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kellylynnthomas's review against another edition
2.0
Two major flaws kept me from finishing this book:
1. The male author couldn't stop describing female politicians' bodies. He describes Hillary Clinton's figure in great detail right at the beginning of the book, mentioning her chest at least three times. There is also a description of her hips. While he does spend some time describing male politicians' bodies (Ted Cruz's quail egg chin, Trump's stomach pouch), the vaguely sexual way he talks about women is incredibly off-putting.
2. While the book is well and deeply reported (minus the issue in point 1), it still felt like a simple recounting of events of the 2016 presidential campaign. In other words, it didn't add anything to my understanding of the election or the players involved. Perhaps I didn't give it enough of a chance in this department (but I really couldn't stomach reading any more about Hillary's chest and hips, or how curvy Heidi Cruz is).
1. The male author couldn't stop describing female politicians' bodies. He describes Hillary Clinton's figure in great detail right at the beginning of the book, mentioning her chest at least three times. There is also a description of her hips. While he does spend some time describing male politicians' bodies (Ted Cruz's quail egg chin, Trump's stomach pouch), the vaguely sexual way he talks about women is incredibly off-putting.
2. While the book is well and deeply reported (minus the issue in point 1), it still felt like a simple recounting of events of the 2016 presidential campaign. In other words, it didn't add anything to my understanding of the election or the players involved. Perhaps I didn't give it enough of a chance in this department (but I really couldn't stomach reading any more about Hillary's chest and hips, or how curvy Heidi Cruz is).
babsellen's review against another edition
5.0
Jam-packed with insight, humor (thank God) and clear thinking. Discouraging and inspirational. Highly readable - my copy was a library book and I actually hated to part with it. This author has also written novels and brings his talents to non-fiction here. It will make you grind your teeth and also laugh out loud. But don't expect it to make you happy.
Summary: Interspersed throughout a month-by-month rundown of happenings throughout the world during 2016, is a commentary on the campaigns of several U.S. presidential candidates as well as past administrations playing into the actions of the present (now past as well). How we got here. Important and instructive history in a palatable delivery.
Loved it.
Summary: Interspersed throughout a month-by-month rundown of happenings throughout the world during 2016, is a commentary on the campaigns of several U.S. presidential candidates as well as past administrations playing into the actions of the present (now past as well). How we got here. Important and instructive history in a palatable delivery.
Loved it.
thepoptimist's review against another edition
4.0
Ben Fountain, at the behest of The Guardian, is sent out on the campaign trail in the lead-up to the 2016 US Presidential election and finds himself at the Quicken Loans Arena for the Republican National Convention. Here he finds stern warnings against tennis balls. Tennis balls are definitely not allowed on the convention floor. Same goes for water guns, toy guns, tape, rope, umbrellas with metal tips and a dozen other items that are considered verboten. What are allowed are guns. In the open carry state of Ohio, guns are allowed on the convention floor. Clearly America has lost its mind.
It's Fear and Loathing on the campaign trail and while Fountain saves much of his head-shaking ire for Trump, he's a non-partisan critic assessing Hillary as someone completely incapable of connecting with the middle-class and Ted Cruz who is determined to out-Jesus everyone else. He posits that the United States finds itself at a critical crossroads, one they've only been twice before during the Civil War and the Great Depression. In all cases, the country has had to completely reinvent itself to survive as a democracy.
Fountain is one hell of a writer. In our current breakneck news cycle that sees fresh new dumpster fires everyday, looking back those few short years seems to make the most sense. It is an arms length view that still seems horribly prescient. Full length video review here: https://youtu.be/uQ1HHhujnXY
It's Fear and Loathing on the campaign trail and while Fountain saves much of his head-shaking ire for Trump, he's a non-partisan critic assessing Hillary as someone completely incapable of connecting with the middle-class and Ted Cruz who is determined to out-Jesus everyone else. He posits that the United States finds itself at a critical crossroads, one they've only been twice before during the Civil War and the Great Depression. In all cases, the country has had to completely reinvent itself to survive as a democracy.
Fountain is one hell of a writer. In our current breakneck news cycle that sees fresh new dumpster fires everyday, looking back those few short years seems to make the most sense. It is an arms length view that still seems horribly prescient. Full length video review here: https://youtu.be/uQ1HHhujnXY
chiariviera's review against another edition
4.0
Un saggio che ricalca molto "Finzioni politiche" di Joan Didion (anche se lei rimane insuperabile), ma incentrato sula campagna elettorale del 2016, che ha fatto molto parlare.
E' sempre interessante leggere questo tipo di analisi, perché quando si parla di politica ci sono tantissimi altri argomenti in ballo: l'economia e la società, la pubblicità e l'informazione. Si toccano tante tematiche diverse, anche in modo abbastanza approfondito, cosa che va a giustificare la lunghezza del libro.
Ho apprezzato molto la struttura, che alterna analisi di argomenti particolari (la Grande Recessione, il suprematismo bianco, il problema della credibilità) a un riassunto dei fatti salienti del 2016 divisi per mese.
Consigliato se, come me, amate leggere scritti critici sulla società americana (che poi io amo leggere scritti critici sulla società in generale, ma me ne stanno capitando per le mani diversi che si focalizzano sugli USA)
E' sempre interessante leggere questo tipo di analisi, perché quando si parla di politica ci sono tantissimi altri argomenti in ballo: l'economia e la società, la pubblicità e l'informazione. Si toccano tante tematiche diverse, anche in modo abbastanza approfondito, cosa che va a giustificare la lunghezza del libro.
Ho apprezzato molto la struttura, che alterna analisi di argomenti particolari (la Grande Recessione, il suprematismo bianco, il problema della credibilità) a un riassunto dei fatti salienti del 2016 divisi per mese.
Consigliato se, come me, amate leggere scritti critici sulla società americana (che poi io amo leggere scritti critici sulla società in generale, ma me ne stanno capitando per le mani diversi che si focalizzano sugli USA)
anfweldon's review against another edition
1.0
This review will stay as I wrote 12 day ago. My opinion of this book did not change at all. (01/27/2019)
Few things before I start this review. First I picked this book up off a take one, leave on bookshelf in an airport. Secondly, this copy is an uncorrected proof. Lastly, I have never before felt it necessary to write a review before finishing a book, (I finish all the books I start despite how long it takes) but I will today.
This book is bad in a multitude of ways. There are plenty of run on sentences as well as paragraphs. This gets extremely hard to follow. I have gotten several pages forward and author has yet to get to the point. There have also been several sections that are just a list of facts. As I flip through the pages, it looks like this does not change.
However, one of the biggest things for me is how rude some of the authors comments are. Mainly the ones about people's appearance. While I understand that in the 2016 election many comments were thrown around by everyone, I find it distasteful to them read it from the author.
I will continue to read this book but it does not look hopeful that my opinion will change. I was quite looking forward to reading this author's perspective on our country burning again. However, we don't always get what we expect. (01/15/19)
Few things before I start this review. First I picked this book up off a take one, leave on bookshelf in an airport. Secondly, this copy is an uncorrected proof. Lastly, I have never before felt it necessary to write a review before finishing a book, (I finish all the books I start despite how long it takes) but I will today.
This book is bad in a multitude of ways. There are plenty of run on sentences as well as paragraphs. This gets extremely hard to follow. I have gotten several pages forward and author has yet to get to the point. There have also been several sections that are just a list of facts. As I flip through the pages, it looks like this does not change.
However, one of the biggest things for me is how rude some of the authors comments are. Mainly the ones about people's appearance. While I understand that in the 2016 election many comments were thrown around by everyone, I find it distasteful to them read it from the author.
I will continue to read this book but it does not look hopeful that my opinion will change. I was quite looking forward to reading this author's perspective on our country burning again. However, we don't always get what we expect. (01/15/19)
booklovingcatmom's review against another edition
Did not finish
But I'm holding off on a rating because I might come back and finish reading it one day. For right now, I don't care to relive what happened during the 2016 election.
But I'm holding off on a rating because I might come back and finish reading it one day. For right now, I don't care to relive what happened during the 2016 election.
megan_reads's review
2.0
Very honest look into US history and some of the reasons why we're here. Also, every random negative thing and person in US history...it was A LOT of jumping around and he didn't do a good job of drawing it together in a coherent timeline throughout or wrap up the argument at the end.
janey's review
5.0
Beautifully written with a clear eye and commitment to facts. Also, we're fucked and I'm super depressed now.
audreylee's review
3.0
Fountain does a good job of enumerating the many sins of politicians of both parties for many years. This was depressing. It was like reliving the nightmare right before the expected apocalypse. I listened to the audio book. It was quite strident at times. The information was enough. It didn't need dramatization.