The Complete Idiot's Guide to American Government, Second Edition

• #34 in Best Politics Books

12 Reviews

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I went to a private high school that did not offer a course explaining the structure and function of the US government. I'm in my twenties and I live in Washington, DC. I was feeling like the BIGGEST idiot in town.

This book did its job; it outlined the federal government, it discussed local government, and it presented the complexity of the three branches of government in detail that helped me to understand current events on a deeper level.

It could have been better. Some aspects of the Bill of Rights were not explained very well. And once or twice I felt that the book was trying to tell me which politics to agree with (e.g. during discussions of supreme court precedent cases and during the definitions of "republican" and "democrat").

Overall, however, it was an easy read and there were lots of interesting facts. For example, the first woman elected to congress, the longest filibuster in history, and how many times certain constitutional amendments were proposed before they passed.

This book will not provide a cure for "politicians don't care about my vote" depression, but it cures ignorance with facts and provides encouragement by explaining how individuals can get involved in running the country, at least on a local level.

I now feel ready (and even eager!) to read more complicated texts. Also, I feel that my vote is just a little more meaningful than before, now that I actually know what I'm voting for and why I am voting.

This was the only American Government that covered most of the subjects for the American Government CLEP test. Unlike a lot of idiot books, this one is well written and doesn't talk down to you. I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to get a better grip on what's going on in Washington, and WHY.

I used it as a secondary source in preparing for the CLEP in American Government. I found Cliffs QuickReview of American Government to contain the same information but much more concisely. If you want additional interesting tidbits concerning government then the Idiot's book is for you. However, if you are looking for a prep book for the CLEP exam then get the Cliffs book.

This is not to say that the Idiot's book is bad. It is a good book that is packed with information.

This simple book is excellent as an introduction to American civics. It begins with the development of our nation's constitution and progresses from there. While some of the areas don't go into enough detail (the Bill of Rights, for example) they do allow the reader to discern structure in our government and identify specific areas for further study.

I've never had any interest in politics and government. But now, as an adult it is virtually impossible to escape it. Whether it means holding an intelligent conversation or stepping into the voting booth I've realized that it is so important to understand how our system works in order to understand the information thrown at us and make informed decisions.
This book really helped me get there. Now, when I watch CNN I actually understand what I'm hearing. I'm also more comfortable with my political affiliation. A friend of mine is very informed on the subject and I have always admired his level of intelligence. Part of my reason for buying this book was to increase my ability to have an informed and unbiased discussion on today's most important topics.
I would recommend this book to any high-school student studying American government or any adult feeling they want to understand our system better. The amount of information in the book is huge!! Don't try to memorize anything but the fundamentals. Other than that, either read through it, retain what you can, and keep it around as reference.

this book was alright. There are better books. Personally, I like Congress for Dummies a lot more. Besides, this book didn't help me on the CLEP test at all

This book provided a lot of essential information about the American Government and how it functions.

Easy reading on the plane to immediately get smart on how the American government and the different branches work.

If an idiot's guide is hard to follow, what's the next step down? I found the format to be too 'busy' to follow easily, lots of information and small print. I'm not sure what could make it better, so I'm putting the blame on myself rather than the author or publisher.

Good book, breaks down the majority of the american government for the typical dummy (like myself) to understand quickly. However, it did not get into the weeds about Congress, so I purchased the book "Congress for Dummies" as a supplement.

The book was a little more worn that I expected, but still in good condition, especially for the price I paid for it. Very quick shipping, thanks a bunch!

In preparation for the American Government CLEP, I combined this book as well as the American Government (Cliff Notes Review). With only 6 days to prepare (I had just taken Western Civ 2 CLEP) I read the "Idiots" and then reviewed the Cliff Notes. This was apparently enough as I scored a 58 (B grade). As a good portion of the exam weighs on trends in American Government, the book successfully incorporated both facts and trends in a concise and understandable manner to digest in such a short period.