Brown approaches American political history through a study of the role of intellectuals and how their influence has waxed and waned.
The book has a nuanced analysis. It avoids simplistic portrayals. Brown explores the various ways intellectuals have been perceived, from trusted "eggheads" to ostracized elites.  Brown grounds his analysis in specific historical moments by utilizing case studies of prominent figures like Adlai Stevenson and Richard Hofstadter. The book's academic tone and use of historical figures might make it less accessible to casual readers seeking a lighter historical read. It is a dry read. While the case studies provide depth, some readers might prefer a broader social analysis of the intellectual class in America.

One of my greatest concerns as a teacher, mother, and citizen of this country is the glamorization with anti-intellectualism. This is baffling to me and frankly scares me. This book understood my fears and tried to explain why the tide as shifted in this direction. It is still scary to me, but at least I understand it more now.

"Hope and Scorn" by Michael J. Brown tackles the ever changing and precarious place of public intellectuals in the U.S. I found this to be a deep book that was well-written and thoroughly researched, but it was a slow read. I'm naturally a slow reader, but this slowed me down even more. It's packed with knowledge and insight. The two most enjoyable aspects for me was Brown's look at Richard Hofstadter and his inclusion of African American intellectuals, which too often get overlooked when considering public intellectuals.

In other books I've reviewed this year, I've seen Hofstadter as both villain and hero. In this book, Brown situates us in Hofstadter's time and life. We learn what he was working for and working against. I found the context of his life to be informative, and it made me rethink the earlier versions of Hofstadter that I'd read. I would recommend this book to anyone just for the Hofstadter chapter.

While I don't really know what to make of Cornell West, Michael Brown convinced me that I need to read some of his writings. My own views of West come from his time on Joe Rogan's podcast, Bill Maher's show, and various YouTube videos; through all of that, I was on the fence about whether he was worth my time. I like this idea of the pragmatist intellectual, and I'd like to know more.

I liked "Hope and Scorn," and it on my reread list. It's an excellent introduction to many well-known and should-be-well-known intellectuals and their work.