The Age of Grievance

(Hardback)

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From bestselling author and longtime New York Times columnist Frank Bruni comes a lucid, powerful examination of the ways in which grievance has come to define our current culture and politics, on both the right and left.

The twists and turns of American politics today have become nearly impossible to predict, but the tone is a troubling given. Its one of grievance. A perilous share of Americans across the full breadth of the political spectrum respond to every big disappointment, every little frustration, every way in which the world doesnt hew precisely to their liking by deciding that theyve been wronged, identifying the people responsible for that and raging at the injustice of it all. The blame game is the countrys most popular sport and victimhood its most fashionable garb.

Grievance isnt always and necessarily bad. It has often done enormous good. The United States is a nation born of grievance, in the revolt of royal subjects unwilling to accept a bad deal, and across the nearly 250 years of our existence as a country, grievance has been the engine of morally urgent change. But what happens when all sorts of grievancesthe greater ones, the lesser ones, the authentic, the inventedare jumbled together When grievances become all-encompassing lenses, all-purpose reflexes, default settings When people take their grievances to extreme and even violent lengths that they didnt before

A violent mob storms the US Capitol, rejecting the results of a presidential election and embracing the fiction that it was rigged. Conspiracy theories flourish. Politicians appeal not to our better angels but to our worst impulses, encouraging selfishness instead of selflessness, trading inspiration for retribution. Fox News, the countrys most watched cable news network, and Tucker Carlson, its sneering star, knowingly peddle lies in the service of profit. The Supreme Court loses touch with the country, overturning Roe v. Wade and shrugging off Clarence Thomass transgressions. College students chase away speakers and college administrators dismiss instructors for dissenting from progressive orthodoxy. Will Smith slaps Chris Rock. And theres a potentially devastating erosion of the civility, common ground and compromise necessary for our democracy to survive.

How did we get here What does it say about us, and where does it leave us Timely, important, and enlightening, The Age of Grievance examines these critical questions and charts a path forward for a nation that may be growing tired of outrage.

Reviews

PRAISE FORTHE BEAUTY OF DUSK

The Beauty of Duskisnt the sad story of a man who lost his sight; it is the generous narrative of a student who sought wisdom when trials appeared in his life. . . .The volume curates an extraordinary collection of miniature profiles in courage and perseverancea college friend with Parkinsons, a blind Rhodes scholar turned lieutenant governor and many more. As Bruni walks alongside those who have heard the unwanted news, suffered the terrifying and somehow found intimacy, purpose and joy, he metabolizes his own loss into a muscular wisdom. . . .There is mental and physical agony in this life, and Bruni does not judge anyones decisions; rather, he grieves the losses and appreciates the grace. . . .Bruni persuades us to adapt out of loss. To do this, he relies on his writing weapons: He names the issues, asks the knotty questions, then writes toward the truths that the reader may need.Min Jin Lee,The New York Times

Moving and inspiring . . .Readers can discover through this memoir the inner strength to face their inevitable challenges, a renewed understanding of what others would say on their invisible sandwich boards, and a deeper well of compassion and kindness.Steven Petrow,The Washington Post

Frank Bruni is one of my favorite people in the world. . . . Man, hecan write . . .The Beauty of Duskisa positive message, a powerful reminder that with great vulnerability also comes great reward.Oprah

Brunis beautifully written, reflective memoir is riveting.Good Morning America, Must-Reads for March

In this eloquent meditation on aging and resilience, journalist Bruni recounts his journey to acceptance after a stroke robbed him of much of his vision in the right eye. Instead of despairing, he sets out to learn how others navigate sight-impaired worldsand rediscovers the gifts in his own life.People

A book about vision loss that becomes testimony to human courage, a moving memoir that offers perspective, comfort, and hope.Booklist(starred review)

Exquisitely writtensmart and funny and a joy to read.I love this book!Ina Garten

[An] affecting, illuminating memoir . . .With compassion and grace, Bruni guides us along a literal pilgrimage between light and darkness, a tender meld of science reporting and philosophical investigation.Oprah Daily,Most Anticipated Books of 2022

Weaving together his own story of diminished eyesight with the stories of many other people, Frank Bruni constructs a philosophical narrative of resilience: how we can discover it in ourselves and how we can recognize and support it in others. His writing is lively and intimate, and his message is powerful and lucid.Andrew Solomon

Author Bio

Frank Bruni has been a prominent journalist for more than three decades, including more than twenty-five years atTheNew York Times, many of them as a nationally renowned op-ed columnist who appeared frequently as a television commentator. He was also a White House correspondent for theTimes, its Rome bureau chief, and, for five years, its chief restaurant critic. He is the author of fourNew York Timesbestsellers. In July 2021, he became a full professor at Duke University, teaching media-oriented classes in the school of public policy. He currently writes his popular weekly newsletter for theTimesand produces additional essays as one of the newspapers Contributing Opinion Writers.