In a book that is at once deeply personal and intellectually savvy, "Homegrown Democrat" is a celebration of liberalism as the "politics of kindness." In his inimitable style, Keillor draws on a lifetime of experience amongst the hardworking, God-fearing people of the Midwest and pays homage to the common code of civic necessities that arose from the left:

• Protect the social compact.
• Defend the powerless.
• Maintain government as a necessary force for good.

As Keillor tells it, these are articles of faith that are being attacked by hard-ass Republican tax cutters who believe that human misery is a Dickensian fiction. In a blend of nostalgic reminiscence, humorous meditation, and articulate ire, Keillor asserts the values of his boyhood—the values of Lake Wobegon—that do not square with the ugly narcissistic agenda at work in the country today.

A thoughtful, wonderfully written book, "Homegrown Democrat" is Keillor's love letter to liberalism, the older generation, John F. Kennedy, the University of Minnesota, and the yellow-dog Democrat city of St. Paul that is sure to amuse and inspire Americans just when they need it most.