A Time to Fight: Reclaiming a Fair and Just America (Hardcover)

~ Jim Webb (Author)
Key Phrases: economic fairness, World War, United States, Marine Corps (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

“The best tour of the capitol I’ve ever taken . . . a vivid analysis of the folly of our foreign policy and the unfairness of our domestic one.”
—Margaret Carlson, Bloomberg.com

“A Time to Fight may be the best evocation of the twenty-first century Democratic Party’s emerging style and philosophy. Webb is a . . . terrific writer . . . and now he has written a policy book that is actually worth reading, an unprecedented feat for a sitting politician.”
—Joe Klein, Time

“Jim Webb is a serious writer, not a politician who writes books on the side . . . He offers a fresh approach to politics and stirs excitement.”
—Elizabeth Drew, New York Review of Books
--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Review

“The best tour of the capitol I’ve ever taken . . . a vivid analysis of the folly of our foreign policy and the unfairness of our domestic one.”
—Margaret Carlson, Bloomberg.com

“A Time to Fight may be the best evocation of the twenty-first century Democratic Party’s emerging style and philosophy. Webb is a . . . terrific writer . . . and now he has written a policy book that is actually worth reading, an unprecedented feat for a sitting politician.”
—Joe Klein, Time

“Jim Webb is a serious writer, not a politician who writes books on the side . . . He offers a fresh approach to politics and stirs excitement.”
—Elizabeth Drew, New York Review of Books

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Broadway; 1 edition (May 19, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0767928350
• ISBN-13: 978-0767928359
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #264,062 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

120 of 125 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A man who thinks for himself, May 20, 2008

By	Kerry Walters (Lewisburg, PA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

In his refreshingly good A Time to Fight, Jim Webb, junior senator from Virginia confesses that he once spent a few years as a boxer and that sometimes when he enters the Senate Chamber he thinks, "This is the ring. The American people can see us here, and listen to our arguments. This is where the fights matter." In A Time to Fight, he aims to let us know which battles he thinks are worth fighting.

If you think (as, I confess, I did before reading this book) that you've got Jim Webb pegged down as your typical charismatic, flag-waving warrior, think again. He reveals himself in these pages to be an independent thinker who doesn't parrot the latest partisan mantra but instead is imaginative and courageous enough to take the best from both sides of the aisle. He endorses the Nixon Doctrine, for example, actually calling it the best foreign policy of his lifetime. He's also a deeply patriotic man who admits that he feels humbled whenever he sees the Capitol building and thinks about what it symbolizes. Yet his patriotism and his understanding of the US as a superpower aren't chauvinist or neoconservative. He thinks the current war was a mismanaged and needless affair. He's extremely critical of the growing imbalance of wealth in this country. He calls for a revamping of the criminal justice system, worrying that the country has gone "completely jail happy." He warns that in recent years the executive branch has become disproportionately powerful. And he has a deep and abiding faith in the ability of citizens, when properly informed and responsibly represented, to govern themselves well.

Webb tells us early on that he has an "innate distrust of the ornaments of power," and most of the battles he wants to take on deal with the abuse of power. In all this, his intellectual commitment to democracy as well as his personal dedication and decency come through loud and clear. In a year in which several very good books by American politicans have appeared, A Time to Fight is one that's reflective, insightful, and inspiring. Webb's a guy to watch.

51 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful; Deep, May 21, 2008

By	J. Ronthi "TheGreatSwindle" (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book doesn't always lend itself to partisan ideology, but, rather, is a remedial and a clarion call to those who are tired of a non-solutions based rigidity in Washington. A wake up call, I suppose.

I read this on a whim, having only heard of Webb in passing. I thought he sounded quite impressive when I heard him on c-span, so that made it easier. I enjoyed this book in totality. He is a lot deeper than he occasionally lets on, as his humble attitude tends to shield his incredible intellect at times. Until he actually starts to speak/type, whetever, then it is all very clear: Jim Webb is a true intellect.

Jim seems to be a gifted writer, as well. I don't know his methodology, but he is a fantastic story teller. Prose is readable, yet eloquent. Lots of historical references that help; many personal stories, too. Webb lays out a slue of new ideas, new ways of thinking about politics, and shares a sentiment that all parties can get down with. As with any book like this, I want to be glowing to a certain extent afterwards. I want to feel patriotic and like there is hope for American politics. This book achieves that.

Jim Webb is far more than an effective legislator; he is an honest character.

Check it out.

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Man For the People, June 10, 2008

By	A. R. Westra (New York) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I don't usually pick up contemporary political books, but decided to read Senator Webb's new book after hearing him speak on an NPR segment. As a probable McCain voter and moderate Republican, I also hoped to challenge my own political opinions.

Webb's discussion of the military was moving and pragmatic. He advocates a more influential and independent military, with long-term strategies and strong leaders, like MacArthur, who are not afraid to disagree with the President. With a very political, but nonetheless heartfelt tone, he speaks to the diversity of the military and how his experiences with other soldiers from very different walks of life ultimately forged his political views.

In much of the remainder of the book, the Senator provides a discourse against the class struggle that he believes to be destroying America. He attacks globalization, lucrative executives and special interests and portrays himself as a man of the people in contrast to many of the "elites" in the Senate. While I believe Webb supports many of the interests of the underprivileged, he is at times overly self-righteous. Especially considering that the Senator - a direct descendent of an officer who served with George Washington, son of a decorated military veteran, Naval Academy graduate and Former Secretary of the Navy - had a perfect pedigree for the Senate and many more advantages than most. In fact, he is more like his admired Tolstoy, the Russian literary giant and famed anarchist who was deeply grieved by his fellow aristocrats, than Truman, (of more humble origins) whom he also refers to.

There are further sections supporting a weaker executive branch that distinguish Jim Webb from other Democrats.

I doubt I will be fighting for Jim Webb in November should he make the VP ticket. However, his new book raises important issues - many of which are not new. Some of these issues receive insightful and innovative analysis, while others are addressed with an increasingly tedious party line.