Rating: 
Summary: I Ain't Got Time to Wrestle No More
Review: According to the subtitle of this book, Jese Ventura is "re-working the body politic from the ground up." How is this so? What, exactly, is he doing to or for the body politic?Ventura, the governor of Minnesota, seems to be primarily an egoist who immensely enjoys seeing himself in the public eye. He is an American success story of sorts, in that he has gotten great publicity. It must be admitted by all that he has made himself far better known as a governor than as a television wrestler. He is a novelty, like the stripper who was said recently to have served in the Italian parliament. The combination of occupations made her more famous than either alone could possibly have. Her whole was far, far greater than the sum of her modest parts. Ventura, too, gets all his attention in this same respect. But what else is there to the picture? He still complains endlessly about government, as though he were some crank cab driver, yet he is, at the moment at least, the governor of an actual state. This is odd. How can the state government complain about the state government? Why, rather? Answer; to get more publicity. I visited Minnesota this past year. No one admitted having voted for the former wrestler, yet he was indeed voted in. It was like finding or trying to find someone during the Great Depression who admitted to having voted for Herbert Hoover. I think the Minnesotans were, by and large, embarrassed by him. He was elected in protest as a member of the "Reform Party," but protest and reform are two different things. If you elect a fool, you are protesting, not reforming. You in particular are not "reforming the body politic from the ground up" (this puffed up claim is merely a silly pun on the word "body," Ventura's former stage name). I was told by Minnesotans that the 18-year-olds had elected Ventura, not the responsible adults. This response made little sense to me, though, mainly because Ventura seemed to be more infantile than most 18-year-olds I have met. No, he was elected, sad to say, by grown adults, as a hapless protest against conventional politics, but his election, also sad to say, has led nowhere. Indeed, where else could it have gone? Saying outrageous things for mere effect, tweaking noses and performing cheap stunts for publicity value alone, doesn't make one an honest man, by any means. Honest this governor isn't. He's a fraud.
Rating: 
Summary: Very Entertaining
Review: Finally someone in politics that speaks honestly about the issues today. This book is very fun to read. Jesse makes alot of interesting points on how the political structure of the two majority parties is out of tune with the people of this country. I'm a regestered Republician and after reading this book, I think the platform of the Reform Party is the direction this country needs to head. The book is very funny up until the last couple chapters after he's elected Governor then it slows down to complaining about the media and he has problems with the Reform Party. Other than that I would recomend this book to anyone who wants to know the truth about how goverment really works! We need more "real" people like Jesse in office than carerer polititicians.
Rating:
Summary: The whole truth and nothing but the truth
Review: Go Jesse! The life and times of America's toughest and most honest politicians. (Hell, quite possibly in the entire world!). Jesse Ventura lays it all down, the days of youthful excess and fast times; his experiences as a Navy SEAL; his time spent as a professional (and one of the most memorable) wrestler (or wrastler as some people keep saying); and finally he takes us to Minnesota where he challenges, defeats and ultimately disbands the Good Old Boy syndicate living high on the hog off the peoples' ignorance and indifference. Told through tape recorder? That's great! I'll look for an audiobook version too! Jesse leaps off each page as himself and not some puff-piece written to further his political career or win over borderline voters. Jesse speaks and he speaks in his own voice and from his heart without holding anything back. As a fan of Jesse's policies and his fresh attitude and outlook to politics, this book only strengthens my admirations for him by showing and proving that he is everything he says he is and isn;t full of a single drop of the loads of B.S. that spoil the once clean air surrounding our governmental offices, both federal and state.
Rating: 
Summary: a neat story.
Review: heres a guy who served in viet nam wasting the bad guys for the best military team in the world ,the navy seals.those of you who saw gi jane know what im going on about.then he was a biker for a while in a motorcycle gang.then a foot ball coach and somewhere he got into pro wrestling.he wrestled in girly clothes and looked like a real [...] he says a guy tried to stab him once because he hated his wrestling persona so much.he talked a lot as a bad guy commentater for the wwf during the 1980s also.one time there was this match where the islanders and bobby the brain had to wrestle the british bulldogs and some other 3rd guy.bobby stayed out of the ring for nearly the entire match .he would tag in only when the opponent was beaten near senseless,kick him twice,and tag out.when gorilla monsoon was complaining about this,he said"that weasel hasnt done anything this entire match!"[he was livid!].jesse replied "he kicked him in the nuts."that was his style!his politics are all through the book.i agree with almost all of it.then he had to go talk good about abortions.aw man!he eventualy became govener of minnesota.it just goes to show how easily people can be swayed by popularity.the elections are just poularity contests and nothing more.pretty soon britney spears will be secretary of the state.george clooney will be attorney general and heck!maybe oprah could be president.[yeah right!].
Rating: 
Summary: Wrasslin man
Review: I have become disenchanted with the propoganda of the "Big 2" parties and have decided to be independent. It was refreshing to know that there are many others like me, including Minnesota's most controversial and colorful political head, Governor Jesse Ventura. "I Ain't Got Time to Bleed" shows great insight into Ventura's psyche through his life story which all leads up to his highest and most prestigious position ever. The words may be raw, but they are real. He gets on the "common level" and transcends typical politics through gut wrenching honesty founded on solid principles. Whether you agree with his philosphy and political ideology or not, his story is certainly entertaining, fairly common, yet highly captivating. I highly recommend his book and I've just obtained his latest book, "Do I Stand Alone?" and cannot wait to finish it!
Rating:
Summary: A Decent Read
Review: Jesse "The Body" Ventura came out of nowhere to win the 1998 gubernatorial race in Minnesota. As one who had the privelige of watching the race from inside one of Jesse's opponent's consulting firms, I was interested to read this book. It isn't a manifesto, so if you're looking for that, you're gonna be disappointed. Rather, it is the story of Jesse's life and career, and it describes some of the basis of his beliefs. For example, he says he is a supporter of mainstreaming special education students in part because of his daughter's experiences as a special ed student. Even if you disagree with some or all of what he stands for, you'll appreciate the book.
Rating:
Summary: A straightforward look into Jesse Ventura's mind
Review: Jesse Ventura is one of the most influential, interesting, and eccentric people in the United States today, and this autobiography is a clear cross-section of his views on wrestling, the Navy SEALs, politics, and life in general. Governor Ventura states his goal in writing this book is to give his reader a straight-shooting dose of the honest facts, and he does that with style - his own style. "I Ain't Got Time to Bleed" reads just like Ventura speaks, if you've ever seen him on TV, and gives a particularly good insight into current U.S. politics from the mind of one of America's most outspoken and influential critics. Ventura praises the American system, claiming that his rise to the top in Minnesota is evidence that the American dream is alive and well. But he also criticizes the career politicians, who he claims run our country today. He passionately calls for more Americans making their voice heard at the polls to return the system to its ideal. In this book, Ventura achieves what he set out to do: take a close look at America itself through the eyes of a private citizen who has become a national public figure and tell the world what he sees.
Rating:
Summary: Fun to read no matter what your opinion is.
Review: Jesse's first book is fun to read and gives insight into the energy and positive type of civic engagement that brought him to the governor's mansion in St. Paul. I didn't agree with a lot of his views, but I recognized that they came from reason and personal experience, not rigid ideology or as a result of campaign "contributions" (a.k.a. bribes.) Moreover, in many of those areas where his background didn't provide him with the understanding necessary to come to the right decision (in other words, my opinion), he quickly came around. I was glad I got a chance to vote for him when I was in Minnesota. My only disappointment in him is his dealings with Vince McMahon. In his book, he describes the type of business McMahon runs and McMahon's treatment of his employees. Yet now Jesse works to make the man even richer.
Rating:
Summary: A big you-can-do-it pep rally!
Review: Reading this book only reiterates how refreshing it is to find someone like Jesse. This book is a no holds barred personal account of his views, his past and his vision for a better Minnesota. He makes no apologies for who he is and what he stands for. This book is a promise between Jesse and the people of Minnesota that lays out everything on the table. He's not a genie that will make everything better but his goals to tackle education, political reform and the tax system are definitely a great start. He has nothing to hide and leaves it up to the reader to make up his/her mind. While at times it seems a bit self-congratulatory he has earned it all through his hard work and I found myself cheering him on. It is a motivational book and his realism and presence makes his words infectous. Hopefully people will pick this book up and give it and Ventura's ideas a chance. I would recommend it to those who would like to hear a more centrist view of the world.
Rating:
Summary: A big you-can-do-it pep rally!
Review: Reading this book only reiterates how refreshing it is to find someone like Jesse. This book is a no holds barred personal account of his views, his past and his vision for a better Minnesota. He makes no apologies for who he is and what he stands for. This book is a promise between Jesse and the people of Minnesota that lays out everything on the table. He's not a genie that will make everything better but his goals to tackle education, political reform and the tax system are definitely a great start. He has nothing to hide and leaves it up to the reader to make up his/her mind. While at times it seems a bit self-congratulatory he has earned it all through his hard work and I found myself cheering him on. It is a motivational book and his realism and presence makes his words infectous. Hopefully people will pick this book up and give it and Ventura's ideas a chance. I would recommend it to those who would like to hear a more centrist view of the world.
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