"All Too Human"

I'm re-reading George Stephanopoulos' memoir, All Too Human: A Political Education. I guess it's the third time for me. I find myself noticing new aspects, heretofore unnoticed signs of descriptive power.

And I find myself enjoying once again his ability to step outside his personal experience and yet live it again for us page by page. It's such a vibrant tale of the life of an idealistic mind. His is also a mind tuned to every temptation of power and privilege. Perhaps not in 1991 or 1992, but certainly by 1998, the still young Stephanopoulos sensed how he had lost sight of the goalposts. He had fallen in love with the political game, the rush of adrenaline from a deal and all the rest.

I just adore his style. The recreated dialogue, with facial gestures to boot. The cursing. It's that sense of being "in the room" that he hits on the nail. He taped lots of his reminiscences of life in the White House soon after the fact. He played back the greatest hits, took notes on it, and created this memoir.

"Becoming a True Believer." That chapter heading says it all.