Citizen Moore: The Life and Times of an American Iconoclast

by Roger Rapoport

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1571431632
• ISBN13: 9781571431639
• Release Date: November 2006
• Publisher: RDR Books
• Length: 302 Pages
• Weight: 0.67 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 5.4" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Fascinating portrait of flawed hero

Michael Moore is a public gadfly, muckraker, and professional pest -- the kind of person we need many more of in these days of lapdog mainstream media. He's also, it would appear, a hero and a villain, a self-absorbed, self-promoting egomaniac who's a champion of the downtrodden masses and yet treats real individuals shabbily. A spokesman for the poor who lives in Manhattan splendor. A sentimentalist who can be totally unsentimental at times. A human being in all his contradictions. (In short, he's like all of us -- only a lot more so.) Moore's a complex individual and his complexity is fully on view in this meticulously researched book. The bottom line (for fans of bottom lines): Whether you love Moore or hate him -- the reviews never add, "or are totally indifferent to him," do they? -- you'll find something in this book to make you think, just for a moment, the other way. (And Moore is, after all, a brilliant filmmaker and humorist -- for that we can forgive him some of his tresspasses.) My only quibble with the book itself is that it could have used a professional copy editor. Really how, hard is, it to learn, to put commas in, the right place? The poor editing sometimes distracts from the story. But in the end Roger Rapoport has produced a book well worth reading about someone who, despite all his flaws, is well worth paying attention to.

A fascinating look at a complicated man

Within the past two weeks, by sheer happenstance (I found them on the public library's new acquisitions shelves), I've read two books by left/liberals about Michael Moore. This was the second - the first was Jesse Larner's "Forgive Us Our Spins" - and this is clearly the better of the two. I wanted to read about Michael Moore because I agree with him on almost everything and it troubled me that he sometimes undercuts his own cause through misleading his audience, thus giving ammunition to his political enemies. The two most obvious cases in point: (1)Contrary to the whole theme of "Roger and Me", Roger Smith of GM did indeed give Moore an extended interview; (2)"Fahrenheit 9/11"'s depiction of happy Iraqi children, while unstaged, was clearly misleading about the reality of pre-war Iraq. Rapoport describes these and other shortcomings of Moore, but he also shows Moore's great strengths. And he does so with very little editorializing. Instead he quotes his many interview sources at great length, which is far preferable to putting their thoughts into his own words. And he also quotes some wonderful Moore passages which make one realize that, despite his obvious, frustrating faults - which inevitably detract from his potential impact - Moore is much needed. He gains a wide audience for countless matters that need attention - and action - and he shows the sins and corruption of so many of the rich and powerful. As Ralph Nader says (p. 202) : "Overall Michael Moore is definitely a plus. But the problem is that if you become the issue, the subject of your message is defused."

A well-rounded biographical treatment essential for any who would understand the filmmaker's creatio

Michael Moore is both a hit film maker and best-selling author, so any who have followed his works in either medium will find CITIZEN MOORE the perfect biographical reference to understanding his life and times. Veteran investigative reporter Roger Rapoport interviews over two hundred friends, producers, agents, employees and actors who all contribute different insights: the result is a well-rounded biographical treatment essential for any who would understand the filmmaker's creations and methods. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch