Big Lies: The Right-Wing Propaganda Machine and How It Distorts the Truth

by Joe Conason

In Big Lies , Joe Conason rips through the ten most damaging lies perpetrated by the right wing propaganda machine. This scathing, fact-filled analysis debunks it all:

- The myth that Republicans are fiscal geniuses and champions of free enterprise.
- The right's self-proclaimed monopoly on "family values."
- The conservative smearing of liberals as unpatriotic and anti-American.
- And of course, the "compassionate conservatism" of George W. Bush. (It depends on the meaning of “compassionate.”)

Big Lies confronts right-wing slander and bias with a long-awaited, badly-needed counterpunch to the deceptions that have plagued American politics for a generation.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, American History, Political Science, Journalism, The United States Of America

245 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2003

About the author

Joe Conason is an award winning political journalist and author. His best-selling titles illuminate the mendacity and malice in American Politics.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not done yet but here is my reaction thus far;

OK, The Right controls the media; thus in a sense America 2003 and past, and still today. I feel as if I know alll of this already minus the very intricate details, I was born and raised in Berkeley/Oakland I alrady know that how the Right contorsts almoust everything, but what I DO wana know is how we can revise the process, that is what I would wana read a book about NOT a libral version of ANN coulter (I have never read Ann Coulter), but as a side note (YES! FINNALY A REBULICCAN BASSHING LEFTEST ANN COULTER!!!!)

[Frederick Bingham · Rating 3 out of 5]

A litany of right-wing lies and atrocities, featuring the usual subjects, Limbaugh, Coulter, Cheney, and of course W. Everything said is true and worth of outrage. However, this book lacks the humor and pizazz of similar books by Molly Ivins and Al Franken.

[Will Byrnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why Bush is like Goebbels, or was it Goehring? Many details.

[Kim Zinkowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

B. Right-wing politics...still the same. The GOP passed their (senate version) of the tax bill last night (12/1/17).

[David Meyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some interesting details, but what stands out the most is how much of this still holds true today, almost two decades later.

[Petty Lisbon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid list of logical fallacies and scandals on the right from the Bush era.

[Andrew Johnston · Rating 2 out of 5]

I probably would have given this book a better rating when I first read it in 2004. Sadly, this book - even more so than most political books - has really suffered from the passage of time. The material is well-written but it's not terribly deep, seldom going beyond what you could have seen on a blog back in the day. A breezy, somewhat interesting read ten years ago, but not worth much today.

[sologdin · Rating 2 out of 5]

a bit ephemeral, focused on local partisan objectives in the time it was written. it's not wrong, of course--and he gives a good beatdown to the rightwing--but he's still just a democrat. that's like sending a toy soldier to WW2.

[Todd Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title pretty much covers it.

[Jim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I dashed through this one, but got the feeling that I had basicalkly read all this before, especially after reading Frankel.

[BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read through a couple of chapters and couldn't stop rolling my eyes. Disappointing. Not worth my trouble.

[Kirk Bower]

Very good. Excellent research and good writing. Highly recommend!

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Less than substantive, very partisan. Truth nevertheless.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devastating and full of information everyone should know.