Rating: 
Summary: A country divided!
Review: Phillips offers a vast amount of information on the Bush family. Unfortunately it is sometimes shrouded in nearly impenetrable language, or overshadowed by his obvious dislike of the Bush's, sometimes degenerating into name calling. He also introduces some fairly wild conspiracy theories that detract from his work reading like a scholarly historical account. The bottom line, as is clear if you read some of the other reviews, is that if you are a diehard Bush loyalist, you will probably hate this book, and your time would be better spent watching Fox News. If you believe Bush to be the worst thing that has ever happened to America, this book is a must read. I like the book because of the controversy surrounding it, but I think it is a rather sad commentary on how divided our country has become.
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Summary: ATTENTION REPUBLICANS!
Review: Best "No Spin" book of the year (maybe even decade)? What Gibson's film is to public discourse regarding religion, Phillips' should be to the political state of our country and both major political parties (both which practice the same principals). As a lifelong Republican truly concerned with the path my party has taken over the last 25 years, the facts covered in this book are downright scary and should be of serious concern to all Americans, regardless of political affiliation. Forget your political affiliations, this book will concern you regarding the current and future state of America and the "democracy" the founding fathers had intended. In this time of "broadcast bread and circuses" for the masses (resulting in mass manipulation), the book is a thought provoking discussion of topics that most Americans want exposed but have little capacity themselves to do so. Although somewhat dense for the average reader, the time investment in concise reading will pay remarkable dividends. Some readers will find the book deeply disturbing, as did this reviewer. The growing gap between the have and have not, driven by the haves, has, historically, resulted in civilization collapse. After reading Phillip's book, I was and am truly worried about the future of our country and of my children's place in it.
Rating:
Summary: Connects the dots
Review: No matter what one's political stripe may be, this book should be read and discussed by all Americans during this election year of 2004. Author Phillips has looked at 20th century American history through the eyes and actions of the Bush clan. And it is, at times, a scary sight. Phillips examines George H. W. Bush's influence upon four primary topics: the CIA, the energy sector (primarily oil), national security, and foreign relations. His son, George W., has introduced a new imprint upon these topics with his heavy involvement with -- and on-going courting of -- the religious right. Many of these sectors come together in a dangerous and toxic mixture in the battlefields of Iraq. Phillips forces the question: Is this the type of leadership our country wants? Do we want a leader who -- through on-going generational involvement -- is beholden to the agendas of various groups such as: the fundamentalists, the oil producers, the richest one percent of our nation, the Saudis, or the CIA? I suspect that Phillips, a Republican consultant, would say no. Despite having read several books on 20th century history, as well as several biographies on leaders of that century, this book was a true learning experience for me. It has, in a certain way, altered the way that I look at the world. A higher compliment I would be unable to give to a writer. My one minor complaint about the book is that a bibliography section at the back would have been very helpful to the reader. Phillips includes good documentation on his footnotes, but an overall topic bibliography would have been even more helpful.
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Summary: The Bushes: End of Western Civilization
Review: A great read. Very well researched and written. It has confirmed my belief that the Bush family has done more to end Western Civilization as we know it. First the elder Bush creates a generation of hatred by putting troops in Saudi Arabia, then the son illegally involves the US in a first strike war that will create a generation of hatred for the US.
Like father and son...one term and your done.
Rating: 
Summary: A flawed polemic, but worth the reading
Review: The description of this book as "devastating" -- well, would that it were so. The true history of the Bush family will probably have to wait another fifty years to see the light of day, if not more. Phillips has not written a history, he has written a polemic. It's frequently an engrossing polemic, but it cannot be described as dispassionate, nor can it be described as complete. The Bush family's penchant for secrecy and disinformation is one of the major themes here (along with its role as a dynastic clan akin to old-time European monarchist regimes, and even the right-wing nationalist regime of Hirohito/Tojo in imperialist Japan), but the irony is that there is so little objective source material to work with that Phillips is at pains to prove almost everything he writes. He is prone to affixing every other sentence he writes with disclaimers and rationalizations about why what he has just written is conjecture. This does not make for a convincing narrative, and, in fact, is plain irritating. The related problem is sourcing: it tells volumes that the first endnote in Phillips' book is a cite to an October 2000 Vanity Fair article by Gail Sheehy. There is virtually no primary source material here, which makes some sense because there is virtually no primary source material available, but nevertheless, the claim that this book is somehow a sucker punch to the administration is belied by the facts, of which (in this book, anyway) there are remarkably few. It also strains credulity that many of the sources Phillips relies upon for his arguments are similarly flawed polemics with obvious axes to grind. It would have been nice to see somebody other than Elizabeth Mitchell and Bill Minatuglio popping up again and again in the endnotes. All that having been said, the book makes some compelling and troubling arguments, and the arguments deserve airing and attention. One last quibble: no bibliography. It's extremely annoying to have to page through over 20 pages of endnotes to get cites and references.
Rating: 
Summary: Choose one...
Review: The sum of the message of Kevin Phillip's book is captured in this short quiz. Choose one: A) A person shouldn't hold elective office if a family member has held office in the past. B) A person shouldn't hold elective office if they are rich, in business, or have any influence over anything. C) A person shouldn't hold elective office if they have convinced others that they are like them, even though they are not. D) A person shouldn't hold elective office if they are bad. E) A person shouldn't hold elective office if they are not elected by the voters. (Please do not refer to the Constitution in choosing your answer.) -The correct answer is D with partial credit for A, B, C. Those answering E, will be vilified and told to read the book again. -Do not attempt to choose by voting in an election, as you really don't understand how the world works.
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Summary: Party Favors ...
Review: Warning I: If you're a Democrat, by the time you finish this book, your neck, like mine, will be sore from nodding in the affirmative following each woeful divulgence after woeful disclosure after woeful-realization. Oh, and the hair on your knuckles will look disheveled and your hands' backs will be raw from wind burn. Why? From continually punching your fists skyward as you whisper-squeal, "Yes! Yes!" Warning II: If you're presently a Republican, you'll be a Democrat after having finished this book. Congratulations. Let's all contribute to Kerry's campaign to buy up all copies of "American Dynasty" so they can be placed in every hotel and motel bedside table drawer; you know, right next to the Kleenex. ;-)
Rating:
Summary: Tough read in the beginning but worth it.
Review: Talk about family values! Phillips lays bare everything the Bush clan has been trying to keep secret for years (well, probably not everything!). This painstakingly researched tome ought to be required reading for all voters, as well as for all Americans who earn their living from the sweat of their brow instead of from a trust fund. Read this book and get educated before the Bush Family and their cronies destroy our democracy and set the world on fire. Heck, it may already be too late.
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Summary: Do you REALLY want government by country club?
Review: During the 1960 presidential campaign, John F. Kennedy noted that the Wall Street Journal had run an editorial critical of Richard Nixon. "That's like the Osservatore Romano criticizing the Pope," Kennedy said. Well, what happened to Nixon is starting to happen to George W. Bush, as a growing number of conservatives are starting to voice dismay at the arrogant, profligate policies of the Bush administration. One of the most prominent is Kevin Phillips, who in his book "American Dynasty" shows that the Bush family has shown Machiavellian skill over the past four generations in playing the power game, with no principles at stake other than gaining and holding on to power. Occasionally long-winded but always scholarly and well-documented, "American Dynasty" demonstrates how the Bushes became the pre-eminent political family in the U.S.--making the Kennedys look like pikers--not through any great intelligence, virtue or devotion to public service, but simply their ability to insinuate themselves into the old-boy network. Once they'd ingratiated themselves with Wall Street and the Ivy League, they then turned their attention to the Christian Right. The result: government of the country club, by the country club and for the country club. "American Dynasty" is a profound act of patriotism and an important wake-up call to American voters.
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Summary: Dangerous symptoms, dangerous prognosis
Review: Philipps' book, which goes well with his previous Wealth and Democracy, sounds an ominous note with its portrayal of the oligarchic symptoms besetting the republic. Althought the term 'dynasty' more than fits the insidious thing here is the cover, front, and appearance, which manipulates the tokens of democracy without the substance, the Machiavellian moment.
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