Global Angles: Noam Chomsky gives Stayin' Alive a Shout Out

In my first book, Capital Moves, I intentionally sought to place US history in a global framework. When I began Stayin' Alive, in contrast, I began to think about the enduring significance of national identity and politics despite (and because) of globalization. A couple of recent happenings that have projected the issues I'm trying to raise in the book beyond the national borders of the U.S. have therefore been gratifying

In a recent lecture on "Arab Spring, American Winter," Noam Chomsky gave the book a nice shout out, comparing the flowering of democracy in the Middle East with the eclipse of democracy in the United States. The whole lecture is worthwhile, but his mention of the book is around 17:50.

Funny story on Noam and Stayin' Alive. During my book tour, I was staying at a cool bed and breakfast in Buffalo called the Elmwood Village Inn. When I checked in, they asked me when I was going to check out the following day because Noam Chomsky needed my room next. Hmm, says I, Noam Chomsky, eh? So, that night at the book signing after my lecture, I bought a copy of my own book from the cool independent book dealer staffing the auditorium (I hadn't brought any besides my