Drift

The Unmooring of American Military Power

By: Rachel Maddow

Narrated by: Rachel Maddow

Length: 7 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

The #1 New York Times bestseller that charts America’s dangerous drift into a state of perpetual war. "One of my favorite ideas is, never to keep an unnecessary soldier," Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1792. Neither Jefferson nor the other Found­ers could ever have envisioned the modern national security state, with its tens of thousands of "privateers"; its bloated Department of Homeland Security; its rust­ing nuclear weapons, ill-maintained and difficult to dismantle; and its strange fascination with an unproven counterinsurgency doctrine.

Written with bracing wit and intelligence, Rachel Maddow's Drift argues that we've drifted away from America's original ideals and become a nation weirdly at peace with perpetual war, with all the financial and human costs that entails. To understand how we've arrived at such a dangerous place, Maddow takes us from the Vietnam War to today's war in Afghanistan, along the way exploring the disturbing rise of executive authority, the gradual outsourcing of our war-making capabilities to private companies, the plummeting percentage of American families whose children fight our constant wars for us, and even the changing fortunes of G.I. Joe. She offers up a fresh, unsparing appraisal of Reagan's radical presidency. Ultimately, she shows us just how much we stand to lose by allowing the priorities of the national security state to overpower our political discourse.

Sensible yet provocative, dead serious yet seri­ously funny, Drift will reinvigorate a "loud and jangly" political debate about how, when, and where to apply America's strength and power--and who gets to make those decisions.

©2012 Rachel Maddow (P)2012 Random House

Critic reviews

"Thank Ms. Maddow for picking this and every other fight that Drift provokes. It will be a smarter public debate than the kinds we're used to." (Janet Maslin, New York Times)

"Maddow’s distinctive voice in Drift is highly intelligent, often incredulous and intermittently and humorously profane...Her thesis, which is passionately and effectively articulated, remind[s] us of how far we have drifted from linking the sacrifices of our armed forces around the world to the citizens at home they so selflessly serve… Maddow…[has] provided readers with a timely and perhaps necessary provocation to examine the far-reaching consequences of the American way of war." (Gordon M. Goldstein, Washington Post)

"Crosses partisan lines and deals with issues that deserve a healthy debate...A compelling, intelligent read filled with Maddow's trademark wit." (Mary Houlihan, Chicago Sun-Times)

One of the best books that I have read !

Rachel has done an amazing job putting this book together and reading it. Her personal style comes through that makes you not want to put the book down.

Anyone who wants to learn the truth about our history and how Congress and the President have let down the American people should read this book. This is a call to action ~

Required reading for all citizens of the U.S.

What did you love best about Drift?

I love Maddow's methodical research-based approach to military history. To think about large scale things in general is hard (i.e. trillion dollar budgets, impacts of a nuclear explosion, etc.) Maddow does a GREAT job of making it all relatable, thinkable and understandable.

What does Rachel Maddow bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

It's always great to listen to a book read by the author in her own voice.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

As a child of the 80s, I found her detailed examination of Reagan's presidency, including the invasion of Grenada illuminating. I was also surprised and awestruck by the number and scope of U.S. nuclear weapon accidents and quiet reparations throughout history. It's rather scary.

Any additional comments?

I am a huge HUGE Maddow fan, but even I found her dripping sarcasm a bit much in this book. It actually gets in the way at times. The message can easily sound like "look how stupid these people are" instead of a deeper exposure of what forces were pressuring people in our administrations (both Democratics and Republicans) to do stupid things and how we might change and prevent them in the future.

Incredible Insight

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, very entertaining and informative

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

Drift is a great title because that's what happened. Rachel explains how Americans are okay with being at constant war because we are so disconnected from it and unaffected by it. It didn't just happen but came about over the course of decades.

What about Rachel Maddow’s performance did you like?

I love just listening to Rachel. I also watch her show.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

The story doesn't just deal with Iraq and Afghanistan. It goes all the way back to LBJ and Nixon. These presidents came before my time so learning about their contributions to our "drift" was interesting.

Another must 'listen' audiobook

Rachel Maddow has a pleasant voice to listen to and her story is good. It is so good, that it will rock your foundation, your foundation being the way you have thought about your goverment in the past.

From doubling military budget, using private armies to bypass congress and the constitution, US leaders will stop at nothing to make sure that the American people will be at peace with being at war.

Fantastic book!

I'm telling everything this is a must read

Maddow is of course a liberal, but this book describes a problem every American should be deeply concerned about regardless of political persuasion. Plus, she does so in an amusing and engaging way. It moves along, and it will make you smarter.

Drift is a powerful and entertaining piece of work

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this work if they were interested how much the military has changed since the end of Vietnam.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

the nuclear part.

Which character – as performed by Rachel Maddow – was your favorite?

ronald reagon

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

transformation of the military.

Any additional comments?

as a veteran myself who served in the all volunteer army between 1975-1982 I found this work to be excellent. she understands what it is like to be a soldier and how much the service has changed since 9/11. we as a country have to know what the meaning and ramifiations of going to war means and how the world is starting to view the united states adn how we need to get back to a place where the use of military force needs to be a thing of last resort.

Maddow does her own book right

Would you listen to Drift again? Why?

I have already listened to it a couple of times, not only is the information is compelling and interesting, but also because Maddow reads it, and does a great job.

Maddow presents a series of case studies illustrating the frustrating and sometimes alarming events that outline the elephant in the room that no one seems to want to address: the United States' ever-expanding militarism. I believe that unless we get a handle on this problem, the U.S. will wind up exactly like the USSR.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The author herself, because she's a tremendously compelling person.

This is the history that should be taught in high schools and college.

In my 20s I was busy building my life and career. I followed the news and believed the sound bites. The same thing is happening today to millions. I believe we need the mainstream news outlets to begin to talk about the hard facts and to stop walking the middle of the road when it concerns politics and policy, instead of saving ratings.; we teach real history in the schools; we continue to support news from cable and other less constrained sources.

Everyone should read this, great insight.

Rachel Maddox is an extremely good explainer. Very thought provoking. Excellent narrator. If you liked this book, blowout is even better.

Fascinating & not anti-military (I'm a USMC Sgt)

What made the experience of listening to Drift the most enjoyable?

Maddow did a great job of breaking down how and why the US military has severed most feedback mechanisms that were intentionally set up to affect regular Americans and prevent war making without their (Congress') support. Having personally served in recent years I was intimately familiar with the transition towards outsourcing to civilian contractors (for better and worse), but I found the historical backstory of how we gradually got to the point to be rather disturbing. The implications of continuing down this track are even more so...