Review: Bloody Crossroads

 Book: Bloody Crossroads 202: Art, Entertainment, and Resistance to Trump

Author: Danny Goldberg

Release Date: Nov 2, 2021

Disclaimer: ARC via a Librarything giveaway.

 

               For many people, the 2020 election, and the Trump presidency in general, will  be remembered for the large amounts of stress and worry.  Not just in leading up to the election, but in the aftermath as the country waited for the ballots to be counted.  Here in Philly, when Biden was announced as the winner, celebrations broke out, there was dancing in the streets (there was, I have the video).   The build up to the election was something else entirely.  In his book Bloody Crossroads, Goldberg details the activism of people in the arts  - Hollywood actors, musicians, producers and so on.

               Goldberg does provide a brief overall of activism in the popular media at the beginning of the book.  In some ways, this section is a bit better than the chapters focusing on the 2020 election.  A large part of  the reason for this is because the recent election is, well, recent.  The passage of time can and usually does allow for a more in depth analysis.  Additionally, this section also does not feel like a list.

               And that is the major flaw of the section of the book that focuses on the 2020 election.  A good portion of it, in particular the later chapters reads like a list – this famous person tweeted this, this musician did this, this group of actors raised x about of money for this group and so on.  While on one hand this important to know the levels of engagement at all levels of popular media, on the other hand, listing does not make particularly engrossing reading.

               It isn’t all listing though.  Goldberg does offer in depths looks at the activism of Jane Fonda, Taylor Swift, Cardi B, Alyssa Milano,  and a few others.  (I should note that I am not a Bob Dylan fan so the time spent discussing Dylan was a bit meh for me.  Goldberg clearly is a Dylan fan, so another Dylan fan will get more out of it than me. ).  He does seem to spend a bit more space on the older stars, but his discussion of Swift and Cardi B in particular is very good and balance that spacing out.

 I should note that at times, it felt like he was interviewing people he himself knew and had a personal relationship with.  For instance, Rosanne Cash is quoted on the cover and mentioned and quoted in the book itself, and that always makes me feel a bit conflicted.  I know Goldberg isn’t a reporter but it has conflict of interest feel.  The book, as the title indicts, is largely about those in the creative field (primary performance creative field) who supported the Democrats over Trump, though those who supported Trump and their actions do at times get a brief mention. 

               There are some very good sections about the development of projects  helmed by David Simon and Steven Spielberg as well as  chapter devoted to the production of film and tv produced by African-Americans.  The chapter is not the only place POC creators are discussed, but considering Trump’s comments and treatment of POC, it is important to have such a chapter.  There is also a chapter dealing with the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of George Floyd’s death on the makers of context.

               A little less emphasis on Netflix, understandable of course, and a little more about what other streaming services did. Hulu is mentioned a few times and HBOMax once or twice. I found myself wondering why some of the other content was mentioned; for instance, Ted Lasso which in some ways feels like a rebuke to Trump (it premiered in August 2020). Also the majority of the arts mentioned are people who are singers, actors, or producers.  There is little in the way of the other arts – writers (outside of script writers), video game creators, painters and so on.  Strange considering the book’s title.

               The book does work as a good overview of the actions that many famous people took during the election cycle.  It’s just that I found myself wanting a bit more from the book itself.  A little more analysis and a little less listening.  A little more something.  However, it is still worth a read.