Steve Israel

'Big Guns' is yet another winning political satire from a guy who sounds way too smart to have spent 16 years in Congress, Steve Israel. This time the topic is gun control, or almost its exact opposite in that an idea hatched by a gun manufacturer to pass a law requiring universal gun ownership gets traction and suddenly becomes a cause celebre by the right. It's played out against a small town mayoral election in the Hamptons, which pits a female longtime lefty mayor against an aging movie star. I know, it sounds silly and it is, but Mr. Israel is a fine writer who drops insights into the inner workings of DC politics all over the place for our enjoyment.… (más)

Steve Israel spent 16 years in the US House of Representatives, plus being the head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. To say that he is acquainted with the political process would be a gross understatement. To say that he unfamiliar with the lures of the lobby process would be equally ridiculous. To say that he has created a story promulgating the best defense is a strong, obscure offense would be to simplify the storyline of his new book, Big Guns, A Novel. Israel has chosen the very timely topic of gun violence and translated it into a civics lesson on how not to accomplish anything in all branches of our government.

A long time ago there was a subject taught in American Schools called Social Studies. That subject has been largely lost basically guaranteeing that young American students never have to take a course in the basics of their government. In place of Social Studies this books should be required reading for graduation from High School. It might just begin to explain the incredibly ridiculous and corrupt workings of our government, how things are done, how deals are made and the resultant insanity. Oh, you want to remind me that this book is a work of fiction, maybe, but probably it is closer to truth.

Funny in places, outrageous in others, Israel has political satire as a weapon in his back pocket and from the ending it appears that he will be reprising this theme.

Thank You NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC… (más)