Book Review: Big Ugly

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Big Ugly     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
William F. Weld
Class/Genre:   Mystery
Simon & Schuster, Oct 1999, $23.00, 240 pp.

Though only a freshman Senator, former prosecutor Terry Mullally has both parties' bigwigs entertaining him from almost his first day in office. Republican Vice President Martha Holloway thinks Terry could be a key player that provides her run for the 2000 presidential election a needed boost. Veteran Texas Senator Happy Gilliam wants to mentor the newcomer whom he figures to help him with his run for the Democratic nomination for the country’s top job. West Virginia Senator Anson Vivian also plans a presidential run. He offers Terry an opportunity to select an independent counsel to investigate the Attorney general.

As Terry decides which person to support, his own dark dealings from the past begin to surface. If Terry knows anything, he knows how to survive. His spouse assesses the DC bigwigs as just a bunch sex crazed chimps scratching more than their anatomy. This helps Terry conclude that he has only one agenda item. He plans to more than just save his job. Terry begins to plan on his reelection over five years away.

Written from an insider’s perspective, BIG UGLY is an entertaining satirical look at presidential and congressional politics. William F. Weld paints a political picture that makes Animal House appear to be a tame frat house. Terry is a superb antihero type of character who makes the sleaze flow. His spouse provides amusing anthropological glimpses into the DC zoo. The support cast of legislative and executive Beltway Bandits add a feeling of authenticity that makes understandable the ironic contradiction of contracting out under commercial activities Vs enforcement of the Davis-Bacon Act. Like MACKEREL BY MOONLIGHT, the BIG UGLY is an entertaining but somewhat frightening political satire.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner