I'm horrified to learn that "What It Takes," arguably the single greatest piece of campaign reportage ever published, was met with dismissive reviews and slow sales upon its release, and the cool reception eventually drove its author, Richard Ben Cramer, from politics.
For various reasons, "What It Takes" is a particularly important book to me. But it's also just a truly great book: a joy to read, and a uniquely insightful look into presidential campaigns and campaigning -- the bubble of organization and entourage that descends as candidates become more successful, the relationships between politicians and their advisers, the way luck and fortune are as important or more important than any constituency group. You might not think you want to read a 1,072-page doorstopper on the 1988 election, but believe me: You do. You really do.
More than that, there's a historical injustice to correct. "What It Takes" has apparently never made a bestseller list. It's never had its day in the commercial sun. But it still can: As I write this, "What It Takes" is No. 15 in Amazon's U.S. Politics section, and No. 3,780 on the entire site. There's no reason it can't have a day at No. 1. In fact, it deserves a day at No. 1.
So if you think you might enjoy this book, buy it today. And if you've read the book before, and you already know how good it is, encourage some of your friends to pick it up, or post about it on your blog, or put it on the Twitter, or whatever it is kids do these days.
And just for the record, I don't know Richard Ben Cramer and I have no financial incentive in any of this. I simply believe that though the arc of the publishing industry is long, it bends toward justice.
Entertainment Mervyn King Green politics Credit crunch Google China
No comments:
Post a Comment