Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: All too Human by George Stephanopoulos ISBN: 0-316-93016-4 Publisher: Back Bay Books Pub. Date: 01 March, 2000 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.86 (269 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: An Insider's View of the Spin
Comment: While those looking for a coherent overview of the first Clinton term will have to wait both for more time to pass and another book, _All Too Human_ provides one of the most honest and insightful views of the inner workings of the White House staff available. Stephanopoulos's work offers a view of the moral dilemnas inherent in this ultra high-stakes environment, something that should resonant well with those of us in the sixties generations whose desire to change the world for the better often lead to acts which wheren't quite so noble. The book is really Staphenopoulos story - his personal journey in this pressure cooker - and while his closeness to the President and others in the administration allow for empathic insights - ultimately this is a story of idealism being deconstructed in the arena of pragmatic realism and power politics. _All Too Human_ is a frank admissions of errors made as well as success often overlooked, of the growth of both personal wisdom and cynicism. Thus it is both a decent political history and a compeling human story. We are not subjected to yet another set of cardboard characters playing out a morality play, but instead are treated to complex and highly intelligent people trying to live up to their own high ideals and not always succeeding. (Possible exception to this is the rather bizarre portrait of Dick Morris). There are, thankfully, but a very short couple of references to Lewisky and Starr, the topics that would overshadow the second Clinton term. This is a book about people and process, and it speaks to the state of our most basic democratic instutions. For that alone, it is well worth the price of admission.
Rating: 5
Summary: Honest account of success, struggles inside the beltway
Comment: I think some readers and reviewers are missing the point of _All too Human_. In writing this memoir, Mr. Stephanopoulos is NOT attempting to give his audience an all-access look at the private lives of Bill and Hillary. He is offering us a look at HIS life and times (of which the Clintons, obviously, were an integral part) and he does so with candor and class. This tome is honest, forthright, and the author doesn't hedge on his true thoughts and opinions of his past situations, performance, peers, and boss (qualities many of the principles highlighted in the book are famous for not possessing). I praise his frank recounting of how he was working for himself as well as for the president and his agenda. Those who chide Stephanoulos for striving for personal success, and telling us how he pursued it, need to reevaluate their own career motives before they pass judgement. This book is strongly recommended to any young person eager to see what it takes to make it in DC politics and still have a conscience. And, as you read this, bear in mind that I'M A REPUBLICAN! Kudos to George for a job well done.
Rating: 5
Summary: Case History of "Stalled" Thinking About Governing Processes
Comment: This book says a lot about our governmental processes that suggests room for improvement. Most people will think about the book from a political, ethical or personal perspective, so I thought it would be helpful to consider the management lessons instead.
As portrayed in All Too Human, the Clinton administration displayed many of the most significant forms of "stalled" thinking that delay human progress. For example, decisions were often made at the last minute or delayed for months, unnecessarily (deomonstrating the procrastination stall). A contributing factor was that everyone was allowed their say, time and time again, making for a hopeless bureaucratic stall. This tendency led to little time to decide what to say about the decision after it is made so a lot of miscommunications occur (creating communications stalls). The people in the White House often did not know how they were supposed to do their jobs (contributing to a misconception stall). They were also slow to understand that the voter anger that led to the Republican success in 1994 was something they were going to have to accommodate (the result of a disbelief stall). Further, the administration did not want anyone to look too closely at controversial areas about the Clinton's past dealings (an ugly duckling stall that affected the credibility of those who defended actions that later turned out to be different than initially portrayed). Two centuries of government had also developed a lot of precedent that made lawyers and poltical advisors limit the President's choices (exhibiting the tradition stall).
Perhaps the most significant lesson is that the administration was slow to perceive that creating good processes for managing government is important. This seems related to the inexperience of many with government at the national level, and the extreme talent of the people at the top who felt confident that they could "wing it" successfully. The good news is that beginning with Leon Panetta's appointment, the White House has been learning to put more stock in management processes.
One lesson of All Too Human is that humans can learn, improve by learning from their mistakes, and go on to make great progress. That seems to have begun to happen before Mr. S. left the White House. With Robert Rubin at Treasury, we saw the contrast of a well-functioning management process.
With better government processes (to elect and to govern), we can hope for an even brighter tomorrow.
Every serious person who wants to learn how to manage better (and citizen who wants to mprove our country) MUST READ THIS BOOK. This is especially timely as we enter the next presidential election campaign. I hope the candidates are asked early and often about how they will improve on the management processes described in this book. May the best process improver win!
 |
Title: The Natural : The Misunderstood Presidency of Bill Clinton by Joe Klein ISBN: 0767914120 Publisher: Broadway Pub. Date: 11 February, 2003 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
 |
Title:The War Room ASIN: 1573624578 Publisher: Vidmark/Trimark Pub. Date: 24 September, 1999 List Price(USD): $9.98 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $9.98 |
 |
Title: All'S Fair by Mary Matalin ISBN: 0684801337 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Pub. Date: 31 August, 1995 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
 |
Title: First In His Class : A Biography Of Bill Clinton by David Maraniss ISBN: 0684818906 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Pub. Date: 08 February, 1996 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
 |
Title: We're Right, They're Wrong : A Handbook for Spirited Progressives by James Carville ISBN: 0679769781 Publisher: Random House Pub. Date: 20 February, 1996 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
