Rating:  Summary: Read Molinari's chapter on Newt first Review: Before you get caught up with Newt's rhetoric, get Susan Molinari's book Representative Mom and read the chapter on Newt.
Rating:  Summary: Most of his lessons are apparently learned the easy way... Review: For insight into Gingrich, one should skip this book and instead read his extensive set of Amazon reviews. Yes -- Newt Gingrich writes lots of reviews on Amazon! And not a single pan! Everything gets four stars or more, suggesting that Newt may be burdened by a seriously unsceptical mind.And it's not all Toffler and Deming. He reads novels, history, and science books, and seems to have a military fetish. The reviews are generally well-written and useful, but Gingrich may overestimate the importance of books. On Kissinger's "Does America Need a Foreign Policy?" he writes, "This is a book the Bush Administration can use for sophisticated planning." I can just see Dubya, Cheney and Condy huddled over a dog-eared copy of Kissinger's book, marking up their map of geopolitical chessboard.
Rating:  Summary: A wonderful book by a misunderstood man Review: Great to hear from Gingrich himself -- rather than hearingabout him through the biased media filter.Our life and times from a history professor in Washington DC is a refreshing and interesting read.
Rating:  Summary: Finally news from a conservative point of view Review: I read this book thinking that Gingrich would toot his own horn, and praise fellow Republicans. The more I read, the more I was impressed with his humility and candor regarding fellow Republican colleagues. It is great to see a leader apologize for a wrongdoing, or even a misunderstanding (without even being prompted to do so!) The last chapter was excellent as well. Gingrich lists almost undeniable goals for the next generation. Although he could not have expected his departure from the Speakership, he writes it almost as a farewell address, in the sense that he knows that it may not be accomplished during his tenure. However, it is still essential that these goals be realized. All in all, an enjoyable easy read.
Rating:  Summary: Candid apologies get depressing, glimmer of hope at end. Review: I've been a fan of Newt Gingrich ever since I read "Window of Opportunity" back in 1984 and I used to watch his special order speeches on the House floor on C-SPAN long after the rest of the country had gone to bed. I thought I would enjoy hearing from my role model, in his own words, why the 104th and 105th Congress stalled, shot itself in the foot repeatedly, and allowed our character-challenged president take credit for things he didn't do. I was wrong. Although I have a better understanding now of the events surrounding Congress over the last several years, I found the litany of apoligies and excuses depressing. I miss the visionary Newt, and the last chapter, which describes Newt's "4 goals for our generation" felt like an afterthought. All in all, I'm glad Newt wrote this book, and it should be required reading for all Republicans, but don't expect to put the book down feeling inspired 'cause it isn't going to happen. Newt: catharsis is good for the soul, but please start looking forward instead of backward.
Rating:  Summary: Candid apologies get depressing, glimmer of hope at end. Review: I've been a fan of Newt Gingrich ever since I read "Window of Opportunity" back in 1984 and I used to watch his special order speeches on the House floor on C-SPAN long after the rest of the country had gone to bed. I thought I would enjoy hearing from my role model, in his own words, why the 104th and 105th Congress stalled, shot itself in the foot repeatedly, and allowed our character-challenged president take credit for things he didn't do. I was wrong. Although I have a better understanding now of the events surrounding Congress over the last several years, I found the litany of apoligies and excuses depressing. I miss the visionary Newt, and the last chapter, which describes Newt's "4 goals for our generation" felt like an afterthought. All in all, I'm glad Newt wrote this book, and it should be required reading for all Republicans, but don't expect to put the book down feeling inspired 'cause it isn't going to happen. Newt: catharsis is good for the soul, but please start looking forward instead of backward.
Rating:  Summary: Tragic Review: Like many liberals, I had little time for the Gingrich revolution and was convinced it would wreck America. Since my predictions were made in half jest, even I could have not imagined the cavalcade of stupid comments and smug answers. For a party allegedly oppsed to government waste, Newt and company were perfect poster boys. Between government shutdowns, airforce one tantrums and partisan investigations, they did a pretty good job wasting the tax payers money. Rather than trying to salvage his repuatation (what little there is)we get more of the same self-serving garbage. Newt, apparently unaware that his fifteen minutes of fame expired long ago, has again set himself up as a deranged messiah. One can gradually ernvison his head expanding to scarier proportions in each chapter....I'm glad I was not around to clean up the resulting mess. Devout newtoids will like this, but the majority of intellegent readers will not.
Rating:  Summary: Tragic Review: Like many liberals, I had little time for the Gingrich revolution and was convinced it would wreck America. Since my predictions were made in half jest, even I could have not imagined the cavalcade of stupid comments and smug answers. For a party allegedly oppsed to government waste, Newt and company were perfect poster boys. Between government shutdowns, airforce one tantrums and partisan investigations, they did a pretty good job wasting the tax payers money. Rather than trying to salvage his repuatation (what little there is)we get more of the same self-serving garbage. Newt, apparently unaware that his fifteen minutes of fame expired long ago, has again set himself up as a deranged messiah. One can gradually ernvison his head expanding to scarier proportions in each chapter....I'm glad I was not around to clean up the resulting mess. Devout newtoids will like this, but the majority of intellegent readers will not.
Rating:  Summary: Solipsism Review: Newt Gingrich claims to formulate much of his political philosophy based upon what he read in the book "Chimpanzee Politics." Therefore, with this deeply profound philosophy underpinning his political strategy, Gingrich hoots and howls as loud as he can in the vain hope that his screeching will weaken the sitting Democratic president and allow a Republican (preferably himself) to take power in the White House. This whiny, self-indulgent book clearly demonstrates that Newt Gingrich is unfit for public service and political office. Still, it's worth reading to understand the sheer vanity of this man.
Rating:  Summary: Newt? Review: Newt who? Is he still around? Put a fork in him...he's done.
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