Rush Limbaugh

An Army of One

By: Zev Chafets

Narrated by: Erik Synnestvedt

Length: 8 hrs

Publisher's summary

"I know the liberals call you 'the most dangerous man in America,' but don't worry about it, they used to say the same thing about me. Keep up the good work." -Ronald Reagan in a letter to Rush Limbaugh, December 11, 1992

Do you remember your first time? People tend to remember the moment they first heard The Rush Limbaugh Show on the radio. For Zev Chafets, it was in a car in Detroit, driving down Woodward Avenue. Limbaugh's braggadocio, the outrageous satire, the slaughtering of liberal sacred cows performed with the verve of a rock-n-roll DJ-it seemed fresh, funny and completely subversive. "They're never going to let this guy stay on the air," he thought. Almost two decades later Chafets met Rush for the first time, at Limbaugh's rarely visited "Southern Command." They spent hours together talking on the record about politics, sports, music, show business, religion and modern American history. Rush opened his home and his world, introducing Chafets to his family, closest friends, even his psychologist. The result was an acclaimed cover-story profile of Limbaugh in The New York Times Magazine. But there was much more to say, especially after Limbaugh became Public Enemy Number One of the Obama Administration.

At first Limbaugh resisted the idea of a full-length portrait, but he eventually invited Chafets back to Florida and exchanged more than a hundred emails full of his personal history, thoughts, fears and ambitions. What has emerged is an uniquely personal look at the man who is not only the most popular voice on the radio, but the leader of the conservative movement and one of the most influential figures in the Republican Party. While Limbaugh's public persona is instantly recognizable, his background and private life are often misunderstood.

©Zev Chafets (P)2010 Gildan Media Corp

a biography

What made the experience of listening to Rush Limbaugh the most enjoyable?

I enjoyed hearing about his life. I had thought; however that this would be samples
of his programs.

Which scene was your favorite?

This really wasn't done in scenes it was a biography by someone other than Rush.

If you could give Rush Limbaugh a new subtitle, what would it be?

King of the Morning Airways

Any additional comments?

I do recommend this audio.

Part 2

Very well written and very well narrated. Looking forward to Zev's work on "Part 2" after Rush retires.

not bad

Would you listen to Rush Limbaugh again? Why?

Probably not, not because it is a bad book. Because the narrator ends almost every sentence with the same expression. To the tune of a news anchor trying to make an impression on his first couple of times on air.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Rush

Would you listen to another book narrated by Erik Synnestvedt?

Maybe, depending on what the book was about.

Honest Analysis

It was nice to see a book on Limbaugh written by an outsider that wasn't setting out to destroy the man in the process of writing the book. It's the most honest genuine interpretation of Limbaugh that anyone could have hoped for.

While I'm not certain Zev fully embraces or understands Rush's take on everything or his logic in doing so he makes an earnest effort to tell the motivations and inspirations. This book is well worth the time to get a better bit of insight to Rush and how he came to be where he's at and what inspires him.

Enjoyed it, despite poor narration

As an avid Rush fan for many years, I consumed this audiobook in two sittings. Enjoyed knowing more of the story -- especially his radio days -- that Rush has mentioned now and then through the years.

Who chose this narrator? Ouch! Annoyingly choppy. Obviously not a Rush listener either, he mangles the "Duddle lit, duddle lit, duddle lit" vocalization Rush leads with in some of his impromptu updates. The narrator also mispronounces Mark Levin's name. Good grief, Mark is a best-selling author and has his own syndicated radio show, can't we get his name right?

Excellent

Given I've listen to Mr. Limbaugh for several years, the book is close to any accurate opinion of what we know of Mr. Limbagh, without the liberal mischaracterizations.

Great Insights into an Iconic Figure

Where does Rush Limbaugh rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Top 10

What other book might you compare Rush Limbaugh to and why?

Reagan In His Own Hand - because both give you remarkable insight into the person apart from the partisan spin.

What about Erik Synnestvedt’s performance did you like?

His performance was very good. I listened to this on a long drive and never got tired or bored with the reading.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes. As mentioned above, I listened to this on a long drive and knocked out most of it in one sitting.

Any additional comments?

Love him or hate him, you really should get past the partisan rhetoric and get to know him. This is the perfect book for doing that.

Really filled in some blanks

Would you listen to Rush Limbaugh again? Why?

I have listened to Rush for a couple of years off an on. The book really does a great job filling in the blanks and answering questions i had about someone that really seems to be pretty open on the radio. Understanding his distrust of the media that he opened up for this writer and asked friends and family to be honest is amazing. Well worth the time and money.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Rush Limbaugh?

His relationship with the NFL.

Have you listened to any of Erik Synnestvedt???s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no

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

no

Zev was at least Honest

THis was a good book, and the author did a great job of being honest and not a smear job. Not a biography, but some interesting things are found with in.

Balanced Take on a Huge Public Figure

Answered many questions about Rush ' s personal life I always wanted to know. I'm just glad I don't have someone writing about my personal and public life as detailed as this is.