.png) Pamela, When a friend phoned to tell me that my new book, "Coming Up Short: A Memoir of My America," was number one on The New York Times nonfiction bestseller list (it's actually right there at the top in this past Sunday's print edition), I couldn't believe it. Being the sentimental slob I am, my eyes welled up. This book is especially meaningful to me because it's about my life. I wrote it to share with you what I've learned about stopping bullies in my life and from 50 years in politics. I recount my experience of being bullied as a kid, and I also explore why so many people feel bullied today by the rich and powerful. This is the book I wanted to get out in the world at this moment, when the bully Donald Trump is again president, and when so many are struggling to understand how we got here and what we can do about it. If you've already purchased my book, thank you. If you haven't, you can pick up a copy at your local independent bookstore. Or if you'd like to order my book online, I recommend getting it from Bookshop.org. By purchasing my book from Bookshop.org, you can support a local, independent bookstore of your choice, instead of a corporate behemoth. 
Ever since I was a teenager, I've been fascinated by The Times bestseller list, especially the nonfiction books. I thought that their authors and ideas provided tiny windows into the American mind at those particular moments in time. I wondered how they got to be number one bestsellers. And for the last 43 years, I've also felt a personal stake. My first book was published in 1982. It didn't make it anywhere near the bestseller list. Years went by, and I wrote 17 more books. I wrote them as well as I could, and I've contented myself with the thought that my books have contributed to public understanding, but I don't think readers found them especially exciting. Here's a slightly embarrassing story: One day I was at a friend's house and noticed one of my books on his living room bookshelf. I told him how flattered I was that he had bought it. He looked a bit sheepish and suggested I pull the book out and look inside. When I opened the cover, I found that the entire inside had been hollowed out. It was where my friend stored valuable jewelry from his grandmother. He assumed no one would ever find the valuables because no one would ever pull out my book. But "Coming Up Short" has really resonated with readers, and I'm incredibly grateful. I hope those who read it will find it helpful in understanding how we can combat the bullies in the years ahead—and why I believe so passionately that we will. Pick up a copy today from Bookshop.org for yourself—or to give as a gift to a friend or a loved one. This has been a lifetime dream for me, yet I've been worried about sharing the news. Bragging about a personal achievement seems so, well, Trumpian. But I'm telling you this news because I think you'll share in the excitement with me. Thank you. –Robert Reich P.S. I used to joke that my books were the kind that once you put them down, you couldn't pick them up. The success of "Coming Up Short" means I'll have to retire that joke, but that's OK. If you'd like to pick up the book that, apparently, can't be put down, grab your copy of "Coming Up Short," right here. P.P.S. If you want regular updates from me on authoritarianism, inequality, and corruption; cartoons, drawings, and videos; information about upcoming book talks; and more, please subscribe to my Substack. My daily Substack newsletter is intended not just to inform (and occasionally amuse) you, but also to arm you with the truth so you can fight more effectively for the common good. | 
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