Rating: 
Summary: little substance but wittily told
Review: A short, quick read, Politicians, Partisans, and Parasites is Tucker Carlson's account of his television career. It is mostly a personal, autobiographical account of his own experiences, rather than an analytical treatment of the business--although he does draw some general conclusions about the field. The book deals more with personalities than with issues.
Carlson begins with his largely accidental beginnings in TV--from his first brief appearance during the O.J. Simpson trial (a gig he landed somewhat randomly, by returning early from lunch to the Weekly Standard office) to the phone call during the 2000 election asking him, on the fly, to host a new show on CNN, The Spin Room. Throughout its life, that show always retained a thrown-together quality to it, with Carlson and Press often relying on gifts to furnish the set. They never did get custom coffee mugs, and Carlson's final attempt intersected with the end of the show--the promotional department knew of the show's end before Carlson and would not give him the mugs. From there, Carlson migrated to Crossfire, CNN's one-time premier political show, and watched as it, too, fell, unable to compete with Fox's primetime lineup.
Carlson despises partisans, whom he differentiates from ideologues. The distinction is rooted in partisans' blind adherence to the party line, but I'm not convinced that the distinction is an apt one. He likes people who speak their minds and go out on limbs, who aren't afraid to be outrageous. Jesse Jackson is a phony, whose phoniness is enhanced by TV. Al Sharpton, Carlson suggests, can think for himself, even if he is wrong. Jim Traficant added color when he showed up for an interview drunk and accosted the show's female floor director. John McCain--whose 2000 presidential campaign Carlson reported and covers extensively in the book--is praised for his never-mind-the-consequences approach to politics, but even the admiring Carlson admits that McCain played to the media. Bill Press, former co-host of The Spin Zone, comes off as a decent, funny, hardworking guy who loves to eat on the set.
In general, Carlson seems to believe that TV shapes its "participants" more than the other way around. Shows certainly are influenced by their hosts, but TV has a way of changing people. It enlarges not only physical traits but also personalities and idiosyncrasies as well: everything seems larger on television. It can give one an inflated opinion of himself. If a host isn't careful, his larger-than-life, seemingly all-knowing, accentuated personality can seep into his private persona (e.g. Bill O'Reilly, as Carlson posits). As a career, TV offers an unstable, fragile one that can disappear in the blink of an eye. Of media bias, Carlson doesn't seem to acknowledge its existence; instead, producers, he says, aren't driven by politics but by polls--the "ideology of the poll."
Carlson says nothing earth shattering, nothing surprising, nothing controversial. He provides little depth on the TV media business or on virtually anything that goes on behind-the-scenes. Nevertheless, written lightheartedly and humorously, the book will surely entertain media and political junkies alike.
Rating: 
Summary: Bow-tie bonanza.
Review: Although I am a very ardent liberal, I both enjoy and respect Tucker Carlson. He has principles, which is always nice to see in the opposition. That his writing is so damn entertaining only adds to this favorable perception. The book is a very light read, and I enjoyed every page of it. If you've ever seen him on TV and been entertained, he maintains that level in the book. If you weren't impressed with one of his appearances, try the book anyway. It's very entertaining, and not written with any overt political motive.
Rating:
Summary: Bow-tie bonanza.
Review: Although I am a very ardent liberal, I both enjoy and respect Tucker Carlson. He has principles, which is always nice to see in the opposition. That his writing is so damn entertaining only adds to this favorable perception. The book is a very light read, and I enjoyed every page of it. If you've ever seen him on TV and been entertained, he maintains that level in the book. If you weren't impressed with one of his appearances, try the book anyway. It's very entertaining, and not written with any overt political motive.
Rating:
Summary: Good Book
Review: As a Democrat who watches Crossfire from work daily, I have grown to like Tucker for his spontaneous wit and analysis ... even if I disagree. There was a lot of clever insight and stories. I'd be inclined to give it more stars, but it was somewhat short.
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Debut
Review: As a young man, Tucker's quick rise at CNN is praiseworthy and this behind the scenes look at his media experiences is fascinating. He had me laughing out loud at many of his stories, especially his description of interviewing the Rev. Jesse Jackson. You won't be disappointed with Tuckor's wit and candor. I highly recommend this book and look forward to Tucker's future work.
Rating: 
Summary: Tucker Carlson's Stories Are Laugh Out Loud Funny
Review: Few people can write about politics and make it entertaining. Tucker Carlson absolutely has this gift. Liberals, conservatives, and non-politicos equally will enjoy hearing stories about the drunked James Traficiant, Bill Press eating a whole pound of fudge, James Carville revealing his sexual fantasies to the entire Crossfire audiecne, and so much more. My girlfriend who doesn't follow politics at all was dying to read this before I even finished. It's well worth your time.
Rating: 
Summary: Cutie!
Review: I always knew that Tucker Carlson's dad was a major player in the right wing media/think tank world. So it's easy to see how Tucky's connections helped him. He's such a cutie! I'd love to pinch his ice cream cheeks! (I wonder if Arianna did!) And I'll bet he wouldn't have a comeback to *that*! What I *did not* know, is that Tucker comes from authorial royalty, if you will. His parents penned the classic: Don't Sweat the Small Stuff in Love: by Richard Carlson and Kristine Carlson. Obviously, Tucker hasn't fallen too far from the tree, as he doesn't sweat the small stuff in politics! The beauty of Tucky is that he doesn't question the status quo, or any quo at all. He knows that politics is for fun and profit, to be joked about in the DC/media echo chamber. And now we get a front row seat! Luckily, Tucky lets us in on the fun (not the big joke, that we don't get paid for *our* relative nonsense), that policy - or the personalities and sound bites that "front" real policy - shouldn't be taken seriously. Don't sweat the small stuff! In other words, if you've got enough bread, enjoy the circus! "My Adventures" is non-threatening, fluffy, and self-preserving, as cotton candy (light blue or pink, whatever!)! Tucky stays true to the current political era, where the son rides pop's coattails, but isn't so darn serious! Kudos!
Rating:
Summary: Cutie!
Review: I always knew that Tucker Carlson's dad was a major player in the right wing media/think tank world. So it's easy to see how Tucky's connections helped him. He's such a cutie! I'd love to pinch his ice cream cheeks! (I wonder if Arianna did!) And I'll bet he wouldn't have a comeback to *that*! What I *did not* know, is that Tucker comes from authorial royalty, if you will. His parents penned the classic: Don't Sweat the Small Stuff in Love: by Richard Carlson and Kristine Carlson. Obviously, Tucker hasn't fallen too far from the tree, as he doesn't sweat the small stuff in politics! The beauty of Tucky is that he doesn't question the status quo, or any quo at all. He knows that politics is for fun and profit, to be joked about in the DC/media echo chamber. And now we get a front row seat! Luckily, Tucky lets us in on the fun (not the big joke, that we don't get paid for *our* relative nonsense), that policy - or the personalities and sound bites that "front" real policy - shouldn't be taken seriously. Don't sweat the small stuff! In other words, if you've got enough bread, enjoy the circus! "My Adventures" is non-threatening, fluffy, and self-preserving, as cotton candy (light blue or pink, whatever!)! Tucky stays true to the current political era, where the son rides pop's coattails, but isn't so darn serious! Kudos!
Rating:
Summary: Witty, entertaining, and names names
Review: I enjoyed this book from start to finish. Carlson is not only witty and entertaining in describing his experiences with contemporary politicians and pundits, he almost always (and, often, surprisingly) names names. I suspect his candor may come back to haunt him at some point in his career, but a large part of his appeal is that he genuinely doesn't seem to care. He strikes me as a "let the chips fall where they may" kind of person and one who is sometimes bewildered by the oddities of the well-known characters he encounters. (He offers plausible theories for some of the more outrageous patterns of behavior that he's observed.) Regardless of your political views, I predict you will like this book.
Rating:
Summary: Witty, entertaining, and names names
Review: I enjoyed this book from start to finish. Carlson is not only witty and entertaining in describing his experiences with contemporary politicians and pundits, he almost always (and, often, surprisingly) names names. I suspect his candor may come back to haunt him at some point in his career, but a large part of his appeal is that he genuinely doesn't seem to care. He strikes me as a "let the chips fall where they may" kind of person and one who is sometimes bewildered by the oddities of the well-known characters he encounters. (He offers plausible theories for some of the more outrageous patterns of behavior that he's observed.) Regardless of your political views, I predict you will like this book.
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