The Destructionists is a wide-ranging look at the fundamental rot currently plaguing the GoP and how it developed over the last 25 years from Newt Gingrich on, written by Dana Milbank. Released 9th Aug 2022 by Doubleday, it's 416 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is a very well written, meticulously researched, annotated, and by turns infuriating and depressing excoriation of the Republican party as it stands in the USA. The author is a political commentator and analyst for the Washington Post. He draws a direct line, connecting the points along the way, from the ousting of house Republican minority speaker Bob Michel by Newt Gingrich and the following antagonistic and increasingly violent rhetoric which has become characteristic of American politics today.
It's impossible to read the book without becoming indignant (and/or nauseous) and outraged. I was left with an overwhelming feeling of futility and powerlessness. It's an important book, but one which the readers whose mind should be changed will ignore, and the ones who do understand the critical danger facing the USA will feel powerless to impact.
Four and a half stars. There were some repetitions in the text of the same players and the same occurrences discussed in differing contexts which felt like continual body blows and a rogues gallery of obstructionist destruction.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
No comments:
Post a Comment