Grim really knows his stuff when it comes to the progressive wing of the Democratic party known as 'The Squad'. This is a balanced, nuanced view of the group in which he isn't afraid to criticize them, which makes the book a more compelling read

The Squad is a layman accessible monograph on the younger Democratic party in the USA considered by political analyst and journalist Ryan Grim. Released 5th Dec 2023 by Henry Holt, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

Politics and legal analysis can be very dry, and, frankly, boring difficult to read and assimilate. The author is an experienced astute analyst who manages to distill the unwieldy and chaotic realities of the political disharmony in the USA into salient and comprehensive bites.

The book contains a play-by-play recounting of the history of AOC and to a lesser degree, the other members of the Squad since 2016. There is quite a lot of commentary about -how- and -why- things became gridlocked, but it's also blended into the narrative. This is a book to read from cover to cover, and not arranged such that particular material will be easy to find (except for the search text function on the ebook format).

Inevitably, the overall takeaway is that a two-party system is untenable and that it hasn't worked well at all post-Reagan. There don't seem to be a lot of options other than one side trying to score political points against the other and to lie, cheat, and blur the boundaries to prevent the other side from making progress (which will be turned into political credit). The author does a good job of pointing out places where the titular subjects of the book actually seem to stand for something and are earnestly seeking lasting positive change for their constituents, and the USA as a whole.

Four stars. Dystopian (although it ends on an up note), and even more so because it's factually true. We can hope the forces of objective truth, honor, and dignity win. The book is not annotated and there are no chapter notes.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

This captivating book delves deep into the progressive movement among House Democrats. Grim skillfully tells the story of how this outstanding group formed a strong bond and earned the nickname The Squad. As you read, you gain a good understanding of how politics works, witnessing The Squad's determination to bring about changes in Congress, even when facing resistance from their own party.

Over the last ten years, the progressive faction of the Democratic Party has undergone significant changes, gaining more influence and power. Now, its leaders are actively shaping laws in Congress and influencing decisions in the White House. While AOC is often seen as the main face of The Squad, the other members are also making important contributions in their own ways.

Despite encountering some challenges with Party Leadership in The House, The Squad is undeniably making its mark and has the potential to bring about lasting changes. As I read through this enthralling book, I was drawn into the story, excited to see more from this group of dynamic and visionary leaders. Their promise to continue impacting the political scene is both thrilling and inspiring, and I can't wait to see what they do next.

So, I cheated a little, because I was reading an ARC from NetGalley and then I finished by listening to the library audiobook. The material was kind of dense because there were so many details. Honestly, I was kind of horrified at some of the techniques used by people working against each other. Yes, it's politics, but surely it's more important to build trust than tear down your opponents.
Once lies are spread, there's no way to take them back. The biggest lesson here is that, like them or not, agree with them or not, here are some people who actually stand for something instead of just being against their opponents.

this had lots of commas and was more about aoc than the squad, but really detailed and interesting political writing that manages to convey what's happened on the left in the last 8 years without making all sense of hope and optimism die. which is impressive in and of itself!

Described as a "riveting insider account"... It is not. It was, instead, a play-by-play of every political event from 2016 to the present. Based on the title, I thought this book would give more background information about the members of the "Squad" - what shaped them, how they won their campaigns, how they pushed for change in our government. And while there were pieces of this strewn throughout the book, there was so many other side roads that the title didn't really match the content. Parts were fascinating glimpses, but overall, this book was not what I expected.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.