A new book by Doris "Granny D" Haddock details a full-tilt citizen's "American Century."

Here's a book you should check out...thanks to Carol Wyndham, who works on public funding for elections and other democracy issues in New Hampshire, for sending us the good news about its publication.

Those of us who felt close to Doris "Granny D" Haddock wondered what the world would be like without the stunning moral clarity of her voice and her brave efforts to represent our highest values during politically dark times. Remarkably, we can put off for awhile that idea of being without her voice. In the last few winters of her life, she worked on a book to help us keep going. She has always helped us feel young and able to make a meaningful difference in the world, and this new book, released this week, "Granny D's American Century," gives us that gift again.

It is not a book of political speeches or essays, but a wild, colorful telling of stories from her life as a young drama student in Boston during the Depression, with a fast forward to her final years after her long walk across America––final years that included taking over the jobs of water park mermaids and alligator feeders and New Orleans bartenders long enough for those women to go register to vote. Her final act was to run for the U.S. Senate from New Hampshire, not because she thought she could win (or even wanted to), but so that she could bring her home state back into the blue, which she helped to do that year.

When the Citizens United ruling by the Supreme Court came down just before her death, she saw it as an opportunity for truer, deeper reform, once the evils of the coming flood of money horrified a majority of Americans. By seeing ahead, by thinking wisely, she saw how every turn of fortune can be a victory, if we use it well.

The book, published by University Press of New England (which includes Dartmouth, Univ. of N.H., Univ. of Vermont, Brandeis and Northeastern), is available on Amazon, or, (please) your local bookstore, including the Toadstool.

“Democracy is not something we have, it’s something we do.” --Granny D.