Rating: 
Summary: Scary!
Review: I found myself feeling scared, despondent, hopeless, but also, finally, slightly hopeful, at the way our country works. On the one hand, it's frightening to think of such extreme, psychotically hateful people making the country's political wheels turn. But in the end, I got to thinking that to some degree these activities and their lack of results perhaps show that our system DOES work, at least largely. I mean, granted some people got into powerful positions who perhaps shouldn't have, but hasn't that been happening here for 225 years? And in the end, the country is still here, moving on to other issues. I thought it was mostly well-written. (Frankly, contrasted to some of what I've read lately, I was impressed just by the fact that I didn't find any typos!) In spite of the serious, complex subject, I found it entirely readable, having no trouble reading it in large chunks. In fact, I recommend reading it that way, so you don't keep forgetting who the key players are. My only criticism of the writing is that he kept switching back & forth between referring to someone by their first name and then by their last name, which I found annoying and confusing, and just added to the amount of conscious attention you had to pay to the names, often requiring going back to verify that the 2 names are the same person. It was also quite an education in which organizations and publications are part of the conservative agenda. I found myself wishing the book came with a score-card listing all these conservative proponents, and telling me who really owns what.
Rating: 
Summary: A little bit smearing, a little be sneering
Review: David Brock names names, gives a dense amount of information in a train-wreck of a book. The right so far has not sued (cannot sue if it is true?), however in a twist of fate that makes me believe in Karma, the R's started their own smear campaign against the author. It could not happen to a nicer guy... Brock is the author of "The Real Anita Hill" in which the phrase, "a little bit nutty and a little bit slutty" was born. There is probably no way to estimate the amount of hurt this man has inflicted on innocent bystanders throughout his career, and to have a "mea culpa" book try to explain it all away is really tacky. (And even now, Brock continues to smear: in one of the funniest sequences he describes how Matt Drudge wanted to get in his pants. An interesting way for one gay man to out another gay man, print the dirty email describing what you want to do.) I don't believe in death bed conversions in the movies, nor here. Brock's time line of events does not add up. If he was so repelled by the right wing starting with TrooperGate, then why did he continue to do their bidding through the impeachment fiasco? He explains it away as a paycheck. Not convincing. His new-found convictions do not ring true. Brock is as likely to put his new principles into practice as Nancy Reagan is to work in a drug rehab clinic. This is Public Relations, pure and simple. He is looking for his second act, this time on the other side of the aisle. But this is not to say that this book is not fascinating, it is; but it cannot be believed verbatim. So, while he makes bold statements (without attribution -- take his word for it, please. Brock only lies when it is important. Or convenient. Or easier than doing real research...) about what happened and why, and even about what various other people were thinking, he does not back it up with any evidence. Brock's ego shines through, and as a testimonial to it he uses a ... terrible trope: whenever he is telling a story of something repellent he did, the author writes about himself in the passive voice: "Mistakes were made." He should have said, "I lied." Ok, so Hillary is right: there is a vast right-wing conspiracy. Did you really doubt it? OK, so (many) family-value Republicans are hypocritical, racist, homophobic, and misogynistic. Do you really need to give this man [money] to learn this?
Rating: 
Summary: Will someone explain this
Review: Brock is attempting to hype himself as a reformed right-winger but now the truth has come out that Brock was a Left-Winger who switched over for...you guessed it $$$. Now Brock is attempting to claim the he went from the Right-Wing to the left Wing...Confused I BET YOU ARE! After reading most of the book I have a feeling that the joke is on the readers, with Brock's history of lying and switching sides for profit, I wonder if his next book will be called "Left Out" how the Democrats brainwash the average citizen. With Brock's track history -don't doubt it! The other thing that's funny is how he claims that Gay Republicans (Sullivan and alleged Drudge) are racist to themselves and he actually attempts to pass this theory in his book. I also can't understand why the liberals love this book since his track history is so cluttered he's hardly the person to rally behind. I guess being an Independent has allowed me to view this book in a non-biased way. Hurry up and buy this book before he writes "left Out" to please the Conservatives
Rating:
Summary: Both Brock and the Daily Show lose a customer
Review: After accidently watching the interview of David Brock on Comedy Central's the Daily Show, I've lost respect for both. He is obviously a slighted political puppet who dives to whatever side will give him the most attention and completely oblivious of the media bias on both sides. He lamented the plight of the poor liberals since the conservatives own fox news. The poor liberals only have ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, Washington Post, New York Times and whoops... he didn't say THAT. I'd be happy with this if it was legit, but it is just political opportunist profiteering. Pass.
Rating:
Summary: Not sure what to make of Mr. Brock.
Review: I alway knew that Brock was one of those right-wing zealots out there posing as a respectable journalist, but after reading this book I'm not sure what to think. He often tries to play himself off as the victim, as if he was forced into writing the things he did about Anita Hill, President Clinton, etc. I don't know that I buy it. At times I think he still really believes those things he wrote, but has written this book as a way to try to absolve himself and his name. Let's face it, it's easy to take shots at Ken Starr, etc. now that the smoke has cleared. As I read this book (and found some of it quite fascinating, I admit), I couldn't help but wonder if the joke is on me. Here I was, reading the words of this man I despised...again. Only, this time he was trying to get me to side with him and consider him as the vicitim, and as my ally. While I realize much of what he writes is true, there is certainly a right-wing machine out there that lies and manipulates the truth to it's own agenda...I'm just not sure that I buy the idea that Brock has really changed sides in this battle. Instead I still see him as something of a "double agent" in this fight, and that he could be back to peddling his lies without much prodding at all. I'm just not convinced that there is really that much "conscience" in this "ex-conservative".
Rating:
Summary: a must-read for either side
Review: No matter where you stand politically, this is a must-read as Brock confesses how things work among our nation's power-elite, a position he admits desperately wanting for himself at one point. With the current revelations about 9/11 ("let one happen" theories), this book is more important than ever in allowing the American people a glimpse into how we are manipulated. No conspiracy here -- just hard facts -- I don't blame him one bit for waiting until the statute of limitations expired before coming out with this book. How else could he have published it? This is a must-read no matter what your political persuasion.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding, if not disturbing book
Review: When I first heard the words "vast right-wing conspiracy' from Hillary's mouth, I rolled my eyes and thought, "she has gone over the edge." But Brock makes a compelling argument that indeed, she was right (and he played a central part). I used to be a Republican but left the party seven years ago when they started their 'ends justify the means' philosophy. They viewed the political process as a war, a zero-sum game. They brought politics to a whole new level of mean.
This book lays out the entire battle plan. It explains the strategies and the players. It shows how a small number of well-funded people let their hatred for Clinton become an all-encompassing passion. It shows how truth was a luxury but not a necessity in their zeal to discredit Clinton at all costs.
I am not a Clinton fan and believe he made many many poor decisions. And I believed he deserved to be accountable to his actions. But I also believe the Republicans went way too far, damaging the body politic because of personal hatreds. This book is a must-read.
Rating:
Summary: Proven to be wrong
Review: Brock is a liar, his claims in his book have been disputed by friends in his college. The fact is he was never Conservative and he has mental problems. Just another member of the loony-left attempting to make up stuff. I'm sure that people who don't challenge facts and believe in DNC propeganda will like this book
Rating:
Summary: Can a Gonzo Journalist go "Honest" by changing sides?
Review: OK. I'm one of those leftists who knew it all before Brock actually admitted it, so maybe this is sour grapes, but it strikes me that Brock's greatest success is the greatest weakness with the book -- he manages to convince the reader the truth never mattered to him when he was "on a quest." The end result is that, much as I want to believe the book represents an objective recounting of where he went wrong and the blind hate/anger of his circle of "friends" at The American Spectator, in the Arkansas Project and the right-wing law "names" like Olson and Starr and Silberman, in the end all I have is the sensation that he is still playing for the "shocking" -- just from the other side.
Rating: 
Summary: Conscience?
Review: Mr. Brock seems to have found one at last. His autobiography is well-written, and I would assume mostly true. If not, he would have been looking at several law suits by now. He does not pull punches and accuses Clarence Thomas, among others of barely and il-legal maneuvering to keep the Republican hold on the courts and politics in general. Makes me damn glad to be a Democrat. The "right wing conspiracy" to bring down Clinton may not have been huge, but it was certainly effective; and Mr. Brock was a player in the bizarre actions by leading conservatives for quite some time. Of course, Brock is best known for his books on Anita Hill and Hilary Clinton. When he didn't do the hatchet job his right-wing buddies expected, they cut him loose. Now, he has come out of the closet both sexually and politically. He currently (as of this writing) lives happily in the DC area with his dog. Just one thing ... Gay conservatives? I don't get it. Do they disapprove of their own lifestyle?
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