Rachel Maddow’s new book Drift goes on sale today, and having read an advance copy, I can recommend it without reservation. Plenty will be said about the substance of the book and that’s vitally important, because she’s picked a topic that isn’t getting anything like the kind of attention it should. Maddow documents how Congress has abrogated much of its Constitutional role as the brake on war-making fever, how the military’s best effort to make sure that fighting a war would involve the reserves (and therefore be debated) was sidestepped in large part by the addition of contractors, and how our nuclear arsenal is wasteful and dangerous. Her recommendations for how we can get back on track are simple, concise and reasonable.
The substance is important, but what struck me is that Drift is clearly the product of a lot of hard work on Maddow’s part. That may seem obvious, but let’s face it: she could have phoned this thing in and still sold a bunch of copies. Drift is anything but that kind of casual effort. It’s a great read because it is infused with Maddow’s breezy, conversational style, which I think is a lot harder to pull off than people realize. And it’s tight: there’s no filler or fluff. In the acknowledgements, Maddow says she’s the “slowest writer on earth”. That’s because she takes the time to leave out anything that isn’t integral to her central argument.
One thing that’s clear from the last decade, and especially from the recent drumbeat to turn a pipsqueak country like Iran into our next existential threat, is that the forces of endless war own our national discourse. I don’t know if Drift can change that, but if it doesn’t, it won’t be because Rachel Maddow did a half-assed job trying.
Raven
I can’t wait to get the book. The contest was stupid.
SiubhanDuinne
I am very eager to read this. In fact, I would have bought a copy already if it hadn’t been for Anne Laurie’s contest (well, I guess, not so much a “contest” as a raffle, or sweepstakes. But I digress.)
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Glad to see your endorsement, mistermix Maybe if enough of us read it — and after Rachel’s book tour is over — we could have it as a BJ book discussion focus. Maybe Rachel would even participate!
SiubhanDuinne
@Raven:
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There are no stupid contests, only stupid contestants.
the fugitive uterus
sorry, OT, but this:
Snowe said that if she had to gradethe President on his willingness to work with Republicans, he would “be close to failing on that point.”
the fugitive uterus
sorry, OT, but this:
Snowe said that if she had to gradethe President on his willingness to work with Republicans, he would “be close to failing on that point.”
HRA
This is one book I am sure to read. I am going to find it today. I very seldom miss her show.
MariedeGournay
So looking forward to reading this. It’s on the top of my list along with Hayes’s ‘Twilight of the Elites.”
Marcellus Shale, Public Dick
the contest is actually pretty brilliant grass roots marketing. they have 500 people willing to forgo anonymity if they win the prize. its a heck of a turnout, i’m not in it but i am impressed.
Citizen_X
OT: Woohoo! Taglines are up top, in the header again!
the fugitive uterus
soooo, I guess she is trying to blame her exit from the Senate on Obama, not intransigent republicans (which was the initial speculation).
thanks, Sen. Snowe, glad we got that cleared up, you tool!
some guy
a public discussion of the War Machine is always welcome. look forward to seeing how this book gets received across the blogosphere.
Joey Maloney
The woman’s a Rhodes scholar, ya know? She had a life before becoming a media personality, and it didn’t include being an intellectual slacker.
Dork
But she’s on libby liberal uber-liberal MSNBC and the liberal media being liberal, not to mention she’s a lesbo and a liberal bitch, so everything she says is bullshit liberal shit that only a liberal media person on a liberal station acting as a liberal would say.
/teatard
Raven
@SiubhanDuinne: sheeeet
arguingwithsignposts
Can we get recent comments back, please. I like following multiple threads’ comments.
Tone In DC
Snowe is no better than the damn teatards. She has no recollection of the past 3 years plus.
That kind of willful ignorance takes work.
Cuppa Cabana
I’m a fan of Maddow because of her politics (and the fact that she is able to get and maintain a national megaphone for progressive views), but I can barely tolerate her “breezy, conversational style.” It’s too bad that her voice in that sense carries over into text. Different strokes I guess.
JimF
@Marcellus Shale, Public Dick: That was my biggest complaint about the redesign too.
amk
Is it out on e-book too ?
Poopyman
@Tone In DC: It’s only ignorance if you think she’s telling the truth.
She’s not, of course.
John Weiss
@Dork: You sound jealous.
Joey Maloney
@amk: Yes.
Raven
@Cuppa Cabana: I’m not all that interested in her fascination with booze but I still love her show.
El Cid
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Everything is Central to her Point.
rlrr
@the fugitive uterus:
Amazing, considering Obama pushed a Republican health reform plan through Congress….
SenyorDave
@arguingwithsignposts: I think she’s worse than Tea Party types. She’s like the bsuiness leaders in the south who knew segregation was wrong but wouldn’t speak up.
El Cid
@rlrr: It is the political Democratic transubstantiation, whereby conservative initiatives instantly transform into soshullist tyranny whenever they are blessed by a Kenyonesian foreign-born terrorist-pal’ing President.
amk
@Joey Maloney: Thanks. Kindle edition is not yet listed.
paradox
Thank you, if there’s a kindle version I’ll buy it today.
handsmile
@SiubhanDuinne: (#2)
In support of your suggestion, I think it would be wonderful if Drift were to be taken up as the next selection of the estimable BJ Book Club. With the number of military veterans who contribute to this website, it’s likely that the discussion of Maddow’s thesis would be well-informed, passionate, and robust.
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I was disappointed that the last book club selection, Corey Robin’s The Reactionary Mind, petered out after only two dedicated threads.
El Cid
[wrong thread]
Culture of Truth
The books sounds great. I don’t blame her, but her interviews with David Gregory and to a certain extent David Letterman too easily lapse into “the troops are awesome!1!” because it’s easy and politically correct for pundits.
Adding Rachel will be discuss her book in NYC at the Barnes & Noble on Union Square, 33 East 17th Street, on Thursday March 29, 7:30 p.m.
Pococurante
I remember eleven years ago watching people jumping to their death from two of the world’s most significant buildings, wondering to myself how a pipsqueak nation could have made that happen.
Existential? No. But that event changed our country for the worse.
Gian
@Pococurante:
So are you advocating for an attack on Saudi Arabia? Home to the majority of the hijackers?
Raven
@Culture of Truth: I’m tired of her ranting about the lack of “welcome home” parades in NY and DC. That stuff is just so much fucking bullshit.
Comrade Mary
Ah hahahahaha! I’m listening to Maddow READ her book RIGHT NOW because I put it on hold at the library last week and just got my notice to download it. God bless the library system.
EDIT: From the prologue re Iraqi rebuilding failures: “We had built a shit processing plant that did not process shit.” She’s being literal here.
El Cid
@Raven: Yeah, but I like the fact that it sets her up as more pro-troops than her conservative enemies. I think she’s genuine, but I don’t think the strategic uses of her pro-parade position (and pro-actual-troop coverage) has escaped her. [Particularly given that her version of being ‘for the troops’ is humanitarian in its nature, rather than being merely a proxy for pro-war ideology.]
Villago Delenda Est
The fact is, the neocons view soldiers as expendable. They don’t want to personally be involved with the consequences of their military fetish.
Neocons are cowardly vermin who, at best, should be ignored. If they refuse to accept being ignored, then more forceful action will be required to deal with these cowards.
Daaling
I think another thread pimping her book is just what this place needs. Because the other 4 or 5 weren’t enough.
Brachiator
Rachel Maddow interviewed by Terry Gross on Fresh Air today.
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Some Interview Highlights available now, full audio later.
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Feebog
Not gonna buy this book because the fix is in, comment 42 is the sure winner. However, if Anne Laurie screws it up somehow, I’ll purchase the kobo verision.