Rating: 
Summary: A Philosopher in a Whorehouse
Review: This facinating book, by a man who really cares, tells it just how it is to try to get meaningful things done in the whorehouse which is Washington, D.C. The book is written in a humorous, self-deprecating style, but at it's heart it is a cry for help.The book is more than easy reading, it is very hard to put down. Anyone who aspires to a politcal position should read this book, and then decide whether he/she will be able to stand the process.It is a primer for those who wish to understand the Washington sceene and how things are done (or not done.) His description of the confirmation process is pure tragi-comedy. Reich is a thinking man's liberal. He went to Washington with the hope that under Clinton some of the things he believed in could be accomplished. In the end he was largely frustrated. He is a man I would like to invite to dinner. I can't say that about many others who have worked in government.
Rating: 
Summary: Well Written, Casual Book
Review: When I heard about this book I was a little dubious of it, after all it was a book written by the Harvard Economics Professor turned Secretary of Labor. How entertaining could the book possibly be? It turns out that my initial fears of boredom were unfounded. This is a very interesting, casual and humors insight into the political process in Washington DC. The author gives the reader a look into the process of a non-politician with very strong viewpoints working in an unorganized administration that continues to move father to the right of the original platform. This book is not a deep review of the policies put in place during the first Clinton term nor is it a detailed insight into the mundane labor department. It is an interesting look at what the Labor Secretary does from the campaign trail, political conventions to press conferences, radio talk shows and cabinet meetings. The authors sharp and sometimes sarcastic sense of humor gives the book an extra kick that makes it work. The author also had been a long time friend of the President so he did get some of the inside info. You even get a little bit of his "Fight for the Small Guy" thoughts throughout the book that even if you do not agree with them, they do raise interesting points. Overall it is a well-written and easy to read review of his four years in Washington DC. It will provide you a very interesting look into the funnier, frustrating and sometimes nastier parts of the political process then you would have thought a Labor Secretary would have been involved in. Overall it is a great book that you will get through in a very short period of time.
Rating:
Summary: Funny, real, idealistic!!
Review: When you are done reading it, you wish he could have stayed the full 8 years with Clinton, and the book was 800 pages long!!!! Liberal to the bone, Robert Reich, the finest Secretary of Labor this country's had, tells the lows and highs of 4 years in the Clinton's cabinet (first term). He respects the republicans; but he let's them have it too. From lobying in Congress to trying to get into the White House without his ID. Just funny. What a fantastic inside look. I could not put it down and was sad when it was over. Enjoy!!
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