If you love political history or if you want to see the inner workings of the US government, this book is for you.
I read this book in two nights. I love material that was covered: Ed Rollins early years, his years on Reagan's staff, his time with Kemp, his campaign with Perot (I never realized Perot was that kooky of a man, the Christine Todd-Whitman camapaign.
The book is excellent. Rollins holds nothing back. This is one of the top 10 books I have ever read. I was glued.
This book is more of a history, than a how too. But even if you are looking for a how too, you will still love this book.
This book is worth more than 19 bucks.

A terrific companion to this is Jack Germond's chronicle of the classic 1980 presidential campaign (Teddy Kennedy vs. Carter vs. Reagan), "Blue Smoke and Mirrors."

Too bad this book's 96 release was too soon to receive much boost from the internet. Would have liked to read of author Rollin's take on the Monica/Clinton sex scandal. Rollins is observant enough to mention qualities of public figures that are seldom mentioned (such as Barbara Bush's mean-spiritedness).

I found it interesting that despite his immense talent for political strategy, and the wealth and power this talent gave him, Rollins had a failed marriage to a single mother with 2 kids. Professional success did not lead to personal success until later in life for him. I hope Mr. Rollins will pop up on political shows more often.

This should be required reading for college level campaigns classes. Rollins details the behind the scenes goings ons of all the major campaigns he has worked on--no holds barred, and no secrets left to tell. I read the entire thing in one weekend, it was a thrilling page turner for any political nuts out there.

It seems unnecessary to point out that this book is only for the true political junkie, since it's unlikely that anyone else would pick up a 700-page book with Clinton, Bush, and Perot on the cover in the first place. But for diehard politicos like myself, this book is a terrific account of the '92 campaign. The lengthy passages on political strategy may be trying for some, but the behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of the three major campaigns (not to mention those of Jerry Brown, Pat Buchannan, et al) are fantastic.

I found this book to be extremely interesting and full of insight about the candidates and their campaigns. It also effectively represents the overall mood of the campaign and the issues facing the US at the time. Fascinating for anyone who is interested in presidential elections, and politics generally.

Soon after becoming secretary of state, George P. Shultz noted that ' unless you do something about it, in the job of secretary of state you will spend 100 percent of your time on the Middle East. ' 'Every Secretary of State becomes a Middle East expert very rapidly, whether he wants to or not,' he also stated. . These observations remain valid today, when Warren Christopher has virtually become Secretary of State for the Middle East. Baker had a similar experience. Page one of his memoirs tells of Saddam Husayn's invasion of Kuwait, the single most dangerous moment of Baker's three-years-plus as secretary of state. Of the book's thirty-four chapters, fully fifteen concentrate on the Middle East, primarily the Kuwait war and the Arab-Israeli peace process.

Famously discreet when in office, Baker unbuttons a bit in the retelling. He captures the atmosphere of his endless travels (he went to sleep on the eve of his Geneva meeting with Tariq 'Aziz, just before the outbreak of hostilities, as the 'chants from antiwar protesters echoed quietly up to our block of rooms') and the vagaries of dealing with Middle Eastern leaders (Asad treated his complaints about Syrian terrorism 'the way one might react to an eccentric uncle at family gatherings'as an unavoidable nuisance to be endured politely'). Baker also provides some new information; for example, in March 1991, he raised to Yitzhak Shamir the possibility of stationing U.S. troops on the Golan Heights.

Middle East Quarterly, June 1996

Baker's memoir is open and honest. He has put together an excellent narrative analysis of the foreign policy of the Bush administration. In years to come the usefulness of this book will probably decline as more scholarly work appears, but Baker's story continues to be charming and detailed.