This book is a sort of biography, just like Donald Rumsfeld's Known and Unknown, and George W. Bush's Decision Points. I call it a "sort of" biography because while Cheney's book covers his whole life, a good chunk (the last half maybe) covers the 8 years he was Vice-President (just like Rumsfeld's book). That sort of skew doesn't entitle the to be called book to be called a "full biography" (at least in my opinion).
Being honest I think that most people are willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, if you're willing to admit your mistakes. Whatever you think of Rumsfeld, he would make those admissions. Consequently I've got time for the guy. he wasn't my favorite politician before I read his book. He wasn't after. But I respect him because he was willing to say "Well we were wrong about.... because..." Cheney's book is the polar opposite to that. He only grudgingly admits mistakes were made at all (by the whole administration, never by him -another way he's different from Rumsfeld), makes no apologies for them, and lashes out at those who criticize him most obviously.
This book is good because it gives you a sense of Cheney the man, and why he made the decisions he made. If you want anything beyond the most basic acceptance that any decisions he made were wrong, don't bother reading this book, you won't get them.
In fact I'm going to go back to my review of Rumsfeld's book and raise the rating I gave it to 4 stars. This book has made me realise how much better that book is.
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