The Best American Political Writing 2003 [Paperback]

Royce Flippin (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 8, 2003 | Series: Best American Political Writing

The Best American Political Writing 2003 preserves the most incisive, controversial, and entertaining writing about the notable events and people of 2002. In a year engulfed in political controversy, from President Bush’s plans for a preemptive war on Iraq to the Enron and Adelphia scandals, American politics provided no shortage of fodder for debate. Gathering from the nation’s leading publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, the New Yorker, the Nation, the Atlantic Monthly, the Weekly Standard, Foreign Affairs, Vanity Fair, and Salon.com, as well as writing from such think tanks as the Heritage Foundation and the Brookings Institution, Royce Flippin culls the best writing on the year’s most talked-about topics. In a year that saw Karl Rove stealthily engineer the decisive drubbing of the Democrats in the 2002 midterm elections, as well as continuing debate over the controversial U.S.A. Patriot Act and the creation of a new Department of Homeland Security, America's finest political reporters — including Joe Klein, Jeff Greenfield, Robert Kagan, Christopher Hitchens, Paul Krugman, Ron Suskind, Elizabeth Kolbert, Michael Ignatieff, Sir John Keegan, Meryl Gordon, Senator Robert Byrd, and Jeffrey Toobin — produced some of the most passionate, disparate, and controversial writing in decades.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Absorbing and provocative, Flippin's collection of political writings is as incisive as it is entertaining. The selection of essays is well balanced, presenting the best-written examples from both liberal and conservative perspectives, about both national and domestic policies. Indeed, the book gives an comprehensive vision of almost all the major events of the past year, including the 2002 elections, the 2003 tax cut legislation, the invasion of Iraq and the first weeks of the post-war rebuilding effort. Among the volume's 55 selections are James Carney and John F. Dickerson's analysis of Karl Rove's legendary campaign to create a Republican majority in Congress ("W and the Boy Genius"); Michael Ignatieff's argument that America is in the process of building an international empire ("The Burden"); and James Wolcott's discussion of how the Right dealt with anti-war protesters ("What if They Gave A War And Nobody Cared?"). The inclusion of speeches by Senator Robert Byrd and President George W. Bush round out the book's perspective. Hints of the what the future elections hold appear in Lawrence Kudlow's claim that "victory on tax cuts is vital to the president's political credibility and his reelection" and in Michelle Cottle's contention that "Democrats are forced to go begging to Al Sharpton" for the black vote because they've neglected the African-American community since President Clinton left office. An intelligent and enjoyable compilation, Flippin's anthology is an excellent resource for both teachers and general readers.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Even though the presidential election is over, this third title in an annual series devoted to political writing merits attention. Flippin offers a biting and absorbing collection of straight news reports, investigative reports, and political analysis initially published between June 2003 and June 2004 on a wide range of political issues, events, and personalities. Among the contributions is a hilarious look at the California gubernatorial election, a probe of the Homeland Security Department, an analysis of the states likely to determine the outcome of the presidential election, and a view of the Bush White House in excerpts from Bob Woodward's Plan of Attack and Ron Suskind's The Price of Loyalty. The book is divided into five sections: the Bush administration, the 2004 presidential campaign, a broad spectrum of political issues, political oddities, and U.S. foreign policy. Each section includes a segment that provides differing views on a controversial topic, including the economy, same-sex marriage, and the U.S. presence in Iraq. Political junkies will love this anthology. Vanessa Bush
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Thunder's Mouth Press (September 8, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156025517X
• ISBN-13: 978-1560255178
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,889,085 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nice to know some still care, October 11, 2003

By 

J. C. "Buggyhair" (Philadelphia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best American Political Writing 2003 (Paperback)

This book is filled with topics that should be at the forefront of the national conversation but are falling on the deaf ears of an apathetic populace. Doesn't anyone care anymore? This is the important stuff, folks. Hard facts and important ideas on the issues that are vital to our future are being drowned out by the legions of bickering, partisan loudmouths with an axe to grind. This book is one of the dying breed that is not for only conservatives or only liberals but for AMERICANS, lest we forget we're all in this together. Highlights for me included the essays, such as Paul Kruger's "For Richer," that reveal how the interests of the wealthy have hijacked our government to a degree never seen before and why our politicians play along, despite overwhelming public opinion against it and the damage it does to our country. Also recommended is Robert Kuttner's reminder of all the promises George W. Bush made to us during his campaign opposed to what he's actually delivered. There could hardly be more distance between the two. Since it helps to know something about your reviewer, I'll tell you that I'm a Democrat, but you'll find a mix of serious conservative, liberal and independent voices here, though not from the extreme fringes. There's no shortage of other books you can look to if that's your thing. Left, right or center, you will find that the writers whose essays make up this book care deeply about which they write and that's what we could all use a lot more of; more caring and less squawking. If you care about your country but are tired of the shrill war of words and conspiracy theories that pass for political writing these days, this book is a beacon in the dark night.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Something for everyone, December 23, 2002

By 

Lynn Harnett (Marathon, FL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Best American Political Writing 2002 (Paperback)

I know what they say about yesterday's newspaper, but these pieces from 2001, beginning with that mind-bending election and with a special section on September 11, are a slice of history such as we hope not to see again. And besides, many are think pieces from magazines like "The New Yorker" and "The Nation," "Vanity Fair," "salon.com" and "The Atlantic Monthly."

The book is divided into six parts, each followed by a "National Conversation," with column-length opinion pieces. Election 2000 includes five pieces from the likes of Vincent Bugliosi (liberal) and Charles Krauthammer (conservative); Politics in the Bush Era features Margaret Carlson and Nicholas Lemann, with columns from Molly Ivins and Paul Krugman. Lani Guinier and Frank Rich sound off on (Not) Politics As Usual, then Barbara Ehrenreich and David Brooks give their View from Main Street. The second half of the book concentrates on September 11 and the War on Terror and we hear from Richard Perle, Fouad Ajami, Richard Rodriguez, Jeane Kirkpatrick and Henry Kissinger. Among others. The writing is lively and forceful, of course, and if the predictions are sometimes wrong, it's nice to know such opinionated people aren't right about everything. For political junkies of all persuasions.

4 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not what I had hoped., February 8, 2005

By 

Random Feature "Random Feature" (Milwaukee, WI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Best American Political Writing 2004 (Paperback)

Be aware that this book is not from the same publisher as the well regarded "The Best American Series" by Houghton Mifflin. I had hoped for equal, in-depth and fair analysis of political issues that would increase my political IQ. Instead I felt that each essay was based more on opinion than facts, although selective facts can be used to support just about any opinion. And I don't think they were chosen with balance in mind. There is only one article which is negative about the Bush tax cuts but not a corresponding positive article. There are 6 articles on Gay Marriage however.

If possible, look closely at the sources of the articles (listed in the table of contents) and read the brief descriptions by the editor at the beginning of each article before buying this book.