Amazon sort of sucketh, albeit in an awesomely sucketh sort of way.

All we wanted to do was post a review and some blurbage on Amazon for the Masciotra's new joint Working on a Dream - The Progressive Political Vision of Bruce Springsteen. So we went with the following:

"David Masciotra is the bastard love child of Lester Bangs and William Julius Wilson."

But it didn't post, nothing, no post. So we wrote Amazon, and we said, hey Amazon, why no post and Amazon said the following:

"I read your recent review of "Working on a Dream: The Progressive Political Vision of Bruce Springsteen" and found it violated our posted guidelines. Your review was removed because it focused on the author. Our posted guidelines don't allow reviews that criticize authors or their intentions. Your review was more suited for a discussion forum."

Awesome.

We went with the following:

"While I expected a book celebrating Bruce Springsteen and his music, what I didn't quite expect was a celebration of not only how Springsteen's music exemplifies and illuminates the tenets of progressive politics ranging from the need to build community, address isolation, expose the degradation of the working class and strengthen the education system, but a discussion on the array of public policies that support these tenets."

Not as much fun for us mind you, but it did post, we have post.

This Book Will Change (not just) Your Life (but others) - Working on a Dream - The Progressive Political Vision of Bruce Springsteen/David Masciotra.

After a week or so of interviews with TBWCYL, Inc. favorite David Masiotra, here and here, appearances, many thanks again to Suzi T. and The Book Cellar crew, and the actual completion of his stirring new book Working on a Dream - The Progressive Political Vision of Bruce Springsteen, we thought it was time for some reflection.

(1) We are convinced more than ever that David Masciotra is the bastard love child of Lester Bangs and William Julius Wilson.

(2) While we expected a book celebrating Bruce Springsteen and his music, what we didn't quite expect was a celebration of not only how Springsteen's music exemplifies and illuminates the tenets of progressive politics ranging from the need to build community, address isolation, expose the degradation of the working class and strengthen the education system, but a discussion on the array of public policies that support these tenets.

(3) We hope that unlike Fahrenheit 911, for example, this book can serve to activate citizens of all stripes and not just the true believers, and so if you have any ideas about how this can be accomplished please let us know.

(4) Bruce Springsteen is venerated by Boomers and Generation X, but his message speaks to Millenials and their interest in social causes, community and supporting the oppressed. This book has the potential then to serve as both a bridge between generations and a blueprint for Millenials seeking both direction and leadership.

(5) David Masciotra may or may not emerge as the poet laureate of the Millenial generation, but we do believe that we are witnessing the birth of a public intellectual in the vein of a Cornel West or Douglas Brinkley and that one day we will say we knew him when.