novelesque_life's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 STARS
"Primary Colors portrays a convincing world of its own, peopled by smart cookies, nut cases, and wheeler-dealers, whose public and private lives illuminate each other - sometimes by casting dark shadows. The story paints a picture of the political state of the nation so vivid that one finds in it the deepest kind of truth - the kind of truth only fiction can tell." (From Amazon)
Hmmmm...I wonder which President this book is based on...lol. Whether there is more truth or fiction through the novel this book is greatly entertaining. You get a great portrait of why Clinton is so charming and Hilary so strong. A nicely done political satire. Check out the movie as John Travalto and Emma Thompson are fabulous in it.
"Primary Colors portrays a convincing world of its own, peopled by smart cookies, nut cases, and wheeler-dealers, whose public and private lives illuminate each other - sometimes by casting dark shadows. The story paints a picture of the political state of the nation so vivid that one finds in it the deepest kind of truth - the kind of truth only fiction can tell." (From Amazon)
Hmmmm...I wonder which President this book is based on...lol. Whether there is more truth or fiction through the novel this book is greatly entertaining. You get a great portrait of why Clinton is so charming and Hilary so strong. A nicely done political satire. Check out the movie as John Travalto and Emma Thompson are fabulous in it.
wwatts1734's review against another edition
4.0
A novel set in the heated 1992 Presidential campaign, "Primary Colors" is the thinly disguised story of Bill Clinton's unlikely victory in the Presidential race of that year. For years this book was attributed to an anonymous author, eventually Joe Klein fessed up to writing it. It is a very uncomplementary view of Bill and Hillary Clinton, and a great look inside the excitement and passion of a presidential campaign.
Written from the point of view of a Governor's aide turned campaign manager, this story discusses the entry of a southern governor into a hotly contested Presidential campaign in a media dominated election. The southern aspect of this story reminded me of "All the King's Men", and in fact the politician who is portrayed in the novel is very much like the corrupted Southern Governor of "King's Men". I wonder how much "King's Men" influenced Klein in writing "Colors". The story is interesting, since it covers the campaign of an unlikely candidate and witnesses a corruption of that candidate and his family during the campaign. The speculation that the subject of this novel was really Bill Clinton really did not interest me much. But despite that, I thought this novel was good.
One of the most interesting aspects of "Colors" was the willingness of all candidates in the race to engage in character assassination and unethical practices in order to win. One of the main character's aids, who believes that her candidate is above such practices, learns otherwise toward the end of this novel, to her demise.
I would recommend "Primary Colors" to anyone interested in 20th Century politics and the nature of politics in the years leading up to the year 2000.
Written from the point of view of a Governor's aide turned campaign manager, this story discusses the entry of a southern governor into a hotly contested Presidential campaign in a media dominated election. The southern aspect of this story reminded me of "All the King's Men", and in fact the politician who is portrayed in the novel is very much like the corrupted Southern Governor of "King's Men". I wonder how much "King's Men" influenced Klein in writing "Colors". The story is interesting, since it covers the campaign of an unlikely candidate and witnesses a corruption of that candidate and his family during the campaign. The speculation that the subject of this novel was really Bill Clinton really did not interest me much. But despite that, I thought this novel was good.
One of the most interesting aspects of "Colors" was the willingness of all candidates in the race to engage in character assassination and unethical practices in order to win. One of the main character's aids, who believes that her candidate is above such practices, learns otherwise toward the end of this novel, to her demise.
I would recommend "Primary Colors" to anyone interested in 20th Century politics and the nature of politics in the years leading up to the year 2000.
kamrynharned's review against another edition
I just couldn’t get myself to pick it back up. I didn’t hate it, but I was much more excited to read many other books this fall that I didn’t want to spend the time finishing it. I know I will come back around to it one day though.
sde's review against another edition
3.0
This one was hard to rate. I didn't read it when it first came out because it sounded like an overblown fad that was made popular solely because it was authored anonymously, and people were trying to figure out who wrote it and what was real in it. But it is a lot better than that, and I'm glad I read it, especially with the distance of time since the Clinton administration.
I will admit that I looked up the career dates of many people while reading this book because many characters sounded like real live politicos. And I suspect I was usually correct about who the character might be based on, even if sometimes not consciously by the author. Given the time now - summer 2020 - when current NY governor Andrew Cuomo is having a press conference almost every day - it was amusing to read the descriptions of Orlando and Jimmy Ozio, who almost certainly were Mario and Andrew Cuomo.
Some of the scenes and language didn't age well, and the reader may cringe at some of the scenes. On the other hand, I suspect that a lot of this really does happen in the scrappy world of political campaigning, even now.
I will admit that I looked up the career dates of many people while reading this book because many characters sounded like real live politicos. And I suspect I was usually correct about who the character might be based on, even if sometimes not consciously by the author. Given the time now - summer 2020 - when current NY governor Andrew Cuomo is having a press conference almost every day - it was amusing to read the descriptions of Orlando and Jimmy Ozio, who almost certainly were Mario and Andrew Cuomo.
Some of the scenes and language didn't age well, and the reader may cringe at some of the scenes. On the other hand, I suspect that a lot of this really does happen in the scrappy world of political campaigning, even now.
bookhawk's review against another edition
3.0
Primary Colors is a good book that is really a deep dive into politics. The book specifically captures the way a politician connects with voters and the public very well. Ultimately this book was not higher rated for me because it was such a plodding read and depressing as to the candidates’ true character.
The movie seemed to stray significantly from the book but I watched it a long time ago and likely not from beginning to end in one sitting.
Primary Colors reminded me in a small way of All the King’s Men but not nearly as grand, sweeping and eloquent as Warren’s epic southern political piece.
The movie seemed to stray significantly from the book but I watched it a long time ago and likely not from beginning to end in one sitting.
Primary Colors reminded me in a small way of All the King’s Men but not nearly as grand, sweeping and eloquent as Warren’s epic southern political piece.
markaroni's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Drug use, Abortion, and Pregnancy
thenageler's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 or so. Could've easily been a four star, but that ending was so...
ald715's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
peteradamson's review against another edition
4.0
Loved the Libby Holden character although her fate didn’t quite ring true. And I didn’t really buy the relationship between the narrator and his campaign sex GF’s fate either.
Little did we know DJT was to come!
Mostly enjoyed this book though the audiobook narrator I had pronounced so many words wrong that I questioned the product. Where was the editor?
Little did we know DJT was to come!
Mostly enjoyed this book though the audiobook narrator I had pronounced so many words wrong that I questioned the product. Where was the editor?
stacyslap's review against another edition
2.0
I read this as part of my own challenge to read the NYT number one books that correspond with my birthday. It is not something I would choose to read on my own and this book confirms why. I found it incredibly tedious and boring. I can see why the author preferred t try and stay anonymous, lol. I do find it distasteful that the author ended up being a journalist. I would definitely question the journalistic integrity of any articles he has written since this isn't the type of book you would write as an impartial journalistic witness. I can see why the hype would make people buy it and read it in 1996 but I don't think the book aged well at all. It would have been shocking back then but the gossip and revelations in this book seem very tame anymore, unfortunately.