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| The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How The War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals | 
 enlarge | Author: Jane Mayer
Publisher: Doubleday
Category: Book
List Price: $27.50
Buy New: $15.93
You Save: $11.57 (42%)
New (57) Used (26) Collectible (8) from $13.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  110 reviews
Sales Rank: 880
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 400
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.6
Dimensions (in): 9.5 x 6.5 x 1.7
ISBN: 0385526393
Dewey Decimal Number: 973.931
EAN: 9780385526395
ASIN: 0385526393
Publication Date: July 15, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 See Steve Clemons Interview with Jane Mayer July 17, 2008
14 out of 20 found this review helpful
New America Foundation's Steve Clemons interviewed Jane Mayer at Politics and Prose bookstore in DC the day "The Dark Side" was first published. I saw the interview last night on CSPAN and found it today at [...]
This book is VERY well researched in that she digs well below the "what happened" and provides plausible explanation of intent (esp of the VP). Meanwhile Bush keeps "slipping out of the picture."
 Interesting, but why the political slant? August 1, 2008
14 out of 25 found this review helpful
A book worth the time to read -- with a caveat. The political slant will probably keep some from finishing it, or from appreciating its many interesting tidbits. That is all the more unfortunate as the slant is as annoying as it is incongruous.
Consider this little item re: the historical genesis of Dick Cheney advocating a strong presidency (p. 57):
"Nixon had argued that he had ,inherent authority' to spy on American citizens whom he deemed enemies. The FBI eavesdropped on Martin Luther King Jr.'s private life, using tapes of his intimate behavior in an unsuccessful effort to blackmail him into committing suicide. Nixon's henchmen broke into the private office of (Daniel Ellsberg)" ...
The paragraph suggests as a matter of fact that the eavesdropping on MLK was of Nixon's making, i.e. of a certain Republican mind set.
The eavesdropping was authorized by Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, though, just weeks after (!) the "I have a dream"-speech, but years before Nixon rose back to national power.
It is not the sole occurrence of laying the factual blame for the abuse of power on but just one side of the aisle.
Add to it a tendency to insert the qualifier "extremist" instead of "different" when describing deliberations not in sync with the author's world view, and there goes a great and very insightful book. Some readers will feel it to be a biased study instead of being a non-partisan sober warning about unchecked executive prerogatives. It doesn't have to be that way.
Having said it, it is still a very interesting book.
 boo, hoo, hoo July 27, 2008
13 out of 180 found this review helpful
More hand-wringing from the left over the "rights" of foreign, murderous, zealous thugs who put a gun to the head of the American public. Notice we haven't had anymore 9-11s. Gee, I wonder why? Bravo Bush, Cheney, Tenet and Black! They are true patriots and heroes deserving praise not second-guessing by an hysterical lefty loonie. Take your anti-depressants Jane and chill-out!
re: jane mayer's book: THE DARK SIDE - a comment on a radio interview July 18, 2008
12 out of 25 found this review helpful
the people on the side of the good are fantastic.
but this is not /weird/, this is not /a strange period in american history/.
it is actually something so evil that it is almost beyond words to describe and i salute jane mayer for having the courage to wade into it, for having sufficient power and belief in herself to survive the experience, and not being permanently damaged by it but instead finding inspiration in those who tried to resist it.
again, jane, i salute you. and if we should ever meet i would buy you a drink.
i very much hope that your book rises up the charts. i will buy a copy and put it on my shelf as a reminder to me that darkness and evil can arise even in the country that stands for so many good things ... and will again.
thank you.
p.s. but i can't read it. on this issue - and i sure others - i am not as brave as you.
Very important book August 1, 2008
8 out of 11 found this review helpful
A very important book--it should be read by every member of congress--
It is a very well researched and well written description of the illegal, and depraved acts of our government in
imprisoning and torturing detainees--
A shameful episode in our history that will never be forgiven or forgotten---
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