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I laughed when I read the review below. Nothing like a senseless diatribe to get me to write one of these things! First of all, the reviewer seems to be one of the overweening self-proclaimed genius-types that really would hate this book, mostly because THEY DON'T GET IT! Michelle's point wasn't that we're like everyone else. When she wrote this, no one thought we lacked party affiliation and our volunteerism rates hadn't been written about. She was the first. Now this guy posts a sneering review about this being the worst book he's ever read? Try accurate, pal! Try ahead of it's time. But then, he probably wouldn't realize this. Old guard political types wouldn't.

I came to bury Mitchell, not to praise her. But after reading her own post and the five star reviews, I've reconsidered -- Not! Mitchell truly deserves kudos for turning some people on to politics. But if you want to get interested in politics you should start somewhere else. Anywhere else. I kid you not, I'm sitting by 6 x 10 feet of bookshelves packed with political books and this is The Worst I've ever read. I had high hopes for "A New Kind..." and Mitchell deserves credit for attempting to attack the stereotype of GenX apathy. With a bow to her post comments which say otherwise, this book is too top heavy with case studies. And case studies do not make a case. Okay, so GenXers excel at computers and watch MTV and listen(ed) to Pearl Jam. Fine. But then they vote and volunteer like pretty much everyone else. And in a way that's probably Mitchell's point, that they're as active as anyone. But I was hoping for a unique vision, or at least a clear take on what Generation X means to her. And within the chaotic writing (how many times did she hit 'cut' and 'paste' to try to throw such disparate thoughts together) that would get an English teacher's red pen smoking, neither a vision nor a cohesive theme can be found. I just turned 34, and am more in step with the "Blank Generation" (who came of age during Reagan, punk, and Wall Street 'heroes') than the younger crowd Mitchell covers. Still, I had very high hopes for this book. And while it may be more ambitious than, say, cheap supermarket Tom Clancy knockoffs, "A New Kind..." stands as the worst political book I've ever read.

In this book, Michelle Mitchell clears up one of the biggest misconceptions about the 18-35 year old crowd. Too often they are written off as self-indulgent, tuned out brats. Mitchell makes the compelling case that what is often perceived as cynicism is really just healthy skepticism. After all, this is a generation that has been marketed to and spun for their entire lives. No wonder they want to know the facts and judge for themselves. She also makes a stong case that what this generation needs more than anything else from their political leaders is authenticity. They want someone who will tell them the truth, even if it is unpleasant and then lay out a compelling vision as to how to approach the problem, an approach that includes a role for them. Until such a person comes along, this generation will be perfectly content to satisfy their political urges in local direct action and forego much activity on the national political scene. If what you do isn't going to make a difference, then why bother playing that game? Why not play a game that show immediate results, seems to be the attitude.All in all, this is an enjoyable read that is filled with insight for anyone who hopes to reach this increasingly important demographic block of voters.

I felt compelled to write a review of this book after reading the pompous piece by the self-promoter below. It was no surprise to learn he is a freelance writer and a baby boomer and that he assumes the author of this book, who obviously (if you read her bio) has a writing background, would be based in video. I liked this book a lot--if he found it so distasteful, how does he explain how right on it was on nailing the political trends of 2000, considering the book came out two years earlier? The breezy, informal style made it readable, something that I can't say for many political books. I suggest the bitter reviewer below keep his advice to the author to himself. She doesn't need it.

I despised this book. I felt it displayed two distinct and unhealthy tendencies: making what used to be called "good citizenship" seem a major innovation on the part of 18-to-35 year old "Gen X-ers," and betraying an almost pathological hatred of older Baby Boomers. (Hey lady, we didn't ask to be born in record numbers!) Along with that goes a prose style that is "loopy" in both the literal and slang senses of the word: it buzzes round and round topics without really getting into them, and it employs too much slam-bang hyperbole. My advice to the author: CALM DOWN and realize that the metaphors you learned in video production don't automatically transfer to the printed page. You keep telling us and telling us that your generation has plenty to say, and I'm sure it does, but if it says so in print it will have to say so in a linear, sequential fashion. Where is Jedediah Purdy when you need him?