Book learning #66. Game Change. John Heilemann & Mark Halperin

Some years ago, an exasperated brother in law exhaled "Why don't you read something different? Why is it always American politics??"

Because I like American politics.

I like other stuff too, but I like to read about American politics an awful lot.

I recently counted books on the shelf in the living room, just under 50% were somehow connected with American politics or history. That means that over 50% were connected to other things, things such as English history and politics, Irish history and politics, football and gardening.

This was a great read, I had forgotten about John Edwards and his personal and political self destruction, I never really knew what a complete old cow his wife was. Just as I began to get a bit bored of the Obama v Clinton marathon, McCain turned up, all grumpy and swearing. Just as everything seemed to be tied up for Obama, Palin turns out to be a complete nut job. Full of backroom gossip, a cracking yarn, there is just one thing.
I think the book doesn't quite catch the atmosphere of the post convention Obama campaign, the wonderous surge of righteousness that seemed so appropriate at the time. I suspect the one person who had doubts about the nature of it was Obama himself, he was never shy in talking about the hard road ahead.

With the gift of hindsight still a great read with some good lessons for anyone even remotely bothered about leadership or how to run a campaign.