Synopses & Reviews
Ralph Nader is known for his lifetime of progressive activism and fearless critique of corruption in American politics and society. Yet in this fresh and inspiring new book, Nader takes a look backwardandndash;at a serene and enriching childhood spent in bucolic Winsted, Connecticut, and at the traditions he absorbed within his family. From listening to learning, from patriotism to argument, from work to simple enjoyment, Nader revisits seventeen traditions he learned from his parents, his siblings, and the people in his community, and draws from them inspiring lessons for today's society. Blending memoir and thoughtful inspiration, Nader offers readers a chance to look back on a time in American history when the family and the natural world were central in a child's understanding of how to be a conscientious adult.
Among the seventeen traditions he celebrates:
andbull;The Tradition of Listening
andbull;The Tradition of Charity
andbull;The Tradition of Civics
andbull;The Tradition of Work
andbull;The Tradition of Patriotism
andbull;The Tradition of Simple Enjoyment
In his warmest and most personal writing to date, Nader fondly describes his father's restaurant business and how it taught him about work, community and how to share in the spirits of others; the value of his mother's ethnic cooking and how it defined his relationship with his heritage, and the hours he spent as a child wondering through the undeveloped forests of Connecticut where he learned the value of solitude. In doing so, he reawakens our own memories of the blessings of a simpler timeandndash;and of the enduring values of family, community, and love that gave him the courage to lead a meaningful life.
Review
“The Seventeen Traditions brings us back to whats important in life and what makes America truly great.” Jim Hightower, Illinois Times
Synopsis
My boyhood in a small town in Connecticut was shaped by my family, my friends, our neighbors, my chores and hobbies, the town's culture and environment, its schools, libraries, factories, and businesses, their workers, and by storms that came from nowhere to disrupt everything....Yet childhood in any family is a mysterious experience....What shapes the mind, the personality, the character?
So begins this unexpected and extraordinary book by Ralph Nader. Known for his lifetime of selfless activism, Nader now looks back to the earliest days of his own life, to his serene and enriching childhood in bucolic Winsted, Connecticut. From listening to learning, from patriotism to argument, from work to simple enjoyment, Nader revisits seventeen key traditions he absorbed from his parents, his siblings, and the people in his community, and draws from them inspiring lessons for today's society. Warmly human, rich with sensory memories and lasting wisdom, it offers a kind of modern-day parable of how we grow from children into responsible adults a reminder of a time when nature and community were central to the way we all learned and lived.
Synopsis
One of America's most influential people reflects upon his upbringing in a small town in Connecticut, covering the seventeen "traditions" instilled in him and his siblings by loving but firm parents, which include listening, discipline, and civic duty.
Synopsis
An inspirational memoir by the presidential candidate and activist remembers his Connecticut childhood as the son of Lebanese immigrants and identifies seventeen life principles pertaining to such values as listening, charity, and patriotism. 50,000 first printing.
Synopsis
“
The Seventeen Traditions brings us back to whats important in life—and what makes America truly great.”
—Jim Hightower,
Illinois TimesThe activist, humanitarian, and former presidential candidate named one of the 100 most influential figures in American history by The Atlantic—one of only three living Americans so honored—Ralph Nader, looks back at his small-town Connecticut childhood and the traditions and values that shaped his progressive worldview. At once eye-opening, thought-provoking, and surprisingly fresh and moving, Naders The Seventeen Traditions is a celebration of uniquely American ethics certain to appeal to fans of Mitch Albom, Tim Russert, and Anna Quindlen—an unexpected and most welcome gift from this fearlessly committed reformer and outspoken critic of corruption in government and society. In a time of widespread national dissatisfaction and disillusionment that has given rise to new dissent characterized by the Occupy Wall Street movement, the liberal icon shows us how every American can learn from The Seventeen Traditions and, by embracing them, help bring about meaningful and necessary change.
About the Author
Ralph Nader is the independent party's candidate for president in the 2004 election. He has founded or organized more than one hundred civic organizations. His groups have made an impact on freedom to obtain government information, tax reform, atomic power regulation, the tobacco industry, renewable energy, clean air and water, food and drug safety, auto safety, safety in the workplace, access to healthcare, civil rights, civil justice, Congressional ethics, corporate reform, worker rights, globalization, and much more. This mammoth network of civic groups labors daily to improve the lives of every single American. He lives in Washington, D.C.