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With his latest book The Bitter Taste of Hope: Ideals, Ideologies, and Interests in the Age of Obama, Stephen Eric Bronner shares many of the popular essays and articles he wrote during the Obama years, most of which were previously published in online journals. Divided into four sections – “Ideals and Interests,” “Murderous Impulses,” “Rebellion American Style,” and “War and Peace” – the book includes over two dozen chapters that touch on a wide range of topics. While some essays discuss historical figures like Albert Camus and Paul Robeson, the bulk of the volume focuses on Middle Eastern politics and U.S. foreign policy, and so builds on Bronner’s post-9/11 scholarship, as articulated in Blood in the Sand (2005) and Peace Out of Reach (2007). A funny thing happened as I was reading the book on an airplane trip. The cover of the book features a photograph of President Obama, deep in thought. As I was sitting there, waiting for take-off, the man sitting next to me, who told me he grew up in India, commented, “You know I bought that book because of the title. In my culture, they say the strong one who makes change has to be able to drink poison. That’s what the title means.” I had not thought of it that way, so I appreciated his insight. I had actually been wondering about the title, which to me suggests bitterness about the Obama presidency. I was expecting the book to offer a scathing critique of the administration’s missteps – an angle that would have validated my own disappointments – but instead Bronner takes a much more generous view of Obama’s performance, blaming the forces of reaction for any shortcomings – and persuasively so. We have to consider the historical and political context in which Obama acted. So why that title? When the plane landed, I emailed Bronner and asked him about the title. He wrote back, “It’s a line from one of my favorite novels – Like a Tear in the Ocean by Manes Sperber, the greatest book about communism. His point was that one pays a price for optimism. Hope can disappoint. That doesn’t deny its validity, but instead lets you know that there is a price for it.” Those who had high hopes in 2008 ended up disappointed, not with Obama per se, but with the reaction his presidency engendered. I share this anecdote for a couple of reasons. First, it illustrates the appeal Bronner’s new book has for a general readership. Not only is the title intriguing but so is the book. It is very accessible – clearly written, focused on current events, and comprised of short essays that can