The literary debut of political analyst Keli Goff is a savvy tale inspired by the 2008 presidential election. Luke Cooper, one of the first black and, by virtue of adoption, Jewish governors in US history, decides that it is time to run for president. His friends offer to help out with the campaign but a fundraiser, hosted by Luke's good friend, becomes the subject of an incredibly negative gossip campaign. Meanwhile, Luke's wife is ambivalent about her husband's aspirations
The GQ Candidate: A Novel
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"If you're the type that's always stirring up the water cooler discussion on the latest political scandal then Keli Goff's literary debut is a must read." --JET Magazine
About the Author
Keli Goff is an author, blogger and political analyst whose commentary on politics and pop culture appears regularly in national television, print and online publications. She is a frequent guest on news programs on the networks CNN, FOX, MSNBC and NPR, and is a regular contributor to TheLoop21.com and the Huffington Post. She is the author of the book PARTY CRASHING: How the Hip-Hop Generation Declared Political Independence. This is her first novel.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Caitie F
Format:Hardcover
First, this is a book that is about a politician without being about politics. So no matter what you political views are, you can still enjoy this book. Yes, the candidate is a Democrat, but there are not any Democratic talking points, so even Republicans can enjoy this book!
The great thing is that the issues in the book aren't tough political issues, they are the tough issues like faith and race. Luke was adopted when he was two and was raised incredibly well by a white Jewish family and practices the Jewish faith himself. When running for President, it become an issue for some voters. Reading about how he and his campaign deal with Luke being a black man other black people cannot relate to, and a Jewish man who Jewish people can't relate to was one of my favorite parts of the book. More than how he dealt with it was how his family stepped in to help him every step of the way.
The book is about all of his friends and family though, which is what made it such a pleasure to read. Running for president changes everyone's life and this is an in-depth look at those changes. Friendships are tested and some fall. Marriages struggle to stay alive (and not just the candidate).
And Luke's wife, Laura, is probably my favorite character in the entire book. She believes in her husband 100%. She knows that he will be good for the country, but she has a tough time dealing with his staff, who are always trying to tell her what to do. Her troubles dont' end there. She is suddenly feeling like a single parent, and has to face some rather nasty rumors about herself and her family. She takes it all in stride though, and fights for herself and her husband
I also wanted to mention that the book is quite funny. Luke tries to find humor in most situations and I often found myself laughing out loud.
This book was great and I suggest anyone who is interested in politics, or would like to see what it could be like to be thrown into a campaign, to read this book.
The great thing is that the issues in the book aren't tough political issues, they are the tough issues like faith and race. Luke was adopted when he was two and was raised incredibly well by a white Jewish family and practices the Jewish faith himself. When running for President, it become an issue for some voters. Reading about how he and his campaign deal with Luke being a black man other black people cannot relate to, and a Jewish man who Jewish people can't relate to was one of my favorite parts of the book. More than how he dealt with it was how his family stepped in to help him every step of the way.
The book is about all of his friends and family though, which is what made it such a pleasure to read. Running for president changes everyone's life and this is an in-depth look at those changes. Friendships are tested and some fall. Marriages struggle to stay alive (and not just the candidate).
And Luke's wife, Laura, is probably my favorite character in the entire book. She believes in her husband 100%. She knows that he will be good for the country, but she has a tough time dealing with his staff, who are always trying to tell her what to do. Her troubles dont' end there. She is suddenly feeling like a single parent, and has to face some rather nasty rumors about herself and her family. She takes it all in stride though, and fights for herself and her husband
I also wanted to mention that the book is quite funny. Luke tries to find humor in most situations and I often found myself laughing out loud.
This book was great and I suggest anyone who is interested in politics, or would like to see what it could be like to be thrown into a campaign, to read this book.
8 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By Kim
Format:Hardcover
This book was excellent. I bought it on a Sunday and figured I would read it over the course of a couple of weeks. I started reading it on a Monday and couldn't put it down. The author has done an amazing job of painting a picture of a candidate and his family and their lives on the campaign trail. It also illustrates the impact politics and the media have on the lives of EVERYONE associated with that person. I have recommended this book to all my friends and their book clubs as well as every politician I know. I highly recommend this book and look forward to the next... What will he decide?
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By MusicMogul
Format:Hardcover
I gave this book a 4/5! It was a page turner and was very good. The only reason I didn't give it a full blown 5 is because I felt the character development could have been a little more in depth. It did seem to jump from one character to another without fully developing their stories but other then that it was a very good book. It leaves you wanting to find out if Luke becomes president or not and I do have to say, Laura (Luke's wife) steals the show. You do not mess with this woman but at the same time she is VERY professional! This book also gives you a glimpse of the other side of politics and Keli Goff's chronologic format is amazing! Great autumn read!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
STILL UNABLE TO FINISH THIS BOOK....
I still have not been able to finish this book. I keep picking it back up; but, the incenitive to finish keeps eluding me. It relates too heavily to our current First Family. Read more
Published 3 months ago by BeLynn
1.0 out of 5 stars
Very disappointing; poorly written.
Basis of the novel is fun, but it's poorly written and even more poorly edited. I couldn't finish it. I'm surprised it was published -- it's really that bad!
Published 8 months ago by Elizabeth Krupnick
2.0 out of 5 stars
did nothing for me..
This book was kind of predictable and if you will, a little boring without any excitement or thrill. Climax could've been a lot better.
Published 8 months ago by deedsoverwords
2.0 out of 5 stars
Seems out of date and unrealistic
Interesting characters that are well-developed. Good description of the national political process. Also, the Michigan connection caught my eye. Read more
Published 15 months ago by carol hale
4.0 out of 5 stars
The GQ Candidate
The GQ Candidate is a novel about the presidential campaign of an African-American politician with a mixed cultural background from the Midwest. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Toni Campbell
5.0 out of 5 stars
What Really Happens to Candidates Like This
Great book. The only thing not truly explored was the way the media shreds candidates like that to pieces, just like they did to Obama during his run in the book, 71 Days: The... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Lincoln Templeton
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Delight!
I thoroughly enjoyed Keli Goff's first book, Party Crashing: How the Hip-Hop Generation Declared Political Independenceand was very much looking forward to reading her fiction... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Gwen R. Cooper
