Ours Was the Shining Future: The Story of the American Dream Cover
Podcast Mentions

Ours Was the Shining Future The Story of the American Dream

David Leonhardt

The clear-eyed, definitive history of the modern American economy and the decline of the American Dream, from the Pulitzer Prize–winning columnist behind Two decades into the twenty-first century, the stagnation of living standards has become the defining trend of American life. Life expectancy has...

Podcasts 11
Quotes 27
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

The Shining was mentioned in passing as a haunted hotel that the storyteller stayed at during a construction job, alluding to Stephen King's novel.

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almost being dumped and crushed in a garbage truck while dumpster diving and trudging through 12 inches of snow on crutches. Proud to be a margarino, Nicole.

— Episode: MFM Minisode 55

Episode: MFM Minisode 55

The Shining was mentioned in passing as a haunted hotel that the storyteller stayed at during a construction job, alluding to Stephen King's novel.

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almost being dumped and crushed in a garbage truck while dumpster diving and trudging through 12 inches of snow on crutches. Proud to be a margarino, Nicole.

while I was at this job I survived five hotel fires, staying at a haunted hotel reminiscent of The Shining,

Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend

Conan mentioned the novel as an example of a film that can completely immerse the audience, causing them to forget themselves.

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Whether it's, whether like you brought up Chinatown, like, or like some of my favorite movies, like Bonnie and Clyde, movies that you immerse yourself in, like The Shining, like, like you, you forget...

— Episode: Mary Bronstein

Episode: Mary Bronstein

Conan mentioned the novel as an example of a film that can completely immerse the audience, causing them to forget themselves.

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Whether it's, whether like you brought up Chinatown, like, or like some of my favorite movies, like Bonnie and Clyde, movies that you immerse yourself in, like The Shining, like, like you, you forget yourself.

Freakonomics Radio

David Leonhardt, a senior writer at the New York Times, discussed his book, "Ours Was the Shining Future: The Story of the American Dream," in which he explores the history of immigration in the US and its impact on the American dream. He stated that he embraces the heroic story of American immigration, but also grapples with the question of whether more immigration is always better.

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I'm a senior writer at the New York Times, and on the author of Hours was The Shining Future, the story of the American Dream.

— Episode: 581. What Both Parties Get Wrong About I...

Episode: 581. What Both Parties Get Wrong About Immigration

David Leonhardt, a senior writer at the New York Times, discussed his book, "Ours Was the Shining Future: The Story of the American Dream," in which he explores the history of immigration in the US and its impact on the American dream. He stated that he embraces the heroic story of American immigration, but also grapples with the question of whether more immigration is always better.

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I'm a senior writer at the New York Times, and on the author of Hours was The Shining Future, the story of the American Dream.

I also in writing this book came to grapple with the question of, okay, immigration can be great.

I think he and the people who around him genuinely believed that the immigration system of the time was grossly unfair.

I think they inevitably are.

A lot of people particularly on both the political left and the pro business libertarian right, imagine immigration as a kind of free lunch with no downsides.

The Dan Le Batard Show

The book was referenced in a poll question asking if a listener's wiener resembled Jack Nicholson at the end of The Shining.

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does Dave Damshek's wiener look like Jack Nicholson at the end of The Shining? 96% of the audience says, yes, and those are your polls.

— Episode: What Do Seth Rogen and Queen Latifah Hav...

Episode: What Do Seth Rogen and Queen Latifah Have In Commo...

The book was referenced in a poll question asking if a listener's wiener resembled Jack Nicholson at the end of The Shining.

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does Dave Damshek's wiener look like Jack Nicholson at the end of The Shining? 96% of the audience says, yes, and those are your polls.

Sword and Scale

The hosts referenced the book while drawing a parallel between its desolate, lonely setting and the infamous Overlook Hotel, describing the Frary Inn as reminiscent of that eerie atmosphere. No strong endorsement was given, and the discussion was limited to this comparative observation.

Episode: Episode 133

The Overlook Hotel was compared to the setting in this book, due to its desolate and lonely nature. It was mentioned in the context of a large estate, described as an inn.

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They described Frary Inn akin to the Overlook Hotel in Stanley Kubrick's The Shining.

Episode: Episode 133

The Overlook Hotel was compared to the setting of this book by Stanley Kubrick's film adaptation, which was mentioned in the podcast.

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They described Frary Inn akin to the Overlook Hotel in Stanley Kubrick's The Shining.

Honestly with Bari Weiss

It was mentioned as the source of a definition of the American Dream and the author was part of a debate on the topic of whether this dream is still alive.

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The American dream is a phrase that was invented in a book almost 100 years ago. It came out during the Great Depression, the depths of it before then.

— Episode: Is The American Dream Alive and Well? A...

Episode: Is The American Dream Alive and Well? A Live Debat...

It was mentioned as the source of a definition of the American Dream and the author was part of a debate on the topic of whether this dream is still alive.

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The American dream is a phrase that was invented in a book almost 100 years ago. It came out during the Great Depression, the depths of it before then.

It is that American dream of a better, richer, and happier life for all our citizens of every rank, which is the greatest contribution we have has yet made to the thought and welfare of the world, we being the United States there.

The Rewatchables

The classic Stephen King novel was referenced when discussing fullblown creepy moments.

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The Shining 7.

— Episode: ‘Hereditary’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ry...

Episode: ‘Hereditary’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Se...

The classic Stephen King novel was referenced when discussing fullblown creepy moments.

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The Shining 7.

Episode: ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Se...

The hosts compared watching the film to reading the novel, noting that the movie could be enjoyed on a surface level like the book.

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if you just watch The Shining on the surface or even A Clockwork Orange which is a crazy movie but if you just watch ...

Episode: ‘Stand By Me’ With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan

The Stephen King novel was mentioned as one of the best adaptations that are not horror.

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I think the two best films made out of Stephen King material are the two that are the least horror. They're the ones that are the most real and rooted in human experience... We've already did Rewatchables and The Shining.

The Bald and the Beautiful with Trixie and Katya

The feeling of isolation and being completely doomed, which was present in the book, was noted as something missed in the adaptation.

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Gobbled it up. And honestly, similar to The Shining, what you miss in the book, the feeling of isolation, the feeling of you are fucked.

— Episode: How to Use Double Entendres with Trixie...

Episode: How to Use Double Entendres with Trixie and Katya

The feeling of isolation and being completely doomed, which was present in the book, was noted as something missed in the adaptation.

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Gobbled it up. And honestly, similar to The Shining, what you miss in the book, the feeling of isolation, the feeling of you are fucked.

Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

It was mentioned as an example of a trope where an imaginary friend is a real independent entity, particularly in the context of Danny Torrance's imaginary friend, Tony, who is said to live in his mouth in the book.

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Remember when the little Torrance kid is always going, rad rom?

— Episode: CLASSIC: Could a thought be alive?

Episode: CLASSIC: Could a thought be alive?

It was mentioned as an example of a trope where an imaginary friend is a real independent entity, particularly in the context of Danny Torrance's imaginary friend, Tony, who is said to live in his mouth in the book.

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Remember when the little Torrance kid is always going, rad rom?

That's not really a spoiler, is it? I hope not. Everybody knows that. You know, somebody might.

If that's a spoiler for The Shining, then they probably don't know what The Shining is to begin with.

Yeah, that is his imaginary friend. It's Tony. And in the book, I don't think it comes up in the movie, but he says he lives inside his mouth.

Episode: CLASSIC: Could a thought be alive?

It was mentioned as an example of a fictional story featuring a child with an imaginary friend named Tony, who, according to the book, may be Danny Torrance from the future.

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Remember when the little Torrance kid is always going, rad rom?

That's not really a spoiler, is it? I hope not. Everybody knows that.

If that's a spoiler for The Shining, then they probably don't know what The Shining is to begin with.

Yeah, that is his imaginary friend. It's Tony. And in the book, I don't think it comes up in the movie, but he says he lives inside his mouth.

And in the movie, he uses his finger to represent him talking. In the book, someone correct me on this. In the book, I believe it's implied that the imaginary friend is actually Danny Torrance from the future or something talking to himself. I'm not clear.

Stay Tuned with Preet

The book, Ours Was the Shining Future, included a chapter on immigration that argued that Democrats have alienated their former base of modest income Americans due to their stance on immigration.

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There's an excellent book by David Leonhardt called Ours Was the Shining Future, in which there's a long chapter about immigration.

— Episode: America’s Complex Future (with George Pa...

Episode: America’s Complex Future (with George Packer)

The book, Ours Was the Shining Future, included a chapter on immigration that argued that Democrats have alienated their former base of modest income Americans due to their stance on immigration.

"

There's an excellent book by David Leonhardt called Ours Was the Shining Future, in which there's a long chapter about immigration.

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