Rating: 
Summary: A timely book. . .
Review: . . .in light of the current political situation -- but Greenfield is no Allen Drury.In "The People's Choice", political commentator Jeff Greenfield spins an entertaining, yet not particularly believable political yarn about the death of a president-elect -- and the revolt of members of the Electoral College. Greenfield's not very well disguised point is that the Electoral College is a bad idea whose time has come and gone, presumably in favor of direct Presidential elections. Mr. Greenfield needs to remember that we live in a Constitutional Republic -- not a pure Democracy -- because the Founding Fathers felt (correctly, in my view) that a pure democracy had the potential to be more tyrannical than a monarchy. Consider the recent election (or any Presidental election, for that matter). Eliminate the Electoral College, and New York, Chicago, LA, and a few other major metropolitan areas will choose every President from here on out. Those of us who don't live on one of the coasts (like myself) will never again see a candidate in person, never hear a live debate, etc. The population centers will control all. The book is worth reading -- but realize that it's intention is to undermine our nation -- not strengthen it.
Rating: 
Summary: Good story, excellent ideas
Review: A well-written, very funny book. Subtle satire and laugh-out-loud scenes co-exist in this thought-provoking novel which digs up the underside of the Electoral College system and turns it over so we can see it in all its so-called-glory. I've given copies of this book to several people, all of whom have been inspired by it to go read the Constitution of the United States, to see just how plausible the plot is. That's not a bad effect for a book to have on people. In any case, whether it makes you think or not, it is undeniably a very funny book with unforgettable characters and situations. The writing is fine: realtively fluent and unobtrusive. And Jeff Greenfield has a very good eye for the ridiculous, while maintaining a high level of compassion for people who are doing the best they can. Definitely recommended in an election year.
Rating:
Summary: This kept me laughing . . .
Review: and in light of the fact that it was written and published before the 2000 Presidential Election/Fiasco, it seems amazingly prescient. I agree with those reviewers who say this book isn't the greatest work of literature, but it is nevertheless incredibly entertaining and informed about the wheels of politics and the ways in which they spin, all puns intended.
Rating:
Summary: Made me look smarter.
Review: As I write this the Florida Recount is still ongoing (Fri. Nov. 10, 2000). Having read this book, I was not only entertained, I became knowledgeable about all the trivial information about the electoral college, which now looks to be far less trivial than it used to be. In fact in a conversation about the possibilities in this election, a reletive mused aloud, "I wonder if anyone has considered what would happen if an elected president was killed before he could take office."... I immediatly cited this book. If ever a work of fiction could be considered a must read. For now, this would be that book
Rating:
Summary: Not great literature, but worth a read
Review: As political novels go, "The People's Choice" doesn't compare to the greats like "The Woody" by Peter Lefcourt or "Thank You for Smoking" by Christopher Buckley. That said, it's not a complete waste of time either. The real problem is in the writing. Jeff Greenfield is a fairly competent political commentator, but he's not a novelist. The pacing is a bit off throughout and the dialogue is so bad it's funny. The book, however, is laugh-out-loud funny in places and never insults the reader, both qualities that make it worth reading despite the style and structural flaws. All that said, it's not a bad read. Greenfield spins an enjoyable yarn about what could happen if the President-Elect dies before the Electoral College casts its votes in December. While some of the events that transpire stretch the reader's imagnination, he roasts many current political players, especially the Rev. Jesse Jackson. It is also timely reading, considering the events of 2000. While not the same scenerio, much of the discussion about the Electoral College matches what the country experienced last November and December. (Of course, Greenfield used his perch on CNN to plug the book shamelessly last year!) Even though Greenfield is wrong in wanting to cast aside the Electoral College and its role in the selection of the President, "The People's Choice" is still a good read. Get the book, take it to the beach and enjoy. Just don't expect great literature.
Rating: 
Summary: Given the results of the 2000 Presidential Election
Review: At least for the week after the election, the humor of this book can take a back seat to the education it gives about the electoral college. of course, if the author had created a story closer to what happened in 2000, it would've had NO credibility at all!
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining and Educational
Review: For anyone who's ever questioned the process of electing the President of the United States, this is a must read.
Rating:
Summary: An insiders view
Review: Having been on the "inside" of party politics I found this book to have a cynical yet laughingly true ring.I found it entertaining and, at parts, laugh out loud funny.Jeff Greenfield captures the insanity of the political process and the wierd assortment of types that populate the game.
Rating: 
Summary: Promising theme, silly book
Review: I am a political junkie and when I found this book (well before the 2000 election), which was actually concerned with the role the electoral college could potentially play in a disputed presidential election, I was in hog heaven. I was deeply disappointed when it turned out to be a poorly written, laughable attempt at satire (I think, although it's hard to tell if it's a bad attempt at satire or just plain bad). This subject could be the basis of a great political novel with terrific characters, along the lines of, say, Advise and Consent. But Greenfield is obviously not the person to author a book like that. His characters are not in the least believable, their dialog is silly, and the situations he puts them in belong in a bad TV show. One thing I got very tired of was how Greenfield constantly had his characters making historical references ("Remember back in 1960 ..." "back in 1888 ..." "back in 1824 ..."). Real people don't talk this way; these were included only to prove what a historian Greenfield thinks himself to be. This book is a major disappointment and I give it two stars only because it does contain some factual information relating to electoral college procedure that is genuinely informative. Don't read it for the story though.
Rating:
Summary: A must read for EVERYONE this election year!
Review: I first read this book in 1996 when I was 15. This year, I plan on reading it for the THIRD TIME! Not only is this book a great satarical look at our political system, it gives a great inside(and often hystarical) look at how the media operates while attempting to cover the events that occur throught the novel.
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