Game Change

Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime

By: John Heilemann, Mark Halperin

Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris

Length: 14 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

"This shit would be really interesting if we weren't in the middle of it."--Barack Obama, September 2008

In 2008, the presidential election became blockbuster entertainment. Everyone was watching as the race for the White House unfolded like something from the realm of fiction. The meteoric rise and historic triumph of Barack Obama.... The shocking fall of the House of Clinton - and the improbable resurrection of Hillary as Obama's partner and America's face to the world.... The mercurial performance of John McCain and the mesmerizing emergence of Sarah Palin.

But despite the wall-to-wall media coverage of this spellbinding drama, remarkably little of the real story behind the headlines has yet been told. In Game Change, John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, two of the country's leading political reporters, use their unrivaled access to pull back the curtain on the Obama, Clinton, McCain, and Palin campaigns. How did Obama convince himself that, despite the thinness of his résumé, he could somehow beat the odds to become the nation's first African-American president? How did the tumultuous relationship between the Clintons shape - and warp - Hillary's supposedly unstoppable bid? What was behind her husband's furious outbursts and devastating political miscalculations? Why did McCain make the novice governor of Alaska his running mate? And was Palin merely painfully out of her depth - or troubled in more serious ways?

Game Change answers those questions and more, laying bare the secret history of the 2008 campaign. This is a reportorial tour de force that reads like a fast-paced novel.

©2010 John Heilemann and Mark Halperin (P)2010 HarperAudio

Interesting

Any additional comments?

A fun book - enough detail to be interesting without getting bogged down. The reader had an odd way of emphasizing the wrong words in the sentence, which was confusing and annoying. He didn't do it a lot, and in general he was very good, but it definitely detracted from my enjoyment.

Fascinating Listen On The Race Of A Lifetime

Great behind the scenes telling of the 2008 Presidential election. The book is weighted more heavily on telling the Democratic story because of the rivalry between Obama and Clinton but a fair treatment of the GOP is done as well. Excellent coverage of the John Edwards fiasco of a campaign (I never knew Elizabeth Edwards was the way she is described in this book) as well as the challenges that Sarah Palin faced when thrust into the national spotlight. Dennis Boutsikaris does a fine job with the narration. I highly recommend this book. It doesn't present the story from a conservative or liberal point of view but seeks to just tell the story and allow the listener to form his/her own opinion which is refreshing.

Addictive

Would you consider the audio edition of Game Change to be better than the print version?

Yes.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Um, all of them, any of them that have been in front of me over all these years

Which character – as performed by Dennis Boutsikaris – was your favorite?

I have to admit the John Edwards narrative was quite entertaining.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When they talked about how the Clintons were operating behind the scenes.

Any additional comments?

It read like a good political drama-thriller. I couldn't put it down. I immediately started to replay it to listen to any things I may have missed the first time around.

Great Listen

I thought I knew what happened in the 2008 election. Turned out I only knew the surface. If you like the backstory this is a very creditworthy book. The authors did their homework and explained a lot of the ins and outs of an historic presidential campaign.

Fascinating

This inside account of what went on during the 2008 presidential election was quite an eye opener. There were many things I already knew, but just as much new information that I was unaware of.

They are people too.

If you could sum up Game Change in three words, what would they be?

No dull moments.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The narrator! I loved his reading. He read aloud with expression and enthusiasm. His tone was perfect throughout.

Which scene was your favorite?

Really the whole book deserves a re-read.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I didn't have an extreme reaction but there are humorous points and a lot of telling moments.

Any additional comments?

Prior to reading this book I was very partisan, but after this book, I understood more where the other party's candidates were coming from.

Too bad they all just can't be more open on their motivations and purposes instead of shouting never-ending talking points.

really good read for history/politics junkies

Would you consider the audio edition of Game Change to be better than the print version?

I don't know that the audible version is better than the print version in this case, since this is a story that moves quickly in any format, but it definitely didn't hurt to have it in an audio format.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Game Change?

Everyone talks about the Palin chapters in the book, but really what stood out for me was the depiction of the relationship between Obama and Hilary. Talk about a love story...

Have you listened to any of Dennis Boutsikaris’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't listened to other performances by him before, but I definitely did like the job he did here. My general rule of thumb is that the role of the narrator is to get out of the way and let you focus on the story as opposed to the job the narrator is doing. So I wasn't particularly thinking about the performance while I listening, but I would rate that as a sign in his favor.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

I believe it already is-but I'm too lazy to look up the actual tagline. I guess maybe, Team of Rivals, circa 2008? It really did feel like the beginning chapters of ToR, and I mean that as a huge compliment to the book.

2008 Presidential Election Drama

Is there anything you would change about this book?

This book spends a lot of time tearing down politicians and campaign workers who work extremely hard. I felt like there were a lot of cheap shots taken at people who said something while they were tired and worn down.

What other book might you compare Game Change to and why?

All's Fair In Love, War, and Running for the Presidency by Mary Matalin and James Carville

Did Dennis Boutsikaris do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Yes he did.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Probably

Any additional comments?

This was a good behind the scenes view of the 2008 Presidential election. It's interesting to me to hear the way different candidates speak, and it disappointed me with their choice of language and actions. But even with that disappointment you have to understand politicians are people too. Obama's growth and personality are very comforting; while McCain's attitude was surprisingly very discomforting. The stories are interesting and very insightful to the whole process, and how incredibly difficult it is to run for President of the United States.

Awesome beyond words!

I have spent the past 27 years working the the polical consulting business, most producing printing and direct mail pieces(over 30million)

Nothing comes close to this book in telling you in great detail what really happened.

What sets it apart is this good have been very boring but reads like a Ludlum spy thriller when he was at his peak.

Just for pure entertainement you can not do better.

fun and informative, well-read

it was a very enjoyable book, lots of fun facts, and the narrator does it justice