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Actual Malice
Actual Malice is a true crime thriller that will take you through the backrooms of political gamesmanship, deception, and cover-up. If it were a novel, readers would marvel at the rich character development, riveting pace, and often-bizarre twists that make Actual Malice a compelling read. The fact that it is scrupulously documented nonfiction is sobering.
If you know nothing about Gary Condit or the tragic death of Chandra Levy, there has never been a more engaging and thoughtful introduction to the sordid interplay between politicians, law enforcement, and the media. Actual Malice should be required reading for any public figure.
If you followed the story of the murdered intern and the congressman driven from office by one of the most intense media cyclones in history, Actual Malice will challenge virtually everything you think you know.
Breton Peace takes readers on a roller coaster ride through Congressman Condit's eyes, as corrupt and incompetent cops and a dark, insidious team of "scandal management" experts manipulate a willing press.
To begin, Carolyn and Gary Condit had come an incredible distance together since setting out from Oklahoma for California where Gary and the Condit family name became synonymous with the Central Valley.
In May of 2001, the moderate Blue Dog Democrats of which Condit was a founding member held significant power in Congress. Condit had used the coalition to deliver bipartisan victories in Bill Clinton's second term and was now flexing that muscle on the House Intelligence Committee. Condit accomplished what few of his generation could achieve genuine political independence from both political machines.
The sky was the limit.
When Chandra Levy a twenty-four-year-old Bureau of Prisons intern disappeared in 2001, the wheels came off Gary s ambitions. Accused of having an affair with Levy, a whirlwind of rumor, intrigue, and treachery surrounded him.
More than a decade of lies, manipulation, and deception followed until, in 2016, the justice system cracked under the stress of its own spinelessness.
Actual Malice chronicles in vivid detail the heartache and intrigue behind the salacious, if fanciful, headlines that too often drive public debate and derail the serious business of our nation and its system of justice.
"
If you know nothing about Gary Condit or the tragic death of Chandra Levy, there has never been a more engaging and thoughtful introduction to the sordid interplay between politicians, law enforcement, and the media. Actual Malice should be required reading for any public figure.
If you followed the story of the murdered intern and the congressman driven from office by one of the most intense media cyclones in history, Actual Malice will challenge virtually everything you think you know.
Breton Peace takes readers on a roller coaster ride through Congressman Condit's eyes, as corrupt and incompetent cops and a dark, insidious team of "scandal management" experts manipulate a willing press.
To begin, Carolyn and Gary Condit had come an incredible distance together since setting out from Oklahoma for California where Gary and the Condit family name became synonymous with the Central Valley.
In May of 2001, the moderate Blue Dog Democrats of which Condit was a founding member held significant power in Congress. Condit had used the coalition to deliver bipartisan victories in Bill Clinton's second term and was now flexing that muscle on the House Intelligence Committee. Condit accomplished what few of his generation could achieve genuine political independence from both political machines.
The sky was the limit.
When Chandra Levy a twenty-four-year-old Bureau of Prisons intern disappeared in 2001, the wheels came off Gary s ambitions. Accused of having an affair with Levy, a whirlwind of rumor, intrigue, and treachery surrounded him.
More than a decade of lies, manipulation, and deception followed until, in 2016, the justice system cracked under the stress of its own spinelessness.
Actual Malice chronicles in vivid detail the heartache and intrigue behind the salacious, if fanciful, headlines that too often drive public debate and derail the serious business of our nation and its system of justice.
"
- GenresNonfiction
360 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2016
20 people are currently reading
324 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 6, 2017
First unfinished book of the year. Given the subject matter, and the fact that I was working in DC during the time of the story, it seemed like a natural fit. Unfortunately, it seemed to be a whitewash to attempt to resolve Mr. Condit of any wrongdoing. He may or may not be guilty of the murder, but no amount of attempting to rewrite history will absolve him of the lies and just downright sleazy behavior he exhibited.
December 14, 2016
AN AMAZING READ:
This book shows how the life Congressman Gary Condit was irrefutably ruined by false implication, police corruption and hard ball politics. In a delicate mix, of fact and colorful detail the author tells the story of the tragedy of the death of Chandra Levy and the feeble attempt to blame her murder on an innocent man who happened to be a high profiled congressman. It was a good read.
This book shows how the life Congressman Gary Condit was irrefutably ruined by false implication, police corruption and hard ball politics. In a delicate mix, of fact and colorful detail the author tells the story of the tragedy of the death of Chandra Levy and the feeble attempt to blame her murder on an innocent man who happened to be a high profiled congressman. It was a good read.
February 15, 2017
First, take everything you think a political book is, and throw it out the window. That's everything this book is NOT. More thriller than anything, this true crime tale will lead you down the twists and turns of a notorious and heinous crime that took place in the Washington, DC and rocked the nation to it's core.
Received for review
Received for review
February 10, 2024
“ I gave this a poor rating only because it’s about politics, saw the show on Dr Phil, sounded like a good story. Beginning of book lost me because of the politics. If you like these topics it’s probably good”
October 19, 2017
What a mess!
It never ceases to amaze me how reporting of facts is just a huge rumor mill! Why do we feed into this shit? Everybody just wants their ten minutes of fame.
It never ceases to amaze me how reporting of facts is just a huge rumor mill! Why do we feed into this shit? Everybody just wants their ten minutes of fame.
April 8, 2017
for a political book wasn't boring like so many are.
April 21, 2017
Admittedly, the true crime genre is a guilty pleasure of mine. I also follow politics, so the whole sad, sordid Chandra Levy saga looked to be right up my alley, and eagerly anticipated reading Actual Malice by Breton Peace, published in fall, 2016.
It’s difficult to describe my level of disappointment in this book. It was described as “a true crime thriller that will take you through the backrooms of political gamesmanship, deception, and cover-up.” For me, not so much! Where to begin??
This book presents the reader with the story (or at least one view of the story) of 24-year-old Chandra Levy, a constituent of Congressman Gary Condit of California’s Central Valley, and her disappearance in 2001 just as her internship with the federal Bureau of Prisons in Washington, D.C. came to an end. As the investigation into her disappearance unfolded, it was on the news 24/7 after Condit was revealed to be “involved” with Chandra. Good grief, it was on the news 24/7 and Condit came off looking suspiciously like a lecherous creep. I was hoping the book might reveal some backstory that would make the whole thing at least a tiny bit less creepy.
Alas, even though this book was co-authored by Condit himself and therefore clearly meant to present him in at least a slightly favorable light, he still comes off as a lecherous creep!
I did enjoy the parts of the book describing Condit’s role as a “blue dog Democrat” in the sort-of-sleazy world of California politics, as he worked closely with Assembly Speaker Willie Brown in a rapid rise to power. Condit was photogenic, charming, and ostensibly able to “work across the aisle.” Anyone with an interest in politics would find this interesting, and I did, although I kept being distracted by the gigantic need for an editor (example: when Condit’s chief of staff was described as “pouring over newspapers.” Ugh. Lots of errors like this that, to some of us, are visual fingernails on a blackboard!)
When he left California to take on the role of Representative in Washington, Condit was part of a coalition that delivered bipartisan victories during Clinton’s second term and sat on the House Intelligence Committee. It seemed like he had accomplished something that seems impossible in today’s political climate—genuine political independence from both sides of the aisle. Should have been golden, right? Well, no.
Despite all this promise, Condit seemed to have several red flags, including his relationship with his driver/bodyguard Vince Flammini, who comes across like a character from Goodfellas – or at least a wannabe in that vein. And as the Levy story is devoured by the media, stories of Condit’s womanizing emerge, contributing to the less-than-flattering picture of him.
So, overall, my four big takeaways from this book are:
Chandra Levy’s disappearance (and murder) is a sad tale, made even more so when you consider that the case was never solved.
Police often seem to find a suspect and then tailor their investigation to fit that storyline.
The media is an insatiable beast, especially when sex and politics are involved.
Men (including high-profile politicians) who can’t keep it in their pants say and do really stupid things.
Actual Malice is presented as a book that “chronicles in vivid detail the heartache and intrigue behind the salacious, if fanciful, headlines that too often drive public debate and derail the serious business of our nation and its system of justice.” Really? To me, it comes across as almost a puff piece, sort of gliding over the facts that demonstrate that yes, Condit was a lecherous creep who betrayed his family as well as his constituents. I am actually surprised and a bit disappointed in myself as I admit that I expected more – even though Condit was co-author. Duh. What was I thinking?
I couldn’t resist — I knew that Condit has lost his bid for re-election and faded away, but I just had to look and see what became of him: according to the Washington Post, “Condit has written a book but allegedly can’t find a publisher. Soon after leaving politics, he invested in Baskin-Robbins ice cream franchises. The stores failed and prompted a breach-of-contract suit in which Condit was ordered to pay about $98,000. A source close to the Condit family says Gary has long since left the ice cream business.”
Like I said, sad. Two stars. I rarely give anything fewer than three, but this one was just awful in so many ways. Despite the effort of the two authors to present Condit in a positive light, I still felt like I need a shower.
It’s difficult to describe my level of disappointment in this book. It was described as “a true crime thriller that will take you through the backrooms of political gamesmanship, deception, and cover-up.” For me, not so much! Where to begin??
This book presents the reader with the story (or at least one view of the story) of 24-year-old Chandra Levy, a constituent of Congressman Gary Condit of California’s Central Valley, and her disappearance in 2001 just as her internship with the federal Bureau of Prisons in Washington, D.C. came to an end. As the investigation into her disappearance unfolded, it was on the news 24/7 after Condit was revealed to be “involved” with Chandra. Good grief, it was on the news 24/7 and Condit came off looking suspiciously like a lecherous creep. I was hoping the book might reveal some backstory that would make the whole thing at least a tiny bit less creepy.
Alas, even though this book was co-authored by Condit himself and therefore clearly meant to present him in at least a slightly favorable light, he still comes off as a lecherous creep!
I did enjoy the parts of the book describing Condit’s role as a “blue dog Democrat” in the sort-of-sleazy world of California politics, as he worked closely with Assembly Speaker Willie Brown in a rapid rise to power. Condit was photogenic, charming, and ostensibly able to “work across the aisle.” Anyone with an interest in politics would find this interesting, and I did, although I kept being distracted by the gigantic need for an editor (example: when Condit’s chief of staff was described as “pouring over newspapers.” Ugh. Lots of errors like this that, to some of us, are visual fingernails on a blackboard!)
When he left California to take on the role of Representative in Washington, Condit was part of a coalition that delivered bipartisan victories during Clinton’s second term and sat on the House Intelligence Committee. It seemed like he had accomplished something that seems impossible in today’s political climate—genuine political independence from both sides of the aisle. Should have been golden, right? Well, no.
Despite all this promise, Condit seemed to have several red flags, including his relationship with his driver/bodyguard Vince Flammini, who comes across like a character from Goodfellas – or at least a wannabe in that vein. And as the Levy story is devoured by the media, stories of Condit’s womanizing emerge, contributing to the less-than-flattering picture of him.
So, overall, my four big takeaways from this book are:
Chandra Levy’s disappearance (and murder) is a sad tale, made even more so when you consider that the case was never solved.
Police often seem to find a suspect and then tailor their investigation to fit that storyline.
The media is an insatiable beast, especially when sex and politics are involved.
Men (including high-profile politicians) who can’t keep it in their pants say and do really stupid things.
Actual Malice is presented as a book that “chronicles in vivid detail the heartache and intrigue behind the salacious, if fanciful, headlines that too often drive public debate and derail the serious business of our nation and its system of justice.” Really? To me, it comes across as almost a puff piece, sort of gliding over the facts that demonstrate that yes, Condit was a lecherous creep who betrayed his family as well as his constituents. I am actually surprised and a bit disappointed in myself as I admit that I expected more – even though Condit was co-author. Duh. What was I thinking?
I couldn’t resist — I knew that Condit has lost his bid for re-election and faded away, but I just had to look and see what became of him: according to the Washington Post, “Condit has written a book but allegedly can’t find a publisher. Soon after leaving politics, he invested in Baskin-Robbins ice cream franchises. The stores failed and prompted a breach-of-contract suit in which Condit was ordered to pay about $98,000. A source close to the Condit family says Gary has long since left the ice cream business.”
Like I said, sad. Two stars. I rarely give anything fewer than three, but this one was just awful in so many ways. Despite the effort of the two authors to present Condit in a positive light, I still felt like I need a shower.
April 29, 2017
Who doesn’t remember the media onslaught surrounding Gary Condit and the disappearance of Chandra Levy. What people kept calling for at the time was some kind of confession from Gary Condit, but he refused to speak about his part, if any, in the disappearance. In this book we get the whole story from the Condit side of the drama. Breton Peace has done a fabulous job of detailing the events, the media’s actions, and the response of the Condits to the onslaught of accusations. You will read in here about the missteps of the investigators and the self-promotion that certain members of law enforcement was engaging in, at Gary Condit’s expense.
I found this story to be very disturbing. The level of false accusation and the destruction that came in its wake just astonished me. The author’s writing style made the story very engaging and at times un-put-downable. I would like to think that our society as a whole can gain, through this story, an awareness of how false accusation can destroy an individual, and that we would, as a result, hold ourselves to a higher standard. I was very moved while reading this book and I highly recommend it.
I found this story to be very disturbing. The level of false accusation and the destruction that came in its wake just astonished me. The author’s writing style made the story very engaging and at times un-put-downable. I would like to think that our society as a whole can gain, through this story, an awareness of how false accusation can destroy an individual, and that we would, as a result, hold ourselves to a higher standard. I was very moved while reading this book and I highly recommend it.
Read
February 13, 2018Took me more than half of the book to really get interested into this book. It was an eye opener on how the media coverage can be non factual and twisted.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews