Who cares? Why is this book being touted by all the NPR folks? Why do I trust you, NPR?? I guess some people at your illustrious organization must be great friends of Mark Leibovich and you are all just doing him a favor. You would have done better to be honest with him and tell him, "sorry, Mark, your book sucks rocks." Ugh. I thought I was a bit of a political junkie, but I must not be because as I read through the chapters of this, I kept yawning and thinking 'what is the point?' This book takes some of the big personalities (politicians, lawyers, journalists, pundits, etc.) that populate Washington and pokes and prods at them as if the author has decided somebody needs to let the air out of all these big fat tires. In fact, he compares these personalities to those big floating balloons in the Maceys Thanksgiving Day parade, and I would compare HIM to the guy who is taking careful aim and shooting down each and every balloon, just as it looms into view. I am completely fine with that, because I am myself pretty cynical about the lack of character in these elected and unelected political and media types, but his execution here leaves much to be desired. This book is a jumble of tiny anecdotes and random gossip that doesn't seem to coalesce into anything substantive. I get that the author is hoping to paint a picture of the Washington he knows --full of egomaniacs who only seem to care about promoting themselves and making money, I just wonder if maybe he himself hasn't been in Washington too long, too. Maybe he thinks that these things matter to the rest of us, and frankly, for me at least, they don't. Could he himself be hypnotized by the 'power' and 'prestige' around him, enough to think that maybe he should write a book and take them all down a notch or two? And that in doing so he would be making something that matters to the world at large? In fact, this book probably only matters to the hundred or so people who are mentioned in it. Maybe I was expecting something more intelligent or even just more cohesive, something that gelled together. This book is irreverent, full of slang, snappy, but sadly lacking in substance. When I was in college writing my first research paper, I remember my professor telling us we always needed to keep in mind our 'so what?' question. You don't want the reader to get to the end of your paper and ask 'so what?'Well, that's my question: So what, Mr. Leibovich? So what?

Good gossip, revealing the neuroses driving the politician and media types (is there a difference, at this point?) in D.C.While I found the ego and greed disgusting, the author only had a few rare moments of annoyance. I would have appreciated a bit more indignation and fewer sympathetic tidbits (Hillary cried once when her friend died, canyoubelieveit?). A fun read, but the author's just a tad too cozy in the cocktail circuit for my taste.

As John Oliver said, "It's funny, it's interesting, and it's demoralizing. I mean, people generally have a low opinion of Washington and this book seems to point out that that low opinion might be too high... There's a black heart at the center of this book. I loved it as much as you can love something that hurts your heart." He was laughing when he said most of it, but yeah, totally. The heart of the book is how many, many people never leave Washington D.C. once there. Politicians become lobbyists become journalists become consultants and the cycle goes around and around with everyone parlaying public service into a healthy, money-making career. It also discusses how interconnected everyone is to the point where "conflict of interest" doesn't even begin to cover it. Kind of makes you understand how easy it is for someone like President Obama - or any politician - to come to town, determined to change the way things are done only to give up because you can't fight the system. Or how easy it is to decide that the system works just fine for you. A little bit of Washington gossip, but mostly just interesting, thought-provoking, depressing stuff. Leibovich, by the way, is upfront about the fact that, as a Washington journalist, he's pretty much in the middle of the system, benefiting from it as much as anyone. He's very self-deprecating which saves him from coming off as a hypocrite. Definitely a good read.

I like Leibovich's newspaper writing a lot-he's smart, insightful, and often hilarious. And he is, by all accounts, a great guy. But I found reading This Town like eating cotton candy - it tastes good for a second, (because he's smart, insightful, and funny) but then you feel kind of sick to your stomach.My problem wasn't just the "meta" thing that everyone points out. Yes, yes, Leibovich is part of the very "problem" he purports to unearth. He appears on cable, goes to parties with shallow people, forgets and drops names, etc, etc.My bigger issue is that this town - my town - is also filled with incredibly dedicated people doing incredibly important things. We are human, and many of us are self-important, and some are total jackasses. But for the most part, the ecosystem of this book is populated by very smart, very hard-working people who are in this business for the right reasons - they want to change the country for what they view as the better. Most could make more money for far fewer hours in other lines of work.Every city of the powerful - NY, LA, Paris, etc - has its share of posers and climbers. But for every Kurt Bardella there is a Jason Furman - brilliant and accomplished, with PLENTY of other options, choosing to stay and to serve because they want to do the right thing. These folks, who constitute the lion's share of people in this town, deserve more than a "to be sure" graph in a book like this.

A snarky, funny, and sobering read about the revolving "media industrial complex" that is pervasive in DC. Looking at the three major occupations in the power triangle of politics, media, and lobbyists, Leibovich shows how people never leave Washington but rather migrate from one to another to make BIG money and gain power. Oh and there is no need to be successful at any of the jobs in order to cash in either. The book is full of stories of someone causing a huge scandal and then ending up on his/her feet in a few weeks with a cushy and often more lucrative job. Your party affiliation also has no direct impact on your earning potential either. Rather it is the 'branding" of your personality and your willingness to demonstrate an idealogical flexibility when it comes to your position on issues. What kept me going through this repulsive and horrific show of greed, wealth, and crassness were the snarky comments that really made me laugh. ("The president's stump speeches could carry the forced air of a Van Halen reunion tour with Sammy Hagar in for David Lee Roth.") A must read for anyone who is thinking of majoring in political science!