Rating: 
Summary: Recovering Republican
Review: As a former Republican who has been troubled by the last 20 years of politics, Homegrown Democrat really hit home. At last, Garrison Keillor has put words to what I have been feeling.
Rating:
Summary: An antidote for 2004
Review: Before reading Frank's book "What's Is Wrong With Kansas" I needed something a bit more hopeful. As I see it, 51% of my fellow Americans are desperately trying to destroy America and I think I have more moral values then they do. So I needed a pick up and Garrison really delivers. Of course, this book was written before the election but the facts are all there. It is not ever likely that rural America is going to have the same morality as urban America but when did it become okay to tell people how to live their private lives.
But enough about that, Keillor gets to the basics quickly and reminds us that we Democrats have plenty of values, thank you very much. Furthermore, these values go back a long ways - at least as far back as any baby boomer can remember. Compared to his weekly radio show, Garrison is more ready to be confrontational in the few areas where necessary.
Rating:
Summary: Proud to be a democrat!!
Review: I started this book not expecting much, but found it to be totally uplifting after the crushing defeat of the last election. It served as a much-needed reminder to never give up, because democratic values are the heart and soul of this country. Yes, it lacked details and solutions, but I don't think that was the purpose of the book. Democrats have lost their grounding and need to be proud who they are and to embrace their liberal-ness. Thank you Garrison Keillor - I hope to meet you one day in a neighborhood coffee shop!
Rating: 
Summary: It figures
Review: I stopped having anything to do with Garrison Keillor after he used his early morning poets corner on NPR to share vulgarities with Amarica's commuters. I didn't know if he was a Democrat or a Republican or neither. However, after almost driving my kindergartner off the road in a mad effort to save my baby from this man's coarse expressions, I needn't have waited for the title of this book to direct me to his political leanings. It figures!
Rating:
Summary: Koncentrated Keillor - Telling it Like it Is
Review: I was born and raised in Minnesota. That means I was cold much of my life and it means that the wisdom of Garrison Keillor warms my heart even more. He is one of my people and I vouch that what he says is more true than you may realize.
Keillor has always spoken a plain wisdom that resonates with those who have compassion and a basic sense of justice. "Homegrown Democrat" is an extension of this but more frank, more blunt. When he says he is a Democrat because that is how he was raised, he is expressing something very profound beyond the grasp of those on the right. When Keillor calls the Republicans "the No. 1 reason why the rest of the world thinks we're deaf, dumb, and dangerous," he is speaking the plain truth everyone knows but most are too polite to say.
Thus, "Homegrown Democrat" is liberating. This is an age where the right-wing Republicans offer only "agree with us or you're stupid if not a traitor" and the Democratic party leadership is either asleep at the switch or impotent. Rather than succumb to fruitless antagonism against the scourge of neo-conservatism, Keillor walks a path of well-mannered intelligent and thoroughly reasoned critique of our society. He accomplishes something that has sadly become rare in our society. He considers all sides, has his share of criticism for all sides, and then delineates step-by-step solutions that do more than just blame the other side. He has many excellent ideas, most of which are the encapsulation of old truths. The foundation of everything he suggests is simple: remember what we used to believe in, a social compact that we are all in this together. That we should be here for each other with basic human kindness. He does his heritage proud.
Keillor's homegrown wisdom is especially relevant today. Though written before the 2004 election, the events of that election throw Keillor's thoughts into even sharper focus. He provides an alternative to irrational despair or anger with insight on how to return our country to the light. It is a heartening message. Keillor sums it up at one point by saying: "The government is in the hands of blackjack dealers. But have courage. All is not lost. This is not Iran, or the Age of the Hapsburgs, It's America. People will only be pushed so far."
At one point in the book, Keillor asks where is Mark Twain when we need him to expose the absurdity of our current government with penetrating wit and wisdom. Though Keillor is too humble to agree, I say to him that he is our generation's Mark Twain. May you always stay true to your roots, Mr. Keillor.
Rating:
Summary: A rant, nothing more
Review: I'm a big fan of Keillor, consider myself moderately liberal, and have been very disappointed with the current political climate in this country. It was with high expectations I picked up the audio version of this book.
While very eloquently spoken, he has nothing to *say*, at least in the first disc (1/5). I didn't make it past that. It was very much like listening to a liberal Rush Limbaugh. Lots of words, comments and complaints but nothing to back it up and give it substance. I was very disappointed, to say the least.
If you want something well thought-out and researched, better to pick up Al Franken's "Lies And The Lying Liars Who Tell Them".
Rating: 
Summary: Lots of words but not much substance
Review: If you'll glance at the reviews (I looked at the first 30 or so) you will notice that any of the reviews that rate this book poorly were voted "not helpful". If you actually read what they say about the book instead of just refexively judging the review based on the number of stars the author gave it you might learn something.
I am from Minnesota but am a Republican. I wanted to read the book to hopefully "broaden my horizons", if you will. I honestly sat down with an open mind hoping to learn something from the book. However, as other reviewers have noted (and have been chastized for) the book comes at the subject of politics with agonizing bias. I would not read a conservative book with that much outright slander and stereotyping. Quite honestly, while Keillor does paint a very nostalgic down-home feel for his beloved Democrats, there is too much dumping on anything Republican to be taken seriously. I get the feeling from reading it that if I were to approach Mr. Keillor and tell him that I was a Republican I would spend the next hour listening to his lecture without a chance to get a word in. This is hardly the Minnesota care-for-your-neighbor attitude that he professes to have.
Besides refusing to even look at an alternative point of view, Keillor does a poor job of even supporting his own arguements. He does establish that we must help our fellow man and that we all are created equal in every way. This much I think anyone can agree with. However, he does not follow that line of thinking through to show how electing Democrats is a good thing. The closest he comes is saying that the ambulance will get to you faster if you live in a Democratic county.
Sorry, that doesn't cut it for me.
Rating:
Summary: Sincere and Honest
Review: Keillor does a competent job of sharing his views (which some may find too "liberal" for their taste).Most impressive was the sincerity and honesty which came through in his writing. The book comes across as having been written, not for shock value, nor to necessarily convince anyone that the author is correct in his views. Rather, Keillor seems to have written this one to, as he puts it, "speak his mind." Bravo.
Rating:
Summary: A good reminder
Review: This book serves as a good reminder of what makes Democrats the kind of people they are. Of course, it is difficult to categorize such large groups of people, and that is not Mr. Keillor's point. There are valuable lessons to be learned here, but not by liberals. No, sadly, the very people that need to be reached are the ones who rate this with one star or don't even read it. There are reviews knocking Keillor for making a profit about writing such things, yet the Republicans would do anything to support this ability. A litle contradictory.
In addition, Mr. Keillor raises many very valid points about the fear and war-mongering Neo-Cons. Two reasons Bush won the 2004 election were fear (forget Michael Moore, watch "Hijacking Catastrophe"!) and same sex marriage. Of course, there are other reasons, but those were the deciding two and swung many votes toward Bush. This book was written before the election and obviously shows Keillor's real connection with our society.
Is there anything wrong with being a liberal? Sure. But there's a lot more right with that way of thinking than there is of spewing hatred and disdain for everybody who has it a little less fortunate than you do. It doesn't mean that everybody gets a free ride, but it does mean that there is a need for better educational opportunities to level the playing field. It does mean that government serves a purpose beyond going to war for oil and control of the Middle East. We are more concerned with the voting rights of people in Afghanistan and Iraq than we are of some people in our own country. I've heard people, and each of them Republicans, complain about the ability of some people in our own country to make a viable decision in the voting booth. This is because these people are assumed to be Democrats, so the Republicans automatically assume these people are too stupid to vote (because they think differently, I presume??). Yet these are the same people who say "We must allow elections in Iraq"??? A lot contradictory. Was Saddam a bad guy? Sure, but we've known that for over 20 years, even when our government assisted him. All of a sudden we need to throw him out of power? What the hell was the justification for that? Never mind the unfortunate loss of over 1000 of our American soldiers, along with an untold number of innocent women and children of Iraq. Of course, Keillor does a good job of pointing out if something doesn't directly affect the Conservatives, they aren't very likely to be too concerned about it. Not too many of their kids are over there dying, so why should they care? I mean, after all, their fearless leader ('W') has such a fine reputation for being a war hero? What, he didn't even show up for National Guard duty? Oh, that's okay.
Message to Republicans: Keep scaring people, keep hating - but rue the day when Americans wake up and see the real shovels of garbage you've been serving them. I only ask that you take a long hard look in the mirror at least one time and ask yourself "What if that was me?". It's not you, but it could be. Do you think a child born into poverty in the inner cities has the same educational opportunities as your middle income/rich parents gave you? If you're that naive, I would suggest taking a trip to any public school in any inner city neighborhood and see for yourself - the playing field is not level and those children have many less chances, yet many more obstacles to overcome. The education gained there is not the same. Shouldn't we at least try to give them more and better opportunities?
Keillor doesn't waste a lot of time saying what's wrong with Republicans as much as supporting his position that it just is truly more American and compassionate to be liberal. Any of his negative comments/jabs at the conservative front is just supporting this. It's not hatred like Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, and Bill O'Reilly spread around, so I guess you guys aren't used to hearing supporting agruments instead of vile filled banter (by the way, that makes them a very good living as well).
Rating:
Summary: Garrison Upclose and Personal
Review: This was a very personal account of one man's values. I found that after reading Homegrown Democrat, I not lonly knew more about Garrison Keillor, I also had a good idea of why he does and says certain things.
He brought me back to a time when ideals and values were different and yet he was able to draw a parallel to the problems faced by today's society. Without a doubt his most personal account and one of his better efforts.
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