The Race

The cutthroat world of Politics! Why do people do the things they do to other people? You enter a political race then you drag up dirty laundry on your opponents, you destroy lives and don't seem to care, welcome to the world of Politics. The more I kept on reading the book, the more I loved Corey and Lexie, their relationship and their honesty with each other. When you become a political candidate, you can't hide, everything in your life is public knowledge. Corey goes on vacation to Cabo with Lexie and there are people sneaking around taking pictures of intimate moments for the tabloids. I don't envy those people one bit. Governor Blair was selected to be a VP candidate and he was living a big lie, too bad it all had to come out the way it did. Whatever you do in the darkness will come out in the light and if you know you life is not on the up and up stay the hell out of Politics, it a no win situation. Corey was as smart as he was honest, he had his share of tragedies and made his share of mistakes but he turned out to be a better man for it. I'm gald to see he made the right choice not only in his political life but his personal life as well. I totally enjoyed the book, found it a fascinating read.

Corey Grace, a war hero and Republican senator, wants to be president. He's not sure if the time is right for someone like him, however: his party has been taken over by Bible-thumpers and the hard right, and he's moderate, an agnostic and 'soft' on gays. Events conspire to make him decide to run, and this book is as much about Grace's fight for the soul of his party as it is about his run for the presidency. For those who prefer to read about Democrats, be warned: Democrats barely rate a mention here, and most of those - in the POV of the characters - are disparaging. But fear not: you'll still find this gripping. Internicine strife, party politics, dirty tricks, manipulative behaviour, exaggerated claims designed to destroy other candidates: they're all in here. And some, too, have an amazingly prescient feel to them. This book, amazing as it seems, was written and published before the 2008 election campaign. There were times when I had to check the publication date given events in the book. What strikes me most about this book is that it's such a convicing account of what has become the reality of politics - and much of life - in America: for all the talk about freedom, there really is very little. Freedom of speech? Not if you want to talk about gay rights, opposing gun ownership, different ways of financing public services and even increasing taxes. Freedom of religion? Only if your religion of choice is Christianity. If you're of another religion, or none, forget it. It would be easier for the proverbial camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for an atheist to be elected to national political office in the US today. And, of course, the assumption is made that there's only one strand of moral beliefs permissible if you're Christian, an assumption Patterson challenges several times through Corey Grace's words, and later the words of General Cortland Lane (a thinly-disguised Colin Powell). The ending was a tad fantastical, and also unnecessary in my opinion, but that doesn't spoil a hard-hitting, very credible critique of the state of right-wing politics today. Very much enjoyed this book.

Spot on book on politics in America. Brilliantly written. The characters literally jump off the page and grab you. It would be great to read a follow up. The Senator and Lexie have quickly become my favorite couple. Thank you Mr. Patterson for showing how as Christians we have prostituted ourselves to the political process and one party..

I totally agree with Ms Daneman's review. I could not put this book down. More than once I went back to the copyright page to see when it was written. It is a timely story, especially in this presidential election year. It is not a read I will soon forget.

This book was loaned to me a few days ago by a friend. Had never read Patterson before but I loved this one! A real page-turner and SO realistic and timely it was uncanny. It also gave me more insight into politics in this country today and that's a bit scary. The corruption is there but hopefully with the correct candidate in place come November....like the fiction novel Patterson wrote, there's hope. Highly recommend this book.