Safire's New Political Dictionary

Rating:
Summary: Definitive work on the subject
Review: An indispensable guide of great value not only in that it tell us the origins of these weapons of political warfare, but also in that it uses these linguistic creations to illustrate the vastly entertaining American political landscape.

Rating:
Summary: Great for political junkies and historians too.
Review: What is the significance of a president's 'First Hundred Days'? What is a 'spoiler,' and is it good or bad? And what the heck was a mugwump, anyway?

Whether you're deciphering an archaic term from the first days of the Republic or reading today's headlines, Safire's dictionary is a valuable and entertaining resource. You'll be tempted, as I was, to read it through from A to Z like a novel. Even everyday words and phrases like 'perks,' gridlock,' and 'rhetoric' have interesting derivations, while obscurities like 'thumbsucker,' 'magnet issue,' and 'break all the china' illustrate the surprising (to anyone stuck watching TV news) richness of the American political landscape.