Now, Let Me Tell You What I Really Think

Rating:
Summary: Great read!!
Review: Chris is such a highly intelligent and enthusiastic democrat. His is the kind of spirit it will take to win the White House some day. Chris have you ever considered running for president??
I like his ability to judge the person, not the party.

His praise of JFK is right on the money and his look at the Clinton presidency and other issues shows excellent insight I think.

Thumbs up for this one. :)

Rating:
Summary: Nice Little Book With Many Politcal and Social Insights
Review: Chris Matthews, of Hardball fame, nicely writes a small, yet entertainingly insightful book on the media and politcal landscape of America. He has many good chapters and commentary that deals with "hard work", media political wants, and hot button issues.

This book is not long and therefore, only can delve into a subject at its surface level. This may be a strength, as our fast paced nation prefers quick information. Hopefully, people would be inspired to read more on important subjects.

Matthews' insights on George W. Bush, Al Gore, and Bill Clinton are especially interesting, considering he favors Bush and he is a lifelong Democrate. His insight on politcal language is something I have noticed for somethime and he brings this out nicely by using the topic of abortion as backdrop (his point is abortion and language). I disagree with his final conculsion on how to solve the problem, but it is nonetheless, interesting.

A good book. It can be read in one afternoon and the information is easy to digest. It is a little pricey for its size and some topics desreve just a little more analysis.

Rating:
Summary: Chris Matthews writes an open letter to his fans
Review: I must confess at the start that it is hard for me to be objective about Chris Matthews. I have regularly watched his CNBC show HARDBALL for over three years. In this open letter to his fans, we learn a little more about how his strong opinions were formed and why it seems he enjoys what he does so much. Being part autobiography and part political opinion, the book is a quick read. Containing opinions on JFK, Nixon, Reagan, and his former bosses, Jimmy Carter and Tip O'Neill, to name a few, much of what Chris has to say will sound familiar to his fans. Some of it, especially his opinions on Nixon, will surprise us. For those who already know Chris, this book will be a pleasure to read. For those who don't, it will provide a glimpse of what his show is like: fast paced and refreshingly honest.

Rating:
Summary: He can do better than this...
Review: I've been watching Matthews since early '99, and really appreciate his show. He keeps things moving, cuts straight to tough questions, appreciates how personal and social psychology have a major role to play in politics, deftly mixes humor with intense conversation, and is entirely intolerant of talking points.

Unfortunately, this book contains almost none of that personality.

Instead, Chris has produced a quick read of generally unprovocative ideas. Each chapter ends with, "Let me tell you what I really think...". So, what, everything before the finale was just baloney? What if he started each chapter with what he really thinks, and then spent the subsequent pages elaborating and deepening those ideas.

Frankly, the whole thing smacks of a TV tie-in.

I wouldn't dismiss Matthews outright -- his book Hardball is a real gem (read it, if you haven't), and the show still gets interesting here and there.

But this book is thin on insight, and long on fancy footwork.

Rating:
Summary: A really great read
Review: If you don't care what Chris Matthews really thinks, then I guess this book is not for you. However, if you're a fan of the show (probably the best political talk show on television), a political junkie who shares Matthews' enthusiasm for the "game," or just someone who'd like to hear an independent voice when it seems all one can hear are the shrieking protestors on the streets and the smug talking heads on FOX, then this book IS for you. It's a very quick read, but chock-full of biography, history, and (lots and lots of) opinion. Matthews is a Democrat, but with a very independent streak. Top advisor to Speaker Tip O'Neil in the House in the 80's--when O'Neil was the voice of opposition to Reagan's programs, Matthews nonetheless admires President Bush and has contempt for what he sees as Clinton's snakiness. But one could not say he has become a "neocon" either, for he's still proud of his old boss; and his idol remains JFK. His opinions on abortion, government, and America's role in the world cut to the quick and are often right-on. In short, the book's a lot of fun, a quick read, and worth your time. So is the show...on MSNBC weeknights at 7. He may have a motormouth, but that's because he's got a lot of great stuff to say. Best book so far is "Kennedy and Nixon" about the odd friendship and rivalry between these two leaders, it's told almost as an epic novel. Great stuff.

Rating:
Summary: Now, Let Me Tell You What I really Think About CM's Book
Review: Since I am not the type of guy active on the political scene, I didn't know who Matthews was until I read this book-for my high school government class. But in fact, I really enjoyed this book since it was an easy read, unlike many other writers, he didn't use big words hard to comprehend, rather he used everyday language and appealed to the reader by voicing his true opinions.

At first, I thought he was a very hypoctical writer. He baffled Bush by saying that he was unprepared for the presidency, rediculed him for taking a month-long vacation in his home state Texas, then as you go on to the next page, he compliments his instinct and compassion towards the way he handled the disaster of 9/11. Then i came to realize that Chris is not a biased man. Based on the title of the book, he was just telling what he really thought on how he looked at politicians and political matters. He wrote down what was really on his mind, he hated Clinton but still, he thought him a great president. So this is what I thought about the book.

Rating:
Summary: Not Matthews' best
Review: Why should I care what Chris Matthews' really thinks? The purpose of this one is to tell people how he feels about certain issues, to show people whether he is a conservative or a liberal. But I found that although the book was interesting at times, it lacked the true opinions of Matthews' on huge issues and focused more on his path to his current status instead. Pages at a time were spent on Matthews' opinion on political leaders like Nixon, Kennedy, and Reagan. True, Matthews really did say what he thought of these men, but who cares? I wanted to hear the dirt -- the real issues that affect Americans' daily lives like Social Security, taxes, etc. Matthews oftentimes appears as a fence rider, especially in his commentary on current politicos like Clinton, Bush, and Gore.

Published soon after the attacks on the World Trade Center, it often seemed that Matthews rushed this book to the presses with a few obvious grammatical errors that editors missed. In short, this book seems like a weak attempt to make a buck for Matthews. The book is listed by publishers as 256 pages, but it only goes to page 215, and the first chapter doesn't start until page 19! Additionally, a title page between each chapter knocks an another 20 pages off the book. In the end, the actual 175-page (or less) book lacks substance and appears more like fluff.

My favorite two parts of the book actually were quotes/commentary of other men.
1) "All men dream; but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes, to make it possible. This I did." T.E. Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom
2) Matthews on Winston Churchill: "Churchill took charge of his own destiny. He placed himself at the center of the action." Placing oneself in the center of action is key.

Looking over the notes that I took for each chapter, it is very apparent that this is not Matthews' best attempt at a book. "Hardball" is a wonderful insight to politics and I highly recommend it, but "Now, Let Me Tell You What I Really Think" leaves the reader with little to reflect on and much to be desired.