Very much the work of a TV reporter Jan 7, 2001 (15 of 18 found this helpful)
This book could have been either a refreshingly new analysis of Guiliani's politics or an uproariously entertaining tale of his reign. It's neither.
Kirtzman the New York 1 man likes to talk about the chain-smoking, styrofoam coffee cup world of political camapigns. He goes on and on about Ray Harding, Peter Powers, Bruce Teitelbaum, and of course Christyne Lategano. He's gossipy, BUT not gossipy enough to tell us whether Rudy and Christyne ever hooked up, or how Hizzoner met his "very special friend" from the East Side. There's no new dirt in this book.
Kirtzman has the good sense to describe the opera buffa elements of this mayorality, but so many funny bits are left out! Where is Guiliani's aria against double-parking U.N. diplomats? His tantrum against Grammy organziers from LA? Only one sentence each about hot dog vendors, the downtown bunker, and New York magazine bus ads! Please!
The author seems to think only in campaign terms. He never settles down to tell us about the work of governing or the debates about the actual impact of Guiliani's policies on New Yorkers. No mention of the controversy about methadone treatment or West Side stadiums, for example.
Kirtman could also have told us something about the pre-1989 Guiliani, but he fails there too. Next to nothing about Rudy the student and Mob-busting lawyer.
In conclusion, the book is a disapointment because it lacks detail and it doesn't say much that's new. The other new Guiliani book is probably better.
Very engaging read! Nov 14, 2001 (10 of 13 found this helpful)
I first set foot in New York City in late 1993, right before Giuliani entered the City Hall. NYC was a mess. I was scared riding in a car in Queens when the first time a 'spongee' came along to offer windshield wiping service. Or when riding in the subway we would not dare taking out a map or a camera,anything that could hint that we're tourists. Between 1996 and 1997 I went back and lived there for 9 months, which I enjoyed very much. During this time NYC was so absorbed into the new found prosperity and success of the financial markets/industry that I rarely heard people talking about the state of the city a mere 4 years ago. To say it's as safe as Tokyo is an exaggeration of course, but for such a high density big city, it was a hugely successful clean-up from 4 years ago. Homeless and graffitti is substantially less seen in the subway system. My friends and I would now have the guts to walk on the street at 3am...
Then as time went on I heard the major had a lot to do with this change. And then I started hearing how local NYers describe Giuliani as such a fighter, never backed down from oppositions such as strike threat and stuff like that...
After 911 WTC incident, I was very concerned about anything NY, having lived there for a little bit before. From the high-profile media appearance of Giuliani, I saw him maintaining the composure well enough to offer a symbol of calmness and toughness representing NY in the wake of the disaster towards the rest of the country and the world.
Based on this and my past experience with NYC, reading this book is a joy. It's not just a story-book about how Giuliani came to power, how he succeeded and where he faltered, and from which an evaluation of his characteristics, philosophy and other inner traits. It's also an honest reflection of the social transformation of NYC during his 2 terms of mayorship. It's not easy for an average American to appreciate the unique nature of this society, whether it be racial, economic, crime or just social problems, because NY is so different from the American heartland. However, the book was particularly great for someone like me, who mostly knows the places and the background environment in which these incidents develop, but does not actually know the events described in the book much, if at all, because I'm not a local NYer.
I thought the author has produced an honest account of both Giuliani's campaigns to the mayorship and also his major tasks and difficulties faced during the 2 terms. Being a journalist, the author has written the book in such a way that it reads very practical and fast. There's a lot of substance and facts in it, with quotes from many people around the major, which I think is a very direct and insightful way of peeping into the thinking/culture of the 'inner circle'. I think the author has done a great job connecting all these together to produce a seemless flow and smooth taste throughout the chapters of the book.
For me who didn't know much about politics, this is also an eye-opener as it described the political power struggle and way of thinking so transparently by reflecting it on the daily events surrounding the major's agenda, and in general, the social happenings of a multi-racial, complex society.
The only thing I would have liked to see more in this book is a little more words on how Giuliani reacted or what he has done, if any, that's related to the great boom of the American economy and hence the Wall Street during his 2nd term. But maybe that's not quite relevant to the grand schema of things for this book anyway. So even without that part which I'd be intersted to know more about, this is still a very engaging read!