"Hope and Scorn: Eggheads, Experts, and Elites in American Politics"
Greetings,
Michael's book -- a reworking of his doctoral thesis at the London School of Economics -- has been a collaborative effort with editors at University of Chicago Press, who confected the book's name with an eye to attracting "lay" readers.
Without losing its scholarly depth and mastery, "Hope and Scorn" has been "re-worked" to appeal not only to scholars but to thoughtful people in all walks of life.
Michael is such an amiable fellow - thoughtful, kind, gentle, cheerful, undaunted -- as well as being a brilliant extemporaneous speaker and "on-the-fly" thinker (with a great memory and the agility to synthesize fresh thoughts by ranging over a host of disciplines), I think Michael is in an excellent position -- if the vicissitudes of fortune break his way... and a few stars align -- to be given a place on the "talk show circuit."
Of course, one never knows if a "break" will be in the offing.
It is also possible that Michael's genius could be implicitly threatening to talk-show "screeners," although I think his extraordinary amiability will be prophylactic in this regard.
What is certain is that we will all be much better informed, alert - even enlightened - firstly by "Hope and Scorn," but also if Michael becomes a "go-to professorial resource" in "the national discussion."
NPR would wisely snatch him up.
Pax et amore
Alan