Don't Start the Revolution Without Me! (Hardcover)

by Jesse Ventura (Author), Dick Russell (Contributor) "When you're at a crossroads, sometimes all you can do is take a reprieve from the fast lane..." (more)
Key Phrases: wave runners, United States, White House, First Lady (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Former pro wrestler and Minnesota governor Ventura (Do I Stand Alone?) has been awakened out of semiretirement by his outrage over the grievous state of the country and his need to once again exercise his enormous ego by rehashing events from his life and political career. He holds forth in his typical blunt, anti-intellectual style on a range of topics including the Rolling Stones, Fidel Castro and 9/11 conspiracy theories. His diatribes are loosely linked to a travelogue as Ventura and his wife drive to Baja California in their truck-camper. Excerpts from interviews and his wife's diaries provide a welcome break from Ventura's boorish tone (although his anecdotes—particularly one involving the Dalai Lama and the film Caddyshack—are occasionally amusing). The book concludes with Ventura combining his three passions: wrestling, politics and self-adulation when he imagines running for President on a WWE ticket. Whether the reader will find that a horrifying fantasy or a hilarious one will largely determine how they feel about this book. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Description
Jesse Ventura—former governor, wrestler, and Navy SEAL—on what's wrong with the Democrats, the Republicans, and politics in America.

Jesse Ventura has had many lives—as a Navy SEAL, as a star of pro wrestling, as an actor, and as the governor of Minnesota. His previous books, I Ain't Got Time to Bleed and Do I Stand Alone?, were both national bestsellers. Don't Start the Revolution Without Me! is the story of his controversial gubernatorial years and his life since deciding not to seek a second term as governor in 2002. Written with award-winning author Dick Russell at a secluded location on Mexico's Baja Peninsula, Ventura's new book reveals for the first time why he left politics—and why he is now considering reentering the arena with a possible independent run for the presidency in 2008.

In a fast-paced and often humorous narrative, Ventura pulls no punches in discussing our corrupt two-party system, the disastrous war in Iraq, and what he suspects really happened on September 11. He provides personal insights into the Clinton and Bush presidencies, and elaborates on the ways in which third parties are rendered impotent by the country's two dominant parties. He reveals the illegal role of the CIA in states like Minnesota, sensitive and up-to-date information on the Blackwater security firm, the story of the American spies who shadowed him on a trade mission to Cuba, and what Fidel Castro told him about who really assassinated President John F. Kennedy. This unique political memoir is a must-read for anyone concerned about the direction that America will take in 2008. 16 b/w photographs.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1602392730
• ISBN-13: 978-1602392731
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (63 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #77,264 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

134 of 141 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars America Needs More Men Like Jesse Ventura, March 20, 2008

By	D. Buxman "A Seeker of Truth" (Pueblo, CO United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I've never read a book by Jesse Ventura, and while I followed his term as Governor of Minnesota with some interest, I never really delved into his political philosophy. To put it bluntly, Jesse Ventura is a No-B.S., straight shooter who has a genuine concern about our recent loss of the virtues that made our country great. When I say "virtues," I'm not talking about the pseudo-morality that masks fundamentalist zealotry these days, I'm talking about American Virtues like freedom of speech, freedom of thought and the right to be left alone to live your life without the government telling you what to do. In an entertaining and thought-provoking manner, the author explains his experiences in office and exposes the two-party system for what it is; Corrupt and Rotten to the Core. The idea of voting Republican or Democrat gives us the illusion of choice without meaningful difference or informed debate. Jesse Ventura proves that you don't have to be a political insider to make a difference in this country. If you're tired of the status quo in American Politics, pick up this book and get a breath of fresh air and a jolt of motivation to make a difference. I'd give it ten stars if I could.

48 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most vitally important book of this election year so far!, March 26, 2008

By	Alexander P. Simack (Indiana) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Jesse is rested, refreshed, reinvigorated, ready to handle the "media jackals" (his phrase), and it sounds like he's ready to make a run. His wife has recovered her physical health, and the family has now survived a mayorship, a governorship, and all the public clamor and whatnot that sticking to true independence brings. He's the greatest political maverick of this generation. You may not agree with a lot of what he says, but he will fight you most gracefully and graciously. He's no crybaby, and he's ready even to "play the bad guy" if that's what it takes to get some true debate going again. HE KNOWS HIS STUFF!! I think he would make a fantastic president -- if he's not assassinated first. He's laying his life on the line here. Are we ready?

The book is a great page turner as Jesse rocks and rolls from one controversial subject to the next. He's assisted in his writing by acclaimed environmental and investigative journalist Dick Russell (o.k. I'll use "ghostwriter). And wife Terry gets to insert pages from her journal throughout this work, very effectively. It's wonderful to see a real team marriage, a couple who have nothing to hide.

I'm plugging this book everywhere I go!

49 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Real Deal--He Should Campaign on Substance in 2008, April 20, 2008

By	Robert D. Steele (Oakton, VA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

This is my first Jesse Ventura book and I am deeply impressed. This man is the real deal, honest, straight-up, with plenty of common sense. His ideal running mate is not John McCain or Robert Kennedy Jr. but rather the star of The Average American: The Extraordinary Search for the Nation's Most Ordinary Citizen. I would gladly serve these solid citizens in a staff capacity.

The book lacks an index, while offering plenty of balanced outrage. This is a serious person who sees all that is wrong with America, and who would have no problem agreeing with the authors of Running On Empty: How The Democratic and Republican Parties Are Bankrupting Our Future and What Americans Can Do About It; or Breach of Trust: How Washington Turns Outsiders Into Insiders.

A few of my notes from this captivating book and personality:

+ "Special interests have a stranglehold on our reality. Nobody is being told the truth."

+ Castro told him JFK assassination was an inside job. See Someone Would Have Talked: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the Conspiracy to Mislead History for confirmation--CIA trained team of Cuban exiles in revenge for Bay of Pigs

+ Reform Party was bogus, Perot let his ego run away with his brain

+ Buchanan hijacked the Reform Party and looted its treasury to pay off his old campaign debts

+ Both political parties are gangs

+ Organized religion is a business milking people like cows for their milk (money)

+ Down on NAFTA

+ Bush-Cheney passing federal laws that prevent states from protecting their own citizens properly from corporate predation

+ 9/11 Commission a cover-up, just as the Warren Commission was--government lies to the people (e.g. Gulf of Tonkin incident, simply cannot be trusted

+ CIA has embedded case officers within state and local governments

+ Positive on Ralph Nader as an honest person bringing up issues the two criminal parties will not raise

+ Properly faults Bush-Cheney for ignoring intelligence and privatizing war while bankrupting the Nation---if not impeachable, should at least be commitable to an insane asylum (see my lists on impeachment and holding Dick Cheney accountable, at least take a look at Vice: Dick Cheney and the Hijacking of the American Presidency

+ There IS a ruling class, not sure of its composition, we have to take the country back from them

+ Electoral college is long overdue for termination.

+ O'Reilly, all of those talking heads are scripted, media is about generating cash through entertainment, not about informing the citizenry

+ FCC fines broadcasters and others but they are appointed, not elected, and not accountable for their subjective definition of what is obscene

+ "Revisionist history troubles me deeply." page 265. This is the point where I decide this guy is a serious and qualified candidate to be our president.

+ 27 years of Bushes and Clintons, time for an independent party nominee to win and lead

+ National Guard should stay home.

+ Citing Mussolini, fascism is the marriage of corporations and religion. We have that here, now.

+ Need term limits on reporters, not just politicians. Reflects a profound disdain for Minnesota reporters.

I put the book down at the end of a very long very rainy day feeling good about this author, his independence of mind, his integrity. In combination with Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Social Movement in History Is Restoring Grace, Justice, and Beau; Society's Breakthrough!: Releasing Essential Wisdom and Virtue in All the People; The Tao of Democracy: Using Co-Intelligence to Create a World That Works for All; and Collective Intelligence: Creating a Prosperous World at Peace, I have a very strong feeling that the national immune system is going to kick in and finally out these frauds that pretend our elections are honest and meaningful.

It's a real shame Ralph Nader does not play well with others. I'm going to get in touch with Jesse Ventura and urge him to form a Transpartisan Sunshine Cabinet that can create a balanced budget by the 4th of July 2008. He does not have to run for President, all he has to do is set the standard by which we can judge the fradulence of "the system" candidates. For those enchanted by Barack Obama, as I was until I saw his dishonest advisors, see Obama - The Postmodern Coup: Making of a Manchurian Candidate.