Rating: 
Summary: Worth Reading
Review: Buck Up, Suck Up is a good read. Not because of any literary merit (your average High School junior has more writing talent than these two)and certainly not due to anything that might pass as substance in the content (there is not one new idea anywhere in the text). The value in this book is the joy of the ride into battle with Carville and Begala.These are two men who know what they are good at and clearly love their work. Carville and Begala give you a front-row seat to view how they run a battle for power. And you will enjoy the show they put on. Their strategies for winning are laid out in twelve "rules" illustrated with amusing anecdotes and cautionary tales. Although the rules are pretty basic Management 101 (work hard, communicate well) it is motivating and interesting to see Carville and Begala's thinking laid out in an engaging voice that is really, really fun to read. This book is worth reading but don't expect touchy-feely self help or a tome about the nobility of leadership. The folksy good ol' boy tone of the book does not disguise the strong message that strategies of aggression work, that anyone who wants to get (and hold) political power today needs the biggest, baddest, ugliest, junkyard dogs on the block to help them do it and that, if you decide you want to win, then for pity's sake be willing to get in there and fight. Oh, and if you get nothing else from Carville and Begala the recipe for chicken salad (page 154) is worth the price of this book!
Rating:
Summary: A "Comfortable" Read!
Review: Say what you want about James Carville, he is honest about who he is, how he got to this place in his life, and what he belives in. As this book shows, Carville has very strong beliefs on everything, which he bases on his Cajun background. He is smarter than he gives himself credit for (his self effacing humor is part of his charm) and he is very passionate for what he believes in. That being said, if you forget that he's a far left liberal, you anyone can actually get something from this book. The basic premise is how you let life give you the experiences you need to be successful in the political arena. By getting into the game and even "fouling" up, you learn more about how to handle adversity, and even how you handle yourself. However, you substitute your profession instead of politics, you can see a lot of parallels. If it seems like I have been concentrating on Carville and ignoring Begala its because this book is really Carville's doing. Those who have seen him in the various media outlets can see his fingerprints all over this book. I may not agree with Carville's ultra liberal posture, but he frames his discussion in such a way that everyone can understand and get something out of it.
Rating: 
Summary: How can you lose?
Review: Share their politics? Doesn't really matter. These guys wrote the book on campaigning and risk taking...and this is it! A terrific combination of humor and practical advice, I would recommend this book just as a casual read. But it's more than that.
Rating:
Summary: Great anecdotes...
Review: As a big fan of Begala and Carville as talented, intelligent political insiders (although definitely not of their political persuasions), I read this book knowing that it would be more than the standard "be-confident-never-give-up-learn-how-to-spin" self-help book that the title suggests. I was not disappointed. What makes the book better than the rest are the great anecdotes that Carville and Begala have acquired in their many years of successful campaigning and dealing with the media. Frankly, I feel bad for anyone who would buy this book hoping to learn the secret to winning elections. The advice itself is the standard stuff you'd hear from any political insider or honest politician. It's the way in which it's told that makes this book an interesting collection of creative one-liners and entertaining stories. I definitely recommend this book - just don't take it too seriously.
Rating:
Summary: "It's a great book, stupid!"
Review: Carville and Begala have written a great book. Buy one for yourself and one for all of your friends who want to know how to get ahead. The book provides terrific insights into how to be successful. And it is an easy read -- perfect for an airplane or a rainy afternoon. One good thing about the book is that it is nonpartisan. Democrats, Republicans, independents, Reform party members, Green Party members, and even Ross Perot would like it. Whether you like Carville and Begala, you have to respect them. And they bring their years of experience in the political world and translate it into simple lessons for any other arena (e.g., business, academics, etc.). Perhaps I have learned the lessons from the book too well -- I think this review shows that I understand Lesson #2 (How to Suck Up)!
Rating:
Summary: BEST ENTERTAINMENT FOR YOUR MONEY
Review: Boy, am I glad that I bought this book at the Memphis airport bookstore, just before my nine (yes 9!)- hour flight to Budapest. What a great read. The time just flew by -- no pun intended. Everyone knows James Carville and Paul Begala were the strategic brains behind Clinton-Gore winning the 1992 and 1996 presidential elections for the Democratic Party. What this book reveals is how very many times each of them had failed long before their names became synonymous with winning in politics. For the record: Carville has won more political campaigns than anyone else in history. Now, Carville and Begala tell all about winning and losing in both politics and also in life in their best selling, "Buck Up, Suck Up .... And Come Back When You Foul [sic] Up". The reason I had just written, " ... Foul [sic] Up" is that no doubt, judging by their gritty, direct and adult entertaining writing (and speaking) style, the last three letters of the last four-letter word in the book's title had to be changed by their publisher from -uck to -oul! The Introduction sets the tone and refreshingly humble approach to writing a book on how to succeed by intelligently bustin' your [rear] in a highly competitive world: "We aren't attempting to rewrite Machiavelli or Sun-tzu; no one will be studying this book five hundred years from now. But we do hope that we can give you practical, applicable strategies that will help you close a deal, land an account, get a raise, earn a promotion, win an election. And, most of all, beat your competition." Using specific examples from the lives and political campaigns of Bill and Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, both senior and junior George Bushes, and Newt Gingrich, Carville and Begala explain exactly why each of them succeeded and failed in politics and life. That's a tall order but they did it ... and did it well with good humor and with even-handed respect, even when it may not have been warranted. Perhaps most important, the book clearly and emphatically defines objectives, strategy and tactics for winning, within its twelve chapters having titles such as: "Rule 1: Don't Quit. Don't Ever Quit;" " Rule 2: Kiss Ass;" and " Rule 3: Kick Ass." In their concluding chapter, "Rule 12: Know What To Do When You Win," Carville and Begala use Steven Spielberg's "Schindler's List" to explain how risk taking is vital for success. At the box office, Spielberg had scored big, winning with his Hollywood blockbusters such as "Jaws," the Indiana Jones series, and sci-fi "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and "E.T." Then Spielberg took the riskiest plunge of his life by making the film, "Schindler's List." This brought him intense criticism from both the political left and also the right. Carville and Begala's point is that after someone succeeds because of taking risks, to keep going they must keep taking bigger risks to keep succeeding. That's what you do when you win. To top it all off, the authors conclude with a recipe called "Paul Begala's Boy's French Toast" that used to be named "Daddy's French Toast" at the Carville-Matalin household. Both the Carville-Matalins and Begalas believe in celebrating with their kids on Sunday mornings by eating this special breakfast. And so ends a terrifically useful and entertaining book.
Rating:
Summary: Prophetic Town Meeting Upon the Boston Common 2003
Review: Between Carville & Hightower, the only Clinton who owes America right now might be William J., himself, since he may well be the only person to be able to have the moral authority to remind us just how much has been stolen of the conditions, programs, and advantages his administration tried to install, before he drifted off into the sunset, presumably to fight AIDS and to play golf, neither of which "aids" America all that much. For such a self professed patriot, it begins to look like he, himself, needs to take another ride or two upon that merry go round he stepped down from so graciously, and take the son, Billy, like the father, to the woodshed for having stolen the best of what America has produced in a long time. Few others are in a position to do that delicate job, but in having beaten the father, he may have to also beat the son. No other candidates appear to have the stomach for it. It's a star wars rooted design, and Mr. Clinton should be on the front line rather than lounging around like Jaba the Hut. Carville may have been more prophetic than he ever knew in his early bird production of this vision, and the dilemma of America from earlier times. But then, he is a veteran, and most veterans view the world differently from newbies. In this case, right may be might, or, it will continue to be wrong.
Rating:
Summary: A practical book for "winning" a local election
Review: I used this book as a Campaign Manager in a recent local election with great success. The advice that Carville and Begala give from their experience in national Poliitics are very applicable in local Politics. "Tough" but "Honest" is difficult to sell at the local level because Candidates want to be "nice" guys (or Ladies). "Tough" but "Honest" won big for us!
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining & Useful...
Review: From the masters of doing what it takes to win... I may not (okay, I don't) agree with their politics, or even the way they present themselves in defense of the indefensible, but I bought the book anyway. Actually, I got it at one of those wholesale clubs, and so it really did not set me back much. "Buck Up, Suck Up..." is a small book, ... there is still enough good information to make it worthwhile, and it will only cost you an evening to read it. I judge a business book by the number of pages that eventually contain yellow highlighter... This one is mostly white, but there are a few tid-bits that make up. Interestingly enough, Newt Gingrich is one of the three celebrity quotes on the back cover, Bill Clinton and the ubiquitous Tom Peters are the others. Newt is also quoted within the book, and his lesson is well worth the price of entry. With regards to advice one would do well to heed Carville and Begala's pithy instruction manual. These guys understand the need to proactively "frame the debate" on your own terms, and above all else, stay on topic... (remember, "it's the economy, stupid"?) So, even though I give the book three stars, there are some worthwhile lessons... dig them out and then donate the book to your favorite used book store and you'll never have to look at James' bald head ever again!
Rating:
Summary: Beyond Politics, this book is the source for S-U-C-C-E-S-S!
Review: James Carville and Paul Begala have worked closely with the most prominent political leaders of recent times, and have given readers a fresh, virtually non-partisan and witty look at how a person can strive for success in their field, no matter what the job or occupation. The entire book is readable, thanks to the authors sharp humor (without being silly or pretentious) and solid facts (without coming across as slick and statistical). James Carville, known for being brash and outspoken, shows a different side to himself in this book. Here is a team who has enjoyed repeated success in their own field (a highly competitive and constantly changing one, at that) and have put together a complete outline on what it takes to continue working hard at your cause or goals in life, whatever they may be. Reading this book has made me wiser and more astute; thanks to Carville and Begala, I now enjoy a "foresight" that wasn't previously accessible (or at least I wasn't aware of it). Do you want to have this foresight too? Wouldn't it be great to enjoy the power of being able to enjoy the confidence that comes with believing in yourself while making the most of all that is available to you? Read this book, it may be the best $ you ever spend. In every workplace, no matter what field or occupation, everyone who wants to "make it big" needs to follow a formula. I for one feel it's all in this book. You will learn how to deal with difficult people, how to honestly assess your strengths and weaknesses, and even how to you may turn your most debilitating weaknesses into your biggest strengths! Newt Gingrich and Bill Clinton both had good things to say about this book. Read this book if you are liberal or independent-minded, if you are a conservative, my advice is don't come near this book. I am a Democrat and would much rather see one of my own get ahead!
| 
