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Summary: The best novel I've ever read.
Review: I doubt if any book would ever comes close to the experience of reading Penn Warren's book. There are passages that are everlasting oasis of thought. Don't miss it.
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Summary: Most powerful book I have ever read
Review: This is quite simply the finest novel I have ever read. The story of Willie Stark offers a powerful, moving platform on which Warren develops the true story, which is Jack Burden's philosophical conflict and its resolution. _All the King's Men_ is a novel about a politician in the American South, but it is also a novel about what it means to be good in a bad, harsh, or morally indifferent world. I have kept this book with me from state to state, reading and rereading it and finding new insights and new lessons each time. I cannot recommend any other novel as strongly as I would recommend this one.
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Summary: Superb novel about American politics and romance.
Review: One of America's classics. Superb novel about the personal lives behind people who shape politics and an era. A simply elegant novel about love, loyalty, and hunger for power. Prose that at times is close to poetry. Written by our nation's first Poet Laureate and winner of the Pulitzer.
Rating: 
Summary: good book
Review: Ok, I admit when I saw the word "politics" on the front cover I was scared, but I had to read this book for my AP English class, so I kept going. To my suprise, I enjoyed the book! I don't think I understood all the philosophical ideas and theories, but I was impressed by Warren's style and story. Some of my friends have had trouble reading this, and others really enjoyed it. I got a lot out of this book. I recommend it for those willing to give it a try!
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Summary: Best Book of the Century
Review: My choice for Greatest American Novel of the 20th Century is this Robert Penn Warren classic. Unfortunately for Warren (and us), this novel got off to a rotten start. The New York Times hailed it as 'The definitive novel about American politics,' and doomed it to be shelved with other drab tomes in that otherwise unimpressive genre. The Times, sad to say, widely missed the point on All the King's Men.Jack Burden is the point. Jack Burden, the politician's hack, makes this book. His is an evolution from disaffection to purpose, from carelessness to thoughtfulness. Willie Stark-the politician-is merely the means to Warren's greater goals. Warren originally set out to show, through Stark, the Dionysian allure of power and the grand effect it has on those who attain it. And he did; Stark himself is a great literary character. But Warren fooled himself: he created a character much greater than Stark, even though he planned Burden only to be a sort of an omniscient narrator of little value to the novel except as the storyteller of Stark's rise. In the end, Burden says (paraphrase), "This has been the story of Willie Stark. But it has been my story too." And thankfully, it was. The novel is brilliant, Warren is brilliant, and political books are still boring-but this is not one of them!
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Summary: Fabulous book that shows the downfall of democracy.
Review: Perhaps the best book written in this century, the portrayl of Willie Stark shows whats wrong with American politics. Its revelance only increases with President Clinton's debacles.
Rating:
Summary: One of the true American Masterpieces
Review: Robert Penn Warren has written a novel that far exceeds its label as a political novel. "All the King's Men" contains rich symbolism and metaphors. It truly is an enlightening book. The writing in it is also truly magnificent. I oftentimes found myself reading the same passage over and over again, rolling the words around in my mouth like a delicous food. This epic novel also has many themes that one can put into use in one's own life. Some of the many important themes? Power, responsibility, and the meaning of life. If you pick up this book, leave aside a large chuck of time because you won't be able to put it down.
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Summary: It speaks for every disaffected ex-idealist of any age.
Review: This book was written before the baby boomers had slacker kids... it shows that the trend for unhappy self-centered people who have ot hitchike on other people's energy started a long time before the slacker generation. Every person who was disappointed in his family and freinds being less than perfect will understand Jack Burden, and every person who wished that somebody, anybody would take charge will admire Willie Stark. And every woman who screwed around with someone else's husband and was then offended when the jerk screwed around on her had best take Sadie to heart. This doesn't have anything to do with politics for me. That was just the incidental setting for a great study of grownups who never outgrow their need to be loved. And in this age of television blurring the distinct regional speech patterns except when artifically exaggerating them, this book does a wonderful job of capturing the humor and imagery of down home speech that I enjoyed reading almost as much as Clude Edgerton's "Raney".
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Summary: Don't be scared by the common "political drama" label!!
Review: It's so much more! A beautifully crafted novel that delves into the minds of several believable and relatable characters, using their slightly-off logic to explain the world and life in general. A must read, especially if you're not fond of political novels.
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Summary: The seminal work in American political fiction
Review: All the King's Men is perhaps one of the best works of American fiction of the twentieth century. As an historical work, it gives us an incredible insight into the way Louisiana functioned under Huey "the Kingfish" Long. The story line is riveting, certainly, but the most remarkable thing about Penn Warren's book is the beauty of his writing. That might be why this work has become a classic: one doesn't need to be a political junkie to appreciate it. The other major work of fiction using Long as inspiration, Adria Locke Langley's A Lion is in the Streets, doesn't even come close to the greatness of All the King's Men. Anyone who read (or thought about reading) Joe Klein's Primary Colors should read Penn Warren's book to see what a quality "novel of politics" is like. To be honest, I was surprised to note the number of negative reviews of this book on Amazon. Fair is fair, and everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion, but how a mature reader of fiction could not enjoy this book totally escapes me.
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