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Gang of Five: Leaders at the Center of the Conservative Ascendacy (Paperback)

by Nina J. Easton (Author) "IT WAS IN THE NATURE of the times to talk back..." (more)
Key Phrases: war without blood, liberal foes, school choice program, White House, Christian Coalition, College Republicans (more...)

3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

Review
Joe Klein author of Primary Colors Nina Easton brings a strange and wonderful cast of characters to life in a book that is serious and often hilarious. -- Review

Review
The Washington PostEaston tells this story [of post-Reagan conservatism] more inventively, exhaustively, and entertainingly than anyone else.

The New York Times Book ReviewEaston is a superb reporter.

The Wall Street JournalMs. Easton is the Dian Fossey of conservatism. She marches into conservative hills to reveal the hidden world of these gorillas in the mist to the liberals back in civilization. Her reporting is impressive.

Jacob HeilbrunnThe Washington MonthlyA winner...Easton unites perceptive analysis with lively prose style.

Joe Kleinauthor of Primary ColorsNina Easton brings a strange and wonderful cast of characters to life in a book that is serious and often hilarious.

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Product Details

Paperback: 464 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (February 2, 2000)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0743203208
ISBN-13: 978-0743203203
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #924,795 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
IT WAS IN THE NATURE of the times to talk back. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
war without blood, liberal foes, school choice program, abortion plank, quota queen, voter guides

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
White House, Christian Coalition, College Republicans, New York, Ralph Reed, Weekly Standard, Republican Party, Bill Kristol, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Capitol Hill, King Hall, New Right, Pat Robertson, Wall Street, Grover Norquist, Clarence Thomas, South Africa, Irving Kristol, President Clinton, Bob Dole, University of Georgia, George Bush, United States, Clint Bolick

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 66 books:

Contract with the American Family by Christian Coalition on 6 pages
God and Man at Yale by William F. Buckley on 4 pages
An Introduction to Political Philosophy: Ten Essays (Culture of Jewish Modernity) by Leo Strauss in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
Contract with America by Republican National Committee on page 267, page 346, and Index
High Noon in Southern Africa: Making Peace in a Rough Neighborhood by Chester A. Crocker in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)

See all 66 books this book cites

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Customer Reviews

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3.7 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)

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30 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learn about the internal makeup of the conservative movement, July 23, 2002

By	Richard M Pittman (Baton Rouge, LA USA) - See all my reviews

Being a Leftist, I didn't know much about how the conservative movement actually works. After reading this book, I think I understand it a little better. I had always known that the Republican Party is fractured, with religious conservatives and economic libertarians forming a coalition of people who have little in common with one another. This book showed me that there are even more divisions than that.

It also showed me how the conservative movement has changed. In this profile of five relatively young conservative leaders, you won't find any mention of Jesse Helms as a role model. The Republican Party is trying to smooth the edges a little bit.

Of the five leaders whose lives are profiled (Grover Norquist, Ralph Reed, Clint Bolick, David McIntosh, and Bill Kristol), I found Ralph Reed's to be the most interesting. I really didn't know how moderate he is. After his almost comical exploits as a young man trying to rig elections, his maturity and conversion come off as being genuine if incomplete. I loved the parts of the book where Ralph Reed tries to moderate the conservative christian message and is undercut by his own followers, who are much more interested in being anti-abortion crusaders than in crafting a complex social policy. When he missteps, it is usually by presuming to speak for them in ways for which they would not approve.

Grover Norquist comes off as a Darth Vader-like character, a man almost completely blinded by his ideology. Reading about his torpedoing of a potential Colin Powell run for the presidency and about his thinly disguised sympathy for separatist militia groups, one is reminded of the ugly face of conservatism that earned it the traditional brand "mean-spirited". But one also realizes that people like Bill Kristol disapprove of that sort of thing vociferously, and still call themselves conservatives. Norquist operates under the supposition that 60% of the people of the country are Rightists, and that Democrats only win by cheating, but it seems that not even 60% of Republicans would meet his definition of a Rightist.

This book chronicles the intellectual development, the rise to power, the internal conflicts, the illusions and delusions, the lessons learned through hard experience, and the ultimate disappoinment of the Right's leaders before, during, and after the Republican Revolution of 1994. As a liberal reader, I recommend it as a great primer. I don't know what a conservative reader would think of it.

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4.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Behind-the-Scenes Look, October 29, 2007

By	J. Slemrod (Ann Arbor, MI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"Gang of Five" is an excellent, behind-the-scenes look at five individuals who played a large part in shaping the Republican power structure as we know it today. Although the book was written nearly six years ago, Easton's insightful journalism is especially relevant due to the Jack Abramoff scandal. Abramoff plays a large part in the book, as he ran the College Republicans with pals Grover Norquist and Ralph Reed.

To understand the Republican Party, you must read this book. Easton's knowledge spans the Reagan, Bush, and Clinton years, and goes beyond the personalities you see in the media to paint a picture of a party rooted in college activism, philosophy, and a desire to push the country to the Right.

This book comes highly recommend to anyone interested in our political strucutre, Republican or Democrat.

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0 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not surprising that nobody read it, October 7, 2006

By	R. Pyle - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

First, lets consider the source. Nina appears to be a very nice person and very attractive. But she is a liberal. She writes for the Boston Globe, not a publication who is tolerant of conservative views. This is akin to having Yankees fans review the Red Sox fans conduct. Its not only skewed but also deliberately contrived to create a sinister appearance and motive of the 'five'.

Second, she chose five people of which only really two were actually major movers in the GOP or conservative movement. Maybe she should have asked around first if she actually knew any conservatives she could have surveyed for some names to start with.

Mostly, this book is harmless and a rehash of already public information. Ralph Reed is a smooth talker and more moderate in tone than Pat Robertson. Boy, that's gonna be a headline someday.

I'm sure that liberals will gleefully read about how evil, heartless and conniving those conservatives are trying to organize things so they can win elections without the public knowing it. Its hardly news and its hardly unusual considering that we have already had to live through Carville and Begala.

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