The Bush Dyslexicon: Observations on a National Disorder by Mark Crispin Miller Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Bush Dyslexicon: Observations on a National Disorder
Book Review: Tells it like it is
Summary: 5 Stars
Being neither a citizen of the USA, nor a resident of it, being in other words one of those whiny Old Europe Peace Nazis that raise the blood pressure of Bush supporters everywhere, I read this book with great enjoyment and a certain amount of fear. I can't understand how journalists constantly tell us how accessible and populist George W. Bush is. Every time I see him on TV he comes across as ranting, surly and/or arrogant. He and his munchkins sneer at everyone they consider a loser, but when the tables are turned they're hopping up and down moaning about "liberal bias" - what bias? You own the world, guys, you might at least enjoy it with good grace. Miller told me a lot about Bush's policies that I didn't already know, such as his blatant lack of interest in higher education - the guy went to Harvard and Yale and he didn't think it was worth it?? (Come to think of, he could have a point about Harvard.)
The most unappealing aspect of Bush's persona is his penchant for gloating, such as his joke about the impending execution of Karla Faye Tucker ("Please don't kill me!"). According to Miller, this kind of thing is routinely ignored or forgiven by most interviewers; why? Has the conscience of the US media finally lain down and died? If you're going to support something as disgusting as the death penalty, you ought to at least be encouraged to _act_ pained about it.
I'm sure that my opinion is of no interest to US readers, except that Bush's initial (and I suspect preferred) posture of political isolationism, his now-rampant desire to play with guns, and his profound lack of interest in the rest of the world, is putting us all under threat. He may not believe in global warming; all I can say is that thanks to the insistence of millions of US drivers on owning SUVs, Ireland doesn't really have seasons anymore. I hope they've installed a La-Z-Boy in the situation room. It'll get a lot of use.
This book was marketed in the UK as a work of humour, but it's not; it's a serious study of how am ignorant frat boy can come to be the most powerful man in the world. I love America; I love the idea of it, I admire the landscape, I enjoy a lot of the products of it, I have always liked the people. This is why it pains me so much to see you, and us, being inflicted with the worst President since Franklin Pierce.
God bless America. And God help it, while he's at it.
Book Review: This book explains a lot.
Summary: 3 Stars
I read recently about a Houston high school student with a B average who, enrolling at the University of Houston, could not make it through her freshman year because the courses were too difficult. She dropped out and entered a trade school.I also read recently that the two states in the country that have the lowest requirement for proficiency on state tests are Colorado and Texas. To be considered proficient in those states a student need only achieve a reading score in the 13th percentile. That's the bottom thirteen percent.
I don't know what happened in Colorado, but I have a pretty good idea about Texas. The state tests in Texas were first administered to Governor Bush and continually dumbed down until the test writers came up with a version the guv was able to pass. That's the one that's used to test Texas students.
Book Review: This book is NOT another "Bushisms"
Summary: 4 Stars
As my title says, this book is really NOT about GWB's quirky verbal stammers. It is about George W. Bush the man. It is an analysis of his political positions, his background and his personal politics.Beware: after reading this book you will have good reason for thoroughly disliking this man, but not because he makes a bunch of funny verbal mistakes. If you're afraid of being thoroughly skeptical and possibly oppositional to the policies of our "commander in chief", then don't buy this book.
There are many many things in the book that I already knew, but the author defintely does lay out a very damaging portrayal of our current President's personal politics and ideology.
Please, get the newest paperback version, released AFTER 9-11. Do NOT get the old hardcover version printed before the September events. You'll miss out on a lot of extra materials if you don't.
This book is very parochial and does not go very deep into foreign policy, class analysis, or deeper and longer standing issues of US society (issues that are often laughingly painted as "class warfare" in the commercial media whenever they are hinted at, and thereby sidestepped in favor of fluff), but it does paint a very convincing picture of a president who is fully devoted to the most reactionary and privileged elements of the ruling class in the United States.
This is NOT about some supposedly "stupid" president who is "incompetent" or "dumb". These kind of appeals to Goerge Jr's supposed "stupidity" only show how stupid and gullible Democrats and "Liberals" really are, and how they really fall all over themselves to play into the hands of the Bush administration who want nothing more than to portray George W. Bush as a "regular joe" who cares about the "working man" and is trying his best to protect "America" from any number of mysterious and devious enemies waiting to pounce on us.
"Make no mistake", GWB is none of these things, but instead is as much a blue-blood, silver-spoon ivy-leaguer as is Al Gore and actually quite more so. And, is as thoroughly calculated and schooled in propaganda, public relations and polls as was Bill Clinton or his father George Bush the First, or the Reagan administration before them.
It's about a president who is very much aware of what he is doing to America and who seeks to, and IS using the deaths of 3000 people to advance a reactionary and regressive agenda, all wrapped in the flag.
I actually suggest that readers that already realize this NOT read this book, don't bother, but rather read some more in-depth analysis of foreign policy of the kind of class warfare and nationalism that is now and always has used "patriotism" (since the dawn of recorded history and beyond) as a tool to convince the general population into accepting policies that thoroughly harm them and to draw them into subservience under protection of the fearless leader.
If what I've said above seems odd or outlandish to you, then just read this very good book on the personality of our president (the best currently available), get from it what you can, and then move on to more broad analysis later.
Josh
Book Review: This is what we get...
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a must read for those that need to know who actually leads this country and a chilling wake-up call for those of us who ignore the signs or continue to stay uninvolved.I do not think this is "typical liberal bilge" as one reviewer put it; this is Bush in his own words without any distortion or quoting anything out of context.
My only complaint is that some of the views Miller states are not well documented and I think he spends far too much time comparing Bush to Nixon (I think Bush is probably smoother in private than Nixon), but the gist of the book cannot be denied: The American Media allowed Bush to take office without any quibble whatsoever. The essay in the middle of the book (sorry, I don't have my copy with me so don't know the title of it) is worth the purchase price alone and should be required reading for any high school current events or social studies class.
As Bush continues to search for enemies in a war that apparently will never end, I just hope we're around to elect a better candidate next time.
Book Review: Time to watch closely
Summary: 4 Stars
Although I got ripped off because I bought this book in an airport instead of Amazon.com, I consider it a good purchase nonetheless. It has been 9 months since 9/11, and it is high time to start looking closely at the Bush Admin. again (or for the first time for those of you who haven't yet started!). The old axiom since JFK beat Nixon 42 years ago was that you have to look attractive and speak smoothly to be elected president in the age of television. If that wasn't bad enough, the situation has changed alarmingly for the worse, as exemplified by Pres. Bush. Perhaps reading Miller's book will help us understand and avoid making even dumber choices for president in the future. We must celebrate intelligence and intellectual curiosity or we are doomed as a nation for the progressive future.