- Shopping Bag ( 0 items )
-
Anonymous
Posted November 29, 2002
A book for those days when you have nothing else to do
I consider "Primary Colors" to be the greatest contemporary political novel of the last twenty years -- insightful, funny, wholly accurate. When I found "The Running Mate" at my public library, I expected more of the same. Instead, Klein's latest is an easily forgettable moving sermon, saying only that politics have been ruined by money and malicious campaign ads -- a stale discovery, so trite as to be inconsequential. Charlie Martin, an amiable, static bit of comic relief in "Colors", returns as the hero of this book. An obvious lightweight in the previous novel, we are supposed to admire him in this one. Klein never gives us a reason too, however, unless you count his eventual marriage to a New York socialite after years of bachelorhood to be redeeming.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged. -
Anonymous
Posted March 5, 2001
Outstanding Political Novel
'The Running Mate' is the best political novel I have read since, well, 'Primary Colors.' Joe Klein proves again that he is without peer when it comes to writing believable stories about believable people in the Washington political milieau. Klein's characters are multifaceted, even his heroes have flaws. The magic of 'Primary Colors' was in its spot-on depiction of the Clintons and their enablers, oops, aides. 'The Running Mate' is much less a Roman a roman à clef than was 'Primary Colors' but that difference does not hurt the book one bit. Klein is a first rate political novelest.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.