Rating: 
Summary: A plea for the Democrats to embrace the center
Review: This book is a soul bearing exercise for Sen. Miller. He feels that his party has been subverted by the liberal special interests with cash donated to the soft dollar funds. He predicts that if left unchecked that the national Democratic Party will face a rejection similar to that faced by the California Democrats. He supports many things that national donors to the Democrats have opposed such as a Homeland Security not being controlled by AFSCME, which in his opinion is a giant activist union. He encourages more compromise and bipartisanship in DC. He urges Democrats to show restraint in spending and supports the Bush tax cuts. He urges his party to find the middle ground as he defines it. He fears that unless the Democrats move back to the center they will become increasingly irrelevant. Miller resents the claim made by Dr. Dean that he represents the "Democratic wing of the Democratic Party" and that the more conservative elements (like himself) are not true Democrats. Miller recognizes that the South is more conservative and cannot be easily dismissed in the manner that Al Gore did. He is not thrilled with the current Democratic candidates for president as he feels that they are a product of this corrupting influence.
Rating: 
Summary: A Democrat with Values AND Ideas, Too!
Review: ****
This book was easy to read, quick, and entertaining. It was exciting for me to read about someone in my party (I am a Democrat) with strong ethical values and opinions plus the courage to stand up for them and to speak out. This takes hutzpa in our politically correct culture. If you are a Democrat, but feel discouraged at the overrepresentation of the party by (as you see it) hate-filled liberals, this book will be encouraging to you. Zell Miller is an honorable individual with both character and courage, and knowing that he remains a Democrat makes me proud of my party for a change. The book is filled with specific things he did to improve the lives of the people of Georgia---ideas that worked! He contemplates ways of improving our country now and laments many of the failures of others' past efforts to effect change. Zell Miller discusses the importance of the arts (not a traditional conservative view). He also discusses the controversy surrounding the current environmental policy of the Bush administration and presents a view that supports some of their decisions---all based on facts. When he criticizes the Bush administration, he does so with respect, and not like a two-year old who badly needs a diaper change---so refreshing! This book makes you think. Some of Zell Miller's idea are surprising, but all are provocative and ethical. If only our current Democratic candidates could take a hint from Zell Miller and present concrete, do-able ideas that are value-based, I think that our country would have a viable challenge to Bush. Unfortunately, this looks like it won't happen. If you agree with my opinions, are turned off by Democratic demagogues, and wish there were more conservative Democrats, you'll like this book. If you are liberal or progressive and tolerant, I think you'll enjoy it too. If you are part of the so-called radical left you will probably find Zell Miller old-fashioned or unenlightened and be quite intolerant of him, his book, those who read his book, and those who think about reading his book. Still, you might want to buy it anyway and have fellow rad-libs over for a book-burning party while chanting "Anybody But Bush"!
Rating:
Summary: Timely Reading
Review: I lean conservative but firmly believe in many of the democratic principles espoused by Zell Miller and found this book very interesting. Beginning with his roots in the mountains of rural Georgia, Miller takes us through his life of public service, and he describes what was once the party of FDR and JFK and compares it to a party which has become beholden to special interests and is still mired in anger over the 2000 presidential loss to George W. Bush. Miller is for strong national security and tax cuts, but that doesn't make him a Republican at all; as he says, it reflects the way things used to be in his party. I'm sure Miller has infuriated many Democrats by calling them out of touch, but the fact that the party does so poorly in the South, in his opinion, has much more to do with the inability of the party to relate to everyone than the South being unable to relate to the party. A quick, breezy, enlightening read from an "old-school" Democrat, full of what appears to be great advice for a party he still loves and wants very much to help. Recommended for anyone in Georgia who's followed his career over the years, and for anyone who follows politics and wants a clear assessment of today's Democratic party.
Rating:
Summary: Zell offers Democrats a lifesaver. Will they accept it?
Review: This is basically a book written by a Conservative Democrat, Zell Miller, who has been a Georgia Senator for decades. He has seen his party devolve from one that (arguably) cared for the working class and down-trodden, to one that cares about no one but themselves. As Zell says, the Democratic Party of old looked at the South and said, "I see one-third of the nation, under-nourished, and down-trodden, and I am going to help them out." The modern Democratic Party says, "I see one-third of the nation, the fastest-growing third, and...TO HELL WITH THEM!"
I believe that Sen. Miller is absolutely right about how the Democrats have no idea how they lost the "solid South" or how in the world they can get it back. Howard Dean famously branded the South as "guys with Confederate flags in their pick-up trucks." John Kerry thinks he can win the South by putting John Edwards on the ticket. But, Democrats, remember this: Al Gore, a Southerner, was the PRESIDENTIAL nominee, and he failed to carry ONE SINGLE SOUTHERN STATE, including his home state of Tennessee! Wake up, Democrats! With your current platform, you will continue to lose in the South, whether or not you attempt to hide your liberal cultural values behind a shrowd of vaguely-defined "pro jobs" positions.
Rating: 
Summary: Guts? Ambition?
Review: Writing this book took a lot of guts, I won't deny that. But I can see right through all the propaganda in Miller's book. Zell was too conservative to ever become powerful or popular in the democratic party, therefore in hopes of getting in good with the republicans and president Bush he became their Democrat hitman of sorts. He's basically lobbying for a cabinet position in the 2nd Bush term, and he'll sell out anyone to get ahead. This book is an interesting read, but it makes not sense why he didn't get out of the party year ago if he feels so passionate, therefore his diguise is thinnly vailed. Miller is a cold man with no sense of loyalty or obligation to his country or friends, all he seems to care about his his own popularity. The democratic Judas. Tsk tsk
Rating:
Summary: Zell "Dennis" Miller
Review: What a piece of work this creep is. Zell's book is all about his pathetic sycophancy towards our MisLeader Bush. Zell just cares about zelling a few books. More conservative than Hannity. Coming to the dollar bins at used book stores everywhere in November, 2004.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't Judge This Book By Its Title
Review: As a Californian with no ties to the East, I didn't know much about Georgia and had only one thought about Senator Zell Miller: how on earth he got a first name like Zell. (I was curious and went to a Web site that had etymologies of thousands of names, including Dagda, Xanthippe, and Jaromir, but no Zell.) Sen. Miller's book is easy reading and he seems friendly enough, but the book is really a subtle bait and switch. I am a political independent who enjoys a healthy distance to both the Democratic and Republican party, so I didn't approach this book with pre-formed opinions. The book is really a lightweight autobiography. We read how Sen. Miller grew up in Georgia, how he got involved in politics, and what he saw during recent Presidential campaigns. We also get an earful of his personal opinions on everything from gun control to abortion to music for infants, and many of the topics are followed by endless details of how he brought good things to Georgia as governor. Interesting? Sure. But I was really interested in hearing his views about the Democratic Party, and after I finished the book I could only remember two (and they were rather bland): that Deep South states are abandoning the Democratic party, and that the Democrats really blundered during the creation of the Department of Homeland Security when they supposedly advanced the causes of their special interest labor unions. Most of the book was readable, and I felt enriched after I finished the last page. A few parts, such the chapters on education, were more boring than IRS tax regulations, but Sen. Miller's book is so compartmentalized that efficient readers can hopscotch about and read whatever they want, and pretty much in any order. In fairness to Sen. Miller, he says that a similar book could be written about Republicans, but that he's not the one to write it. Summary: If you're expecting a William F. Buckley or George F. Will (or even Sean Hannity) analysis of how the Democratic Party has changed over the past three decades, skip this book. But if you're into political autobiographies, this is a very charming little book. It's the kind of book you can keep next to your bed and nibble at for a week or two, and when you finish you find yourself wishing that more U.S. senators were like Zell Miller. If the book were titled to sound like an autobiography, I'd rate it higher than just three stars.
Rating:
Summary: Good Reading For Democrats
Review: As a lifelong Democrat who frankly, has felt betrayed by Zell Miller these past few years, I reluctantly bought this book figuring it would be nothing more than endless drivel being ranted from a opportunistic turncoat. But then, I began to read Zell's calm, itemized explanation for why he has been so harsh with the Democratic Party since becoming a senator. The Democratic Party exists to help make society fairer--helping people who were less fortunate, controlling corporate excess, protecting the environment, and being committed to affordable health care and higher education for all Americans. Zell Miller himself has been a champion of these things throughout his career, and I must say, was probably one of Georgia's best governors. So why all the "Hell from Zell?" Because special-interest groups have taken over the Democratic Party and are holding it hostage. Not that Republicans aren't beholden to special interests (notably the NRA), but the Democrats have got a far worse problem. Many of these far-left interest groups are not concerned with the overall good of America, only getting everything they want and more. Many of their members don't care about helping Democrats wget elected, but hang around us to get free publicity, milk us for everything they can, and when we don't give them 110% of their demands, don't bother to vote or support some third-party fringe candidates like Ralph Nader. Zell also stresses the importance for Democrats to show that they are fiscally responsible. Many Democrats are, but many are not. Miller writes that it's okay for tax dollars to be invested in important grants and services to make society better, such as tuition scholarships, health care, and job training, only make certain the money is being used for that, and is being spent efficiently. Paying taxes is always a pain, but it's excruciating when the money is not sent to useless projects or what it was NOT committed for. On the environment, Zell talks about the importance of creating a balance between creating jobs and protecting the environment. He talks about how 2/3 of his home county in northern Georgia is federally-owned, which keeps the beautiful mountainous area safe from development, but "2/3 is enough, thank you." It is important that some land be open for development to create jobs and services. In one chapter, Zell explains how drilling for oil in a three square-mile area of Alaska will not harm the Arctic Wildlife Refuge which is about the size of South Carolina. In another part of the book, Zell explains why he personally opposes gun control and why he switched his position on abortion to pro-life after being pro-choice for many years. These two stances probably won't gain much support from the Democrats, especially outside the south. I certainly did not agree with everything Zell Miller wrote in his book, nor do I agree with everything he has done in Washington. However, this book does offer some real insight into why so many Americans don't trust the Democrats, even though they agree with them on many issues. Zell's strong recommendations of reducing the influence of special interests, managing public money wisely, having a balanced-approach to the environmental problem, and getting back to "kitchen table issues" will help revitalize the Democratic Party and make it a voice of hope for America.
Rating:
Summary: Way to go Zell
Review: Dem. of the South will no longer listen to North and their leftist views. Go classic Dem. Go!
Rating:
Summary: Zell Miller is a disgrace to himself and his party.
Review: Zell Miller has given up the Democratic Party he once belonged to. I am not surprised he doesn't feel at home with today's Democrats. He should have left it when others such as he did after the Republicans established their Southern strategy.
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