A review by wwatts1734
Primary Colors: A Novel of Politics by Joe Klein
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.