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David Greenberg

@davidgreenberg.bsky.social
721 followers 160 following 98 posts

Historian, writer, author of John Lewis: A Life, Republic of Spin, Nixon's Shadow, more. Professor at Rutgers University. Politico columnist. Occasional contributor to NYT, WP, WSJ, Liberties, Atlantic, old TNR, more. Email: davidgr@rutgers.edu.

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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
Nothing against the particular journalist in question, but how in the world do you enjoy employment as a writer for New York magazine for 14 years if you write "for Judith and I"?
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
With Mark Feldstein, correcting the record about Nixon and Trump in the NYT. Some people are still trying to exonerate Nixon. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/05/o... @merrillcollege.bsky.social @ruhistorydept.bsky.social
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 04/12/2025
Named one Amazon's best books of 2024, JOHN LEWIS is out in paperback - a perfect holiday gift! (Hardcover also on steep discount at Amazon.) Happy to sign copies for you (email me to arrange shipping, etc.) Or get the prize-winning audiobook. LINK here: www.amazon.com/John-Lewis-L...
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 06/11/2025
Dick Cheney embodied the strain of modern conservatism that Trump repudiated. But his full-speed-ahead political style and belief in an unfettered executive helped make Trump's wrecking-ball presidency possible. www.politico.com/news/magazin...
politico.com
How Dick Cheney’s Lack of Restraint Paved the Way for Donald Trump
The former vice president wanted to strengthen the presidency. He didn’t see where it would lead.
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
For years it's driven me crazy to see so many people misunderstand and misuse the term "neoliberalism" -- and then, based on their misunderstandings, to engage in bad history and policy analysis. Herewith, an attempt at a corrective. libertiesjournal.com/articles/the...
libertiesjournal.com
The Nonsense of ‘Neoliberalism’ - Liberties
A Conceptual Trash Heap Toni Morrison was wrong when she intoned that language is violence. But let’s give her this: the reckless use of words can do violence, idiomatically speaking, to clear thinkin...
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
In 2016, Trump promised to ban foreign lobbyists from raising money for U.S. elections. He didn’t. If anything, the swamp became more miasmatic. I lay out the story (well, part of it) in my review for The New York Times Book Review of a new tome on foreign lobbying. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/14/b...
nytimes.com
Is American Foreign Policy Really for Sale?
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 07/10/2025
Friends: JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE comes out in paperback today, and I'll be on Reddit (there's a first time for everything) as part of its feature, "I'm a Historian. Ask Me Anything!" Come find me! www.reddit.com/r/AskHistori...
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 04/09/2025
Rutgers has created a “Democracy Lab” for cultivating democratic ideas and ideals & fostering the lost art of engaging with others across differences. We're searching for an inaugural director. More about the position in the link. Email me w/questions. wittkieffer.com/positions/20...
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 22/08/2025
mailchi.mp/095f6583de59... Excited that JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE has been named to the short list for the Museum of African American History Stone Book Award!
mailchi.mp
The MAAH Stone Book Award Short List for 2025!
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 14/08/2025
Thank you! It's always great to find readers appreciating the book -- and finding inspiration in John Lewis's remarkable life. The e-book is on sale for only $3.99 this month at Amazon. www.amazon.com/John-Lewis-L...
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Verena Barth-Wehrenalp🇪🇺🇦🇹 🇺🇦 @vbarth-wehrenalp.bsky.social · 14/08/2025
Fascinating book by @davidgreenberg.bsky.social - tracing the life of John Lewis, “the conscience of Congress”! Compelling to read now, comparing the challenges of the civil rights era and what we are witnessing today. "Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America."
Book cover:
Black & White picture of the young John Lewis against grey backdrop.
“JOHN LEWIS
A LIFE”
By David Greenberg
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 20/05/2025
New Havenites: I'll be talking with my friend Eric Liu to discuss JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE on Friday, May 23 at 2 pm at the Yale Bookstore. Please join us!
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 07/05/2025
Very proud and humbled to have JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE chosen as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Biography. It was a privilege to write the life of this remarkable man, and it's been a joy to watch so many appreciative readers draw sustenance and hope from his story.
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
buttondown.com/courtofhisto... What is going on with freedom of speech and the rule of law under this administration? Join this Zoom for a serious, knowledgeable discussion.
buttondown.com
Freedom from Fear: The Assault on the Rule of Law
Norman Rockwell, Freedom of Speech (1943) Join The Court of History and our expert panelists for an urgent webinar discussing the administration’s assault on...
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 16/03/2025
Demoralized by all the horrible news out of Washington? Draw inspiration from the life of civil rights hero John Lewis. I'll be with Nick Lemann of The New Yorker & Columbia University. www.showclix.com/event/greenb... Tues., Mar. 25, at the NY Public Library on 42nd St. I'd love to see you there!
showclix.com
John Lewis: David Greenberg with Nicholas Lemann
Tickets for John Lewis: David Greenberg with Nicholas Lemann in New York from NYPL. A major biography of civil rights icon John Lewis, celebrated as “the conscience of Congress,” offers profound insig...
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
Back by popular demand! Come talk about John Lewis, whose courage, determination, and hopefulness we need more than ever. March 25 at the NYPL! With the great Nick Lemann. www.showclix.com/event/greenb...
showclix.com
John Lewis: David Greenberg with Nicholas Lemann
Tickets for John Lewis: David Greenberg with Nicholas Lemann in New York from NYPL. A major biography of civil rights icon John Lewis, celebrated as “the conscience of Congress,” offers profound insig...
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 17/02/2025
I’m not sure what “White Lotus” offers that wasn’t achieved 50+ years ago by the Brady Bunch going to Hawaii.
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 29/01/2025
My Rutgers colleague Din Ambar and I will be talking John Lewis and the past and future of democracy at ROOSEVELT HOUSE on Monday, February 3. Open to the public! www.roosevelthouse.hunter.cuny.edu/events/david...
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 21/01/2025
Upcoming tour dates for JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE ... Los Angeles - New York City - Savannah - Montgomery - New Brunswick, NJ ... Come and hear about the remarkable life of civil rights hero and distinguished congressman John Lewis.
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 20/01/2025
Martin Luther King Jr. was many things to John Lewis: inspiration, mentor, friend, lodestar, partner, father figure. Their closeness, personally and ideologically, was a revelation of my research for JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE. Only the book can do the full story justice. www.amazon.com/John-Lewis-L...
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 20/01/2025
Joe Biden was probably the only major candidate in the 2020 field who could've beaten Trump and was qualified to deal with the invasion of Ukraine. If he or Harris had beaten Trump in 2024, his legacy would probably look very different. www.politico.com/news/magazin...
politico.com
Joe Biden Didn’t Just Lose the White House. He Lost His Legacy.
What might have been a great chapter in the history books could be just a footnote.
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 18/01/2025
Biden's presidency may be ultimately seen in a tragic light: great promise unrealized. www.politico.com/news/magazin...
politico.com
Joe Biden Didn’t Just Lose the White House. He Lost His Legacy.
What might have been a great chapter in the history books could be just a footnote.
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 13/01/2025
"The notion that Clinton & Newt Gingrich, or Obama & Paul Ryan, were partners with a shared ideology that could be usefully defined by a single term ['neoliberalism'] ignores almost everything that happened during these years." Chait, as usual, slices through the conventional wisdom trenchantly.
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 06/01/2025
If you'd still like to go to an event for JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE here's a nice one (w/a modest price tag): a private NYC salon with 20 ppl + yours truly. Wed, Jan 29, 7:30pm (Zoom also possible.) Tickets HERE: www.eventbrite.com/o/bookthewri... One week before they'll send you the address. Check it out!
eventbrite.com
BOOKTHEWRITER
BOOKTHEWRITER presents
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
The insufferable Nick Kristof is up to his celebrity name-dropping ways once again...
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 23/12/2024
www.amazon.com/John-Lewis-L... ... Still time to order it for Christmas or Hanukkah!
amazon.com
John Lewis: A Life
John Lewis: A Life [Greenberg, David] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. John Lewis: A Life
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 21/12/2024
Almost everyone has left Slate since I worked there, but the "Gabfest" is still hosted by the wonderful David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson. It was great fun to gab with Plotz about JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p...
podcasts.apple.com
Political Gabfest
Politics Podcast · 688 Episodes · Updated Weekly
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 15/12/2024
The best books of 2024 lists keep coming in! Order one before the holidays? www.amazon.com/John-Lewis-L...
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Quillette @quillette.bsky.social · 11/12/2024
‘The Message’ is a lopsided, unserious, and frequently embarrassing essay, the real target of which is the very existence of Israel, writes @markhorowitz.bsky.social for @quillette.bsky.social. quillette.com/2024/12/11/o...
quillette.com
Oversimplify and Vilify
‘The Message’ is a lopsided, unserious, and frequently embarrassing essay, the real target of which is the very existence of Israel.
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 11/12/2024
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e... History Buffs: I've never had a conversation w/Claire Potter @tenuredradical.bsky.social in which I didn't learn something. She hosts perhaps the best history podcast around, which I gladly joined to discuss JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE. Do listen. Timely & informative.
podcasts.apple.com
Episode 62: We Shall Not Be Moved
Podcast Episode · Why Now? A Political Junkie Podcast · 10/31/2024 · 41m
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 11/12/2024
Leaders of PEN America past & present came in droves to extol Suzanne Nossel's transformative 11 years as exec director & CEO. Michael & Yvonne Marsh hosted; PEN Presidents Jennifer Egan &Salman Rushdie made toasts. Now Suzanne goes to Freedom House to uphold liberty against the authoritarian tide.
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 08/12/2024
I was happy to join Andrew Sullivan to discuss JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE. I've known Andrew since we worked at The New Republic in its 1990s glory days, and while we sometimes disagree politically, we always have great conversations. Have a listen! andrewsullivan.substack.com/p/david-gree...
andrewsullivan.substack.com
David Greenberg On John Lewis And Civil Rights
The historian has a compelling new book on the heroic figure. Listen now on the Dishcast.
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 06/12/2024
Re-upping this one with weekend shopping upon us...
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
rollcall.com/2024/12/05/c... More year-end lists!
rollcall.com
Deck the Hill with books aplenty: Capitol insiders share their favorites of 2024
Nothing says “holiday gift” like a 400-page tome about history, politics or power. We asked some of Washington’s busiest readers for their recommendations.
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
🎄🕎❄️Holiday Gift Offer! ❄️🕎🎄 Looking for a gift for the holidays? Get the book reader in your life JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE. And if you'd like it signed, I'll sign it to the person of your choice. Contact me by email; address is in my bio.📘
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
COngratulations to David Sadzin (www.davidsadzin.com) for his wonderful reading of JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE -- winning it "Best Audiobook of 2024" by Audiofile magazine. Audio, print, e-book -- find the version that works for you!
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 01/12/2024
freebeacon.com/culture/a-fr... Well, I'm not a frequent reader of the Free Beacon, but they are known for having a strong book review section, and Patrick Parr is a respected scholar of Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement. So I'm grateful to see this new review of JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE!
freebeacon.com
A Freedom Rider Finds His Cause
When I first cracked open David Greenberg’s John Lewis: A Life, I had one strong concern: Please don’t make him a saint. Past book-length efforts on Lewis, while indeed valuable, wrestled with a clear...
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
www.nytimes.com/interactive/... Pleased and proud to see JOHN LEWIS:A LIFE named as one of the best books of the year by the New York Times!
nytimes.com
100 Notable Books of 2024
Here are the year’s notable fiction, poetry and nonfiction, chosen by the staff of The New York Times Book Review.
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Washington Independent Review of Books @wirobooks.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
"Our 51 Favorite Books of 2024" (feat. @brianfairbanks.bsky.social @librarianjones.bsky.social @davidgreenberg.bsky.social @jeremydauber.bsky.social @jrdsllvn.bsky.social @jerrybrotton.bsky.social). www.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com/features/our...
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Jon Wiener @jonwiener.bsky.social · 23/11/2024
What kind of lessons can we learn from John Lewis as we face Trump’s return to the White House? David Greenberg discusses "John Lewis: A Life" – on @thenation.com podcast bit.ly/40WAhyL @simonbooks.bsky.social
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Bill Scher @billscher.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
Democrats may campaign with too many celebrities but they don’t let them run the government
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
I'm a Biden defender, mostly. But it's now clear that the WH & Fed were too slow to tackle inflation. Americans hadn't faced inflation that bad since Jimmy Carter. Yet in 2021 Biden's people either failed to remember the Carter catastrophe or convinced themselves it would be different this time.
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
Tonight! Tuesday! Get a needed dose of history and hope from John Lewis, at the New York Historical Society. www.nyhistory.org/programs/joh...
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 17/11/2024
Folks: Please REPOST! ==> Come Tuesday 11/19 to a great night at the New York Historical Society, where Mark Whitaker and I discuss the legacy of John Lewis! www.nyhistory.org/programs/joh...
nyhistory.org
John Lewis: From the Battle of Selma to the Conscience of the Congress | The New York Historical
Join us for a discussion of the life of John Lewis, from his days as a Freedom Rider to his congressional legacy.
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
I follow @joanwalsh.bsky.social not only for her political commentary but also for her Springsteen videos.
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 17/11/2024
Three more events in November to come hear about John Lewis: A Life: ==> 11/19 at the New York Historical Society ==> 11/20 at WBUR City Space in Boston ==> 11/23 in Miami at the Miami Book Fair www.miamibookfair.com/event/an-ame...
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 17/11/2024
Folks: Please REPOST! ==> Come Tuesday 11/19 to a great night at the New York Historical Society, where Mark Whitaker and I discuss the legacy of John Lewis! www.nyhistory.org/programs/joh...
nyhistory.org
John Lewis: From the Battle of Selma to the Conscience of the Congress | The New York Historical
Join us for a discussion of the life of John Lewis, from his days as a Freedom Rider to his congressional legacy.
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 17/11/2024
I've donated signed copies of my books to the Artists Against Antisemitism Auction. And there lots of other, cooler things to bid on, too! For a good and important cause.
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David Greenberg @davidgreenberg.bsky.social · 16/11/2024
Amazon has named JOHN LEWIS: A LIFE on of the best books of 2024! Lewis's life story of bravely and doggedly fighting for freedom, equality, and democracy is as important now as it ever has been. www.amazon.com/John-Lewis-L...
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