Amazon.com
Even if you fervently disagree with the party bias they tout proudly and often, you probably concur that Democratic political consultants Paul Begala and James Carville know what it takes to craft a winning strategy. In Buck Up, Suck Up... and Come Back When You Foul Up, the two lay out 12 of the rules they developed while separately and jointly masterminding some of the hottest political races in recent years. And with entertaining and enlightening behind-the-scenes anecdotes drawn from both effective and futile experiences along the campaign trail--most notably their work with Bill Clinton during his two presidential terms--Begala and Carville present a practical course that can be followed in business as well as politics. "If the audience you're trying to reach is smaller than the one hundred million voters we spend our time trying to reach," they write, "we believe these lessons are even more important because your target audience is even more sophisticated, even more interested, even more up-to-the-minute."
At first glance, some rules appear blatantly obvious ("Don't Quit," "Turn Weakness into Strength") and some intentionally controversial ("Kiss Ass," "Know How to Recover When You Really Screw Up"). But, in their explanations, the relevancy and potential application of each consistently comes through. For example, in "Frame the Debate," they note how Ronald Reagan controlled the agenda in his 1980 challenge to Jimmy Carter through early attacks on the incumbent's most unpopular policies--showing precisely why "military strategists know that most battles are won ... by the side that determines where, when and how an engagement is fought." Likewise, in "Know How to Communicate," they bring five tips (tell a story, be brief, be emotional, be unique, be relevant) to life by explaining how their use aided campaigns for Hillary Clinton, Tony Blair, and others. The result, while perhaps too profane for some and definitely not Republican-friendly despite its grudging acknowledgment of a few masterful GOP performances, is nonetheless uniformly readable and genuinely practical. --Howard Rothman
From Publishers Weekly
In their introduction to Buck Up, Suck Up... and Come Back When You Foul Up: 12 Winning Secrets from the War Room, political strategists James Carville and Paul Begala state, "If you buy this book and read it, you will not make $1 million at least not because you bought this book." But they go on to say that readers will get "good, sound advice on how to win." They proceed to make good on their word, offering secrets from the Clinton campaign that range from "kiss ass"' to "reward risk more than you punish failure." Their good-natured approach is humorous and refreshing. Agent, Robert Barnett. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Two major political strategists teach you how to win your own battles. Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Carville and Begala, who made their names as the War Room generals who ran Bill Clinton's first campaign, now want to share what they've learned about winning. This is part memoir, part self-help book. Carville and Begala intend it to be more of the latter, but what makes the book interesting is the recounting of the old campaign stories and family tales. Advice about how to keep on truckin' in the face of adversity and how doing something is better than doing nothing seems basic at best, and despite the authors' insistence otherwise, the more strategy-oriented advice seems shoved through a funnel to make it relevant to the real world. Would-be winners can take from this what they will, but for most readers, especially political wonks, most of the fun comes from going behind the scenes of political events and hearing about why some campaigns worked and why others didn't. Speaking of hearing, Carville and Begala manage to fashion one voice from Carville's Cajun twang and Begala's Texas drawl, and the down-home sensibility ices this cake nicely. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
Houston Chronicle Disarmingly entertaining...a breezy, colloquial discussion on what it takes to get ahead. These two very colorful characters are decidedly Democratic ...but their advice is useful no matter what your political inclination may be.
Book Description
The political strategists who directed the Clinton campaign's War Room reveal the lessons and secrets from their hard-fought battles -- and how to use these highly effective strategies for success in business and everyday life. James Carville and Paul Begala have waged political war all across America and on three continents. They've won some of the most spectacular political victories of the twentieth century and lost a few campaigns too. Along the way, they've learned a few lessons. Some sound simple, like "Never Quit," some comic, like "Kiss Ass," and some are more complicated and nuanced, like "Strategy Ain't Tactics." But each lesson contains tried-and-true wisdom, illustrated with colorful stories from long political experience: • Find out how Carville's mother used a bass boat to "frame the debate" in selling encyclopedias. • Learn the War Room tricks for sharpening your message and delivering the perfect sound bite. • Discover what success secret Hillary Rodham Clinton and Tom DeLay share. • And much more. Whether you are a senior executive or a secretary, a political junkie or the president of the United States, the rules to live by can be found in Buck Up, Suck Up...and Come Back When You Foul Up.
About the Author
James Carville and Paul Begala have been a political team since 1983. Hosts of CNN's Crossfire, they have written eight books between them.
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