{"title":"Joe Bageant","description":"\u003cp\u003eWelcome to our collection featuring the works of Joe Bageant, an insightful and provocative author known for his keen observations on American society. Bageant's books delve into the often overlooked lives of America's working class, providing an unflinching look at the societal structures that shape their world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eDeer Hunting With Jesus: Dispatches from America's Class War\u003c\/em\u003e, Bageant embarks on a compelling journey through his hometown in Virginia, shedding light on the realities faced by blue-collar America. With his signature wit and compassion, he unravels the complexities of class dynamics, challenging readers to reconsider preconceived notions about education and economic disparity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnother essential read, \u003cem\u003eWaltzing at the Doomsday Ball: The Best of Joe Bageant\u003c\/em\u003e, compiles his most powerful essays, showcasing his ability to blend humour and sharp critique. This collection captures Bageant's unique voice and enduring relevance as he addresses issues ranging from the American education system to cultural divides.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJoe Bageant's works fall under the \u003cstrong\u003eEducation \u0026amp; Reference\u003c\/strong\u003e category, as they educate readers on social issues through engaging narratives. Whether you're exploring these topics for personal growth or academic purposes, Bageant's keen insights and engaging storytelling will provide a valuable perspective.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"deer-hunting-with-jesus-dispatches-from-americas-class-war-by-joe-bageant-9781921372070","title":"Deer Hunting With Jesus: Dispatches from America's Class War","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Joe Bageant returned to his hometown of Winchester, Virginia, he rediscovered his redneck roots — \"the great beery, NASCAR-loving, church-going, gun-owning America that has never set foot in a Starbucks\". But he soon realised that these were the very people who had carried George W. Bush to victory.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis seemed ironic, because Winchester, like countless American small towns, was fast becoming the bedrock of a permanent underclass — a white ghetto of the working poor in which two in five people do not finish high school, nearly everyone over fifty has serious health problems and little or no health care, and credit ratings are virtually nonexistent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhat it adds up to, Bageant argues, is an unacknowledged, American class war from which alcohol, overeating, and Jesus are the preferred avenues of escape. \u003cem\u003eDeer Hunting with Jesus\u003c\/em\u003e is a raucous mix of storytelling and political commentary. By turns brutal, tender, incendiary, and seriously funny, it is a potent antidote to what Bageant dubs 'the American hologram' — the televised, corporatised, virtual reality that distracts us from the insidious realities of American life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46354686476524,"sku":"9781921372070","price":35.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/2131823482872.jpg?v=1744286189"},{"product_id":"waltzing-at-the-doomsday-ball-the-best-of-joe-bageant-by-joe-bageant-9781921844515","title":"Waltzing at the Doomsday Ball: The best of Joe Bageant","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2004, at the age of 58, writer Joe Bageant sensed that the internet could give him editorial freedom. Without having to deal with gatekeepers, he began writing about what he was really thinking, and started submitting his essays to left-of-centre websites. Joe’s essays soon gained a wide following for his forceful style, his sense of humour, and his willingness to discuss the American white underclass, a taboo topic for the mainstream media.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJoe called himself a 'redneck socialist', and he initially thought most of his readers would be very much like himself—working class from the southern section of the USA. So he was pleasantly surprised when the emails started filling his in-box. There were indeed many letters from men about Joe's age who had also escaped rural poverty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut there were also emails from younger men and women readers, from affluent people who agreed that the political and economic system needed an overhaul, from readers in dozens of countries expressing thanks for an alternative view of American life, from working-class Americans in all parts of the country, and more than a few from elderly women who wrote to Joe to say that they respected and appreciated his writing, but 'please don't use so much profanity'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJoe Bageant died in March 2011 at the age of 64, having published 89 essays online. The 25 essays presented in \u003ci\u003eWaltzing at the Doomsday Ball\u003c\/i\u003e have been selected by Ken Smith, who managed Joe's website and disseminated his work to the wider media and to Joe's dedicated fans and followers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46355259359468,"sku":"9781921844515","price":36.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/6856273482872.jpg?v=1744303951"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.pro\/collections\/joe-bageant.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}