Review: Taft 2012 by Jason Heller

Since the moment I learned about him, I was desperately in love and deep admiration of one Mr. Theodore Roosevelt. It came as a small wonder to me that I knew little to naught about the man who, while large in stature, could do nothing to fill the behemoth space left by him when he left the Oval Office. William Howard Taft did not even rate in my radar as second best, he rated as a possible after thought.

What was I supposed to think of a man who was obese before that was the unspoken accepted shape and size of the nation? What was I supposed to think of a man who got stuck in his bathtub?

I thought he was an amusement, a punchline, a caricature; in the process I forgot he was a man. I forgot that he was a president of my country. I forgot that he must have stood for something for the people of his time to support him.

When I saw the book Taft 2012 in the Quirk Books catalog I wondered, "What could this man offer us now?" and, I will admit this, I also thought, "Why not Teddy 2012?" because I am so sadly predictable. Either way, I was intrigued by the premise, feeling, like so many others that anyone could be a breath of fresh air in the current political race for president.


I decided I needed to read this book.

This has been one of my most enjoyable reads of the year so far. The premise of the book is wildly fantastic - one hundred years after a mysterious disappearance before the inauguration of his successor, Woodrow Wilson, William Howard Taft wakes up in November 2011 in Washington D.C. If you can suspend disbelief long enough to jump into the the story without worrying about how Taft made it to 2011, then you are in for a treat.

In November 2011, President Taft finds a whole new country before him, and Americans find a man who once carried the weight of political office without being distracted by the glamor of the title. Jason Heller, the author, does an amazing job of balancing Taft's early 20th century sensibilities within the fast paced 21st century world. While written in third person, Taft's voice is fully realized and thoroughly entertaining. He is a man out of his time simply trying to find a nice lunch, a game of golf and a place where he belongs.

As Taft finds his way around our new world we are treated to transcripts of politically charged television shows discussing his return, reports from the secret agent assigned to his protection, Craig's list reports of Taft sightings, excerpts from books written about his return and tweets from Taft fans and followers. The narrative keeps moving you forward as you find yourself unavoidably wondering, When will Taft get back into politics?

I couldn't help but be enamored with William Howard Taft and wish that there was some way this man could be here to run in 2012. A man with such a profound respect for the law and the will of the people sounds so truly American, I couldn't help but wonder what "truly American" means when we elect men who do not fit this description.

On a personal note, I was overjoyed that the state of our food industry played a role in the telling of this tale. While it is a work of fiction, there can be no denying that the inadequacies presented in Heller's book are evident in our reality. Perhaps it takes a larger-than-life food loving political being such as Taft to shine a light on the problems we have become far too accustomed to on our plates everyday, but whatever the case may be, I appreciated that Taft's call to civic duty was finally received from an issue that deserves far more press than it gets.

Whether you are a history buff, a fan of time travelers, alternate realities, fiction or politics, I highly recommend this book. It is thought provoking while still being light hearted and often funny (I did laugh out loud at a couple Taftisms). In the end, for fellow Americas, I can also say this book is hopeful. It is a reminder of who we are, what we stand for and how great movements can come to be.

Have you read Taft 2012? If so, what did you think of it?

What do you know about William Howard Taft?

If you could bring any US President back from the past to run for office in 2012, who would it be and why?

 

What if #15 [Writing Prompt]

Each week the Rivera Runs Through It blog presents a different "What If...?" question for you to explore.
 At the bottom of this post is a place for you to link up your own post about this week's question. If you have arrived at this post and the inlinkz tool is closed, or you don't have a blog, then please leave your response (or link) in the comment section below using DISQUS.

Happy pondering to everyone...

What IF #15:

What if you had to kill whatever living thing you chose to eat?

November 1st is International Vegan Day. It ends Vegetarian Awareness Month. Last year, I actually celebrated in November by going meatless every Monday. It gave me a lot of time to think about what I was eating, why I was eating it and what choices I make every single time I have a meal.


It is impossible to go through such an activity without this week's what if question wandering into your consciousness. I live in an incredibly convenient world where I don't have to think about the ugliness of death each time I have a meal, however, more times than not it is actually a death that makes that meal possible. If I chose differently, then perhaps a life could be saved. I understand this, yet, although I claim to value all life, I continue to eat meat, poultry and fish...


So, a year has passed and I am asking myself, and anyone else reading:

What if you had to kill whatever living thing you chose to eat?

• Could you do it? 
• Do you already do it?
• Would you change your diet?
• If so, why not change your diet now?
• Honest;y, what has a greater affect on your eating decisions: ethics or convenience?

Think about it. Write about it. Link up below!

For a list of all of the What if questions asked so far, 

see The What If Prompts

Occupy Wall Street

This past Saturday, I took my first trip to Liberty Plaza in Manhattan to check out the scene at the, now world famous, Occupy Wall Street gathering sight.

There is much to be shared about that first visit, but with this first post, I will share the visuals. I will let the pictures tell the first story...

First thing I was handed when I got there. Brilliant!

The rules of the plaza.

A dated map of the plaza.

Everyone stood quietly around and read these words as he (she?) spun for us...

the message was clear,

There were A LOT of people

There is a comfort station set up for everyone to use.

And as mainstream media has advertised, the youth is empowered and is raising their voice!

This view from Trinity Place, shows the park was filled throughout.

But no matter how crowded, the occupiers weren't leaving...

because this is no time to clown around.

GreenPeace even parked their super-cool solar truck next to the park.

Occupiers gathered to make music together.

Another occupier set up a canvas to paint.

The view from the center of the park, (the kitchen was behind me).

Here you can catch a glimpse of the kitchen (look for the BBQ) and some media.

I finally found some foodies!!

Lobbying and trading from the youth's perspective.

And some new math from an occupier who knows this isn't just the nation's youth's fight!

On Wall Street where money is everything, this sign claims it is THE problem.

One last view from Broadway, as I set off, but I know I'll be back!

What if #8

This post is an invitation to you to think about the word in the middle of life: IF (L-IF-E). Each week the Rivera Runs Through It blog will present a different "What If...?" question for you to explore. Some will be serious, some will be silly, some might be political, religious or historical.

You can either write a response of your own, or just tune in to see what everyone else has to say about it. At the bottom of this post will be a place for you to link up your own post about the question, so feel free to share. If you have arrived at this post and the inlinkz tool is closed, or you don't have a blog, then please leave your response (or link) in the comment section below using DISQUS.

Happy pondering to everyone...

What IF #8:

What if we were charged the "true" price of food and/or gas?

Money is tight right now for pretty much everyone, so no one wants to talk about paying more for anything, but what about the non-monetary costs of all that we consume from our planet? We do pay for some of the true costs of food and energy consumption through our taxes (here in the US) since certain things such as clean up costs and subsidies to these large industries, but what about the other costs? What if we could put a dollar amount on the environmental and wildlife damages caused by the food and energy industries? What if the health care costs resulting from certain food or energy choices could be accounted for?

How expensive would our food become? How much would it cost to fill up your car? Would these changes be enough for you to make new choices about your food and energy consumption? Do you think this "true" cost would be a good thing for society to embrace, or no?

This was a part of the conversation during last week's 24 Hours of Reality campaign by the Climate Reality Project. It is also something I've been thinking about for a long time. Now I'm wondering what you think! Link up or comment below!

For a list of all of the What if questions asked so far, 

see The What If Prompts