I don’t read a lot of political stuff. It just frustrates me. You can see my rant on politics here. But every now and then I see a review that tempts me into something political. This book, “The Death of Conservatism,” promised an overview of conservative political history … and since I like history, I figured I’d give it a try.

But it disappoints. If you are a liberal, you’ll love this book. If you are a conservative, you will despise it. And if you are a moderate, like me, you’ll just shake your head and think “more of the same.” The author simply can’t hide his viewpoints, and even though much of what he says is insightful, he ends up being a cheerleader for his agenda. It undermines his credibility in my opinion. There are many sections I actually agree with — strongly agree with. But what does it matter if he’s preaching to the choir? This book does little to persuade his detractors of anything, and merely gives fuel to his peers about how to misunderstand the other side.

If you are a conservative and read this book, listen carefully. Set aside the hyperbole, absorb some of the legitimate criticism, and try to learn about the history and roots of your political viewpoints. There is much here to hear. It will help you see how your political party has done a great deal to add to the dysfunction of our great political system.

If you are a liberal or progressive and read this book, listen carefully. Note how the author gives praise to the right for often being in touch with what Americans want. Note that he calls Clinton and Eisenhower conservative (but no other Presidents of the 20th or 21st Century). There is much to learn from his reasoning.

But in the end, no matter your political viewpoint, I don’t think this book does much to move us forward. There are some interesting insights, but as Publishers Weekly said, “The arguments are more surprising than the conclusions.”