Reich is unfailingly generous, to a touching (and occasionally maddening) degree ... He is the exception to his own rule: As bullied as he was, he never became a bully. He has dedicated his life to promoting fairness, not revenge ... Reich comes across as thoughtful, genial and principled ... His numerous books have a moral center because he has a moral center ... Even though this book is billed as a memoir, it’s ultimately a call to action.
Thematically repetitive and baby-boomer-centric to the extreme, Coming Up Short is more manifesto than memoir...as well as a rallying cry to get things back to where they belong ... The last section...offers an idealistic scheme ... This is the weakest part of the book, as Reich offers a list of nice ideas...but not much of an action plan ... By far the most enjoyable portion of Coming Up Short is when Reich goes full George Bailey on the bullies.
Wonky ... Piquant ... Reich’s arguments are convincing, though they’re blinkered somewhat by his hand-waving invocation of 'cultural populism' ... Still, this is a perceptive insider’s account of Democratic disarray.
