David Horowitz is one of the most incendiary, but most interesting, political commentators of our time. His book RADICAL SON was probably the best political autobiography since The Autobiography of Malcolm X--and a book of equal importance for what it will say to future generations.
A less intense and less broad-scoped document is his book THE ART OF POLITICAL WAR...
Speaking as a former leftist, I have to say that David Horowitz here lays out a pretty harsh but often honest map of the "progressive" mindset and how it leads them to certain political strategies. He then goes on to make some pretty interesting recommendations for conservatives and Republicans in order to make effective counterattacks.
This book is a good look into the mindset of many people fighting today's political battles. Leftists will especially find it interesting as a view as to how conservatives view them; there's a lot more here than they might expect. This document has been very popular in Republcan circles and formed at least part of the Bush election strategy in 2000.
One question Horowitz fails to ask himself (and thus his audience) is whether the extremist strategies used by some on the political left are as effective as he thinks. Horowitz mostly seems to advise conservatives to take up the most negative methods used by the hard left to win elections. The question is: will doing so alienate the "silent majority" types who resent and react negatively to the such tactics? He doesn't address this; indeed, the question doesn't even seem to occur to him.
Insightful and thought-provoking, this book played a big part in the American political campaigns of 2000, and might well play as big or bigger a role in 2002 and 2004. As such, it's very interesting reading, no matter how you feel about Horowitz or his views.
More reviews and purchase info can be found on Amazon at the following link, here, or of course at your local bookstore.
If you're a political junkie, it's a short but interesting read. For people who are genuine political partisans of the left or right, it may be a real eye-opener.