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More copies of this ISBN:Forgive Us Our Spins: Michael Moore and the Future of the Leftby Jesse Larner
Review-a-Day (What is Review-a-Day?)"[A] solid, thoroughly researched, amply annoted book....Larner portrays Moore as an influential political figure who commands a large audience, but whose work is fatally flawed by methodological liberties that the arrogant, narcissistic Moore felt free to take....Gosh, call me naïve, but if this isn't a case of hunting flies with a howitzer, I haven't seen one." Jamie Malanowski, Washington Monthly (read the entire Washington Monthly review) Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:As the 2004 presidential election approached, Michael Moore repeatedly expressed confidence that his film Fahrenheit 9/11 would have a powerful impact on the outcome of that bitter contest. The talking cogs in the right-wing media machine were happy to agree with him. They foresaw that Moore and his flawed, shallow, and factually sloppy film would be major factors in motivating and energizing their base.
Left, right, or in between, everyone has an opinion about Michael Moore. His books reside on bestseller lists, his films are unfailingly controversial, and his politics range far to the left of any elected official on the national scene. So why is he the only voice capable of bringing progressive issues and ideas to public awareness? What message should the Democratic Party glean from his immense popularity? What impact will Moore and his work have on the future of the left? In Forgive Us Our Spins, you'll meet Michael Moore as you've never seen him before. This witty, well-written critique of America's most commercially successful radical examines Moore's life and work, reveals the personal history that underlies his political passions, and takes a clear-eyed look at his controversial trouble with the facts. Love him or hate him, you can't deny Michael Moore's political stature. Is he the champion the left has long yearned for or the kind of friend that's more dangerous than an enemy? Read Forgive Us Our Spins, then decide. Review:"After the left's electoral defeat of 2004, filmmaker and all-around provocateur Michael Moore has been an easy target. In his second book, Larner deftly argues why Moore is also a just target. For liberals who never liked Moore but couldn't figure out why, the book provides essential and definitive muckraking, and the reasons why Moore has attained such prominence within America's conflicted self-image. Larner, a staunch liberal whose rage at much of the current administration's policy is palpable, also despises 'political work that emphasizes emotional appeal over factual content' from either side. Moore, he argues, is similar to Anne Coulter in producing journalism of false pretext and sleight-of-montage, sabotaging his own credibility and, by proxy, that of the causes he espouses. Hence, the book is foremost an assiduously researched and impassioned expos of the foibles that have rendered the left so vulnerable to attack. Some will undoubtedly read it as the revolution's devouring its own children. But Larner's undertaking is admirably unflinching: a call for nuance and evenhandedness from liberals who would revile that same reductionism in the right. (Sept.)" Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.) Review:"Larner argues passionately and convincingly that Moore's rollicking, pointed excursions in cinematic invective do his ostensible cause...more harm than good through obvious sins of omission and commission..." Booklist Review:"Well written, witty, and wise. Jesse Larner's book goes well beyond its brief: it helps us understand where the left has been going for the last few years, and where it might end up." George Monbiot, columnist, The Guardian (UK) Review:"If you're expecting a bombshell about the 'blue-collar millionaire,' this isn't the book....As much as Larner hammers Moore for diluting facts, Larner filters his data through a narrow sieve; the result is that several of his 'findings' are just plain wrong." Chicago Sun-Times Synopsis:Michael Moore is America's most visible left winger — a man whose inflammatory documentaries and muckraking books have led the charge against corporate greed, the war in Iraq, and the Bush administration. Yet some on the left have all but blamed Moore's sarcastic humor and in-your-face agitprop style for the defeat of the Democrats in 2004. In this balanced appraisal, Jesse Larner examines Moore's career in the context of the larger fight against conservative domination of our political and media institutions. Larner looks at how Moore's films and books have influenced the left's agenda, at the controversies over his presentation of facts, and at the ways in which his tactics could help — or hurt — the chances of the Democratic Party in the next election cycle. About the AuthorJesse Larner is a graduate of the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. He is the author of Mount Rushmore: An Icon Reconsidered, and his work has been featured on NPR, BBC Radio, and Radio Nation. He has appeared in several documentary films on American politics. He lives in New York City. What Our Readers Are SayingAdd a comment for a chance to win!
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