What do you think?
Rate this book
Democrazy: A True Story of Weird Politics, Money, Madness, and Finger Food
Primary Colors meets This Town: a brutally honest, outrageous, funny, and irreverent memoir by a former GOP congressman.
In 2013, when Washington D.C. law enforcement learned that Trey Radel, then a Republican congressman from Florida, had bought cocaine, he quickly became the target of a police sting. In October of that year, Radel was arrested for attempting to buy cocaine from an undercover cop, and subsequently became the subject of intense media coverage and scrutiny. When Radel resigned in 2014, he left with insider knowledge that remains unknown to most American citizens.
Democrazy is Radel's candid account of the making of a modern political star and the inner workings of Congress. In his memoir, Radel recounts his early days as a TV news reporter and radio show host before running for Congress in 2012, a decision that would launch the new, infamous chapter of his life. Radel entered the political sphere with the same ideological fervor of most first-time politicians--he loved America and wanted to serve his country and its people. But Radel's optimism waned as he witnessed the wheelings and dealings of Congress's most powerful members. Told with humor and irreverence, Radel's memoir is an entertaining, fascinating journey of an unlikely politician.
In 2013, when Washington D.C. law enforcement learned that Trey Radel, then a Republican congressman from Florida, had bought cocaine, he quickly became the target of a police sting. In October of that year, Radel was arrested for attempting to buy cocaine from an undercover cop, and subsequently became the subject of intense media coverage and scrutiny. When Radel resigned in 2014, he left with insider knowledge that remains unknown to most American citizens.
Democrazy is Radel's candid account of the making of a modern political star and the inner workings of Congress. In his memoir, Radel recounts his early days as a TV news reporter and radio show host before running for Congress in 2012, a decision that would launch the new, infamous chapter of his life. Radel entered the political sphere with the same ideological fervor of most first-time politicians--he loved America and wanted to serve his country and its people. But Radel's optimism waned as he witnessed the wheelings and dealings of Congress's most powerful members. Told with humor and irreverence, Radel's memoir is an entertaining, fascinating journey of an unlikely politician.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published March 28, 2017
8 people are currently reading
321 people want to read
About the author
Trey Radel
5 books6 followersTrey Radel is an author, actor, journalist, and former U.S. Congressman.
Radel's diverse background in entertainment, journalism, and politics give him the ability to draw out and convey stories in a unique, down-to-earth, highly entertaining way, always intertwining humor and humanity.
Most recently, Radel co-authored Beyond the Great Divide with former New York Governor George Pataki. For the first time, Pataki, who was governor on 9/11, shares heartbreaking and inspirational behind-the-scenes stories from that horrific day. He also assesses the political fallout since, asking "Did the terrorists win?" Radel's book, Democrazy, published by Penguin Random House, takes you through the inner workings of Congress, all told around his personal journey, full of ups and downs and a dash of insanity.
Radel's career started in media, including TV, radio, digital, and print. Radel worked as a journalist, reporting and anchoring television news. He built and sold a community newspaper to the E.W. Scripps Company. Soon after, Radel was hosting one of Florida's premier talk radio shows, doing four hours of live talk every weekday. Passionate about our country and politics, Radel ran for the United States Congress. The underdog won big, building a massive coalition of people cutting across generational, ethnic, and cultural lines.
Fluent in English, Spanish and Italian, Radel has lived in, worked in, or backpacked through nearly fifty countries around the world. His love for people, places, and especially foreign cultures has taken him from South America to Southeast Asia and about everywhere in between. Radel also studied improv comedy at the famed Second City in Chicago. Currently, as an occasional actor, Radel has had roles on Sony's Crackle app and the Discovery Network.
Radel lives in Florida with his wife, Amy, and their children.
Radel's diverse background in entertainment, journalism, and politics give him the ability to draw out and convey stories in a unique, down-to-earth, highly entertaining way, always intertwining humor and humanity.
Most recently, Radel co-authored Beyond the Great Divide with former New York Governor George Pataki. For the first time, Pataki, who was governor on 9/11, shares heartbreaking and inspirational behind-the-scenes stories from that horrific day. He also assesses the political fallout since, asking "Did the terrorists win?" Radel's book, Democrazy, published by Penguin Random House, takes you through the inner workings of Congress, all told around his personal journey, full of ups and downs and a dash of insanity.
Radel's career started in media, including TV, radio, digital, and print. Radel worked as a journalist, reporting and anchoring television news. He built and sold a community newspaper to the E.W. Scripps Company. Soon after, Radel was hosting one of Florida's premier talk radio shows, doing four hours of live talk every weekday. Passionate about our country and politics, Radel ran for the United States Congress. The underdog won big, building a massive coalition of people cutting across generational, ethnic, and cultural lines.
Fluent in English, Spanish and Italian, Radel has lived in, worked in, or backpacked through nearly fifty countries around the world. His love for people, places, and especially foreign cultures has taken him from South America to Southeast Asia and about everywhere in between. Radel also studied improv comedy at the famed Second City in Chicago. Currently, as an occasional actor, Radel has had roles on Sony's Crackle app and the Discovery Network.
Radel lives in Florida with his wife, Amy, and their children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 24, 2017
Full disclosure: I won a free copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
Considering that Trey is a conservative and I'm something of a liberal, I expected to dislike this quite a bit. It's a testament to his self-deprecating humor and his ability to articulate his viewpoint that my reaction was quite the opposite. He explains his positions well, and seems genuinely open to discussion and even *gasp* compromise. Clearly he's insane.
Actually, politics in general in the USA seems crazier than I ever imagined. His glimpse behind the scenes makes me wonder how anything at all gets done. Trey was elected as a Florida delegate to the House of Representatives. He served only a partial term before being forced to resign due to a drug scandal. The book is honest, funny, passionate, and thoroughly engrossing. At one point, he mentions something his father said to him, something along the lines of, "Be serious about your work, but not yourself." Words to live by, and he seems to have done his best to do so.
The book is highly entertaining whatever your politics might be. Highly recommended!
Considering that Trey is a conservative and I'm something of a liberal, I expected to dislike this quite a bit. It's a testament to his self-deprecating humor and his ability to articulate his viewpoint that my reaction was quite the opposite. He explains his positions well, and seems genuinely open to discussion and even *gasp* compromise. Clearly he's insane.
Actually, politics in general in the USA seems crazier than I ever imagined. His glimpse behind the scenes makes me wonder how anything at all gets done. Trey was elected as a Florida delegate to the House of Representatives. He served only a partial term before being forced to resign due to a drug scandal. The book is honest, funny, passionate, and thoroughly engrossing. At one point, he mentions something his father said to him, something along the lines of, "Be serious about your work, but not yourself." Words to live by, and he seems to have done his best to do so.
The book is highly entertaining whatever your politics might be. Highly recommended!
August 19, 2017
I read the first 75 pages of this, and then skipped the middle to read the last 50 pages or so. That's the part where he gets busted and loses his job as a congressman. There are some good stories and such, but I kind of feel this is just more grandstanding. Maybe this guy can get into the FL legislature, but I don't see him going much further than that.
October 10, 2019
Excellent read - especially relevant in understanding how congress works
This well written book by a likeable former congressman is well worth reading on several levels. It provides an honest and informative look at how power is wielded among our lawmakers - at least among the Republicans. And i can't imagine the Democrats are much different except perhaps those who receive no funds at all from lobbyists or PACs.
From the pressures of raising pre-election campaign funds to the continuously required "tithing" of large sums post-election to the Republican National Committe it is easy to see why one might succumb to the numbing effects of alcohol and drugs.
If you like politics you'll appreciate this cautionary tale.
This well written book by a likeable former congressman is well worth reading on several levels. It provides an honest and informative look at how power is wielded among our lawmakers - at least among the Republicans. And i can't imagine the Democrats are much different except perhaps those who receive no funds at all from lobbyists or PACs.
From the pressures of raising pre-election campaign funds to the continuously required "tithing" of large sums post-election to the Republican National Committe it is easy to see why one might succumb to the numbing effects of alcohol and drugs.
If you like politics you'll appreciate this cautionary tale.
June 10, 2017
A very insightful book of Republican Congressman Radels' rise and fall. The text is full of candid and comical insight into the wacky world of politics. Radel does not hold back with comical jabs at both political parties. You will get a good bipartisan laugh at some of the characters we elected to office. Unfortunately, the book also does a great job of expousing the downside of politics like the never ending cycle of fundraising and all the craziness that subsequently follows it. A good read for political junkies with a dose of bipartisan reality.
August 22, 2017
This was an interesting book despite a slightly juvenile tone and way too much information about what the author ate and how he can speak Spanish (which he mentions about every five pages). I read it to learn more about how the political parties actually function and in that respect it was gold--buried in the middle of the book is the nitty-gritty details of how the money comes and goes. It was very helpful.
June 8, 2017
Interesting insider look at how things work in Washington. I found the author a bit cocky and the writing average but the details about how money drives politics were revealing and disturbing.
September 1, 2017
Entertaining and funny.
September 2, 2018
Quite humorous
March 24, 2018
https://rivermoosebooks.wordpress.com...
*I received an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
DNF Review - Similar to How the Hell Did This Happen?, I requested this back after the election because I was p*ssed off. I still am, I dislike this entire administration. The reason I lost interest in this isn't that my opinions changed, but that reading about politics just tends to make me angry and confused at this point and that honestly, I don't want to read the stuff I have to read for Gov/Econ let alone extra stuff, not the books fault, just a change in personal preference/interest in reading. I know this book is more humorous than serious like the other one, but the basic reasoning still applies.
*I received an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
DNF Review - Similar to How the Hell Did This Happen?, I requested this back after the election because I was p*ssed off. I still am, I dislike this entire administration. The reason I lost interest in this isn't that my opinions changed, but that reading about politics just tends to make me angry and confused at this point and that honestly, I don't want to read the stuff I have to read for Gov/Econ let alone extra stuff, not the books fault, just a change in personal preference/interest in reading. I know this book is more humorous than serious like the other one, but the basic reasoning still applies.
March 8, 2025
As a non-American, I don't think I can or should comment on how I think the political world in America is a jumbled quagmire of a mess. Trey's book does nothing to dispel my thoughts.
April 15, 2017
I certainly learned a lot about fund raising, finger foods, money, and lots more.
April 20, 2017
Former Congressman Trey Radel is not a bad guy, he just made bad choices during his stint in Washington D.C. This is the point of the book as well as a look into the inner workings of Congress and the issues that plague the current political landscape.
Radel chronicles his life before Congress as a TV and Radio personality, the campaign, the early days as a congressman and the schedule. I learned a lot about fundraising, the congressional committees, and the daily life. I think most people are frustrated with the workings of Congress and the perception of a lack of work for the American people. I think the book does shine some light on the behind the scenes work we do not get to see, but also the insane amount of time spent fighting.
However, I do feel like I am less optimistic about the ability of Congress to come together across the aisle at all, and about the idea of "working for the average american." I feel more jaded about the sheer amount of money flowing in from special interests and donors, there is no chance of common sense coming out ahead.
Radel chronicles his life before Congress as a TV and Radio personality, the campaign, the early days as a congressman and the schedule. I learned a lot about fundraising, the congressional committees, and the daily life. I think most people are frustrated with the workings of Congress and the perception of a lack of work for the American people. I think the book does shine some light on the behind the scenes work we do not get to see, but also the insane amount of time spent fighting.
However, I do feel like I am less optimistic about the ability of Congress to come together across the aisle at all, and about the idea of "working for the average american." I feel more jaded about the sheer amount of money flowing in from special interests and donors, there is no chance of common sense coming out ahead.
Read
May 19, 2017Despite the fact that I disagree with him on 90% of his policies, I agree with the author on procedure about 80% of the time. Despite pinballing between self-aggrandizement & self-deprecation, the book is an engaging read. It humanizes the politicians in DC we often consider monsters and offers a revealing peek behind the curtain so us average shmoes can see how the "magic" happens. In all, a little bit comedy, a little bit tragedy and a whole lot of WTF!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews