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Drift
- The Unmooring of American Military Power
- Narrated by: Rachel Maddow
- Length: 7 hrs and 31 mins
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Drift
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Publisher's Summary
The #1 New York Times bestseller that charts America’s dangerous drift into a state of perpetual war. "One of my favorite ideas is, never to keep an unnecessary soldier," Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1792. Neither Jefferson nor the other Founders could ever have envisioned the modern national security state, with its tens of thousands of "privateers"; its bloated Department of Homeland Security; its rusting nuclear weapons, ill-maintained and difficult to dismantle; and its strange fascination with an unproven counterinsurgency doctrine.
Written with bracing wit and intelligence, Rachel Maddow's Drift argues that we've drifted away from America's original ideals and become a nation weirdly at peace with perpetual war, with all the financial and human costs that entails. To understand how we've arrived at such a dangerous place, Maddow takes us from the Vietnam War to today's war in Afghanistan, along the way exploring the disturbing rise of executive authority, the gradual outsourcing of our war-making capabilities to private companies, the plummeting percentage of American families whose children fight our constant wars for us, and even the changing fortunes of G.I. Joe. She offers up a fresh, unsparing appraisal of Reagan's radical presidency. Ultimately, she shows us just how much we stand to lose by allowing the priorities of the national security state to overpower our political discourse.
Sensible yet provocative, dead serious yet seriously funny, Drift will reinvigorate a "loud and jangly" political debate about how, when, and where to apply America's strength and power--and who gets to make those decisions.
What the critics say
"Thank Ms. Maddow for picking this and every other fight that Drift provokes. It will be a smarter public debate than the kinds we're used to." (Janet Maslin, New York Times)
"Maddow’s distinctive voice in Drift is highly intelligent, often incredulous and intermittently and humorously profane...Her thesis, which is passionately and effectively articulated, remind[s] us of how far we have drifted from linking the sacrifices of our armed forces around the world to the citizens at home they so selflessly serve… Maddow…[has] provided readers with a timely and perhaps necessary provocation to examine the far-reaching consequences of the American way of war." (Gordon M. Goldstein, Washington Post)
"Crosses partisan lines and deals with issues that deserve a healthy debate...A compelling, intelligent read filled with Maddow's trademark wit." (Mary Houlihan, Chicago Sun-Times)
What listeners say about Drift
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Adnan Safdar
- 2021-02-03
History and analysis of American wars
American war misadventures and its political backdrops of self aggrandizing white house administrations. Held hostage to world's largest war machine that is eroding the US, politically and economically.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Don B
- 2020-01-18
Cecil John Rhodes Applauds
Restless mind and spirit that always brings you to harbour although sometimes only by canoe. Appreciate the personal narration immensely. Bj Canuck
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- payne
- 2021-12-16
Changes the way you look at the world!
Book was great. The narrator was perfect, the small zinggers kept it light. ( even tho the topic is heavy)
A must read/listen!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- EnaGaile Sagert
- 2019-10-28
A must read
Everyone should read this informative book, it opens ons eyes to what really goes on behind the closed doors of government.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- 🇨🇦Jordan 🇨🇦
- 2020-02-03
I wish more books were like this.
Once again Rachel made informing people of a subject a learning experience. Good book!
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Barbara M.
- 2021-12-26
Drift…with Racheal reading ROCKS !
There is nothing more interesting than a good book read by its extremely talented writer. It is a very important and interesting work made into an extremely informative yet fun listening experience by the skillful presentation by its extraordinary author. It is serious, sometimes fun, explanation of misplaced faith in a seriously broken system. Rachael manages to make this very scary topic of misplaced trust incredibly informative yet entertaining…it is her gift !
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