Pennsylvania Avenue: Profiles in Backroom Power

by John Harwood, Gerald F. Seib
Pennsylvania Avenue: Profiles in Backroom Power
book data
29 ratings, 3.00 average rating, 10 reviews (more data...)
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published
May 13th 2008 by Random House

binding
Hardcover, 272 pages

isbn
1400065542    (isbn13: 9781400065547)

description
Prizewinning journalists John Harwood and Gerald F. Seib show how today’s Washington power game really works, through stories of people who are making...more




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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 72)

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Jack
12/30/08
Jack rated it: 4 of 5 stars

bookshelves: nonfiction, politics
Read in December, 2008
This is a fine, short book on current politics in America. Harwood and Seib both worked for the Wall Street Journal (Seib still does). Their non-partisan approach to the problems and potential cures for what ails the American political process is useful. The chapters are short and each focuses on one or two powerful political folks. Some of them are well known, like Karl Rove and Jim Webb, and others are the backroom players that few people hear much about. A few overriding themes include t...more
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Delight
02/11/09
Delight rated it: 3 of 5 stars

Read in February, 2009
This was a fascinating book of the players (some behind the scene, some not) of how business gets done in DC. Some of the profiles I enjoyed more than others. If you're interested in how DC REALLY works, this is a book worth reading. It's bipartisan as Rs and Ds are both highlighted.
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Tulin
02/19/09
Tulin rated it: 2 of 5 stars

Read in January, 2008
This book sounded more interesting than it was. It basically was just profiles of various players in Washington. I would have liked to see more of an integrated book that included a bit more of a narrative.
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Nick
08/28/08
Nick rated it: 4 of 5 stars

Read in August, 2008
This book should have been a little better than it was. Harwood certainly knows the players, and some of the stories are very telling. But he's a bit too careful with his analyses of the powers-that-be, and the profiles are on the cursory side. Perhaps that's only inevitable given the powers that be..... Still, read this book if you want to understand how power works in Washington, and how it's changed over the past decade. The good news is that anyone with a computer, a sense of how to hook...more
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Brad
07/14/08
Brad rated it: 4 of 5 stars

bookshelves: books-i-own
Read in July, 2008
If you ever wonder who are influencing the day to day decisions and long term decisions that affect this country, this is the book to read. From lobbyists, to lawyers, to lawmakers, the people mentioned in this book are the people who are shaping policy today in Washington. It is good to note them and their positions because you, for the most part, will not see the faces of these individuals plastered all over CNN or major newspapers.
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Joy
06/04/08
Joy marked it as to-read

bookshelves: to-read
Nerdy journalist alert....had to buy this book. And yes, I looked at first pages to see if I got a first edition. (I did!) The secondary author, Jerry Seib, is a fellow journalist from Hays. And he's just always been one of those people I've looked up to, so this is a must read for me. (An added bonus...he recently appeared on Meet the Press.) Ok, this is the end of the nerdy journalist alert for today.
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Justin
05/20/08
Justin rated it: 2 of 5 stars

Read in July, 2008
This really should have been better. It often read like a summary of people's resumes, with the occasional quote from a friend of one of the subjects. It's one of those books that should be great in theory but was instead just underwhelming. Why do 8 or 10 in-depth profiles when you can do 20 simple and superficial ones?
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Marsha
07/06/08
Marsha rated it: 5 of 5 stars

An unbelieveably fantastic read. I actually had to slow down and take notes because I was gobbling up the book. These are the movers and shakers of our times and I recommend this book to read before the next election.
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Mike
06/02/08
Mike rated it: 4 of 5 stars

Read in June, 2008
A fascinating view of how modern Washington really works. Intriguing for the political junkie. If you're not into politics and policy making, don't bother.
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Carol
07/03/08
Carol marked it as to-read

bookshelves: to-read
I heard John Harwood speak today and he shared an antecdote from the the book. It sounds like it might be interesting if you like politics.
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Heidi
06/21/09
Heidi marked it as to-read

bookshelves: to-read

Andy
06/19/09
Andy marked it as to-read

bookshelves: to-read

Susan
06/01/09
Susan rated it: 2 of 5 stars

Read in January, 2008

Molly Morris
05/20/09
Molly Morris marked it as to-read

bookshelves: to-read

Jackie
05/19/09
Jackie added it

Read in February, 2008

Jason
05/15/09
Jason added it


Jimmy Ryals
05/13/09
Jimmy Ryals rated it: 3 of 5 stars


Maire
05/06/09
Maire marked it as to-read

bookshelves: to-read

Christopher
05/05/09
Christopher rated it: 3 of 5 stars


Kate
04/20/09
Kate marked it as to-read

bookshelves: non-fiction, to-read


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