Reviews
"Factually arresting." --The New York Times "Cleverly smart... Readers of all political persuasions who care about the quality, as well as the decibel level, of civic debate ought to hope that Conason's book circulates more efficiently across ideological lines than those previous books that scorn civility of any sort." --The Washington Post "A rigorous and devastating portrait of the last three Republican administrations.... [Conason] shows where the worlds of crony capitalism and terrorism cross and, for the Bush family, they come together most vividly in Saudi Arabia, via Iran-contra. And Conason debunks the myth that Bill Clinton was more concerned with Monica Lewinsky than he was with Osama bin Laden. Don't take my word for it -- look to Conason's book." --Chicago Sun-Times "Big Lies is a valuable and convincing book about a president and a political movement that are eating away at the roots of our democracy." --The Boston Phoenix "Big Lies...takes up where Eric Alterman's What Liberal Media? left off... More raw meat for the lions of the Left and Right to devour." --Booklist "Conason flushes the hypocrisy out of conservative rants and jibes at liberals.... Here he takes on the most egregious examples of conservative demagoguery, playing their cards right back at them." --Kirkus Reviews "This book should be right at the top of every rational American's short list of necessary readings. It is a thorough, bracing refutation of the US right's entire mythology -- a book that (especially if read before or after Sidney Blumenthal's The Clinton Wars) will arm you well for winning combat with the Big Liars and their semi-multitude of dittoheads." --Mark Crispin Miller, author of The Bush Dyslexicon "Big Lies is must reading for anyone who wants to understand America today. It's an amazing tour through the wonderland of right-wing mendacity that blinds Americans to the ugly truth about what's happening to our country." -Paul Krugman, New York Times columnist and author of The Accidental Theorist "As Joe Conason so effectively points out in Big Lies, there is no 'vast right-wing conspiracy' -- it's all right out there in plain sight. Conason has such a good eye for the hypocrisy and follies of the American right, he can even make you laugh a little while you wince. This is a comprehensive, well-researched indictment of a bunch of nasty people who really deserve it. It is also a thorough exposeacute; of a bunch of big lies, from 'the liberal media' to 'compassionate conservatism." -Molly Ivins, bestselling author of Bushwhacked and Shrub "The media is a prism of political life as never before. So how far can we believe what we are told? Not a lot, says Joe Conason in Big Lies, and the case for prosecution is coolly documented with precision and wit. An important book for American Democracy." -Harold Evans, editor and author of The American Century "Bothered by Bias? Sickened by Slander? Joe Conason's Big Lies is the perfect antidote. From Rush to Bush, Conason strips away false fronts to reveal the corporate agenda behind 'conservative' propaganda. Big Lies is essential reading in these politically troubled times." -Arianna Huffington, bestselling author of Pigs at the Trough "Every page of Big Lies is a revelation. With incisiveness and verve, Joe Conason supplies the intellectual ammunition to rescue liberalism and liberals from years of Republican distortion, spin, and shameless lies. Along the way, Conason delivers one of the most devastating indictments of right-wing rhetorical tricks and dishonest media techniques in print." - David Brock, bestselling author of Blinded by the Right, This Book Should Be Right at the Top of Every RATIONAL American's Short List of Necessary Readings., Big Lies...takes up where Eric Alterman's What Liberal Media? left off... More raw meat for the lions ...., "Factually arresting." -- The New York Times "Cleverly smart... Readers of all political persuasions who care about the quality, as well as the decibel level, of civic debate ought to hope that Conason''s book circulates more efficiently across ideological lines than those previous books that scorn civility of any sort." -- The Washington Post "A rigorous and devastating portrait of the last three Republican administrations.... [Conason] shows where the worlds of crony capitalism and terrorism cross and, for the Bush family, they come together most vividly in Saudi Arabia, via Iran-contra. And Conason debunks the myth that Bill Clinton was more concerned with Monica Lewinsky than he was with Osama bin Laden. Don''t take my word for it -- look to Conason''s book." -- Chicago Sun-Times " Big Lies is a valuable and convincing book about a president and a political movement that are eating away at the roots of our democracy." -- The Boston Phoenix " Big Lies ...takes up where Eric Alterman''s What Liberal Media? left off... More raw meat for the lions of the Left and Right to devour." -- Booklist "Conason flushes the hypocrisy out of conservative rants and jibes at liberals.... Here he takes on the most egregious examples of conservative demagoguery, playing their cards right back at them." -- Kirkus Reviews "This book should be right at the top of every rational American''s short list of necessary readings. It is a thorough, bracing refutation of the US right''s entire mythology -- a book that (especially if read before or after Sidney Blumenthal''s The Clinton Wars) will arm you well for winning combat with the Big Liars and their semi-multitude of dittoheads." --Mark Crispin Miller, author of The Bush Dyslexicon " Big Lies is must reading for anyone who wants to understand America today. It''s an amazing tour through the wonderland of right-wing mendacity that blinds Americans to the ugly truth about what''s happening to our country." -Paul Krugman, New York Times columnist and author of The Accidental Theorist "As Joe Conason so effectively points out in Big Lies , there is no ''vast right-wing conspiracy'' -- it''s all right out there in plain sight. Conason has such a good eye for the hypocrisy and follies of the American right, he can even make you laugh a little while you wince. This is a comprehensive, well-researched indictment of a bunch of nasty people who really deserve it. It is also a thorough expos of a bunch of big lies, from ''the liberal media'' to ''compassionate conservatism." -Molly Ivins, bestselling author of Bushwhacked and Shrub "The media is a prism of political life as never before. So how far can we believe what we are told? Not a lot, says Joe Conason in Big Lies , and the case for prosecution is coolly documented with precision and wit. An important book for American Democracy." -Harold Evans, editor and author of The American Century "Bothered by Bias ? Sickened by Slander ? Joe Conason''s Big Lies is the perfect antidote. From Rush to Bush, Conason strips away false fronts to reveal the corporate agenda behind ''conservative'' propaganda. Big Lies is essential reading in these politically troubled times." -Arianna Huffington, bestselling author of Pigs at the Trough "Every page of Big Lies is a revelation. With incisiveness and verve, Joe Conason supplies the intellectual ammunition to rescue liberalism and liberals from years of Republican distortion, spin, and shameless lies. Along the way, Conason delivers one of the most devastating indictments of right-wing rhetorical tricks and dishonest media techniques in print." - David Brock, bestselling author of Blinded by the Right, ...a valuable...book about a president and a political movement that are eating away at the roots of our democracy.
Table of Content
Chapter One Limousine Liberals and Corporate Jet Conservatives "Tax-cutting Republicans are friends of the common man, while liberals are snobbish elitists who despise the work ethic." Chapter Two: Peroxide Paradox: The Blonde Misleading the Blind "Liberals control the media and misuse their influence to promote left-wing policies." Chapter Three: Male Cheerleaders and Chickenhawks "Conservatives truly love America and support the armed forces, while liberals are unpatriotic draft dodgers." Chapter Four: Deja Voodoo, All Over Again "Republicans are strict accountants who balance budgets and promote economic growth, while Democrats are tax-and-spenders who bust budgets, stifle the economy and distrust capitalism." Chapter Five: Why Dick Armey Joined the ACLU "Conservatives are the only reliable defenders of individual liberty, because progressives worship political correctness and suppress freedom." Chapter Six: Private Lives and Public Lies "Conservatives protect family values and moral virtue, while liberals promote immorality and vice." Chapter Seven: Tokens of Their Esteem "Conservatives believe in colorblind equality, while liberals cynically exploit the victimization of blacks and other minorities." Chapter Eight: Crony Capitalism, Infectious Greed and The Way the World Really Works "Conservatives are the only true champions of free enterprise." Chapter Nine: Faith, Charity and the Mayberry Machiavellis "George W. Bush is a compassionate conservative." Chapter Ten: 0"Dead or Alive"-Or Maybe Just Forgotten "Conservatives are tough on terrorism, while liberal Democrats are soft."
