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Book Review: Netroots Rising


by: Vince Leibowitz

Mon Jun 23, 2008 at 02:59 PM CDT


[Note: Although Amazon.com indicates it is presently sold out of pre-release copies of Netroots Rising, you can still place your order. They are working with the publisher to obtain more copies and will ship yours as soon as they get them in. ]

Since 2002, there has been a cosmic shift in the way political campaigns use the Internet and the way citizens interact with campaigns on the World Wide Web. 

In Netroots Rising, Nate Wilcox and Lowell Feld provide an insider's view of important watershed moments in the history of American politics and the Netroots. 

For Democrats and progressives (and regular students of politics) who want to understand how the online movement has begun to eclipse television as a the "key" force in American politics, this book is a must-read. From using the internet to organize opposition to mid-decade Congressional redistricting in Texas to the Howard Dean campaign, the Draft Clark movement, and 2006 campaigns like that of Jim Webb, the authors explore the history and growing pains of the Netroots movement in a way that keeps you turning the pages.

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Although it was not intended to be such [see our interview with co-author Nate Wilcox next Monday], the book easily serves as a blueprint for how to (and how not to) run an effective Netroots campaign. (A byproduct of the authors' desire to tell not just the stories of winning campaigns but also of campaigns that lost but from which much can be learned, this book is a must for every political professional, candidate, and citizen blogger who wants to understand the Netroots movement and its place in American politics. 

It will be of particular interest to Texas readers that Wilcox (himself a Texan, though he now lives in Virginia) tells the stories of several Texas campaigns and movements. From walking into a "good cop/bad cop" meeting with two Texas State Representatives in the middle of Tom DeLay's attempts to force a mid-decade redistricting plan down the throat of the Texas Legislature to exploring the ins and outs of Richard Morrison's campaign against Tom DeLay in 2004 (the first campaign in Texas to effectively utilize the blogosphere), Texas political buffs will not be disappointed with this book. The likes of Glen Maxey, Kelly Fero, Charles Kuffner, Burnt Orange Report founder Byron LaMasters, Vince Leibowitz, Greg Wyeth, and many, many more familiar faces are all mentioned or were interviewed for the portions of the book related to Texas. 

All in all, Netroots Rising is a book readers of this blog will surely appreciate. As part of the larger Netroots community, it will prove fascinating for blog readers to learn how blogs and bloggers and Netroots activisits often work behind the scenes to force the spring of a new progressive movement in American. 

You can get your copy of Netroots Rising today via Amazon.com.

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What female bloggers were interviewed for the book? (0.00 / 0)
That's all I've got. That's my question.  

The book focuses (0.00 / 0)
A fair bit on Anna Brosovic (aka AnnaTopia) and Melissa Taylor (not so much a blogger) in the Dean section and covers In the Pink although I didn't do an interview with her.
Its focused mostly on 2003-2005 as far as the Texas blogosphere goes and the explosion of grrl power that came along later isn't reflected.
My bad.
Lowell's sections focus on several female activists in the Clark movement but the main Va/Ct blogger we wanted to talk to didn't get back to us.

My comments reflect my own personal opinion and not those of any client or colleague, current, former or future.

[ Parent ]
Will there be a local booksigning? (0.00 / 0)
It would be great to have Nate (and co-author Feld) come to town and do a reading/discussion/Q&A and sign books at BookPeople. (Or Scholz's?)

I'm trying to set up something during (0.00 / 0)
Netroots Nation. I'll keep you posted.

My comments reflect my own personal opinion and not those of any client or colleague, current, former or future.

[ Parent ]
Nice plug for Amazon (0.00 / 0)
But you can also buy the book at Barnes & Noble -- that's barnesandnoble.com to you ;-) -- for only $31.96 Members price.

Or does the market leader in online sales give you a percentage for referrals from BOR?


Good catch on the B&N discount (0.00 / 0)
I'll look into linking to them instead of Amazon.

My comments reflect my own personal opinion and not those of any client or colleague, current, former or future.

[ Parent ]
Whatever (0.00 / 0)
Like most online shoppers I appreciate a link to Amazon to start the process but usually do my own shopping online. If every person had to list ALL the links it would get long and annoying.  No bads on Nate.  He gave us a link. Be a wise shopper and shop around.  Thanks Nate.

[ Parent ]
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