Mulcahy's compilation of pro-Democrat sentiment is an amusing if slight read. Purposefully devoid of entries by politicians, the collection attempts to capture the heart and soul of the party by asking 56 individuals—from A-list celebrities to smalltown waitresses and farmers—to explain their devotion to the Democrats. The best selections come from longtime party members such as writer James Brady, who cast his first Democratic vote for Adlai Stevenson in 1952, and Angela's Ashes
author Frank McCourt, who couples praise for the party with a cogent critique of its education policies. Despite the wide selection, most of the snapshots are too brief to pique the reader's interest. Entries, such as the submission from The Corrections
author Jonathan Franzen, read like harried e-mails (“I can't really think of what to say”) and disappoint as even articulate contributors turn in glib and flimsy arguments. Nora Ephron writes, “I barely know a Republican,” while designer Isaac Mizrahi says he's a Democrat because he's not “mean and selfish enough to be a Republican.” Littered with vague platitudes (“The Helpful Party,” “The Party of the Future”), this book is less a thoughtful commentary than a mildly diverting political sampler. (July)
