Dear Teacher,

For my book, Hardball, by Chris Matthews, the subject is the game of politics, and how it is played. The thesis is that all politicians play this and though the citizens may not notice this fact, that’s just one part of the game. The author has many examples of all the parts of the game varying from Reagan’s positioning to Lyndon Johnson’s ability to speak to one person at a time, called retailing. The audience for this intriguing book is aspiring politicians, or those who want to learn the rules of politics. Everytime I see a press conference or a campaign rally, I see these rules in action. The mood is analytical. Chris Matthews looks behind every move a politician makes. The purpose is to reveal the game. As he worked in Washington he learned the in’s and out’s and made a book of it. A great book. For Spring Break, I’m going home and writing my critical essay.

Thanks,

Jeffrey B. Wisniewski