The King Whisperers

June 1, 2011

Swint (political science, Kennesaw State Univ.; Mudslingers: The Twenty-Five Dirtiest Political Campaigns of All Time) offers an illuminating study of the real power players, the behind-the-scenes movers and shakers in political history. His work is divided thematically by philosophical and/or psychological approach, e.g., "Machiavellian," "Silver-Tongued Devils," and "Schemers." These are somewhat traditional divisions--Swint does not dig deeply into the particular philosophies. Within each type, he provides a brief historical-political biographical snapshot of exemplars covering a wide variety of time periods and cultures. Examples include Dick Cheney as a Machiavellian, Leon Trotsky as a silver-tongued devil, and James Carville as a "Fixer." These snapshots are well defined, with Swint highlighting the specific details that align with the section each person represents. VERDICT General readers interested in political history and political science will find this a captivating book. Not for academics or specialists because there's a lot of nuance left untouched, although the bibliography indicates a good amount of research.--Elizabeth Zeitz, Otterbein Univ. Lib., Westerville, OH

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