"PRINCE ALBERT: The Life and Lies of Al Gore" (ISBN 0-936783-28-1) by David N. Bossie, Floyd G. Brown, and foreword by Robert D. Novak is a book written against a politician who is not popular with certain groups and individuals. Many of the supposed revelations against former Vice President Al Gore have been made against other figures in the past, present, and will probably occur again in future histories from groups and individuals who dislike a specific figure. The authors and Robert D. Novak in the introduction to the book indicate that this book, claiming to be a wakeup call and warning, is not written objectively and impartially towards Al Gore. History reveals that many political figures have calculated their way to positions of power, made compromises, and changed their stands on issues to achieve personal goals and aims. I wonder if the authors would write such a scathing book on newly inaugurated President G. W. Bush if they were not Republican supporters. Further, what would the authors' response be to a book personally attacking them in a similar manner as "PRINCE ALBERT." I am not a die hard supporter of either major or minor American political parties that exists today. I do try to study the issues and candidates before making decisions, unfortunately books such as penned by Mr. Bossie and Mr. Brown has a negative impact on my decisions and view of the political party the authors favor. This title will get a mixture of reactions from the individuals who read the book. The anti-Clinton/Gore groups will praise the book for exposing an corrupt self-serving politician, pro-Clinton/Gore groups will denounce the book as an attempt to discredit a favorite politician, and a majority of individuals will have a mixed reaction somewhere in between the two extremes. I do not like the way the authors have written about their chosen subject, however if asked, I would state my dislike for the book and recommend that the person asking the question read the title and form his or her own opinion on the subject and the authors.

Given the confrontational title and the soft cover, I expected this to be another pulp account of the Clinton/Gore misdeeds. Well, I was right to expect a critical approach, but wrong to assume it was pulp. To the contrary, it is very well researched and detailed. It starts with Al Gore's childhood, discussing the forces that formed Al Gore, the person and future politician. It illustrates, through various examples, how Al Gore was protected and raised to be a politician in the way a prince is raised to be king. It covers his time in DC, Tennessee, Boston (Harvard), and Vietnam (where his superiors kept him out of harm's way). It covers his time as a reporter, a divinity student, law student, senator and vice President. Through it all, the authors show how Gore influenced and was influenced by his environment. But, through his dual acquiescence to Northern liberals and moderate Dixiecrats, and from his shifts through the liberal 60's to the conservative 80's to the moderate 90's, it is also made clear that Gore adapts to his environment more than he shapes it.

Bottom line: I would recommend this book not so much for the criticisms it makes but for the unflinching analysis it gives of a man who might be the next president.

"Prince Albert" was a good read and has a little more than an overview of Al Gore's life but it does not go into great detail in many areas. To do so would have required a much longer book. It does do an excellent job of outlining Al'a life and giving one a good idea of how he got to where he is and what he would do if he became president. In particular I found the discussion of his intellectual mentors interesting. The authors have done a reasonable job of answering the question of who Al goes to when he has a decision to make. I knew that Al Gore was a life long politician, however, I did not know that his parents basically raised him with the idea that he would someday become president.

If you want to have facts about Al Gore for political discussions this fall this is the book for you.