For more than 1,000 momentous days, John W. Dean served in the White House as Richard Nixon's chief counsel. In retrospect, he now sees that presidency as the seedling of a toxic trend that continues to this day. In Broken Government, Dean argues that Nixon and his Republican successors have caused major structural damage to all three branches of the federal government. He describes how the party and its core conservative followers have intentionally and unintentionally generated dysfunction and chaos in these essential institutions. He also addresses the Big Question: What can readers do to rectify this eroding situation?
Publishers Weekly
Dean delivers the presumably final book in his "impromptu trilogy" on the dread direction Republicans have taken both their party and the government in the past 40 years. His scathing premise that the government is on the brink of destruction due to the active choices of Republicans and the ineptitude of Democrats rings true as he meticulously identifies the failings and tenuous limbs upon which the three branches of government now exist. Dean also keenly identifies how the media has failed to address issues of how government processes its powers. Dean's prose provides clear and concise explanations and a rhythm that Michael easily integrates into his cadence. While sounding uncannily similar to narrator Scott Brick, Michael's voice has a slightly sterner tone, which further emphasizes Dean's disgusted stance. Footnotes are placed conveniently at the end of sentences in a surprisingly unobtrusive manner. While the performance does contain the occasionally badly edited voice shift, it still ends up an impressive and eye-opening deconstruction of politics today. Simultaneous release with the Viking hardcover (Reviews, July 30). (Aug.)
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The Boston Globe
Broken Government examines, with great precision and even greater urgency . . . ‘how Republican rule destroyed the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.'
From the Publisher
Broken Government examines, with great precision and even greater urgency . . . ‘how Republican rule destroyed the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.’”—The Boston Globe
DEC 07/JAN 08 - AudioFile
John Dean knows something about broken government, having served as White House legal counsel during the Nixon administration. His latest book is a scathing dismemberment of the political party he once supported. Paul Michael delivers the bad news with the objective tone of a news anchor, which makes the book’s message all the scarier. Dean's attack on the Republicans is the third part of a trilogy on the subject. This part focuses on the beleaguered George W. Bush administration and its legacy. Frightening stories of payoffs, power-grabbing, and ruthless behavior have a ring of truth. Frankly, it might be better if Michael's delivery were less believable. The subject matter is dense, and Dean makes it even more difficult with frequent footnotes, which are distracting on audio. M.S. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine
