Filled with news-making revelations that made it a New York Times bestseller, this fast-paced, behind-the-scenes narrative tells the inside story of how the Bush administration used bad intelligence to sell—and then justify—the Iraq war.
Veteran reporters Michael Isikoff and David Corn take the listener behind the scenes at the White House, the CIA, the Pentagon, the State Department, and Congress, where controversial decisions and turf battles were fought in the highest circles of the Bush administration.
Hubris connects the dots between George W. Bush’s determination to get rid of Saddam Hussein, the role of the neoconservatives in pushing the case for war, and the outing of a CIA officer, which led to the indictment of a top White House official. It's a dramatic page-turner and an intriguing account of conspiracy, backstabbing, ineptitude, and, perhaps most especially, arrogance.
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"Very well researched and seemingly an unbiased report of how the Iraq war really got started. I have learned to hope for more from the government of the USA, but to expect very little. I have learned that a group of men and women from all classes and walks of life, all apptitudes and skill levels can ....at any point...do better than the legal eagles and well heeled men and women on the hill."
— Steffie (4 out of 5 stars)
“The most comprehensive account of the White House’s political machinations…Fascinating reading.”
— New York Times Book Review“This ideal combination of well-written research with a skilled narrator produces a listening experience much greater than the simple sum of its parts. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”
— AudioFile“Indispensable…There have been many books about the Iraq War, and there will be many others before we are through. This one, however, pulls together with unusually shocking clarity the multiple failures of process and statecraft.”
— Washington Post“Pulls together with unusually shocking clarity the multiple failures of process and statecraft that led so many people to persuade themselves that the evidence pointed to an active Iraqi program to develop weapons of mass destruction and that it was in the interests of the United States to overthrow Saddam Hussein.”
— Washington Post Book World“A bold and provocative book.”
— Tom Brokaw, #1 New York Times bestselling author" Seems like a number of books I read have to do with "what happened." (I have a bunch of engineering disaster books I have yet to add here.) I think my curiosity in that way led to reading this. It has a ton of detail, maybe too much for those not riveted by the subject, but it was strange and scary trip I found mesmerizing. "
— Scott, 2/19/2014" Isn't as well written as "Fiasco". "
— Jana, 1/30/2014" I thought it was a good read, but it may not be for everyone. I found myself daydreaming through parts only to have to re-read the section. The author pieces together information that I have heard from separate sources into one book. If you know the key players then you may really enjoy the book, but there may be others out there that do a better job. "
— chris, 1/27/2014" This book is a bit "He said, she said" but really quite revealing. The basic disregard for the intelligence experts by the administration is the core of this book, and to see it spelled out so clearly and sourced so thoroughly reminds us why Bush's approval ratings fell so far. "
— James, 1/20/2014" This is a great and very detailed account of the intelligence failures of the Bush Administration leading up to the war as well as a step by step time line of where, when and how. I don't think anyone reading this book can ignore the complete and udder arrogance this administration processes, and well as their complete failure and attempts to hide that failure. "
— David, 1/18/2014" Not much new here, but a compelling read nonetheless. "
— Jenny, 1/15/2014" This book has a definite liberal bias, but all in all it's a good summary of how the American people got snookered, if you will, into the second Iraq war. And now, after the fact, what's done is done and it is what it is. It is insightful to know how we got where we are, though. "
— Rae, 1/13/2014" Disturbing. More disturbing. Proof that 'where there's a will, there's a way'. Damn. "
— Cynthia, 1/7/2014" Puts a lot of stuff I already know in a deeper - and horrifying - context. "
— Lady, 12/31/2013" Much like Woodward's books of late, I'm thoroughly enjoying this, but it's also making me a little ill. "
— Edjusted, 12/10/2013" The real problem with books like this, no matter how well crafted, is how it builds one's cynicism toward national leadership in general "
— david, 12/7/2013" You have to really want to finish this thing... "
— Julie, 12/2/2013" assholes. kinda repetitive. infuriatin' too. these fuckers got some 'splainin' to do when they get in fronta god. "
— Bob, 11/21/2013" I always get this one confused with 'Fiasco.' "
— Barron, 8/22/2013" Richard Armatage was the outer of Valerie Phlame. George Bush probably really believed there were WMDs in Iraq but it didn't really matter to him anyway. Dick Cheney and Carl Rove are really dangerous people who don't listen to facts. "
— Jef, 8/7/2013" Wanting to know more about how and why Bush's team took us to war in Iraq, this treatise fills the bill. Some of the detail(s) probably were more than I needed. "
— Jimcgold, 7/8/2013" Excellent reporting tied together by a compelling narrative. A cautionary account of what can happen when the ruthless and dishonest lead the incurious. "
— Raimo, 2/2/2013" 956.7044 I The title tells it all. Written by two well known journalists. What was interesting is that Isikoff leans right and Corn is liberal. "
— B, 11/9/2012" Required reading for anyone who voted for Bush, or wants to offer his/her opinion of the war. "
— Carla, 8/26/2012" I find Isikoff very detailed yet easy to follow. "
— Tena, 8/16/2012" What a bunch of fibbers. "
— Dan, 2/25/2012" Really hard to ignore that the author is one of the many reasons the war was successfully sold by the mainstream media to the American public. "
— Rayne, 1/13/2012" Can you guess just how far the right will go? "
— Martine, 12/15/2011" when i read this book i stopped hating George bush as much as i did before, politics in America is a lot more complicated than i thought. but 80% more honest and in favor of the public. "
— Pegah, 11/11/2011" Excellent! great audio book. long, but totally worth it. "
— Jose, 10/31/2011" While a little depressing, Hubris was a really fast read. It's almost 19 hours long, but it really flew by. It reads kind of like a suspense novel with so much deceit and backstabbing. "
— Kristiana, 3/4/2011" A very irritating book. Irritating because of its content, not for any other reason. Well researched and written. We were lied to and led into a war we should never have fought. "
— Larry, 3/3/2011" Excellent! great audio book. long, but totally worth it. "
— Jose, 10/20/2010" Looking for validation of how angry you are at the Bush White House... STILL. This'll get your dander up. "
— Juli, 9/14/2010" I find Isikoff very detailed yet easy to follow. "
— Tena, 1/30/2010" I don't care what side of the political aisle one might be in. You have to read this book. Our government lied to us in so many ways it will startle you. We cant allow any administration to have this much control of the entire system. George Bush was technically King for 8 years "
— Darrell, 12/13/2009" Can you guess just how far the right will go? "
— Martine, 9/3/2009" when i read this book i stopped hating George bush as much as i did before, politics in America is a lot more complicated than i thought. but 80% more honest and in favor of the public. "
— Pegah, 7/15/2009" Disturbing. More disturbing. Proof that 'where there's a will, there's a way'. Damn. "
— Cynthia, 6/17/2009" Much like Woodward's books of late, I'm thoroughly enjoying this, but it's also making me a little ill. "
— Edjusted, 4/5/2009Michael Isikoff is an award-winning Washington investigative journalist and the author of three New York Times bestseller. He has worked for the Washington Post, Newsweek, NBC News, and Yahoo News and is a frequent guest on CNN, MSNBC, and other networks. Daniel Klaidman is an award-winning journalist and author of several books. He spent more than a decade at Newsweek, where he served as managing editor, Washington bureau chief, Middle East correspondent, and investigative reporter. He was a key part of the teams that won National Magazine Awards for Newsweek’s coverage of 9/11 and the Monica Lewinsky affair. He has been editor-in-chief of Yahoo News.
David Corn is the author or co-author of three New York Times bestsellers. He is a veteran Washington journalist and political commentator. He is the Washington bureau chief for Mother Jones magazine and an analyst for MSNBC.
Stefan Rudnicki first became involved with audiobooks in 1994. Now a Grammy-winning audiobook producer, he has worked on more than five thousand audiobooks as a narrator, writer, producer, or director. He has narrated more than nine hundred audiobooks. A recipient of multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards, he was presented the coveted Audie Award for solo narration in 2005, 2007, and 2014, and was named one of AudioFile’s Golden Voices in 2012.