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swmproblems's review against another edition
5.0
This goes perfectly with some of the books I've read lately and it's easy to read and well written. It's even better to hear these grievances come from the Republican side of the aisle since I usually get a one-sided conversation when it comes to any political science/government book. It was just over 200 pages and took me 3 days to finish it and I never at one point wanted to put the book down and not finish it. Thats always a good indicator to me that I fully enjoyed a book.
rybooks's review against another edition
2.0
This book was good at making me angry and has many good points but not enough details to litigate.
pareads1979's review against another edition
5.0
A fascinating and eye-opening expose that has totally reoriented my thinking about today's Republican party. To date, I have assumed that Donald Trump "turned" the party into his own sycophancy. (The author, Stuart Stevens, is a lifelong Republican operative who recounts his decades long history in electing Republicans.) Reflecting on the party today forced him to reevaluate his role in evolving from the party of Lincoln and Reagan to the party of Trump. His key point: the history of the party for over half a century has been on a trajectory to revealing itself as a white nationalist party tailor made for someone like Trump. Stevens talks about the GOP's efforts at voter suppression and betrayal of conservative and evangelical values for one purpose: maintaining power. He is quite candid in his role as an enabler and separates himself from other Republicans via this public mea culpa. He is by no stretch now a Democrat; rather he advocates for a new movement that accurately can become a true center-right party with consistent and actionable values since today's GOP is morally bereft.
Three quotes (out of too many that captured me): "Donald Trump has served a useful purpose by exposing the deep flaws of a major American political party." And, "Conspiracies are a key element of the Trump Republican effort to build an alternative universe in which their lies will be truth." Finally, "Watching the Republican party is like watching a friend drink himself to death."
And the forward aptly quotes former President Kennedy: "Sometimes party loyalty asks too much."
As someone who recalls wistfully and proudly casting my first two presidential votes for Ronald Reagan, this book is a cold bucket of water in the face. May today's GOP be cast into the dustbin of history next month and may a phoenix rise from its ashes that spurns anyone who enabled Trump.
Three quotes (out of too many that captured me): "Donald Trump has served a useful purpose by exposing the deep flaws of a major American political party." And, "Conspiracies are a key element of the Trump Republican effort to build an alternative universe in which their lies will be truth." Finally, "Watching the Republican party is like watching a friend drink himself to death."
And the forward aptly quotes former President Kennedy: "Sometimes party loyalty asks too much."
As someone who recalls wistfully and proudly casting my first two presidential votes for Ronald Reagan, this book is a cold bucket of water in the face. May today's GOP be cast into the dustbin of history next month and may a phoenix rise from its ashes that spurns anyone who enabled Trump.
purplerox220's review against another edition
4.0
Speaking from my own biases and political perspective, It Was All a Lie brought about dozens of notable quotes and passages for me, all "duh!" moments that put almost-common sense theories and observations into coherent thoughts. As he reflects upon decades of Republican strategy and consulting work, Stevens breaks down the current Republican Party into digestible analyses of race, family values, finances (ex: tax policy), facts (from science and climate change to conservative journalism, or ... "journalism"), authoritarianism, and a stubborn commitment to division and exclusion rather than growth and inclusion. In chapters that focus on each of the above, Stevens considers how the Republican Party has evolved over the past half-century, if not past two decades, to discard and manipulate policy, the realities of America's population, and humanity. Chicken, egg: Republican Party, Donald Trump - which led to which?
Stevens wrote It Was All a Lie in the fall of 2019, prior to the pandemic, recession, and Capitol coup of 2020 and two days ago, so I can only imagine what he has to say on how the Party and Trump manifested each other and how their reactions to the events of 2020 and 2021 reflect the state of the party today. Overall, I found this book a quick and digestible read (not necessary "easy", given inevitable rage when reflecting on reality today). I'm not yet sure on how I feel about Stevens' personal/professional involvement in shaping the Party, as mea cupla feels too little, too late, but I overall recommend this book as an informative take on how exactly we are where we are today.
Stevens wrote It Was All a Lie in the fall of 2019, prior to the pandemic, recession, and Capitol coup of 2020 and two days ago, so I can only imagine what he has to say on how the Party and Trump manifested each other and how their reactions to the events of 2020 and 2021 reflect the state of the party today. Overall, I found this book a quick and digestible read (not necessary "easy", given inevitable rage when reflecting on reality today). I'm not yet sure on how I feel about Stevens' personal/professional involvement in shaping the Party, as mea cupla feels too little, too late, but I overall recommend this book as an informative take on how exactly we are where we are today.
alba89's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed it but it was short and felt padded. More like an extended magazine article. Lots of quotes from other books, digressions. Also slightly disorganized. I'd be reading and the topic would digress and I'd think, what does this have to do with the subject of the chapter? Maybe it would have been better if he'd focused more on his own personal journey.
hannahmichele5's review against another edition
3.0
This was an interesting listen! Part of me is really fascinated by this rhetoric that Donald Trump was the natural progression of the Republican Party for the last 50 years. That does seem to be the case. But the other part of me is concerned about these republican leaders who seem to be trying to save face by just now calling our their own party. Perhaps, if the same people renouncing their party now had done so years ago, we wouldn’t have had to endure the 2021 capital insurrection. I mean after everything that happened under Trump, it’s a little too late for me.