Product Description

The most up-to-date general reference book on the history and structure of U.S. government.

This overview of all the government’s major institutions and agencies, the election process, and the creation and passing of laws and taxes has been updated with the latest information on such important issues as campaign finance reform, fundraising, and homeland security.

• Completely updated resource section includes the latest government websites

• The only American government book to include the results of the 2004 presidential election

• Re-structured to complement high school and college political science/civics courses

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #153566 in Books
• Published on: 2005-06-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 416 pages

About the Author
Mary Shaffrey is the Washington correspondent for the Winston- Salem Journal. In 2004, she covered the presidential and later vice presidential campaign of U.S. Senator John Edwards.

Melanie Fonder is the press secretary for Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle. She most recently was associate editor for WisPolitics.com, an online political news service. Fonder is working on her M.A. at the Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin.

Customer Reviews

What? You didn't take Civics in high school??
I went to a private high school that did not offer a course explaining the structure and function of the US government. I'm in my twenties and I live in Washington, DC. I was feeling like the BIGGEST idiot in town.

This book did its job; it outlined the federal government, it discussed local government, and it presented the complexity of the three branches of government in detail that helped me to understand current events on a deeper level.

It could have been better. Some aspects of the Bill of Rights were not explained very well. And once or twice I felt that the book was trying to tell me which politics to agree with (e.g. during discussions of supreme court precedent cases and during the definitions of "republican" and "democrat").

Overall, however, it was an easy read and there were lots of interesting facts. For example, the first woman elected to congress, the longest filibuster in history, and how many times certain constitutional amendments were proposed before they passed.

This book will not provide a cure for "politicians don't care about my vote" depression, but it cures ignorance with facts and provides encouragement by explaining how individuals can get involved in running the country, at least on a local level.

I now feel ready (and even eager!) to read more complicated texts. Also, I feel that my vote is just a little more meaningful than before, now that I actually know what I'm voting for and why I am voting.

A reader
I used it as a secondary source in preparing for the CLEP in American Government. I found Cliffs QuickReview of American Government to contain the same information but much more concisely. If you want additional interesting tidbits concerning government then the Idiot's book is for you. However, if you are looking for a prep book for the CLEP exam then get the Cliffs book.

This is not to say that the Idiot's book is bad. It is a good book that is packed with information.

Good for CLEP test
This was the only American Government that covered most of the subjects for the American Government CLEP test. Unlike a lot of idiot books, this one is well written and doesn't talk down to you. I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to get a better grip on what's going on in Washington, and WHY.