"Mulcahy's compilation of pro-Democrat sentiment is an amusing if slight read. Purposefully devoid of entries by politicians, the collection attempts to capture the heart and soul of the party by asking 56 individuals — from A-list celebrities to smalltown waitresses and farmers — to explain their devotion to the Democrats. The best selections come from longtime party members such as writer James Brady, who cast his first Democratic vote for Adlai Stevenson in 1952, and Angela's Ashes author Frank McCourt, who couples praise for the party with a cogent critique of its education policies. Despite the wide selection, most of the snapshots are too brief to pique the reader's interest. Entries, such as the submission from The Corrections author Jonathan Franzen, read like harried e-mails ('I can't really think of what to say') and disappoint as even articulate contributors turn in glib and flimsy arguments. Nora Ephron writes, 'I barely know a Republican,' while designer Isaac Mizrahi says he's a Democrat because he's not 'mean and selfish enough to be a Republican.' Littered with vague platitudes ('The Helpful Party,' 'The Party of the Future'), this book is less a thoughtful commentary than a mildly diverting political sampler. (July)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

In 2008, politics and party affiliation will be at the forefront of national news and personal consciousness. Why Im a Democrat explores the values and passions that make members of the party, despite certain differences of opinion, proud to declare themselves Democrats. A diverse group of citizens, many of them household names including Jonathan Franzen, Andre Agassi, Uma Thurman, Craig Newmark (of Craigs List), Frank McCourt, and Melissa Etheridge explain why they have chosen to be Democrats. We also hear from cops, firefighters, business owners, and even former Republicans and Greens about their reasons for voting Blue.

With America eating and breathing politics as the 2008 general elections approach, WHY I'M A DEMOCRAT offers a dazzling array of answers???in interviews, essays, lists, and art work???and a compelling look at what drives Democrats from all walks of life. Democrats are loyal, funny, passionate??? and sometimes a little ticked off. Nora Ephron, Tony Bennett, Isaac Mizrahi, Frank McCourt, Irma Thomas, Dominick Dunne, Melissa Etheridge, Frans de Waal, Roz Chast, Jonathan Franzen, Andrew Tobias, James Brady, Olympia Vernon, Paul Weitz, Craig Lesley, James Naughton, Maira Kalman, William Wegman, Tama Janowitz, Seymour Chwast, and Min Jin Lee are among the contributors, along with a firefighter from Iowa, a craps dealer from Las Vegas, a vineyard owner from California, plus farmers, CEOs, former Republicans, and ex-Green Party loyalists. Foreword by political journalist (and former conservative) David Brock.

Why I'm a Democrat is a book about politics that isn't too political. To reveal the heart of the party through the ties that bind its members, editor Susan Mulcahy has compiled a dazzling array of answers to the title question in the form of interviews, essays, emails, lists, and artwork. The result is a lively even slightly voyeuristic glimpse at what makes members of the party, from all across the country and from all walks of life, tick. Contributors include: Nora Ephron, Frank McCourt, Irma Thomas, Dominick Dunne, Isaac Mizrahi, Tama Janowitz, Melissa Etheridge, Roz Chast, Craig Lesley, Jonathan Franzen, Frans de Waal, Maira Kalman, James Brady, Olympia Vernon, Paul Weitz, William Wegman, Seymour Chwast, James Naughton, Min Jin Lee and many others, including farmers, scientists, CEOs, union workers, former Republicans, and a Philly cheesesteak maker.