Rating: 
Summary: Over-the-top cynicism that doesn't age well
Review: I bought the book because of the brief "based on" mention at the end of Wag the Dog. Upon opening the book I realized that it was a different story that only shared one conceptual element: the idea of bringing in Hollywood talent to run a war. So far, so good. The book starts well with a brilliant opening chapter with James A. Baker, III at the deathbed of Lee Atwater. There are other great moments in the book as well, such as when the war's director goes to a ball game. In general, though, the book fails on two grounds. First, for apparently litigational reasons, Beinhart fills the pages with extensive footnotes clarifying over and over, what characters are real, what are fictional, and that as a work of fiction he doesn't really mean to argue that the real characters did anything he suggests in the book. There are also way too many pace-stopping data dumps (generally in footnotes). Yes, we know you did a lot of research on Hollywood and the Gulf War for your book. You don't need to cram all of your notes into the book somewhere. In the end, however, I turned against the book because its cynical core overwhelmed the characters and the story. Much of the book is enjoyably playful, biting, and cynically funny (though the footnotes break the pace something awful). Prospective readers should be aware, however, that toward the end the book turns savagely nihlist. For the first time ever, when I closed it I threw a book across the room (which is another reason to get the paperback edition, if one must!) and the next day sold it off to a second hand bookstore.
Rating:
Summary: Over-the-top cynicism that doesn't age well
Review: I bought the book because of the brief "based on" mention at the end of Wag the Dog. Upon opening the book I realized that it was a different story that only shared one conceptual element: the idea of bringing in Hollywood talent to run a war. So far, so good. The book starts well with a brilliant opening chapter with James A. Baker, III at the deathbed of Lee Atwater. There are other great moments in the book as well, such as when the war's director goes to a ball game. In general, though, the book fails on two grounds. First, for apparently litigational reasons, Beinhart fills the pages with extensive footnotes clarifying over and over, what characters are real, what are fictional, and that as a work of fiction he doesn't really mean to argue that the real characters did anything he suggests in the book. There are also way too many pace-stopping data dumps (generally in footnotes). Yes, we know you did a lot of research on Hollywood and the Gulf War for your book. You don't need to cram all of your notes into the book somewhere. In the end, however, I turned against the book because its cynical core overwhelmed the characters and the story. Much of the book is enjoyably playful, biting, and cynically funny (though the footnotes break the pace something awful). Prospective readers should be aware, however, that toward the end the book turns savagely nihlist. For the first time ever, when I closed it I threw a book across the room (which is another reason to get the paperback edition, if one must!) and the next day sold it off to a second hand bookstore.
Rating:
Summary: Over-the-top cynicism that doesn't age well
Review: I bought the book because of the brief "based on" mention at the end of Wag the Dog. Upon opening the book I realized that it was a different story that only shared one conceptual element: the idea of bringing in Hollywood talent to run a war. So far, so good. The book starts well with a brilliant opening chapter with James A. Baker, III at the deathbed of Lee Atwater. There are other great moments in the book as well, such as when the war's director goes to a ball game. In general, though, the book fails on two grounds. First, for apparently litigational reasons, Beinhart fills the pages with extensive footnotes clarifying over and over, what characters are real, what are fictional, and that as a work of fiction he doesn't really mean to argue that the real characters did anything he suggests in the book. There are also way too many pace-stopping data dumps (generally in footnotes). Yes, we know you did a lot of research on Hollywood and the Gulf War for your book. You don't need to cram all of your notes into the book somewhere. In the end, however, I turned against the book because its cynical core overwhelmed the characters and the story. Much of the book is enjoyably playful, biting, and cynically funny (though the footnotes break the pace something awful). Prospective readers should be aware, however, that toward the end the book turns savagely nihlist. For the first time ever, when I closed it I threw a book across the room (which is another reason to get the paperback edition, if one must!) and the next day sold it off to a second hand bookstore.
Rating:
Summary: Okay, I guess.
Review: I enjoyed reading this story but I was not drawn in to, really. The thoughts and ideas seemed to scatted in many chapters.Still, a good read, one that will make you think.
Rating: 
Summary: I Liked the Outrageous Humor
Review: I find outrageous humor in so much that is nonfiction that this novel with great footnotes helped to remind me how much I like footnotes in the other books, particularly in history, which have to find a way to deal with all the information that no one could possibly agree with. This novel is much longer than I would like, because when I think of a line that I would like to find to make sure that I am remembering it right, I have a terrible time finding it now. Putting in a favorite joke or two here might spoil it for those who haven't had the pleasure of reading this yet. As far as I am concerned, I liked all the jokes.
Rating: 
Summary: missed the mark
Review: I found it to be extremely slow and blah. The PI and his ho killed it for me... too corny. Mr. Beinhart had the outline, he just didn't fill it in very well.
Rating:
Summary: Two books in one - one good, the other VERY bad
Review: I liked the plot but disliked the horrible pulp PI story, with big breasted girls and macho guy. Despite what the author affirms, Joe is a RAMBO character. The conspiration plot was wonderfull, and I'm starting to think that the movie Wag the Dog took the best part of the book
Rating:
Summary: Two books in one - one good, the other VERY bad
Review: I liked the plot but disliked the horrible pulp PI story, with big breasted girls and macho guy. Despite what the author affirms, Joe is a RAMBO character. The conspiration plot was wonderfull, and I'm starting to think that the movie Wag the Dog took the best part of the book
Rating: 
Summary: Fact or Fiction?
Review: I love a good conspiracy theory and this is one of the best. This was a very interesting novel. The thought had never crossed my mind that the Persian Gulf War was a false war. This opened my mind to the realization that a fake war could be a reality. Although the book begins with the disclaimer,
This is a work of fiction. Many public figures appear in the text. Their speech and actions as depicted here are figments of the author's imagination except where supported by the public record.
, it appeared that the Larry Beinhart knew what he was talking about, that or he has a really great imagination. I really liked the book because it was about the side of politics that no one ever really sees. The dirty, no holds bar, the ends justify the means, kind of stuff. A life of politics takes a lot of strength and courage. The two timelines that Beinhart used made the story flow better and gave a more "common person" side to it. Overall, I felt it was a great book and I'm off to find the movie version.
Rating:
Summary: Fact or Fiction?
Review: I love a good conspiracy theory and this is one of the best. This was a very interesting novel. The thought had never crossed my mind that the Persian Gulf War was a false war. This opened my mind to the realization that a fake war could be a reality. Although the book begins with the disclaimer,
This is a work of fiction. Many public figures appear in the text. Their speech and actions as depicted here are figments of the author's imagination except where supported by the public record.
, it appeared that the Larry Beinhart knew what he was talking about, that or he has a really great imagination. I really liked the book because it was about the side of politics that no one ever really sees. The dirty, no holds bar, the ends justify the means, kind of stuff. A life of politics takes a lot of strength and courage. The two timelines that Beinhart used made the story flow better and gave a more "common person" side to it. Overall, I felt it was a great book and I'm off to find the movie version.
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