All Politics Is Local: and Other Rules of the Game [Hardcover]

Thomas P. O'Neill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 30, 1993

The former Speaker of the House provides witty and insightful advice about how the world of politics really works and how to run a successful campaign. 100,000 first printing. $75,000 ad/promo. Tour.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this day of cookie-cutter, blow-dried political candidates, it's refreshing to recall the rules of the game with a master politician. Former Speaker of the House O'Neill ( Man of the House ) and Hymel, his former press secretary, here compile a primer for the campaigner. O'Neill knows how to humanize the political process. He provides us with wonderful anecdotes: from LBJ riding a police horse in downtown Boston to how Harry Truman became a U.S. Senator (Missouri political boss Tom Pendergast thought Truman "wasn't smart enough" to be a county assessor). "For me," writes O'Neill, "politics always was about values combined with instincts. Put those together and you get a rule." Among his rules are these: no contribution is too small; never get introduced to the crowd at a sporting event, only boos will ensue; to be a successful public speaker, memorize poetry; avoid bunk; remember names; tip well. O'Neill is also outspoken on diverse topics ranging from term limits to whiskey. A book that all 535 members of Congress should be made to read. Author tour.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

A kind of "junior Reader's Digest" version of O'Neill's popular political memoir, Man of the House ( LJ 10/15/87), this personalized political primer boils down many of the entertaining true and apocryphal stories from the first book to bare-bones incidents and one-line lessons; no story runs more than three pages, and many are shorter. In these anecdotes about his own experiences and those of the politically famous (such as Truman, JFK, LBJ, and Reagan), O'Neill treats politics both as a game during which he must outwit opponents and as a serious vocation whose purpose is to serve his constituents. Always straightforward and occasionally funny (but not as often as he wants to be), the former Speaker of the House serves up a platter of trite homilies and political folk wisdom that have served him very well: "Be in the right place at the right time," "never criticize the family of an opponent," "in politics, your word is everything," "don't forget the people who elected you"--and "keep your speeches short." He did here, and very few readers will fail to get his messages.
- Jack Forman, Mesa Coll. Lib., San Diego
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 190 pages
• Publisher: Crown; 1st edition (November 30, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812922972
• ISBN-13: 978-0812922974
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #606,213 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Some information on the book, January 6, 2003

By 

"violet467" (Santa Monica, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: All Politics is Local: And Other Rules of the Game (Paperback)

I enjoyed reading this book even though I had to do a report on it. The main point of the book was to show that politics is about one's values combined with instincts; it is basically one's common sense. Some implications were: Though many candidates think it is essential to use the new campaigning and advertising strategies and technology to raise money, it is also important to remember that if the candidate and his issues find favor in the people's eyes, then many would gladly provide financial support when they are simply asked to. If one is loving and honest towards his constituents then his constituents will be honest and loving towards him. If you have clout and use it then many times you can even convince your most powerful opponents to take your side.
I believe the author's thesis to be true because politics is all about how well you know how to deal with people and the right thing to say at the right time, and that is basically what common sense is. Of course reputation, clout, and money are very influential, but if you are a good at politics and have good common sense, those will come in due time. I would recommend this book because it offers a different perspective than what government books give you. All Politics is Local and other rules of the game provides common sense that people interested in politics should know.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A bit of political wit and wisdom., December 9, 2001

By 

Mike B. (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: All Politics is Local: And Other Rules of the Game (Paperback)

O'Neill displays his vast wit and wisdom in an entertaining series of stories from his political career and life. Politics may seem complicated and confusing at times but the former Speaker proves that the game is played on a short list of general rules that should always be followed. As one reviewer said, it makes for good bathroom reading with its short, entertaining stories.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Marvelous Book, August 7, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: All Politics is Local: And Other Rules of the Game (Paperback)

I am a conservative Republican who loved this book. Folks of all political persuasions can appreciate the lessons and stories as told by one of the brightest, funniest, and most talented politicians of the century. If you even suspect that you might have an interest political life, by all means read it.