Edwin M. Yoder, Jr.
Some readers of her pungent prose may be distracted by an occasional unladylike locution, but behind the cornpone pose lurks a keen intelligence, a deadly wit and, not least, a passion for factual reporting.
— The Washington Post
Publishers Weekly
Two decades of Ivins's smart, acerbic political commentary have been harvested for this highly entertaining collection, which includes a new introduction addressing what she calls our country's current "state of open corruptness and intellectual rot." Though a self-described liberal, Ivins is not inflexibly tendentious. Rather, she is a tonic against the mean-spirited pundits found on both sides. She criticizes the Bush administration plenty, but she also reserves some of her sting for Clinton and Kerry. Ivins's delivery is wonderful. Her crisp yet throaty Texan voice is firm and authoritative, but at the same time inviting and homey, and the twinkle in her eye is aurally palpable through the pluck and elfish spunk in her voice. Those who are wary of picking up this audiobook because it's abridged should think again. There's no question that Ivins (Bushwacked, etc.) is a great oral, as well as literary, entertainer, just as there's no denying her genuine concern over the country's current political situation. "Having fun while fighting for freedom," she says, "is one of my life causes." Simultaneous release with the Random hardcover (Forecasts, July 12). (July)n Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
From the Publisher
Praise for Bushwhacked:
“Dubose and the razor-tongued Ivins have done their homework, offering a well-researched, comprehensive examination of the dark side of the Bush administration’s agenda, served up with enough saucy language and humor to make it an entertaining read.”
–Rocky Mountain News
“Bushwhacked is primarily an indictment of a radical Republican regime. But it is also a celebration of average citizens and ‘nameless, shirt-sleeve, not-very-well-paid functionaries’ who have taken it upon themselves to blow whistles . . . , file lawsuits . . . , and otherwise fight back.”
–Mother Jones
“Striking . . . Just as the Gilded Age brought forth a golden age of muckraking, our modern descent into money politics has brought forth a new wave of outraged reporters. Ivins and Dubose are worthy heirs of an honorable tradition.”
–The New York Review of Books
DEC 04/JAN 05 - AudioFile
Terrific jazzy music introduces a five-star performance as Molly Ivins vocally skewers politicians of the last twenty years (Reagan, Bushes I and II, and Clinton), firing zinger after zinger across their bows. In her honeyed Texas twang she delivers an inexhaustible litany of devastating equal opportunity criticism, delightful if you share her views--distressing if you don’t. She’s always, always witty, discerning, humorous, classy, and wise. It’s a tribute to her acute intelligence and wit that you’ll think about the inequities, lies, and folderol she points out long after you’ve finished listening. L.C. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine
