Thomas Frank

Thomas Frank (born 1965) is an American author and journalist who writes about politics, culture, and the relationship between these phenomena. His writings, which draw upon his training as a historian of culture and ideas, analyze trends in American electoral politics and propaganda, advertising, popular culture, mainstream journalism and economics. He has focused particularly upon exploring the rhetoric and impact of the 'Culture Wars' in American political life.

Frank espouses a Left political perspective and is highly critical of Republican governance, especially the presidency of George W. Bush. However, he has also criticized the Democratic Party for "swearing off economic liberalism" [http://www.nybooks.com/articles/17982] . He is unique among writers on the American Left both for his political outlook, which revives the discourses of the American Populist Movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries [http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/08012008/profile3.html] , and for his polemical style, which has been said to update that of the muckrakers of the same historical era [http://www.mediachannel.org/views/interviews/frank.shtml] .

Frank is the founder and editor of "The Baffler" and the author of several books, most recently "". Other writings include essays for "Harper's Magazine", "Le Monde diplomatique", "Bookforum", and the "Financial Times". His book "What's the Matter with Kansas?", published in 2004, earned him nationwide and international recognition.

Frank was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1965. He grew up in a local suburb, Mission Hills, Kansas. Frank graduated from Shawnee Mission East High School. He later attended the University of Kansas. He also attended the University of Virginia and the University of Chicago, where he received a Ph.D. in history in 1994. He currently lives in Washington, DC with his wife, Wendy, and their children.

He began writing a weekly column in the Wall Street Journal on May 14, 2008.

Books

*The Conquest of Cool (1997) ISBN 0-226-26012-7
* (2000) ISBN 0-385-49503-X
* (2002) ISBN 0-9717575-4-2
*What's the Matter with Kansas? (2004) ISBN 0-8050-7339-6
* (2008) 384pp, ISBN 0805079882, Publisher: Henry Holt and Co., Pub. Date: 2008-09-05.

As Editor

*"Commodify Your Dissent: Salvos from The Baffler" (1997) ISBN 0-393-31673-4
*"Boob Jubilee: The Mad Cultural Politics of the New Economy: Salvos from the Baffler" (2003) ISBN 0-393-32430-3

ee also

* "The Trap (TV Documentary Series)" Thomas Frank features in "The Trap", a BBC documentary.

External links

* [http://www.tcfrank.com/ Frank's personal website]
* [http://us.macmillan.com/author/thomasfrank Thomas Frank Author Page] (Henry Holt and Company)
* [http://www.thenation.com/blogs/edcut?bid=7&pid=28262 What's The Matter With "What's The Matter With Kansas"] ; The Nation; October 11, 2005; " [http://www.princeton.edu/%7ebartels/kansas.pdf Study] (pdf) argues that the white working class hasn't moved right and that "moral values" are not pushing them to vote Republican."
* [http://www.tcfrank.com/dismissd.pdf Class is Dismissed] Thomas Frank's reply to Prof. Bartels' study "What's The Matter With "What's The Matter With Kansas"."
* [http://www.prickly-paradigm.com/catalog.html#2 New Consensus for Old: Cultural Studies from Left to Right] 26 page book/pamphlet put out by Prickly Paradigm in Fall 2002.
* [http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/frank.html PBS's NOW with Bill Moyers] An interview on What's the Matter With Kansas?
*imdb name|id=1839388
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd5nd3aBtkU Frank giving speech at "Hostile Takeover"]
* [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120873309012529689.html?mod=mostpop Opinion article in the Wall Street Journal written by Frank]
* [http://www.pdxjustice.org/#Frank_14Aug2008 VIDEO: Thomas Frank, Aug. 14, 2008 - The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Rule] , presentation at Powell's Books in Portland, Oregon, from recent book tour.

Notes