"Taking Heat", by Ari Fleischer

Brian Gongol

One-paragraph review: Ari Fleischer's memoir of service in the George W. Bush White House had the potential to tell a lot of colorful stories about a President who probably doesn't get all of the credit he deserves for his dignity and humility. Regrettably, the book instead reads too much like a long list of grievances against the White House press corps. Nearly an entire disc of the (abridged) audiobook is devoted to cataloging how "liberal" Fleischer perceives journalists to be. Putting aside any matter of the truth to that speculation (and broad characterizations of groups of people are just that -- speculative), it simply isn't flattering. Perhaps the book was written too soon after Fleischer left the job -- before sufficient time had passed to heal some raw wounds.

Verdict: Too many sour grapes.