Mickey's Book Club

Over the past few years I have read a number of political books and have come to the following conclusions about what to expect from the authors.

Politicians are generally apologetic and write mostly about their accomplishments. They are rarely informative as to what goes on in Washington.

Pundits usually write with the slant that appeals to their existing readers. They spin. This is what they do for a living.

Talk show hosts write to their fan base and any one else they can convert. Their books tend not to be well written or informative.

Reporters fill in the fact gaps left out by all the other books.

Last year I told you to read a book by David Cay Johnston called "Free Lunch." It is still a good read. Johnston was a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter.

I just got through reading Will Bunch's book, "The Backlash," which I also highly recommend. Bunch was also a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter.

"Backlash" is the story of the Tea Party and how it developed, along with all the fringe parties, how these groups took the idea from the peaceniks of the seventies and turned their idea into a cause. The big difference is that the peaceniks believed in  love and the new radicals believe in hate. Of course not all Tea Partiers and all fringe groups are hateful but they're certainly not spreading a message of love.