14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The definitive book on inside Washington, February 4, 1998
By A Customer
Hedrick Smith's "The Power Game" is easily the best, and most informative, political book to come out in the last 25 years. Through his myriad of stories, Smith pieces together a definitive profile of Washington: what its like, who wins, who loses, and what the games are. It gives an informative outline as to the fundamental strategies and actions are in Washington, and what the role of certain circles of power are, such as the media, the military, and the lobbies.
The examples Smith uses to illustrate his points on Washington come mainly from the Reagan administration. Smith's analysis of the Reagan era is very troubling, and he specifically says that the actions of the Reagan team are similar to all the teams of "successful" Presidents. Inadvertently (or perhaps purposefully), Smith raises serious questions about the ethics of Washington today, and the actions of the present day administration. He also points out the actions of Congress, and the faults with the present-day system. Smith also delves into the origins of our system, tracing the impact of various political events throughout history. Smith manages to make this not only readable, but highly interesting. He mixes humor and wit with biting sarcasm and investigative journalism, all making for a very intelligent and thorough analysis of Washington. Even Smith's solutions are concise and cogent.
Smith is not a brilliant writer: he is adept, but he is not brilliant. His strength lies in research and presentation of his extensive material. Surprisingly, Smith is able to deliver the material in a very readable, friendly way. Despite being an insider for so many years, he is able to write as a tourist, stunned by the denigration of Washington over the years. He is also able to use his experience to give first-hand insight into corrupt Washington, all of which leads to a very smart, very good book. Smith is a little wordy, and he has many passages which are extraneous, but despite the flaws, he has packed this book with information every American must know. A must-read for all interested in our government at all. In fact, this is a book that every person who votes must read, because it gives tremendous insight into our system. A fine job.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A "must read" for those curious about how Washington "works", January 5, 1998
...or doesn't work! This is one of the most eye-opening books I have ever read. Learn about "power surfing" and other useful techniques used by the most savy of power players in our nation's capital. Before I read this book, I naively thought power in our federal government was a linear, north-south, hierarchic beast. Boy, was I wrong. It gets passed around like a beach ball. Hedrick Smith uses the Reagan Administration as his example, but the template he draws can easily be transferred to the Clinton White House. This is a long book, but it's worth the investment if you want to become a wiser citizen or just to be entertained by the power plays of our elected officials. I just finished reading former Labor Secretary Robert Reich's memoirs, "Locked in the Cabinet". I venture to say that if he had read this book before he became a Cabinet member, it would have saved him a LOT of grief and made him a more effective official. This book should be required reading to anyone who gets elected or appointed to federal positions in Washington.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very good, August 8, 2001
This book should be required reading for undergraduates alongside a good American Government textbook. As opposed to textbook description of our governmental process, Smith's book digs a little deeper to describe how American government - and politics - really works. It is big but fairly readable. There are some flaws: the book is a bit dated as it was written in the late 80s (e.g. Smith talks about the problems of PACs in campaign but today's problem is soft money); there are a surprisingly decent number of typos and editing oversights; finally, like I mentioned, it is a large book and at some points, few as they are, where the book drags. At the least, a good teacher could use the book and pull out certain chapters that are more pertinent. ENJOY!
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