Over the past three years of books reviews I have read over 15 books on the Clinton Administration. Every book has taken the administration apart for one reason or another that was until now. Hyland unbiased and straightforward look is refreshing and pleasant for a change.

Hyland has a unique ability to make the politics of Washington interesting so that more than the usual political junkies will read the book. The book outlines what Bill Clinton did or didn't do in the first four years, his revamping of policies and the alterations of the second term.

Over the course of the 200 plus page book, the reader is treated to a look into Bill Clinton's handling and mishandling of every foreign situation. The author shows that over the first four years mistake after mistake lead Bill Clinton to make hard decisions.

What surprised me most about this book was the way the author remained neutral throughout the whole book and laid out, with great detail, how difficult it is to make foreign policy. While I may not agree with the author on several points, he does present a clear and convincing argument that should make for interesting reading.

"A Coup Attempt in Washington?" fills in many of the gaps left by media coverage in this country. eed, it appears that the European journalists were frequently more diligent in their investigative reporting than their American counterparts.

Information that was readily available to reporters and news commentators was not revealed, including the little-known fact that what the Founding Fathers had written in the original draft of the Constitution was crimes and misdemeanors against the State. The Founding Fathers would certainly have been aghast at the public flaying of a U.S. president for private sexual acts or the lies involving them.

The point the Europeans made was that not only did the punishment not fit the crime but that, in the process, we were throwing the baby out with the bath water. That the Constitution itself was in peril. And that there had been a wholesale violation of the separation of powers in the Constitution.

The author conveys with extraordinary clarity and passion what we already know and bears repeating: that democracy is so valuable, so precious, and it so defines us, that we must be its true guardians.

This is a great book. Especially for those (like me) who needed to understand foreign policy 101. So many issues that I've heard discussed in the media and in congress i.e. Exim (Export/Import) Bank, I would have been clueless about, wondering who are they and what the heck do they do????, except for this book. I first discovered it on a library shelf, but decided I needed my own copy. I refer back to it often to refresh my memory on details when I need to. And there is an excellent source of other resources in the back of the book to expand your knowledge in many areas. Anyone who is not aware of how our policies affect the world needs this book. And unfortunately that means most American citizens need to read it.

It's too bad this book is out of print. You should try to order it used or see if your library has it. Gross writes with a very no nonsense style. He didn't try to win a writing prize with this book like James Stewart did with his Whitewater book. And, of course, Gross isn't a hard core Clinton apologist/worshipper like Gene Lyons and Joe Conason. This book explains the relationship between the Clintons and the McDougals, goes through the task of explaining the transactions, and by the end of the book leading the reader to conclude that Whitewater, contrary to Clinton supporters, was a scandal that should have dethroned their king.

it is hard to imagine a more useful Clinton impeachment resource than this stellar volume.

Walt Brasch has something in common with Bill Clinton. They both play sax. That same Walt Brasch has something in common with me. We've both been columnists. What better excuse, then, for him to put together a book of his columns called "The Joy of Sax" and for me to write about it?

The "Joy of Sax" is subtitled "America During the Bill Clinton Era." It couldn't have been assembled better by anyone. For one thing, Walt knows his stuff. He covered part of the Clinton-Gore bus tour during their first campaign. For another thing, he has good reporter skills. He also wrote a lot of columns and that makes for a nice, fat book. But mostly it's because Walt Brasch has a sense of humor. If more people had a sense of humor during the Clinton years, we'd all have had a jollier time. After all, we were all rich compared to the last couple of years. For that matter, if we all had a better sense of humor now....

But I digress. Back to Walt's book. Sometimes his humor is blatant. Other times he lets you figure out what he's getting at but it's still funny as heck. My favorite column is called "Singing Off-Key in the Starr Chamber" and it's my favorite for the first nine paragraphs that go like this:

"When President John Adams imposed the Alien and Sedition Acts in 1798...and violated the First Amendment, no one required him to testify before a special inquisitor.

"When President Abraahm Lincoln suspended several Constitutional rights, no one required him to testify before a special inquisitor.

When President U.S. Grant pleaded ignorance that his own cabinet was one of the most corrupt in history...."

The next paragraphs include heinous "violations" by Warren G. Harding, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and the first George Bush. I was rolling in the aisle and Brasch was only being droll. His "hilarious" hadn't even begun!

If you don't see that Brasch is at least entertaining, then maybe you don't really need to read this book. Mmmmm. On the other hand, if you don't see that, then maybe you are the one who does need to read his book.

Walter Brasch is opinionated, logical, and broad-minded. None of these qualities is a crime. The do all help to make this book a kick for anyone with a political hair in his head.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of "This is the Place"

I have read several books about Bill Clinton. This one is unique, and in that much of it is pre-presidential, provides uncanny insight into the range of events surrounding Clinton today. Author is a recognized, awarded civil rights writer, with convictions which defy partisan affiliations or stereotyped ideology. There were several times when things he had written made me laugh out loud. Many times he speaks with great conviction, always hopeful for Clinton's best, ready to forgive, and then the next disappointment. I've not seen another Clinton book like it, and I've read at least 30. Greenberg even correctly analyzes the problem that Republicans have had against Clinton, and the misperception that has led their strategy astray. Because the book uses as source material, articles that he had written as a journalist, you get that perspective that comes as the events take place. It's rewarding to read the author's interpretations of those events without knowledge of what would happen in the years ahead, and at times uncanny how on target his read of an event's significance was, with regard to future behavior. He couldn't care less about most of the sexual stuff - he's more interested in greater issues. A must read for all with an interest in Clinton.

The Postmodern Presidency: Bill Clinton's Legacy In U.S. Politics examines Clinton's role in redefining the institution of the presidency, and his affect on future presidents' economic and foreign policies. The contributors focus on the president's unprecedented courtship of public opinion; how pools affected policy; how the president gained "celebrity" status; how Clinton's "postmodern" style of public presidency helped him survive the 1994 elections and impeachment; and how all of this might impact upon future holders of the office. The Postmodern Presidency also demonstrates how the Clinton presidency changed party politics in the public and in Congress, with long-term implications and costs to both Republicans and Democrats, while analyzing Clinton's effect on the 1990s "culture wars", the politics and importance of gender, and the politics and policy of race. A strongly recommended addition to 20th century political science and American political history reading lists and reference collections, The Postmodern Presidency is informative, engaging, insightful, and thought-provoking.

I think Bill Clinton hasn't done anything wrong that he should quit

This book fills a stunning gap -- I've never seen another collection dedicated to the civil rights speeches that have played such a crucial role in American history. It includes all the famous speeches (I Have a Dream, etc.), but it also covers activists most of us haven't heard of, from movements most civil rights histories ignore. Each speech is accompanied by an introduction with just enough information to set the scene and put the speech in the context of its own and the other movements, but not so much that it gets in the way of the speeches themselves. Anyone who cares about how America's many peoples live together -- and how we wish they would -- must have this book on their shelf.