Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Given the amount of material covered by this book, it is very well structured, and moves along compellingly. Dunn manages to overlap many layers of events in a way that doesn't compromise overall coherency or readability. Even though there were few novelties for the tiny minority of truly seasoned Palin-watchers, Dunn reveals many bombshells which have--inconceivably--not gotten mainstream play in the slightest, including destructive behaviors which intentionally undermined the McCain/Palin campaign (or "Palin/McCain" campaign, as Sarah would have it). Dunn calls 'em the way he sees 'em and, refreshingly, has returned the words "lie", "lying", and "liar" to their important place in public discourse. He is not afraid to challenge Mrs. Palin on her ceaseless, virtually unpunctuated, untruths... including calling her out on her false claims of having released her youngest son's birth record. Very welcome were the expansive background context of Alaskan politics along with a closer look than we've previously had of what was happening in the McCain camp along the campaign trail. I have a small number of criticisms: Dunn seems to take Mrs. Palin's doctor's letter--submitted at the last moment--at face value, despite knowing that Palin has composed and distributed falsified letters on her own behalf as a matter of course throughout her political career. He didn't connect the timing of her pregnancy announcement with the McCain nomination (which occurred just one day earlier). I think he could have gone into more detail about the egregious sports complex fiasco (built on land the city of Wasilla did not own, and which left the town of 5000 or so at the time more than $20million in debt), and he did not even mention "Dairygate" (Palin's handing over of a state dairy to a group of incompetent friends, nominally privatizing it but continuing to provide them with public subsidies). The author does give a deservedly significant amount of space to the problems of the Alaskan native villages whose dire situation during the winter of 2009 Mrs. Palin pointedly and willfully ignored, to the extent that her inaction attracted nationwide attention. Then, despite the spotlight, Palin did what she always does: she lied about the situation. I hope this well-written book can overcome the censorship it will face (and is facing, as bookstores such as Barnes & Noble have, in some cases refused to order even a single copy, ironically opting instead to heavily promote the noted professional serial liar Andrew Breitbart, a Palin ally, perhaps not coincidentally). Furthermore, I hope people will have the opportunity to come to appreciate, not only how deeply dysfunctional Mrs. Palin is, but, how deeply dysfunctional is the political and mediatical system that allowed her to actually succeed to the extent that she has. Mr. Dunn's book is certainly an important step in this public process, which needs to happen--quickly--if the American republic is to have any hope of survival.