Primary Colors author Joe Klein offers a nonfictional take on his favorite subject, Bill Clinton, whom he describes as both "the most talented politician of his generation" and "the most compelling." Klein is of two minds when it comes to the man from Hope: he is at once disappointed by Clinton's failure to achieve greatness, but also a defender of what Clinton did do. He can be unremittingly harsh about the 42nd president's personal shortcomings: "Bill Clinton often seemed the apotheosis of his generation's alleged sins: moral relativism, the tendency to pay more attention to marketing than to substance, the solipsistic callowness." Yet he also credits Clinton with running "a serious, substantive presidency" whose chief success was dragging "Washington toward a recognition that a revised form of government activism might be appropriate in the anarchy of an instant economy." Klein is a smart and engrossing writer, and The Natural is an honest liberal's best effort to explain eight controversial years. Readers who supported Clinton will discover new insights into why he didn't accomplish more; those who opposed him will gain a sharper understanding of why he remained so popular with the public. --John Miller


From Publishers Weekly
HKlein may have set himself a formidable task when he decided to evaluate Bill Clinton's fractious presidency and his enigmatic personality without the camouflage of the fictitious characters that populated his bestselling Primary Colors, but he's more than up to it. This insightful, often funny book which provides a serious and intelligent look at the successes and failures of the Clinton administration as well as an insider's view of the sometimes sordid, sometimes exhilarating political and personal battles that engaged the President succeeds on every level. Clinton's positions on health care, affirmative action, NAFTA, welfare reform and foreign affairs are straightforwardly explained, and Klein's considerable knowledge and sophisticated understanding of the political arena add depth and breadth to the explanations. Klein doesn't can't ignore Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky, of course, and he argues that Clinton's willingness to take such shocking risks demonstrates an intrinsic weakness of tragic proportions. But Klein is even more critical of the fanatical press that fed on the affair, and the Newt Gingrich-led Republican ideologues and their subsequent suicidal impeachment mission. Klein also provides brilliantly illuminating caricatures of the political players who swirled around Clinton. North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms is an "antediluvian Visigoth," consultant Dick Morris "a prohibitively bizarre human being," and Gingrich is an "American Mullah" and a "faux revolutionary who tried to turn democracy into war." There will be numerous books written about Clinton and his presidency, but they will be hard pressed to capture the public and private Clinton as well as this one. (Mar.)Forecast: Who won't want to pick up this careful analysis by one of the nation's foremost political observers? With the author's big name and his subject's even bigger one this is sure to be a big seller. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
The Lewinsky affair and parting-shot presidential pardons helped obscure President Clinton's achievements, notes Klein, who as Anonymous wrote the thinly veiled Clintonian novel, Primary Colors. Haynes Johnson's The Best of Times: America in the Clinton Years (LJ 10/1/01) is a more substantial investigation, but Klein's provocative musings, based partly on three interviews with the former president, have the advantage of being written after the terrorist attacks of September 11. Clinton is not greatly faulted here for not hunting down Osama bin Laden because neither the public nor Congress would have tolerated a lengthy ground war during the Nineties. According to Klein, his major accomplishments saving the Democratic Party from possible extinction, rekindling an interest in public service, and improving the lives of America's poorest citizens were misunderstood, if not unrecognized, by a public bloated from a diet of scandal fed by a blood-lusting media. Arguably the best politician of his generation, Clinton was the inheritor, not the creator, of uncivil partisan battles, which began during the 1960s and metastasized 30 years later into the "Gingrichization of politics." Unfortunately, Clinton's unseemly behavior was an easy target for his enemies. Recommended for public libraries. Karl Helicher, Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, PA Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
*Starred Review* In his novel Primary Colors (1996), Klein offered a caricature of Bill Clinton that many took to be a true portrait of the man. But here he offers the real deal. Wisely, Klein leaves the mind-numbing details of Whitewater, Travelgate, and the Lewinsky affair to others. His is a Diogenesian quest to find out why things happened, not just the scandals but also the policy decisions that shaped both domestic and foreign landscapes. In the process, he manages to rediscover Clinton and to do so with a remarkable lack of psychobabble. His analysis goes way past reminding people of Clinton's promise and his penchant for pitfalls. He carefully re-creates the political world that Clinton stepped into, how he changed that world, and how he failed to change it, in part because of who he was but also because of the "smug, shallow serenity of his time." Writing close to the bone, Klein is in equal parts appreciative of Clinton's skills and horrified by his excesses, but above all, he makes readers see that there were no heroes during the Clinton years. Republicans, Democrats, the press, and the citizenry were all smaller than they should have been. As large as Greek tragedy, as small as a vaudeville skit, Clinton's story will be told many more times (including by both Clintons). No matter what comes later, though, this one has the ring of truth. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Review
“The Natural is an important step forward for Clinton literature...[with] crisp writing and vivid images…[that] helps us to understand the very different time and nation we now inhabit.” – Ted Widmer, The New York Observer

“Klein…is a superb storyteller, a master at setting a scene, capturing the gestures of his characters, and most of all, at describing the twists and turns of the political intrigue that passes for democracy in Washington, D.C….I read – or rather inhaled – [The Natural] in one sitting.” – The San Francisco Chronicle

“... Brilliantly illuminating...There will be numerous books written about Clinton and his presidency, but they will be hard-pressed to capture the public and private Clinton as well as this one.” – Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“[A] thoughtful assessment of the Clinton presidency…a supremely fascinating look….No journalist is better matched to this subject than Klein.” – Kirkus Reviews

“[Klein] offers the real deal….His is a on Diogenesian quest to find out why things happened, not just the scandals but also the policy decisions that shaped both domestic and foreign landscapes. In the process, he manages to rediscover Clinton.” – Booklist

“[A] short, sparkling account of those presidential years….Among journalists, Klein is ideally placed to write this book.” – David Gergen, The Boston Globe

“Klein is a smart and engrossing writer….Readers who supported Clinton will discover new insights into why he didn’t accomplish more; those who opposed him will gain a sharper understanding of why he remained so popular with the public.” – Amazon.com

“Klein is an intelligent and shrewd observer of Clinton’s weaknesses and failures.” – John, J. Miller, The National Review

“[The Natural] is a book with insight, balance and bright writing….a century from now, some serious historian will be glad that Klein wrote this slender book. As raw material for real history, this book will be a mother lode of contemporary observations.” – Harry Levins, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“Packed with revealing details…[Klein] can summarize a subject in a single well-phrased sentence.” – Bruce Fretts, Entertainment Weekly

“A book about the Clinton presidency that both Bill’s most ardent detractors and most enthusiastic worshipers can enjoy.” – The Times (London)

“A qualified success: It will make you reconsider Clinton’s eight years.” – Business Week

“Mr. Klein serves up a familiar but cogent analysis of what went wrong.” – Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times




Review
?The Natural is an important step forward for Clinton literature...[with] crisp writing and vivid images?[that] helps us to understand the very different time and nation we now inhabit.? ? Ted Widmer, The New York Observer

?Klein?is a superb storyteller, a master at setting a scene, capturing the gestures of his characters, and most of all, at describing the twists and turns of the political intrigue that passes for democracy in Washington, D.C?.I read ? or rather inhaled ? [The Natural] in one sitting.? ? The San Francisco Chronicle

?... Brilliantly illuminating...There will be numerous books written about Clinton and his presidency, but they will be hard-pressed to capture the public and private Clinton as well as this one.? ? Publishers Weekly (starred review)

?[A] thoughtful assessment of the Clinton presidency?a supremely fascinating look?.No journalist is better matched to this subject than Klein.? ? Kirkus Reviews

?[Klein] offers the real deal?.His is a on Diogenesian quest to find out why things happened, not just the scandals but also the policy decisions that shaped both domestic and foreign landscapes. In the process, he manages to rediscover Clinton.? ? Booklist

?[A] short, sparkling account of those presidential years?.Among journalists, Klein is ideally placed to write this book.? ? David Gergen, The Boston Globe

?Klein is a smart and engrossing writer?.Readers who supported Clinton will discover new insights into why he didn?t accomplish more; those who opposed him will gain a sharper understanding of why he remained so popular with the public.? ? Amazon.com

?Klein is an intelligent and shrewd observer of Clinton?s weaknesses and failures.? ? John, J. Miller, The National Review

?[The Natural] is a book with insight, balance and bright writing?.a century from now, some serious historian will be glad that Klein wrote this slender book. As raw material for real history, this book will be a mother lode of contemporary observations.? ? Harry Levins, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

?Packed with revealing details?[Klein] can summarize a subject in a single well-phrased sentence.? ? Bruce Fretts, Entertainment Weekly

?A book about the Clinton presidency that both Bill?s most ardent detractors and most enthusiastic worshipers can enjoy.? ? The Times (London)

?A qualified success: It will make you reconsider Clinton?s eight years.? ? Business Week

?Mr. Klein serves up a familiar but cogent analysis of what went wrong.? ? Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
What judgment will history ultimately make about the eight-year presidency of Bill Clinton? Will he be judged by his achievements, such as reforming welfare, creating millions of jobs, creating budget surpluses instead of budget deficits, and protecting the environment? Or will it be judged by the seemingly endless scandals, both political and personal, that ate up so much valuable time? Was he a success or a disappointment? It may well be years before we have enough distance from the Clinton administration to look at it impartially. Joe Klein, who became famous as the mysterious "Anonymous" who wrote the political novel Primary Colors, has written a "warts and all" look at Clinton's terms in office, reflecting both his political strengths (his amazingly encyclopedic knowledge of any and every issue, his ability to find a "third way" between stereotypical Republican and Democratic philosophies, etc.) and his weaknesses (overindulgence in just about every human foible one can think of, among others).

Klein, who has had unparalleled access to Clinton over the years, is uniquely qualified to present an evenhanded and eloquent take on a man who was viciously hated by his (many) political enemies, but loved and -- it seems -- understood by average Americans who saw him as a human being just like themselves. Even those who feel they might be suffering from "Clinton fatigue" will find Klein's fair and honest portrayal well worth reading. (Nicholas Sinisi)

Nicholas Sinisi is the Barnes & Noble.com Current Events editor.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"Joe Klein now tackles the subject he knows best: Bill Clinton. The Natural is the only book to read if you want to understand exactly what happened - to the military, to the economy, to the American people, to the country - during Bill Clinton's presidency, and how the decisions made during his tenure affect all of us today." "We see how the Clinton White House functioned on the inside, how it dealt with the maneuvers of Congress and the Gingrich revolution, and who held power and made the decisions during the endless crises that beset the administration. Klein's access to the White House over the years as a journalist gave him a prime spot from which to view every crucial event - both political and personal - and he sets them forth in an insightful, readable, and completely engrossing manner." The Natural is stern in its criticism and convincing with its praise. It will cause endless debate among friends and foes of the Clinton administration. It is a book that anyone interested in contemporary politics, in American history, or in the functioning of our democracy should read.

SYNOPSIS

Joe Klein, best-selling author of Primary Colors and one of our most brilliant political analysts, now tackles the subject he knows best: Bill Clinton.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Klein may have set himself a formidable task when he decided to evaluate Bill Clinton's fractious presidency and his enigmatic personality without the camouflage of the fictitious characters that populated his bestselling Primary Colors, but he's more than up to it. This insightful, often funny book which provides a serious and intelligent look at the successes and failures of the Clinton administration as well as an insider's view of the sometimes sordid, sometimes exhilarating political and personal battles that engaged the President succeeds on every level. Clinton's positions on health care, affirmative action, NAFTA, welfare reform and foreign affairs are straightforwardly explained, and Klein's considerable knowledge and sophisticated understanding of the political arena add depth and breadth to the explanations. Klein doesn't can't ignore Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky, of course, and he argues that Clinton's willingness to take such shocking risks demonstrates an intrinsic weakness of tragic proportions. But Klein is even more critical of the fanatical press that fed on the affair, and the Newt Gingrich-led Republican ideologues and their subsequent suicidal impeachment mission. Klein also provides brilliantly illuminating caricatures of the political players who swirled around Clinton. North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms is an "antediluvian Visigoth," consultant Dick Morris "a prohibitively bizarre human being," and Gingrich is an "American Mullah" and a "faux revolutionary who tried to turn democracy into war." There will be numerous books written about Clinton and his presidency, but they will be hard pressed to capture the public and private Clinton as well as this one. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

The Lewinsky affair and parting-shot presidential pardons helped obscure President Clinton's achievements, notes Klein, who as Anonymous wrote the thinly veiled Clintonian novel, Primary Colors. Haynes Johnson's The Best of Times: America in the Clinton Years is a more substantial investigation, but Klein's provocative musings, based partly on three interviews with the former president, have the advantage of being written after the terrorist attacks of September 11. Clinton is not greatly faulted here for not hunting down Osama bin Laden because neither the public nor Congress would have tolerated a lengthy ground war during the Nineties. According to Klein, his major accomplishments saving the Democratic Party from possible extinction, rekindling an interest in public service, and improving the lives of America's poorest citizens were misunderstood, if not unrecognized, by a public bloated from a diet of scandal fed by a blood-lusting media. Arguably the best politician of his generation, Clinton was the inheritor, not the creator, of uncivil partisan battles, which began during the 1960s and metastasized 30 years later into the "Gingrichization of politics." Unfortunately, Clinton's unseemly behavior was an easy target for his enemies. Recommended for public libraries. Karl Helicher, Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, PA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Booknews

Novelist and political analyst Klein argues that for all the scandal and political disappointments, Clinton's two terms in office quietly made good times a little better and left no huge mess for the next tenant to clean up. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Kirkus Reviews