Life's a Campaign: What Politics Has Taught Me About Friendship, Rivalry, Reputation, and Success
by Chris Matthews
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Book Summary Information
Author: Chris MatthewsEdition: Hardcover
Published: 2007-10-02
ISBN: 1400065283
Number of pages: 224
Publisher: Random House
Book Reviews of Life's a Campaign: What Politics Has Taught Me About Friendship, Rivalry, Reputation, and Success
Book Review: Advice From an Old Pro
Summary: 5 Stars
I watch Chris Matthews almost every evening and have come to respect him a great deal even if I don't always agree with him. The thing that I most respect about the man is that he asks the tough questions of both sides of the political aisle. Many conservative Republicans are upset with him now because he is so tough on the Bush administration but a scant eight years ago liberal Democrats were upset with him over his treatment of the Clinton administration. Basically Matthews seems to ask the tough questions of whoever is in power despite the fact that in his political career he always worked for Democrats.
The reader will find out a lot about the author in this book including the fact that Matthews' father was a Republican and that the first President Bush took great delight in reminding Matthews of that fact. Matthews has in fact come into fairly close contact with almost every major American leader in the last thirty years and has gleaned several worthwhile insights from these successful people. It is those very insights that this book is meant to share. Matthews has zoomed in on several traits that seem to be shared by most of the people who have reached the top of the political ladder and it is his contention that many of these traits can be applied to almost any field with the same positive results.
As Matthews passes along his hints for a successful career he shares some wonderful stories some of which are amusing and some of which are very moving. The story of Tip O'Neill's visit to the still sedated Ronald Reagan shortly the failed attempt on the president's life for example is a very moving story and Matthews does an excellent job of telling it. Matthews in fact does an excellent job of telling all of the stories in this book and even though this is the first of his books that I have read it is obvious to me that he is a very gifted writer. This book flows well, is easy to read and is interesting from cover to cover. Whether one agrees with the author's assertions or not his argument is presented clearly and in a very positive manner. Readers can decide for themselves if following Mr. Matthews' advice is the right choice for them but this book is well worth reading even if one decides to completely ignore the advice. The rare glimpses offered here into the lives of some of America's most notable leaders is priceless with or without the advice.
Summary of Life's a Campaign: What Politics Has Taught Me About Friendship, Rivalry, Reputation, and Success
Chris Matthews is like no other TV interviewer. Life’s a Campaign is like no other book on success.Famous for demanding the truth from his Hardball guests, Chris Matthews now reveals what the people running this country rarely confess: the secrets of how they got to the top. Here is the first book on power with insight snatched from those who wield it. Life’s a Campaign exposes the tactics, tricks, and truths that help people get ahead–and can help you, too, whatever your field of ambition.
Written in the assertive, good-natured style that is Matthews’s trademark, Life’s a Campaign is the most useful kind of investigative reporting. You’ll benefit from his insider’s scrutiny of the Congress, the White House, and the national news media. Here are the methods, showcased in fascinating anecdotes and case histories, that presidents, senators, and other powerful people use to persuade others and win–and the life lessons they provide for the rest of us.
You’ll learn about Bill Clinton’s laser-focused ability to listen to those he wants to seduce–and how he’s been teaching that craft to his wife, Hillary; how Ronald Reagan employed his basic optimism to win history to his side; the simple steps in human diplomacy that the first President Bush exploited to assemble a worldwide posse to attack Saddam Hussein and gain global approval in a way his son has failed to do; how Nancy Pelosi became the first woman Speaker of the House by practicing the most fundamental of human qualities: hardnosed loyalty. You’ll also find out, for the first time, about Matthews’s own wild ride through the turbulent, converging rapids of politics and journalism.
The big payoff in Life’s a Campaign is what you’ll learn about human nature:
• People would rather be listened to than listen.
• People don’t mind being used; what they mind is being discarded.
• People are more loyal to the people they’ve helped than the people they’ve helped are loyal to them.
• Not everyone’s going to like you.
• No matter what anybody says, nobody wants a level playing field.
Knowing such truths is the successful person’s number one advantage in life. As you’ll learn in Life’s a Campaign, mastering–and employing–these truths separates the leaders from the followers.
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