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20 reviews for:
Burning Down the House: Newt Gingrich, the Fall of a Speaker, and the Rise of the New Republican Party
Julian E. Zelizer
3.73 AVERAGE
20 reviews for:
Burning Down the House: Newt Gingrich, the Fall of a Speaker, and the Rise of the New Republican Party
Julian E. Zelizer
3.73 AVERAGE
This book was a pleasure to read, although I slogged through the middle portion and found it sometimes tough to keep track of all the members of Congress who were introduced. It's especially pertinent now, given the past five years, and I would advise reading this to anyone my age or younger who wants to understand the origins of the political environment we find ourselves in today. The Vietnam War may have given rise to the harsh political divides (also a debatable topic), but Gingrich took those divides beyond their natural capacities. There's a great deal to be learned from the political turmoil covered by the book for political junkies, and I wish the author had gone further in depth on Gingrich's personality towards the latter half (though I don't know if this was a possibility). I also would absolutely love an updated final chapter after the last four years in reflection of all that has happened.
Some lessons that I want to get down even though I think they're pretty clear:
1. Control the narrative and you will control the process
2. If people see enough smoke, they'll presume without evidence that there's a fire
3. The rules of any game can always be twisted in your favor
4. Unified, simple messages can mean nothing and still succeed
5. New mediums/media merely serve as fresh weapons in an old battle - learning to wield them provides unchecked opportunity. Failure to use them will place you at extreme disadvantage
6. People/parties in power always bear the public's blame
7. Guilt and conviction are never the same
8. You cannot fight with both hands tied behind your back
9. Even docile sharks have a taste for blood
Some lessons that I want to get down even though I think they're pretty clear:
1. Control the narrative and you will control the process
2. If people see enough smoke, they'll presume without evidence that there's a fire
3. The rules of any game can always be twisted in your favor
4. Unified, simple messages can mean nothing and still succeed
5. New mediums/media merely serve as fresh weapons in an old battle - learning to wield them provides unchecked opportunity. Failure to use them will place you at extreme disadvantage
6. People/parties in power always bear the public's blame
7. Guilt and conviction are never the same
8. You cannot fight with both hands tied behind your back
9. Even docile sharks have a taste for blood
I've been looking forward to reading this book because I love non-fiction modern history. The beginning and latter half were 5 stars but the middle seemed to drag out for too long and lose my attention- which doesn't happen that often when I'm balls-deep in a book like this.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Well-written and I take the author's main points, I just didn't personally need a whole book on this episode get there. I'd be willing to read hundreds of pages if this was a compelling story of a political innovator or parliamentary genius but it wasn't. Gingrich's use of C-SPAN and a binder full of pressing clippings (you'll hear A LOT about that binder) does not make him a LBJ figure and so this book is no "Master of the Senate" (which was MUCH longer and worth every page).
informative
medium-paced
"The Republican establishment's goal was to get as much as it can without being disruptive. The heart of the Republican insurgency ... was to be as disruptive as necessary to get what you want. Enter Donald J. Trump."
This is a deep, well-researched look into the rise of Newt Gingrich and the fall of the "permanent Democratic majority" in the House of Representatives. The more I learn about American electoral politics, the more I think "there's nothing new under the sun," and it's incredible to hear a take on how partisanship took over, who drove it, and who didn't stop it. I'm learning again and again that it wasn't always like this, and it needn't be a permanent state.
This is a surprisingly balanced book, naming faults in the Republican and Democratic party, but it is an aggressively unflattering picture of Newt Gingrich, a neo-McCarthy whom neither party tried hard enough to stop.
This is a deep, well-researched look into the rise of Newt Gingrich and the fall of the "permanent Democratic majority" in the House of Representatives. The more I learn about American electoral politics, the more I think "there's nothing new under the sun," and it's incredible to hear a take on how partisanship took over, who drove it, and who didn't stop it. I'm learning again and again that it wasn't always like this, and it needn't be a permanent state.
This is a surprisingly balanced book, naming faults in the Republican and Democratic party, but it is an aggressively unflattering picture of Newt Gingrich, a neo-McCarthy whom neither party tried hard enough to stop.
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Julian E. Zelizer, and Penguin Press for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Seeking a hit of good American politics, I turned to this piece by Julian E. Zelizer, which recounts the rise and power change brought on by Newt Gingrich’s time in the US House of Representatives, which culminated in a position as Speaker of the House. Zelizer opens the book with some biographical commentary about Newton ‘Newt’ Gingrich, whose conservative views seemed almost inherent in a household where rules were strict. His formative years saw him push the boundaries and rebel in his own way in rural Georgia, though he was always one to seek out the political side of any argument or group, hoping to imbue his strong opinions. His political leanings were always towards the Republican right, even in the heart of Georgia, which was undergoing a political transformation. With the fallout from Watergate, Gingrich sought to re-invent the GOP and make a difference not only in the grassroots of the party, but from within the walls of power, which for him meant the US House of Representatives. Gritty and determined, Gingrich campaigned to win a seat, which he did in 1978’s mid-term elections, beginning a rabble-rousing career as soon as he was elected. Zelizer shows that Gingrich, even as a new congressman, did not sit quietly and sought attention wherever he could get it. The House was strongly in the Democrats’ hands, but Gingrich knew that his tenacity and cutthroat tactics could turn the tables, even if it took a while. Not always the friend of the Administration—though he strongly supported Reagan in 1980 —Gingrich continued his push to rebrand the House in a more conservative manner, mainly by targeting Democrats who violated some of the more basic rules. As the narrative progresses through some of the more controversial statements and sentiments by Gingrich, he seemed always to know when to speak and how to get the word out, even in times of Republican gaffes, particularly Reagan’s Iran Contra Affair. While the Democrats held onto power through the end of the Reagan Administration, a new Speaker of the House was chosen, one Jim Wright, who became the focus of Gingrich’s attention as he sought to pull apart the Democrats’ control of the House, brick by brick. Through a series of scandals, Gingrich laid the groundwork for the dismantling of Wright—a longtime and well-regarded political figure—in a highly embarrassing way. Gingrich may have set things in motion, but he need not get his hands dirty. Fighting to define himself within the House Republicans, Gingrich secured a key position of power in 1989 when he won the role of Minority Whip, with hopes of ascending from there. He would have to bide his time, but had finally tasted victory and continued to push things to the right, as the House teetered under Democratic leadership into the 1990s. In a flash final chapter, Zelizer describes Gingrich’s rise to power by toppling the Democrats’ control of the House, but also brought down the centre-right George H.W. Bush from winning re-election. His rise to the speakership was a flash in the book, as Gingrich found himself in a scandal all his own. However, his imprint lasted on the Republican Party in the House and helped create the Tea Party movement that emerged in the 2010 mid-term elections. Even though he fared poorly in his 2012 run for president and was not chosen as Trump’s running mate in 2016, Newt Gingrich is not a man soon to be forgotten. Recommended to those who love the inner workings of congressional politics, as well as the reader who loves to see how power and patience can topple any political Goliath.
I was pleasantly surprised with this book and the approach that Julian E. Zelizer took. While one might have expected a piece that pushed Newt Gingrich into the centre of the narrative and used the US political situation as a backdrop, Zelizer did the opposite. Gingrich is present throughout the narrative, but it is more his wheeling and dealing that proves to be a thread and the fallout from it. The narrative is rich with political goings-on in Congress throughout the 1980s and into the 90s, where Gingrich was present, but it was more about how the man could turn the story on its ear and the political machine worked itself out, inevitably to Gingrich’s desired outcomes. Zelizer does a masterful job in exploring the inner workings of the congressional struggles and how both major parties handled things, enriching his narrative with much detail and strong quotes. For the politically curious reader, this gave an almost behind-the-scenes look into how things transpired, as well as the fighting to hold onto power. I was too young to fully appreciate politics of any country in the 1980s and early 90s, but do remember Gingrich when he made it to the Speaker’s chair, so this was all new and highly educational as I learned of things that took place when I was only a lad. This book is not the Newt Gingrich dog and pony show, but highlights the man’s rise to power in reaction to much of what was going on within the House of Representatives and how Gingrich used this to redefine the narrative. With thorough chapters that cover many of the incidents and a keen bird’s eye view of how things progressed in the media and within congressional meeting rooms, the reader can see how power seemed almost to come to Gingrich, who used patience and perseverance to get what he wanted. I loved this approach and thoroughly enjoyed the historical narrative that kept Gingrich as part but not the central character throughout. This subtle approach made the book much more palatable, especially since I am by no means a fan of the right-wing of the GOP. Even mention and discussion about how the eventual Tea Party emerged had me interested and wanting to know more. If I had to offer a criticism, it would be that the final chapter sought to explore too much in too short a time. I am not sure if Zelizer ran out of steam, had an editor who offered a page limitation, or did not want to undertake the research, but Gingrich and his rise to the speakership through to his departure is all packed into a few pages. This does the book and the reader a disservice. Perhaps Zelizer is offering this as a teaser for a follow-up book, but this anti-climactic occurrence makes the premise (Gingrinch’s hunger for power) seem like a discussion that should be shelved. Why climb a mountain and not talk of the view? A man that Zelizer discussed as a potential running mate for Trump in 2016, Newt Gingrich certainly had a strong influence on the move to the right by Congress, though did so in such a way that it seemed almost necessary to rid the country of the nightmares the Democrats left during their long House control.
Kudos, Mr. Zelizer, for this fabulous book that taught me so very much. I loved it and hope to find more of your work in this vein, to educate me even more about the intricacies of the US political system.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
Seeking a hit of good American politics, I turned to this piece by Julian E. Zelizer, which recounts the rise and power change brought on by Newt Gingrich’s time in the US House of Representatives, which culminated in a position as Speaker of the House. Zelizer opens the book with some biographical commentary about Newton ‘Newt’ Gingrich, whose conservative views seemed almost inherent in a household where rules were strict. His formative years saw him push the boundaries and rebel in his own way in rural Georgia, though he was always one to seek out the political side of any argument or group, hoping to imbue his strong opinions. His political leanings were always towards the Republican right, even in the heart of Georgia, which was undergoing a political transformation. With the fallout from Watergate, Gingrich sought to re-invent the GOP and make a difference not only in the grassroots of the party, but from within the walls of power, which for him meant the US House of Representatives. Gritty and determined, Gingrich campaigned to win a seat, which he did in 1978’s mid-term elections, beginning a rabble-rousing career as soon as he was elected. Zelizer shows that Gingrich, even as a new congressman, did not sit quietly and sought attention wherever he could get it. The House was strongly in the Democrats’ hands, but Gingrich knew that his tenacity and cutthroat tactics could turn the tables, even if it took a while. Not always the friend of the Administration—though he strongly supported Reagan in 1980 —Gingrich continued his push to rebrand the House in a more conservative manner, mainly by targeting Democrats who violated some of the more basic rules. As the narrative progresses through some of the more controversial statements and sentiments by Gingrich, he seemed always to know when to speak and how to get the word out, even in times of Republican gaffes, particularly Reagan’s Iran Contra Affair. While the Democrats held onto power through the end of the Reagan Administration, a new Speaker of the House was chosen, one Jim Wright, who became the focus of Gingrich’s attention as he sought to pull apart the Democrats’ control of the House, brick by brick. Through a series of scandals, Gingrich laid the groundwork for the dismantling of Wright—a longtime and well-regarded political figure—in a highly embarrassing way. Gingrich may have set things in motion, but he need not get his hands dirty. Fighting to define himself within the House Republicans, Gingrich secured a key position of power in 1989 when he won the role of Minority Whip, with hopes of ascending from there. He would have to bide his time, but had finally tasted victory and continued to push things to the right, as the House teetered under Democratic leadership into the 1990s. In a flash final chapter, Zelizer describes Gingrich’s rise to power by toppling the Democrats’ control of the House, but also brought down the centre-right George H.W. Bush from winning re-election. His rise to the speakership was a flash in the book, as Gingrich found himself in a scandal all his own. However, his imprint lasted on the Republican Party in the House and helped create the Tea Party movement that emerged in the 2010 mid-term elections. Even though he fared poorly in his 2012 run for president and was not chosen as Trump’s running mate in 2016, Newt Gingrich is not a man soon to be forgotten. Recommended to those who love the inner workings of congressional politics, as well as the reader who loves to see how power and patience can topple any political Goliath.
I was pleasantly surprised with this book and the approach that Julian E. Zelizer took. While one might have expected a piece that pushed Newt Gingrich into the centre of the narrative and used the US political situation as a backdrop, Zelizer did the opposite. Gingrich is present throughout the narrative, but it is more his wheeling and dealing that proves to be a thread and the fallout from it. The narrative is rich with political goings-on in Congress throughout the 1980s and into the 90s, where Gingrich was present, but it was more about how the man could turn the story on its ear and the political machine worked itself out, inevitably to Gingrich’s desired outcomes. Zelizer does a masterful job in exploring the inner workings of the congressional struggles and how both major parties handled things, enriching his narrative with much detail and strong quotes. For the politically curious reader, this gave an almost behind-the-scenes look into how things transpired, as well as the fighting to hold onto power. I was too young to fully appreciate politics of any country in the 1980s and early 90s, but do remember Gingrich when he made it to the Speaker’s chair, so this was all new and highly educational as I learned of things that took place when I was only a lad. This book is not the Newt Gingrich dog and pony show, but highlights the man’s rise to power in reaction to much of what was going on within the House of Representatives and how Gingrich used this to redefine the narrative. With thorough chapters that cover many of the incidents and a keen bird’s eye view of how things progressed in the media and within congressional meeting rooms, the reader can see how power seemed almost to come to Gingrich, who used patience and perseverance to get what he wanted. I loved this approach and thoroughly enjoyed the historical narrative that kept Gingrich as part but not the central character throughout. This subtle approach made the book much more palatable, especially since I am by no means a fan of the right-wing of the GOP. Even mention and discussion about how the eventual Tea Party emerged had me interested and wanting to know more. If I had to offer a criticism, it would be that the final chapter sought to explore too much in too short a time. I am not sure if Zelizer ran out of steam, had an editor who offered a page limitation, or did not want to undertake the research, but Gingrich and his rise to the speakership through to his departure is all packed into a few pages. This does the book and the reader a disservice. Perhaps Zelizer is offering this as a teaser for a follow-up book, but this anti-climactic occurrence makes the premise (Gingrinch’s hunger for power) seem like a discussion that should be shelved. Why climb a mountain and not talk of the view? A man that Zelizer discussed as a potential running mate for Trump in 2016, Newt Gingrich certainly had a strong influence on the move to the right by Congress, though did so in such a way that it seemed almost necessary to rid the country of the nightmares the Democrats left during their long House control.
Kudos, Mr. Zelizer, for this fabulous book that taught me so very much. I loved it and hope to find more of your work in this vein, to educate me even more about the intricacies of the US political system.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
With an upcoming contentious election, I was excited to read this book to give me perspective and knowledge on topics that I don't know much about. I thought this book helped explain how we have reached such a divide in our politics today.
I was nervous that this sort of in-depth topic would be a bore and hard to reach. But, it was actually quite the opposite. I thought the book was very readable and was a page-turner. I thought overall it was a very powerful and important story.
I was nervous that this sort of in-depth topic would be a bore and hard to reach. But, it was actually quite the opposite. I thought the book was very readable and was a page-turner. I thought overall it was a very powerful and important story.
As an Independent voter, I am drawn to political books like a moth to a flame, yet I approach each with trepidation, no matter the side of the aisle where they originate. Nowadays, there is so much division in politics and it is difficult to find books that truly ride the center of the issues. This is also true about “Burning Down the House,” by Julian E. Zelizer.
Not that I didn’t have hopes that this book might rise above the rest. Apart from a few comments here and there early on, the author pointed out errors and misdeeds by both major parties. The book’s title revolves around the author’s premise, that Newt Gingrich used the rules of the House of Representatives to bring down its Speaker, Jim Wright. This was a period of history that I wasn’t applying the same amount of focus that I use nowadays, and I desired to learn more about the event and the main players. Primarily, I wanted to learn what Jim Wright was accused of doing, what Gingrich did to propel the accusations, and whether or not I thought the Speaker had committed the acts in question.
The book begins with much information about Gingrich, though midway it switches gears and Wright takes the major role while Gingrich is shunted aside and almost takes the role of a minor character. The story moves into a presentation of Wright’s life, and to the author’s credit, the accusations seem to be true. Another damning piece of the story is Wright choosing to resign, even though the author insists that the Ethics Commission had not presented any solid evidence. For the Speaker and his party, there was enough of a smoking gun to force him to resign.
Mr. Zelizer concentrates on Congressman Gingrich, insisting that using the very rules of propriety that the House Democrats had helped to construct was improper. It would be silly for anyone to argue that rules are not stretched and broken by members of both parties, and that the guilty parties should be held accountable (another argument for term limits, effectively removing those who serve before they become too comfortable). The partisan elements become more and more apparent, right down to calling Congressman Gingrich’s assistant, Karen Van Brocklin, “…Gingrich’s attack dog.”
The end of the book ties Mr. Zelizer’s opinions together, painting a picture of Congressman Gingrich’s use of the rules as the beginning of the deep partisanship that was helped along by other Republican’s along the way. Meanwhile, Democrats sat idly by and commiserated on the state of affairs (which completely ignores the addition of the community organizing factor that became part of the mix during the Obama years). The point is that both parties have ratcheted up this partisan fury that has now invaded the hearts and minds of Americans. This book does nothing to positively aid the efforts to chain the partisanship and return some sense of civility to our government. I would bet that many reviews will reflect the same mood as each takes a side. For me, I am not happy with either party nor with another book that preaches divisiveness, and thus place my star rating in the middle. Three stars bumped to three-and-a-half for allowing the improprieties of both parties to be presented.
My thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP The Penguin Press for a complimentary electronic copy of this book.
Not that I didn’t have hopes that this book might rise above the rest. Apart from a few comments here and there early on, the author pointed out errors and misdeeds by both major parties. The book’s title revolves around the author’s premise, that Newt Gingrich used the rules of the House of Representatives to bring down its Speaker, Jim Wright. This was a period of history that I wasn’t applying the same amount of focus that I use nowadays, and I desired to learn more about the event and the main players. Primarily, I wanted to learn what Jim Wright was accused of doing, what Gingrich did to propel the accusations, and whether or not I thought the Speaker had committed the acts in question.
The book begins with much information about Gingrich, though midway it switches gears and Wright takes the major role while Gingrich is shunted aside and almost takes the role of a minor character. The story moves into a presentation of Wright’s life, and to the author’s credit, the accusations seem to be true. Another damning piece of the story is Wright choosing to resign, even though the author insists that the Ethics Commission had not presented any solid evidence. For the Speaker and his party, there was enough of a smoking gun to force him to resign.
Mr. Zelizer concentrates on Congressman Gingrich, insisting that using the very rules of propriety that the House Democrats had helped to construct was improper. It would be silly for anyone to argue that rules are not stretched and broken by members of both parties, and that the guilty parties should be held accountable (another argument for term limits, effectively removing those who serve before they become too comfortable). The partisan elements become more and more apparent, right down to calling Congressman Gingrich’s assistant, Karen Van Brocklin, “…Gingrich’s attack dog.”
The end of the book ties Mr. Zelizer’s opinions together, painting a picture of Congressman Gingrich’s use of the rules as the beginning of the deep partisanship that was helped along by other Republican’s along the way. Meanwhile, Democrats sat idly by and commiserated on the state of affairs (which completely ignores the addition of the community organizing factor that became part of the mix during the Obama years). The point is that both parties have ratcheted up this partisan fury that has now invaded the hearts and minds of Americans. This book does nothing to positively aid the efforts to chain the partisanship and return some sense of civility to our government. I would bet that many reviews will reflect the same mood as each takes a side. For me, I am not happy with either party nor with another book that preaches divisiveness, and thus place my star rating in the middle. Three stars bumped to three-and-a-half for allowing the improprieties of both parties to be presented.
My thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP The Penguin Press for a complimentary electronic copy of this book.