The Last Election

By: Andrew Yang, Stephen Marche

Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross

Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

A gripping, intricately plotted political thriller set on the campaign trail of the USA's next—and because of crucial flaws in the electoral system—its last election; from former presidential candidate Andrew Yang and author Stephen Marche

THE LAST ELECTION is a unique political thriller about an outlandish yet frighteningly possible—even probable—scenario in America's near future, during the crucial 2024 presidential election. Though it is fiction, it is a wake-up call to a country tearing itself apart.

The story focuses on two characters: Mikey Ricci, a political operative who has lost faith in traditional structures following the bitter races of 2016 and 2020; and Martha Kass, the anonymous tip supervisor of the New York Times. In 2023, Ricci becomes the campaign manager of a third-party candidate who runs on a popular centrist platform and whose frank and honest manner stands in stark contrast to the candidates of the two major parties. Ricci faces off against the massive machinery of both political parties, as well as their invested media and dark money supporters—the source of true power in America. Even so, the candidate's message begins to gain ground.

In the meantime, Kass stumbles upon a plot by the current Joint Chiefs of Staff to seize power in the anticipated chaos of the coming election. She hopes it is too improbable to be taken seriously. But as the idea that Ricci’s candidate might win enough electors to upset the delicate balance of America's two-party system takes hold, the threat becomes frighteningly real.

Events unfold at the frenetic pace of the campaign trail, and Kass and Ricci become unlikely allies as they bear witness to what might be the end of America as a democratic republic. If no candidate can accrue the coveted majority of 270 electors, who wins? The electoral system collapses in uncertainty as Congress's role in certification becomes unfathomably complex. When no one is certain who the winner is, the stage is set for a corrupt seizure of power. Will the American experiment end?

©2023 Andrew Yang and Stephen Marche (P)2023 Recorded Books

Insightful glimpse to Politicians and Journalists

I applaud the authors efforts at bringing what could happen to America in a fictional form. Having just finished reading Neil Howe’s “The Fourth Turning is Here” and absorbing Neil’s focus on regime change and civil war in USA, it was good timing for me to see one version of something in that genre playing out. And it was helpful to learn more of the world of journalists and politicians behind the scenes. Also good to know I picked the right career by not getting in either.

Yang & Marche have a cynical view of where the US government is, obviously. Who doesn’t? I hope that in writing this book, they moved through their justified feelings and mood to come out the other side reinvigorated with the zeal and passion needed by us all to keep offering healing and help to the system. While this wasn’t my favorite book, I’m more interested in the ripples of where they go from here and what this book does for our collective psyche. I thank them for offering some viewpoint on a possible future. It reminds me of a doomer who surmised 2024 will be the last public election and as the world collapses, we’ll only really know of the 2028 by anyone who has a HAM radio and that one will just be for show which no one will really care about at that point. Yikes.

Narrator Mr. Ross did a great job. Would love to hear him read another book.

If you appreciated this review, check out my podcast called “Halusanation”. I could use more listeners <3

Not worth the credit I spent.

It's nothing like I expected it to be. The story telling is not great, so that was just lemon juice in the wound.

Not what I was expecting.

Not only is this more depressing than I anticipated, it was a little clumsy feeling. I am perhaps foolish in my optimism but don’t think this would be how it went. Even if “the Republican” is elected, I think the country has backed away from some of the outright violence we saw during 2020. Can definitely tell this was written with those darker times in mind.

The uncanny valley

This is fiction in the same way as „the Wire“ is… this is basically a documentary tweaked to an engaging narrative. 250 years ain’t bad.

I expected more

Andrew Yang has solutions, this book does not. There is no threading the needle. Was this written by AI? I won’t reread it. Not recommended.

Darkly poetic

This was not a bad story. It had poetic elements that described human emotions that I felt were thought provoking. The characters were interesting, but the details and explanations about the politics felt forced. I found the info fascinating, but it often felt like they came from a textbook. Not from the characters which included seasoned political campaign managers and journalist.

The spiraling of events within the story also felt forced and alittle rushed. The details added up but it was somewhat bland. It failed to grip me or keep me at the edge of my seat.

Overall I gave the story 3 stars. I don’t regret listening to it. The voice actor does a great job with impersonating different speakers. Even though I was not fully engaged with the tale, I did listen to the whole thing.
L

Fever dream of a liberal Democrat

I did not expect such a partisan take on an election campaign. The authors seem to value “democracy” far more than they do the US Constitution, which they insult far more than I expected given the outrageously false advertising. I wonder who this book is for? It’s not for political junkies like myself, because of all the mistakes the authors make. It’s not for anyone on the right, who are tarnished as violent fascists. It’s not even for partisan Democrats, as the authors decry the Democrats as “weak.” This is a book published in 2023, not summer of 2001, so the authors are either drunk, stupid, or blind, deaf, and dumb.

The third party candidate advocates “Universal Basic Income” (as did one of the authors) yet has as his slogan “Do the math!” I should have stopped right there, honestly.

I guess the book is for those eight people who think Andrew Yang is the American Messiah, and who wish the US Constitution was never ratified as written, replaced with a strict democracy like those well-known stable and functional polities like Italy, which r Israel. After this book, I would not vote for Yang for dog catcher.

Would’ve been so much better if it was two hours longer.

Amazing insight into all aspects of the political machine in the United States. Performance is top-notch. The book suffers from its short length, and I wanted to know more about some of the characters in plot lines that feel underbaked.

a tale of inefficiency and inequality

we don't have a justice system we just have a system. this novel tells a story of who that system services and who are just ruled by it..

Who is this for?!

I had been impressed with Andrew Yang’s thoughtfulness in the past, but this book was atrocious. Somehow the authors wrote a story about the “end of democracy” in such a way that I had no emotional connection with any named character. There were no character arches no story arches.

Is the point of this book to say third parties are bad?