50 States of Mind
A Journey to Rediscover American Democracy
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Narrated by:
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Ryan Bernsten
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By:
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Ryan Bernsten
About this listen
Is America as divided as it seems? As a graduate student at Oxford, Ryan Bernsten undertook a 23,000-mile journey through all 50 states to look beyond the news cycles and see his home country from the ground. Following in the footsteps of Alexis de Tocqueville, Bernsten leads with the desire to listen and find common humanity in Americans he meets across the country. Bernsten ultimately offers a hopeful vision for the future of America, as he embarks on a search for meaning and reflects on what it means to be American.
This book is a companion to the podcast 50 States of Mind which showcases interviews from the journey and is available on all podcast platforms.
©2023 Ryan Bernsten (P)2023 Ryan BernstenListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
"If you are sadly convinced that our country is hopelessly divided along political and cultural lines, then I strongly urge you to read the book that is guaranteed to give you hope." (Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky)
"What is America and who are the people who make up its heart and soul? In 50 States of Mind, Ryan Bernsten gives us a window into our vast complexity, how we are different and yet alike. In his journey through all 50 states, Bernsten talked to people from all walks of life and discovered a basic decency and love of country that prevailed in cities and towns across the nation. At a time of depressing headlines and news stories, 50 States of Mind provides a welcome antidote and restores hope that our country will be alright in the end." (Gov. Christine Todd Whitman)
"Any politician, whether aspiring or actively in office, would do well to heed the words of 50 States of Mind...the book's much-needed prescription for angst and depression provides hope and a sense of purpose to modern America's struggles which is largely missing from newspaper headlines, but encouragingly present in this book. It considers the influences that polarize America, the nation's hopeful possibilities, and the pulse of a people living, breathing, and interacting to create a new American story." (The Midwest Book Review)
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1 Dead in Attic
- After Katrina
- By: Chris Rose
- Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
- Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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1 Dead in Attic is a collection of stories by Times-Picayune columnist Chris Rose, recounting the first harrowing year and a half of life in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Celebrated as a local treasure and heaped with national praise, Rose provides a rollercoaster ride of observation, commentary, emotion, tragedy, and even humor - in a way that only he could find in a devastated wasteland. They are stories of the dead and the living, stories of survivors and believers, stories of hope and despair.
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Still Makes Me Hurt
- By Gillian on 02-27-15
By: Chris Rose
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Midnight in Siberia
- A Train Journey into the Heart of Russia
- By: David Greene
- Narrated by: David Greene
- Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Through the stories of fellow travelers, Greene explores the challenges and opportunities facing the new Russia: a nation that boasts open elections and newfound prosperity yet still continues to endure oppression, corruption, and stark inequality. Set against the wintery landscape of Siberia, Greene’s lively travel narrative offers a glimpse into the soul of 20th century Russia: how its people remember their history and look forward to the future.
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Long String of NPR Short Reports
- By Sara on 04-13-15
By: David Greene
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The Book of Pride
- LGBTQ Heroes Who Changed the World
- By: Mason Funk
- Narrated by: Mason Funk, Robin Miles, Eileen Stevens, and others
- Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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The Book of Pride captures the true story of the gay rights movement from the 1960s to the present, through richly detailed, stunning interviews with the leaders, activists, and ordinary people who witnessed the movement and made it happen. These individuals fought battles both personal and political, often without the support of family or friends, frequently under the threat of violence and persecution.
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Pure Joy for EVERYONE
- By Micah D on 06-03-19
By: Mason Funk
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Parking the Moose
- One American's Epic Quest to Uncover His Incredible Canadian Roots
- By: Dave Hill
- Narrated by: Dave Hill
- Length: 10 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Dave Hill was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. But his grandfather was from Canada. Inspired by a publisher's payment of several hundred dollars (Canadian) in cash, Dave has traveled all over Canada, reconnecting with his heritage in such places as Montreal, Moose Jaw, Regina, Winnipeg, and Merrickville, meeting a range of Canadians, touching things he probably shouldn't, and having adventures too numerous and rich in detail to be done justice in this blurb. The result, he promises, is "the greatest Canada-based literary thrill ride of your lifetime".
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Oh Canada!
- By Gerry on 11-26-19
By: Dave Hill
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Shortest Way Home
- One Mayor's Challenge and a Model for America's Future
- By: Pete Buttigieg
- Narrated by: Pete Buttigieg
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Once described by The Washington Post as "the most interesting mayor you've never heard of", Pete Buttigieg, the 36-year-old Democratic mayor of South Bend, Indiana, has improbably emerged as one of the nation's most visionary politicians. First elected in 2011, Buttigieg left a successful business career to move back to his hometown, previously tagged by Newsweek as a "dying city", and transformed it into a shining model of urban reinvention.
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Reveals a Person Wise & Experienced & Literate
- By dbbks3 on 03-17-19
By: Pete Buttigieg
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The Stonewall Reader
- By: New York Public Library, Edmund White
- Narrated by: full cast
- Length: 10 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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June 28, 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, which is considered the most significant event in the gay liberation movement, and the catalyst for the modern fight for LGBTQ rights in the United States. Drawing from the New York Public Library's archives, The Stonewall Reader is a collection of first accounts, diaries, periodic literature, and articles from LGBTQ magazines and newspapers that documented both the years leading up to and the years following the riots.
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A good snapshot of LGBT history
- By Randy A. Wood on 09-28-19
By: New York Public Library, and others
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A Very Punchable Face
- A Memoir
- By: Colin Jost
- Narrated by: Colin Jost
- Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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If there’s one trait that makes someone well-suited to comedy, it’s being able to take a punch - metaphorically and, occasionally, physically. Told with a healthy dose of self-deprecation, A Very Punchable Face reveals the brilliant mind behind some of the dumbest sketches on television, and lays bare the heart and humor of a hardworking guy - with a face you can’t help but want to punch.
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Amazing
- By Erin E. Kace on 07-27-20
By: Colin Jost
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Say I'm Dead
- A Family Memoir of Race, Secrets, and Love
- By: E. Dolores Johnson
- Narrated by: Allyson Johnson
- Length: 7 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Fearful of prison time - or lynching - for violating Indiana’s anti-miscegenation laws in the 1940s, E. Dolores Johnson's Black father and White mother fled Indianapolis to secretly marry in Buffalo. Her mother simply vanished, evading an FBI and police search that ended with the declaration to her family that she was the victim of foul play, either dead or sold into white slavery.
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Deeply meaningful important read
- By A.M.Rousseau on 12-21-21
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Being Heumann
- An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist
- By: Judith Heumann, Kristen Joiner
- Narrated by: Ali Stroker
- Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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A story of fighting to belong in a world that wasn't built for all of us and of one woman's activism - from the streets of Brooklyn and San Francisco to inside the halls of Washington - Being Heumann recounts Judy Heumann's lifelong battle to achieve respect, acceptance, and inclusion in society. From fighting to attend grade school after being described as a "fire hazard" to later winning a lawsuit against the New York City school system for denying her a teacher's license because of her paralysis, Judy's actions set a precedent that improved rights for disabled people.
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A must read for everyone
- By Christopher A Cawthon on 09-28-20
By: Judith Heumann, and others
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Midnight in Mexico
- A Reporter's Journey through a Country's Descent into Darkness
- By: Alfredo Corchado
- Narrated by: Timothy Andres Pabon
- Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Noted Mexican American journalist Alfredo Corchado refuses to shrink from reporting on government corruption, murders in Juarez, or the ruthless drug cartels of Mexico. One night, Corchado received a tip that he could be the next target of the Zetas, a violent paramilitary group - and that he had 24 hours to find out if the threat was true. Midnight in Mexico is the story of one man's quest to report the truth of his country - as he races to save his own life.
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Fascinating & suspenseful historical non-fiction!
- By Ruth Barrie on 06-30-19
By: Alfredo Corchado
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Lone Stars
- By: Justin Deabler
- Narrated by: Michael Crouch
- Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Lone Stars follows the arc of four generations of a Texan family in a changing America. Julian Warner, a father at last, wrestles with a question his husband posed: what will you tell our son about the people you came from, now that they're gone? Finding the answers takes Julian back in time to Eisenhower's immigration border raids, an epistolary love affair during the Vietnam War, crumbling marriages, queer migrations to Cambridge and New York, up to the disorienting polarization of Obama's second term.
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Read for bookclub but fell in Love
- By Ericka Lawson on 09-11-22
By: Justin Deabler
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A Mighty Long Way
- My Journey to Justice at Little Rock Central High School
- By: Carlotta Walls Lanier
- Narrated by: Peter Fernandez, Lizan Mitchell
- Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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In 1951, Carlotta Walls Lanier was one of the nine African-American students to integrate Little Rock High School, and the first to earn a diploma. Here she provides a firsthand account of her experiences - including the bombing that rocked her home, the constant threats she and her classmates faced, and the pressure and bullying her parents endured.
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Very insightful book
- By karen feek on 01-05-21
What listeners say about 50 States of Mind
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Carly Blake
- 03-26-23
A great road trip book to add to the anthology
The parallels to Travels with Charlie and Blue Highways are obvious and this writer does a great job painting a picture of modern America in a clear-eyed way. I also enjoyed the personal essays throughout. A pretty great listen, especially if you're on a road trip thru America!
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- Haley
- 03-27-23
A refreshing look at our partisan politics
This book did give me hope that we're not necessarily as divided as the media makes up appear. At the end of the day, it's about people. This is a great listen for people who want to better understand the US and have some laughs along the way.
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- Emily
- 03-27-23
Got through in one day
This is a soulful and funny exploration of of the United States . I wasn't sure what to expect, but I got through this is one day. The narration and story were grat.
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- Angela
- 09-12-23
Raw, Honest, Funny, and Positive!
Absolutely loved this book! I really enjoyed the author's raw honesty, hilarious stories, and refreshing perspective of empathy and trying to understand others who may have a different perspective than you.
As an avid traveler myself, the idea of finding the beauty in every place and how communities of each state wanting to show the author the cultural aspects they were most proud of really rang true to me.
Overall this was a great listen! I loved the audiobook and being able to hear the story from the author through his voice. Loved the positive and hopeful tone of the story.
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- Sara
- 03-28-23
captures American life in a turbulent time
This is a special, heartfelt book that asks what if we approached our fellow Americans with humility and grace? I love the deepness of the message of trying to understand America alongside with the hijinks the author gets into along the way.
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- Anonymous User
- 09-25-23
An incredible journey
I saw Ryan speak at my local libary and I was moved by what he said - we need to focus the outrage we put out into the social media world back in our own community. I found his book engaging and funny and well performed. Highly recommend!
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- Anonymous User
- 06-27-23
Hope in America
Vulnerable, brave, optimistic, inspiring, funny and just a wonderful read or listen. Ryan does a wonderful job of pulling you in and challenging beliefs. Thanks for sharing your journey.
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- Scott N
- 04-10-23
Highly Recommend! Insightful and Entertaining!
Author Ryan Bernsten takes us on a modern day odyssey as he embarks on the tall task of visiting all 50 states in mere months. During this journey he meets local leaders, news anchors, politicians, and people from all walks of life. While the book seeks to understand the serious subjects of democracy and the state of our nation, Bernsten also expertly weaves humor into his writing such as when he had a threatening encounter with a self-proclaimed nudist in San Francisco.
As I stated in the subject line, this story truly is insightful and entertaining. It is also deeply personal and uplifting. It will make you think about your views of American culture and democracy, and will leave you feeling better off because you read this book.
Highly recommend! You’ll be glad you took the time to read or listen to it!
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- Hunter Nelson
- 04-07-23
A Stunning and Necessary Portrait of America
Bernsten’s breathtaking journey, and his Herculean kindness and zeal, combine for a tour-de-force literary debut. This is the book every soon-to-be graduate needs in their hands before embarking on their own daunting journey.
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- Patrick
- 03-26-23
Read Now!
A fantastic read for anyone who lives in these States or is at all curious about what it’s like to experience a country with perspectives as diverse as it’s geology. In 50 States of Mind: A Journey to Rediscover American Democracy, Ryan Bernsten is doing the seemingly impossible — he’s talking to people. By elevating the voices of everyday Americans while also sharing his own unique story, Ryan is able to showcase the universal in what is means to be an American. Across these pages you’ll hear everyday stories ranging from Mayors to bartenders. Follow Ryan on his 50 State journey and learn how your neighbors and our communities may be the key to saving our democracy. If you're looking for a shot of optimism about this country, and sprinkles of too bizarre to believe anecdotes you could only get on a 50 State road trip, then this is absolutely the book for you.
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