It's My Party: A Republican's Messy Love Affair with the GOP

"It's My Party" is one of the most enjoyable books I have ever read in my life. In this book the author takes us on a tour of the Republican Party (circa 2000) and highlights the highs and lows of the party as well as pointing out things like the regional distribution of the party, why people tend to be either Republican or Democrat, and his own personal journey in life as a Republican.You will meet various personalities in the party such as George W. Bush, Brett Schundler, Rudy Gulliani, Henry Hyde, Haley Barbour, and many others. The chapter called "A Tale of Two Cities" shows that the voters of New Jersey made a huge mistake in not electing Brett Schundler as their governor while also showing that the country as a whole made a huge mistake in not supporting the House Republicans on the matter of Clinton's Impeachment. Robinson shows this not by criticizing groups, but by revealing what a great man Schundler is and also while telling the story of the House Republicans and Impeachment honestly (which the news media did not).Another great strength in the book is the discussion on how the Republicans can reach out to non-traditional Republican groups such as African-Americans, Roman Catholics, and others. In short, "It's My Party" is highly recommended.

You don't have to be a Republican to enjoy Peter Robinson's "It's My Party." At the start, Robinson tells us that we're about to follow him on a tour of the GOP, circa 2000. We do, but somehow along the way we learn almost as much about the Democrats and about political America generally, how it got this way and where it is going. Robinson writes like a humorist, and so he's an easy read -- lots of fun. But don't let his wit fool you. Even as you're chuckling, he's sketching for you an extraordinarily sophisticated and penetrating portrait of our nation and the great institutions, issues and trends that are shaping it as it enters the new millenium. I enjoyed every chapter and, when I finished, felt tremendously glad that I'd read it.

Finally, an answer to the question - why the heck AM I a Republican?? Aside from being very well written and a lot of fun, there's a lot of truth here. I found myself nodding in agreement in almost every chapter. Definitely a must read for the curious Republican - and any Democrat who knows one!

Peter Robinson poses a simple question: who are these people, the Republicans? He proceeds to answer it with a series of interesting interviews and portraits from around the country: with leaders on Capitol Hill, with governors and would-be governors (his interview with Giuliani makes one wish he were still in the race), with academics, with ordinary folk. Although the questions Robinson poses are serious -- why are men more likely than women to vote Republican -- and although the answers he gives often insightful -- his tone is consistently light and often laugh-out-loud funny. In short, this is a book that one can take to the beach, or indeed anywhere, read relatively quickly, and yet learn something about the GOP, and indeed America. A great book.