Defiant Optimist - by V Spehar (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Hot-button issues. Cool-headed history.

The creator of Under the Desk News revisits the last four decades of American politics and culture to prove we've been here before, we can talk across our divides, and there is always hope.

During the pandemic, V Spehar crawled under their desk to give people a soft place to land in a hard news cycle. They broke down the day's events in a digestible, digestible, and humorous way. But the more they explored our present turmoil, the more questions arose about how we got here and how the hell we're gonna find our way out.

In Defiant Optimist, V is turning their signature empathy and wit to the issues that have plagued America from inception to present day. What we are facing today isn't new. The issues just look a little different in the glow of the internet age. V is tackling everything: our culture of cruelty, the manosphere and tradwives, white supremacy and sexism, our obsession with war, the cultlike vibe of America, and so much more. V is drawing a bright red line through history to show us that looking back might just be the way forward.

Smart, funny, and optimistic in equal measure, Defiant Optimist is a roadmap that shows us not only that we've been here before, but that we've always managed to find our way out, and how hopefully we can get somewhere so much better.

About the Author

V Spehar is an award-winning journalist, podcaster, and creator behind Under the Desk News, where they make current events clear, human, and engaging for millions. V has interviewed political and cultural leaders including Presidents Biden and Obama, and Vice President Harris. V has completed a Shorenstein Fellowship at Harvard University, where they studied creator economies. Their work has appeared in outlets such as The Washington Post and NBC News, and they are frequently featured as a guest contributor on MS NOW and CNN. V is a Webby, Shorty, RTDNA, and GLAAD Award winner for Outstanding Independent Journalism and was named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential Digital Voices in 2025. They live in Rochester, NY, with their wife, daughter, and 3 dogs.