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klutzyclocks's review against another edition
4.0
The spread of extra information from outside parties (Secret Service reports, news show transcripts, etc...) spread throughout the books really added a new, fresh dimension to the narrative.
jetia13's review against another edition
4.0
Lots of fun! Time travel and US Presidents... what's not to love? I was cracking up at Taft trying to use Twitter. There were a couple small things that bothered me in the book, but I didn't focus on them long enough to really put my finger on it, the idea was too much fun.
rkmelcher's review against another edition
3.0
I liked it more at the beginning. Then it got a bit preachy. Then a bit weird (the NYE stuff). Then preachy again. Not that I disagree with what "Taft" was saying. I just didn't want it spoon-fed to me circa 2012 anyway. Especially now that the "different" candidate who stole the heart of the nation is an orange buffoon child.
_lilbey_'s review against another edition
3.0
Shockingly few people in this book thought Taft's reappearance was odd, let alone questioned how it happened. He should have been undergoing hundreds of tests to figure out how he just walked up one day, 100 years after disappearing, not gallivanting around the country.
misterjay's review against another edition
3.0
Taft 2012 is part history lesson, part political commentary, part indictment of the food industry, and part quirky fantasy. Taken individually, each part would be interesting enough, but as a whole, they blend into an odd little tale about the people we choose to lead us.
The story centers around William Howard Taft, his unexplained disappearance in 1913 and his sudden reappearance in 2011. Far from being just an unwilling time traveler, Taft is a reminder to the populous of what the nation used to be; his anachronistic presence is a catharsis for disaffected voters, who immediately form the Taft party, whose sole purpose is make Taft president once again.
Although the novel is fun and a good read, it is shorter than it ought to be. With such a premise, there could be so much more characterization and even plot, yet the book is a scant 320 pages, much of that given to fictional twitter posts and blog entries. At times, in the guise of a speech or monologue, the narrative is given over to idealistic preaching about what politics could be. Even with these flaws, the character of Taft is believable and larger than life and someone I could wish were in the running for the upcoming U.S. elections.
He'd have my vote.
The story centers around William Howard Taft, his unexplained disappearance in 1913 and his sudden reappearance in 2011. Far from being just an unwilling time traveler, Taft is a reminder to the populous of what the nation used to be; his anachronistic presence is a catharsis for disaffected voters, who immediately form the Taft party, whose sole purpose is make Taft president once again.
Although the novel is fun and a good read, it is shorter than it ought to be. With such a premise, there could be so much more characterization and even plot, yet the book is a scant 320 pages, much of that given to fictional twitter posts and blog entries. At times, in the guise of a speech or monologue, the narrative is given over to idealistic preaching about what politics could be. Even with these flaws, the character of Taft is believable and larger than life and someone I could wish were in the running for the upcoming U.S. elections.
He'd have my vote.
scheu's review against another edition
3.0
A good first effort by local-boy Heller. Light and enjoyable satire that strays into silliness every time he pushes the topic of Fulsom Foods at you.
mazer_nickham's review against another edition
4.0
I read an advance copy of this one to prepare for the interview I had with Jason Heller for my podcast Machine Readable. Taft 2012 is a welcome jump in quality from publisher Quirk Books, publisher of books like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Mr. Heller manages to balance a great light satirical tone throughout the novel while dropping historical facts that don't bog the narrative down. Taft comes off as quite the likeable guy because Mr. Heller decides to focus on character rather than the politics or science fiction elements of the story. A highly enjoyable read from a debut author, I look forward to his rumored YA series and steampunk novel!
karieh13's review against another edition
2.0
I am a big fan of “what if” type novels….and “What if long dead President Taft appeared as part of 21st century life?” certainly seemed to fit that bill.
I was disappointed in “Taft 2012” however…because so many of the elements that tend to make this kind of book enjoyable (seeing today’s world through the eyes of someone used to 1913, seeing how long/how hard it is for them to adapt, seeing how the world is changed because of him, etc.) just weren’t that interesting.
Taft, upon waking from some sort of hundred year hibernation, just doesn’t seem to have much of a reaction to the modern world despite the millions of changes between his time and now.
“Taft didn’t flinch. What a novel development. Clearly, a white man and a Negro woman sitting together in a restaurant was of no matter in the twenty-first century. He was less surprised than perhaps he should have been.”
That was true all through the book. Taft, born in the nineteenth century, is always less surprised than he should have been by computers, cell phones, modern dress, landing on the moon, etc. There was so little of the wide-eyed shock/surprise/amazement that I had expected – it made the book a bit dull.
And his views of our modern society only rarely made me stop and think. “If there is a problem with America today – as I see it – it is that we look for self-worth in consumption, rather than in the pursuit of personal achievement.” Or, “We Americans are a good people – a very, very good people – but one of our weaknesses is an assumption, justified by a good many miracles that have saved us from egregious mistakes in the past, that we should always expect America to be healthy and strong on its own, because we believe that God looks after children, drunken men, and the United States!” True, but hardly shocking.
I wasn’t sure what the central message of the book was, either. It touches on corporate greed, inequality, mass marketing, big Agra, mass media, organic foods… I just couldn’t put my finger on what the author was trying to convey using this president and this premise.
I was disappointed in “Taft 2012” however…because so many of the elements that tend to make this kind of book enjoyable (seeing today’s world through the eyes of someone used to 1913, seeing how long/how hard it is for them to adapt, seeing how the world is changed because of him, etc.) just weren’t that interesting.
Taft, upon waking from some sort of hundred year hibernation, just doesn’t seem to have much of a reaction to the modern world despite the millions of changes between his time and now.
“Taft didn’t flinch. What a novel development. Clearly, a white man and a Negro woman sitting together in a restaurant was of no matter in the twenty-first century. He was less surprised than perhaps he should have been.”
That was true all through the book. Taft, born in the nineteenth century, is always less surprised than he should have been by computers, cell phones, modern dress, landing on the moon, etc. There was so little of the wide-eyed shock/surprise/amazement that I had expected – it made the book a bit dull.
And his views of our modern society only rarely made me stop and think. “If there is a problem with America today – as I see it – it is that we look for self-worth in consumption, rather than in the pursuit of personal achievement.” Or, “We Americans are a good people – a very, very good people – but one of our weaknesses is an assumption, justified by a good many miracles that have saved us from egregious mistakes in the past, that we should always expect America to be healthy and strong on its own, because we believe that God looks after children, drunken men, and the United States!” True, but hardly shocking.
I wasn’t sure what the central message of the book was, either. It touches on corporate greed, inequality, mass marketing, big Agra, mass media, organic foods… I just couldn’t put my finger on what the author was trying to convey using this president and this premise.
skybalon's review against another edition
4.0
Let's just say this was a weird book to read at the beginning of the 2016 presidential campaign. (Well early-mid campaign). I'd wonder if [a:Jason Heller|4025594|Jason Heller|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] were going to write the book today if he would change this book. It is part satire, part morality tale about modern politics, but based on the current reality, the satire could have been much deeper. It is a enjoyable read and assuming that the history about Taft is accurate, informative as well. Worth the read.