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97 reviews for:
American Carnage: On the Front Lines of the Republican Civil War and the Rise of President Trump
Tim Alberta
4.1 AVERAGE
97 reviews for:
American Carnage: On the Front Lines of the Republican Civil War and the Rise of President Trump
Tim Alberta
4.1 AVERAGE
informative
I really do love books about the history of the Republican party and the factors that led to the modern version of the party. This one follows various figures, institutions, and movements from the election of President Obama up until the government shutdown of 2018/2019.
This book was clearly well researched, and Alberta used his journalist chops to get in-depth interviews, which he deftly weaves into historical context. This book is compelling enough to fly through, which is saying something given its length. If you liked Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America, give this one a go.
This book was clearly well researched, and Alberta used his journalist chops to get in-depth interviews, which he deftly weaves into historical context. This book is compelling enough to fly through, which is saying something given its length. If you liked Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America, give this one a go.
I did not finish this book. I got through half of it. The content was pretty good, but the book does not appear to be edited which I don't really understand. I appreciated that I was able to get more full pictures of who all these different players are and understand more background behind a lot of Republicans. It humanized and made me realize that Republicans and Democrats actually have quite a bit in common. It also made me realize how much the media influences things on both sides. However, there are numerous typos throughout the book. And the mistake that got me was calling Mulan a Japanese woman who fought in a war. Really? Nobody caught that?
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Tim Alberta's American Carnage is a comprehensive and sober review of U.S. presidency's recent political history, focusing primarily on the factors, largely in right-wing politics, that contributed to the ascendance of Donald Trump. Alberta's analysis is from a mostly center-right perspective but is ostensibly hostile to President Trump. He invests significant portions of the book in a sympathetic reiteration of criticisms of Trump commonly voiced by left-wing commentators, politicians, and activists. He also spends a great deal of time explicitly criticizing elements of the Christian Right and former TEA Party Republicans (i.e. conservative activists and deficit hawks) for essentially striking a Faustian bargain with Trump for political power.
Although Alberta's analysis seems to be largely motivated by personal disgust with Trump's uncouth manners and reckless rhetoric as well as sympathy with "Never Trump" political efforts on the Right, Alberta is relatively fair in his analysis, especially concerning Trump's strengths and weaknesses as a politician and the contemporary state of conservative politics. Alberta is somewhat unfair in his critique of the Right's embrace of political expediency (i.e. electing Trump) in an era where they are under assault by much of the media, Democrats, and left-wing movements. Moreover, Alberta errs most egregiously in his neglect of the crucial role that radical and socially deleterious left-wing movements and politicians played in the rise of Trump. This is not to say that he does not touch on of these factors at all, but he does mistakenly gloss over them, giving them only brief play during the discussions of the 2016 election and in the book's epilogue.
Alberta's book benefits from the interest inherent to the topic of his work. Trump is a figure that commands attention, and this will keep many readers turning the pages. However, much of the content and analysis presented will appear familiar, if not remedial, to most individuals who have actively followed national U.S. politics. There is definitely some interesting insider information gathered from sources in Republican politics with which Alberta has clearly established rapport (e.g. John Boehner, Paul Ryan, Jeff Flake, etc).
Overall, American Carnage is one of the more reasonable and detailed reviews of contemporary U.S. presidential politics available and is worth the read, especially if you're not necessarily someone who has followed contemporary politics closely.
Although Alberta's analysis seems to be largely motivated by personal disgust with Trump's uncouth manners and reckless rhetoric as well as sympathy with "Never Trump" political efforts on the Right, Alberta is relatively fair in his analysis, especially concerning Trump's strengths and weaknesses as a politician and the contemporary state of conservative politics. Alberta is somewhat unfair in his critique of the Right's embrace of political expediency (i.e. electing Trump) in an era where they are under assault by much of the media, Democrats, and left-wing movements. Moreover, Alberta errs most egregiously in his neglect of the crucial role that radical and socially deleterious left-wing movements and politicians played in the rise of Trump. This is not to say that he does not touch on of these factors at all, but he does mistakenly gloss over them, giving them only brief play during the discussions of the 2016 election and in the book's epilogue.
Alberta's book benefits from the interest inherent to the topic of his work. Trump is a figure that commands attention, and this will keep many readers turning the pages. However, much of the content and analysis presented will appear familiar, if not remedial, to most individuals who have actively followed national U.S. politics. There is definitely some interesting insider information gathered from sources in Republican politics with which Alberta has clearly established rapport (e.g. John Boehner, Paul Ryan, Jeff Flake, etc).
Overall, American Carnage is one of the more reasonable and detailed reviews of contemporary U.S. presidential politics available and is worth the read, especially if you're not necessarily someone who has followed contemporary politics closely.
On only page 598 of its 612 pages, Alberta sums up the Trump presidency: "This isn't about ideas. It's about image." But they are a fascinating 612 pages, mainly because of the history that gets filled in on so many of the people who turned out to be major players today, like Mark Meadows as a random example. The book will also help you understand that it's not your own shortcomings of stamina that have left you exhausted by the Trump presidency. We have been blasted with a fire hose of chaos and it shows no sign of running dry.
Excellent, thorough and juicy retelling of recent history without feeling stale.
Definitely reminded me of Game Change but without the icky misogyny. Just the gossipy chatter tone. Can’t believe how much he fit in one book! (We might need a sequel.)
A peek behind the curtain of the Republican Party
Underlying factions within political parties are sometimes transparent and sometimes not. Reads like reliving the last few years but with a “meanwhile” that transports you unto closed door meetings, plots, and negotiations that focuses on Congress as much as the Trump Executive Branch.
Underlying factions within political parties are sometimes transparent and sometimes not. Reads like reliving the last few years but with a “meanwhile” that transports you unto closed door meetings, plots, and negotiations that focuses on Congress as much as the Trump Executive Branch.
dark
informative
fast-paced