Rating: 
Summary: Fun While it Lasts
Review: I'm an unabashed liberal who picked this book up merely out of curiousity. I got into it both quickly and unexpectedly, Tucker really does go after both sides of the aisle, and does it in a way that is both informative and entertaining. It is very short (I finished it in 3 trips to Borders), but a lot of fun and it holds some real insight into both the state of our political discourse and the innor workings of the political media. An easy 5 stars if not for the length. Props to Tucker for writing a book all political observers can enjoy.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertainment, Education, and Great Gossip!
Review: I'm not a TV or celebrity junkie, but I have often wondered about the personal characteristics of many public figures. This book lays them out. Flat. And with style, grace, and humor. Carlson has the obligatory section on Monica Lewinsky, for example, but he focuses on her California doctor instead of what we have been told by the media, ad nauseum. And what a doctor! Then there are portraits of others, from Senator McCain to Bill Press, all surely accurate (Carlson is, after all, a journalist) and vastly entertaining. His great gift, however, is to paint a brilliant picture of a personality without being snide or vicious. He even portrays himself. In fact, the scene of Carlson edging over the fat sleeping Moroccan gent to try to get back to his cramped airline seat - and landing on the screaming guy's lap... I'm laughing out loud again as I write this. That scene alone is worth the modest price of this book. It is a 5 star read, perfect for a Christmas gift. I only wish it was longer -- and no, you can't borrow mine.
Rating: 
Summary: A big snore with a bowtie is still a big snore....
Review: If someone gives you this book for free, politely accept it and use it for kindling. If no one offers you this book for free, don't waste your money. The author fails to engage anyone but himself and fails to recognize the irony of his own book's title.
Rating:
Summary: Irreverent & Witty
Review: If you are a political aficionado, regardless of your partisanship, you owe it to yourself to pick this book up. Yeah, you learn intriguing insider tidbits and some sleaze on politicians, pundits, and the like, but that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. For instance, Tucker reveals how his "biggest fan" claimed that he violated her in a restaurant in plain view of others, and in a bloody manner to boot, only to send him an email a month after the supposed incident proclaiming, "You're great." From a deranged psychiatrist who went coastal on Tucker claiming he was crazy to his hilarious fan feedback that he sent back to demented fans to the ingenious letter that he composed to bail out his college roommate from an econ midterm, you'll laugh out loud almost incessantly. Tucker tells of his drunk radio interview from the infamous Dick Morris suite and of the other Tucker Carlson and how he was mistaken before a speech as this individual(hilarious). His tells of hi interviews with an admittedly drunk Jim Traficant who, by the way, groped the CNN makeup girl. A few months later, after he was facing 60 years in prison and $2 Million in fines for rackateering, extortion, and bribery, Traficant came on again, this time safely by remote, pleading, "Tell the girls at CNN that if I get convicted, I'm going to be looking for conjugal visits." Good stuff.
Rating:
Summary: Irreverent & Witty
Review: If you are a political aficionado, regardless of your partisanship, you owe it to yourself to pick this book up. Yeah, you learn intriguing insider tidbits and some sleaze on politicians, pundits, and the like, but that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. For instance, Tucker reveals how his "biggest fan" claimed that he violated her in a restaurant in plain view of others, and in a bloody manner to boot, only to send him an email a month after the supposed incident proclaiming, "You're great." From a deranged psychiatrist who went coastal on Tucker claiming he was crazy to his hilarious fan feedback that he sent back to demented fans to the ingenious letter that he composed to bail out his college roommate from an econ midterm, you'll laugh out loud almost incessantly. Tucker tells of his drunk radio interview from the infamous Dick Morris suite and of the other Tucker Carlson and how he was mistaken before a speech as this individual(hilarious). His tells of hi interviews with an admittedly drunk Jim Traficant who, by the way, groped the CNN makeup girl. A few months later, after he was facing 60 years in prison and $2 Million in fines for rackateering, extortion, and bribery, Traficant came on again, this time safely by remote, pleading, "Tell the girls at CNN that if I get convicted, I'm going to be looking for conjugal visits." Good stuff.
Rating:
Summary: cute, fun fluff
Review: If you want (a) a learned discussion of major national issues or (b) a grim anti-liberal tirade, this book is not the book for you. But if you want to spend an hour or two reading amusing stories about Carlson's fellow pundits (and the occasional politician), this book is perfect. It is a cute, fun piece of fluff - the modern equivalent of the Hollywood fan magazines of decades past (except of course about the press instead of about actors).
Rating: 
Summary: Caught in the Crossfire.
Review: In Politicians, Partisans, and Parasites: My Adventures in Cable News the author provides a pleasurable read even if imparting little in the way of political wisdom.
Carlson's narration spares few details and one has the feeling that his publishers were pleasantly surprised with the richness of his account. His onscreen adventures began, improbably enough, with the OJ trial in 1995. It seems that the offices of The Weekly Standard were called by Dan Rather's booker in the hopes of finding a reporter to provide a conservative take on the trial, and Carlson, as he was the first one back from lunch, accepted the invitation.
A few years and many appearances later, our author was transformed from a chain-smoking journo to a smoke-free, media celebrity. He even got falsely accused of rape by a stalker fan (which says all one needs to know about his renown). Carlson briefly had his own show with Bill Press called Spin Room and currently he is one of the hosts on Crossfire.
Before relaying more specifics about the book, let me state, as a disclaimer, that I am personally not a fan of this author. Previously, I've always anticipated his views on politics with the same interest that I have in glasses of room temperature skim milk.
Carlson himself cites the concerns that Congressman Tom Delay had about his representing the conservative side before the nation. He believed Carlson "too liberal to represent the Right on the air." Frankly, I agreed with the Congressman before reading a page of the memoir and, after finishing it, I still agree with him. CNN needs guys like Carlson to be rightists in name, as the rest of us would not let Bill Press or Paul Begala dominate us with their informercials.
The author has warm affection for the likes of James Carville and Bill Press. He also seems to lament Senator McCain's loss to President Bush in the 2000 Republican primary, which is rather disturbing as McCain's goal, in regards to the Republican Party, was that we should "burn it down."
It may well be worth buying the book just to read about the catty way in which Carlson deals with Barney Frank after the Congressman berated a producer who tried to adjust his blazer (the horror!): "I made a mental note to devote the rest of my life to subverting Frank's career." He does a noble job.
This is by no means a philosophical work, but it was a great deal of fun to read. As many liberal comedians have painfully illustrated in the past, you do not have to be on the exact same ideological page as your audience in order to entertain. Tucker Carlson was on a mission to lightly and gleefully depict some of the strange politicians, partisans, and parasites that he has known on from cable news and he has succeeded admirably. Now if he could just lose that bowtie. Anyway, if you're short a present or two, you might consider his memoir for just about anyone who likes to laugh.
Rating:
Summary: Show-biz and nothing else
Review: It is amazing that Carlson, who makes a living of spouting untruths and playing the show-biz game like Limbaugh, would criticize others for behaviors that make him popular himself. If you want pure fiction, there are better alternatives. If you want "fake" news, tune into the Daily Show.
Rating:
Summary: The funny side of politics
Review: My daughter and I can't wait to watch Crossfire. Tucker Carlson is our favorite. We love everything about him, his looks,his hair,and of course his cute bow tie. I always new Tucker was smart, now I also know what a good sense of humor he has. This is one of the funniest books I have ever read. If you would like a look at the lighter side of politics,I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Too short, but good while it lasts
Review: Since I rarely watch CNN, I dont see Crossfire. But I did manage to catch him sparring with Al Franken on Tim Russert, and was impressed with his calm handling of blowhard Franken, who certainly belongs in the partisan category. They plugged his book, and I got it the next day. This book gives us, the political junkie, an insight into the personalities of the politicos we love and abhor. Want to know what people like Jesse Jackson,Jim Traficant, and James Carville do behind the news curtain? Carlson also ruminates fairly on the O'Reilly phenomenon as well, so even if youre on the left side of the aisle in politics, you'll hear some scoop on the other side. Anyone interested in the managed personalities of the talking heads we are addicted to listening to should buy this. Try and get it on discount, maybe wait for paperback because its rather expensive, and you'll kill it in 3 days. Mostly because you dont want to put it down, though.
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