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maisoncetacea's review
4.0
An indispensable pamphlet for anyone who cherishes the American values the Founders intended for this country. Democracy, Wolf maintains, is not something we can just lazily expect. Despotism is the default, democracy is the exception. American citizens have a duty of perpetual vigilance to the fragile concept of democracy and freedom--not just the Senate, not just Congress, not just journalists, lawyers, and Constitutional scholars. All of us. Freedom is our privilege. We must live up to earning it.
An extremely terrifying, moving, shocking, and inspiring book. Every American should have it on their shelves. Every American classroom should have it taught.
An extremely terrifying, moving, shocking, and inspiring book. Every American should have it on their shelves. Every American classroom should have it taught.
sebarose's review
1.0
It interests me how American ideals were/are subverted (and lauded, for that matter). It is not interesting to argue only one president subverted ideals. It is even less interesting, rather boorish, to constantly compare Hitler and Bush (despite protestations that you are not). I would like the author to rewrite the book, but look beyond Bush and his supposed 100% nazi, fascist, nefarious regime to look at the failings other modern presidents. If she spent so much time researching WWI and WWII Germany and Italy, 1970s Chile, and 2002-2006 USA, as she suggests, she should be able to come up with some interesting insight into, say, John Adams, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Tony Blair, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Croatia, etc. etc. etc.
amber_lea84's review
3.0
What a trip down memory lane. Remember Naomi Wolf? Remember Bush?
Unfortunately, Naomi Wolf has a reputation for poor fact checking and I have no interest in fact checking this book myself. But you know, sometimes she makes really good points. Other times she sounds really dumb. Like toward the end she has this whole part about how bloggers can save us. I wonder what she would say about that now.
But yeah, I don't know. I only read this book because I have a physical copy that I probably bought 10 years ago and I'm trying to pare down all my books so they fit on my bookcase. It's really not that bad, but it does have that Naomi Wolf way of being kind of irritating. Seriously, so many people could benefit from an editor who's a real hardass and Naomi Wolf is definitely one of them.
But it was interesting stepping back in time to 2007. Man.
Unfortunately, Naomi Wolf has a reputation for poor fact checking and I have no interest in fact checking this book myself. But you know, sometimes she makes really good points. Other times she sounds really dumb. Like toward the end she has this whole part about how bloggers can save us. I wonder what she would say about that now.
But yeah, I don't know. I only read this book because I have a physical copy that I probably bought 10 years ago and I'm trying to pare down all my books so they fit on my bookcase. It's really not that bad, but it does have that Naomi Wolf way of being kind of irritating. Seriously, so many people could benefit from an editor who's a real hardass and Naomi Wolf is definitely one of them.
But it was interesting stepping back in time to 2007. Man.
suspendedinair's review
3.0
this might be a good first book for someone who has never been critical of america, but for everyone else it doesn't offer anything new. and it is lacking an action plan.
alfajirikali's review
4.0
I enjoyed the end notes. Although I was aware of most of the news items and their ramifications, I hadn't made the analogies (to previous fascist regimes) Wolf made. The book may be considered by some as leftist propaganda, though it seems the statements made were considered carefully before printed.
silpulsar_lexapro's review
5.0
Absolutely essential read. Our freedoms are crumbling right in front of us. Naomi Wolf looks into history to find out what that means for our future.
tschmitty's review
2.0
I tend to not seek out political reads, but this was an interesting if not at times, depressing read. I do think the author was extreme at times with her rationalizations, but she did bring up some interesting food for thought. I just have to have a better faith in our country than the bleak future she paints here.
lauren_endnotes's review
4.0
Many other reviewers have stated it better than I can; simply put, this book left me astounded and emboldened.