Game ChangeGame Change
Score Modern
What it's about
In 2008 the presidential election became blockbuster entertainment: Barack Obama's rise, the fall of the Clintons, the mercurial John McCain and the arrival of Sarah Palin. John Heilemann and Mark Halperin tell the behind-the-scenes story, based on hundreds of interviews.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 7 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It reads like a political novel.
You'll love it if you liked
What Happened
A Promised Land
All the President's MenGood to know
It relies on anonymous sources. It inspired an HBO film about Palin.
By the numbers
- Readers59 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller49 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #29 of the 44 politics books we rank
- #156 of the 198 history books we rank
- #703 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1325 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons From the Twentieth Century
The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
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Quick answers
Is Game Change worth reading?
Yes. It spent 7 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #1,325 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 69.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Game Change about?
In 2008 the presidential election became blockbuster entertainment: Barack Obama's rise, the fall of the Clintons, the mercurial John McCain and the arrival of Sarah Palin. John Heilemann and Mark Halperin tell the behind-the-scenes story, based on hundreds of interviews.
How long does it take to read Game Change?
About 12 hours (482 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Game Change?
If you liked it, try What Happened by Hillary Clinton, A Promised Land by Barack Obama or All the President's Men by Bob Woodward And Carl Bernstein.