-the-future-of-our-democracy-isbn-9780062992260","title":"We're Better Than This: My Fight for the Future of Our Democracy","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOne of Essence's Best Books of the Year. NAACP Image Awards Winner for Outstanding Literary Work in the Debut Author category.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWith a foreword by Speaker Nancy\u003cbr\u003ePelosi.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“There was no\u003cbr\u003egreater friend to the poor, to the lost, to the left out, and to \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ethe left behind.\u003cbr\u003eIf you want to understand this great man, read his historic, \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eimportant book and\u003cbr\u003elearn the lessons and values from his ‘moral voice \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ecrying in the\u003cbr\u003ewilderness’ on behalf of our American democracy.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e—Rep. John Lewis\u003cbr\u003e(D-GA)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKnown\u003cbr\u003efor his poise, intellect, and influence until his death in October 2019, Elijah\u003cbr\u003eCummings was one of the most respected figures in contemporary politics, a\u003cbr\u003epolitician who held fast to his beliefs but was not afraid to reach across the\u003cbr\u003eaisle in the name of friendship and progress. Since his earliest days in\u003cbr\u003egovernment through his time as a representative and chairman of the House\u003cbr\u003eOversight and Reform Committee, he proved his abilities as a politician who\u003cbr\u003ecould operate at the highest levels of democracy, serving the people of\u003cbr\u003eBaltimore and illustrating the importance of working with—and for—the underdog.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYet in\u003cbr\u003ehis final years of life, Cummings recognized that democracy was the underdog. \u003cem\u003eWe’re\u003cbr\u003eBetter Than This \u003c\/em\u003edraws from Cummings’s own life to show the formative\u003cbr\u003emoments that prepared him for the disturbing first years of the Trump presidency\u003cbr\u003eand spurred him to hold the administration accountable for their actions.\u003cbr\u003eWeaving together the urgent drama of modern-day politics and character-defining\u003cbr\u003estories from his past, Cummings offers a never-before-told perspective on how\u003cbr\u003ehis personal history, coming of age in South Baltimore, laid the foundation of\u003cbr\u003ea life spent fighting for justice. He goes behind the scenes with the House\u003cbr\u003eDemocratic leadership, offering an eye-opening chronicle of the grim realities\u003cbr\u003eof holding the Trump administration to account. Detailing this moment of unprecedented\u003cbr\u003eobstructionism by both the president and Republicans, Cummings presents a vital\u003cbr\u003edefense of how government oversight defines our collective trust, examining the\u003cbr\u003edangerous precedent for both parties that exists if the executive branch\u003cbr\u003eremains above public scrutiny.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003ePart\u003cbr\u003ememoir, part call to action, \u003cem\u003eWe’re Better Than This \u003c\/em\u003eis the story of our\u003cbr\u003emodern-day democracy and the threats that we all must face together, as\u003cbr\u003ewell as a retrospective on the life and career of one of our country’s\u003cbr\u003emost inspirational politicians. As we approach another test of our\u003cbr\u003edemocracy, the next race for the White House, \u003cem\u003eWe’re Better Than This \u003c\/em\u003ereminds\u003cbr\u003epeople that in this country we don’t elect kings, and we cannot afford\u003cbr\u003efour more years of this false one.\u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003e\"Moving insight into a remarkable man, which remains a touching tribute to his accomplishments in the later years of his life.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal (starred review)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"The legendary, late Baltimore congressman shares the stories of his past with an eye to the future in this apt-for-our-times memoir.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNewsweek\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I absolutely love the late Rep. Elijah Cummings’ book ‘We’re Better Than This: My Fight for the Future of our Democracy.’ It was his last call to action before he passed away.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSuzanne Malveaux, CNN National correspondent\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“This memoir serves as an urgent call to action for all Americans as we strive to live up to our nation’s pledge of ‘liberty and justice for all’ as only Elijah could deliver it. He and I often spoke of our shared backgrounds and experiences, probably the most significant of all was that we each grew up as the son of a preacher…He is missed, but his message lives on in this powerful testimony of how we can best move our country toward the promise of ‘a more perfect union.’” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eRep. James E. Clyburn, House Majority Whip (D-SC)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“In Congress, we miss his wisdom, his warm friendship, and his great humanity. In Baltimore, we miss our champion. God truly blessed the United States with the life and leadership of Elijah Cummings. What a blessing that, with this wonderful book, generations of Americans—our ‘living messengers’ to the future—will now be able to read his words and learn from his beautiful life!” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFrom the Foreword by Speaker Nancy Pelosi\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Excellent political memoir by the late Democratic representative from Baltimore…A thoughtful and inspiring exhortation to do better by a much-missed leader.”  - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews (starred review)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Impressive on multiple levels . . . an urgent call to action, imploring us to defend our democracy as it is assailed by threats internal and external. And, perhaps above all, it is a poignant reminder of just how much the nation lost with his death. . . . To read this book is to join the ranks of his admirers.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNPR\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"A forceful valedictory. . . . Cummings’s paeans to family, faith, and general idealism make this a moving tale worth reading.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “There was no greater friend to the poor, to the lost, to the left out, and to the left behind. If you want to understand this great man, read his historic, important book and learn the lessons and values from his ‘moral voice crying in the wilderness’ on behalf of our American democracy.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eRep. 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