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)

Excellent non-biased military history

What did you love best about Drift?

I felt that the author managed to convey a lot of information about how our military and our attitude to it as a nation and a government has changed- and that those changes have not been accidental. I felt that the book was mostly very non-partisan and feel that a person of any political opinion could read it and find the factual information fascinating. Also, it was pretty funny in some parts- definitely not a dry, dully recited history.

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

I have seen her show on tv a few times, but have not heard her read before. She reads very clearly and with great humor and character. She is able to deliver facts and history in a lively way that really shows how they relate to current real world situations.

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

I believe that anyone, of any political persuasion, could not fail to be moved by her final chapter of how the lives of our soldiers have changed and the negative effects on they and their families. Her points about how much easier it is for us to go to war and how so many of the 'improvements' of the military complex have not really made things better for our serving military personal and their families was deeply touching and disturbing to me.

Any additional comments?

I think a lot of people might automatically not want to hear or read this book because of the author and pre-conceptions about her positions and political views. All I can say, is I encourage you to listen to this book, no matter what end of the political spectrum you sit on. I believe there is information here that is important for Americans especially to know, if you are interested in how your country is run and goes about the business of going to war. It is much more than black and white ideology and Maddow does a very good job of showing that with both humor and seriousness. I believe there is a lot to absorb and discuss here, and that people of all political beliefs will find a great deal of information that may be new to them and give them a broader perspective.

Enlightening

Finally, Jon Stewart and Rachel Maddow are in 100% agreement on something, "America isn't at war, America is at the shopping mall."

Rachel shines a light on the ever widening disconnect between the American public and the war we wage as a country. Her book should be required curriculum in HS American History classes.

All Americans Need to Read this Book

Rachel Maddow provides an insightful treatise on the impact of major changes that have taken place in the relationship between the military, the government and the people over the course of the last fifty years. While I don't completely buy all that she has to say - Maddow raises major issues that have not received much debate but should be examined closely such as the militarization of the CIA, the use of contractors to supplement the military and the expansion of drone warfare.

Our Founding Fathers' Worst Nightmare

Clear, well- documented and frightening. Rachael Maddow did her homework, as usual, and crafted the biggest story of our century, how war has become a normal way of life for our country and no longer the business of citizens, just contractors and presidents. Eisenhower warned us about the military industrial complex. We didn't listen. Is anyone listening now??

Nice to be more informed. Thanks Rachel.

When I listen to Rachel I always learn something important. That is why we listen. Thanks for doing the heavy lifting and keeping us informed.

Great book by a great orator.

Well easily fact-checked, perfectly written, and good performance. I can’t believe I waited so long to read this book.

Terrific book and beautifully read

You don’t need to be a fan of Rachel Maddow’s MSNBC show to listen to this compelling history of the American military and it’s penchant for overreach.

super

another gem from rachel... .such a wealth of knowledge and so well presented. highly recommended

great information, a little too much snark

This is a fantastically researched and important topic. 0 complaints on that. I would've liked less bias, but I knew what I was getting so it is easy to see past. the information accurate and well sourced, as always

"Drift"? Ha! "OMG"!

Ms. Maddow seduces the reader into a page turner of a non-fiction treatise on the increasing chasm separating the passive population from the politicians---who place personal power before patriotic welfare. Historically, the founding fathers' paranoia about executive powers has played out with frightening accuracy in the 20th-21st century. Regardless of your place on the spectrum between conservative or progressive, red and blue, right or left---there's no denying the facts of our recent history...and what we didn't know could have killed us, as it did so many others with no apparent accountability. Those who ignore history....