Taft 2012

Taft 2012 is a quick, quirky, funny and surprisingly touching little book.

Jason Heller creates a world in which Taft disappeared nearly a hundred years earlier, only to reappear in the White House garden in 2011. He quickly gets up to speed on what has changed while he was away and before he knows it, becomes swept up in the 2012 presidential race.

The book maintains a light touch throughout. It is consistently humorous while also being poignant and sometimes very insightful. Taft takes you back to a time when presidents were held in higher regard and sometimes even had the principles that modern-day politicians only pretend to have. Taft comes from a time when presidents really were larger than life, and in his case, quite literally show more so. In a time where people want to be inspired, Taft is a figure who can inspire them.

Looking through the eyes of someone who hasn’t seen the gradual changes the world has gone through in the last 100 years is eye-opening for the reader. The political aspects here are accessible and designed not to offend persons of any political stripe, or at least if they do, offend persons at all points along the political spectrum equally.

Perhaps the greatest thing I can say about this book is that the fictional Taft has given me a new-found respect for the real one. The writing is clever and entertaining and often moving. I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes a little politics with their humor, or vice-versa. I was fortunate to receive an early review copy of this book. show less

Even my rather conservative mother agrees that Taft 2012 is hilarious! (Actually, she read it in one day - an unheard-of feat for her - while it took me four.) Heller's satire is light-hearted, great for those of us who, like me, don't quite 'get' politics in the first place. I was very pleased that the author attacks American society and government as a whole, not specific people. He could have said a lot about Obama, but the name is never even explicitly said. Aside from a few details, the current president and any other key figures in the book could be just about anyone.

I also enjoyed the fact that Taft 2012 is not just about politics, but also about the media and part of America's food supply. William Howard Taft's discovery of such show more inventions as Twitter and some of the nastier of processed foods ("Didn't Teddy Roosevelt pass an act against this stuff a century ago?") are too good to put down. Though, I must say, I felt sorry for Taft at a few points. One hundred years after the presidency he never really wanted, he's resurrected to run again - and all America thinks about is his enormous appetite, wide girth, and signature mustache. show less

This book could be considered a satire on politics, or the intense 24 hour media scrutiny of pretty much everything in the news, or a call against overly processed foods. To me it was just a fun look on how a person from the early 20th century reacts to life in the 21st century. The one thing that I didn’t like was the constant sidebars about TV shows or Twitter; they kept interrupting the flow of the story. All in all though it was an enjoyable story.

In an alternate universe, President Taft disappeared from The White House on the morning of Woodrow Wilson's inauguration in 1913, never to be heard from again. In 2011, he suddenly reappears and finds himself in an America he doesn't really recognize. This was a fun premise, with some good humor, especially in the early going, but it started to flag about halfway through. Heller has some good points to make about the state of American politics and the American polity, but I grew a bit weary of the whole thing.

A president disappears right before his opponent is due to be sworn into office, only to reappear nearly 100 years later, right before the beginning of a contentious primary season. The setting is 2012 and the president from the past is none other than Ohio’s favorite son, William Howard Taft. How does rotund and ridiculed former president navigate the shark-infested waters of 21st century politics? The answer is in Jason Heller‘s Taft 2012.

Why Taft? Maybe (in part) because most people know nothing about him (or am I projecting?), giving Heller a wider historical playing field. Or, most likely, because Taft is the perfect lens to view how far the Republican Party and the country as a whole has strayed from its roots, the reluctant show more hero.

I found this book thoroughly enjoyable and very funny piece of fluff. Taft’s reactions to the changes in daily life in the past hundred years go beyond the “oh my god look what they’ve done” acknowledging that not every new thing was beyond the experience or imagination of our ancestors. I especially liked his surprise that the cell phone is such a recent addition to our lives. Heller also takes a few pokes at political talk show hosts and third party partisans who see what they want to see in their politicians, as opposed to what’s really there.

As much as I enjoyed the book, I left wanting to know more. The premise is clever and the message is clear. But Heller flits from one scene to another, never really delving into any one area. What about Taft’s feelings about outliving all of his peers? We get a taste, but only enough to raise more questions, not enough to answer them. I would also liked to have known more about his budding relationship with his member of congress great-granddaughter and her family as well as seeing more of Secret Service Agent Kowalczyk.

Would I recommend this book? Absolutely! But don’t expect it to change the world (or even your mind). show less

First off, in the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that in high-school, a friend and I decreed that all mentions of the words "William Howard Taft" would be replaced with "Help, I'm stuck in the bathtub!" Mr. President #27 is a bit of a punchline in the annuals of history, which may be why Heller took on this book.

In the world of Taft 2012, Taft never became chief justice. Instead, he disappeared on the day of Woodrow Wilson's inauguration, only to stumble, muddy and befuddled, into a White House lawn press conference a few months prior to my writing this. We never learn how this happened, and after a few tests, no one important in the book really doubts his innate Taftness. Part of me felt really frustrated about this, but show more let's face it, there's no way Heller could explain this president unstuck in time without making it stupid. Instead, he's allowed himself a silly little premise to play with, and runs with it.

It's no surprise that this book is a satire. Though, it's less about politics (which were always dirty) and more about media and consumption (which may have always been dirty, but were never quite as artificial as they are now). His big point is how many pundits reference prior administration's policies without providing context, thereby completely distorting their significance. Perhaps more surprising is Heller's desire to show a fuller picture of Taft. He brings up his often sensible and modest decisions that were maligned compared to the gung-ho moxie of his fire-cracker predecessor. Taft isn't just a fat man, but a good man who never really wanted to be president, but did his best in the time he had.

The book is equally modest. It's satire is always rather obvious, but not enough so to get into zany absurdist humor. There are a number of scenes that are really unnecessary except for a build up to a couple laughs, and a twist that's both expected and not entirely sensical. However, Taft really is a sweety. You give him a lot of sympathy, both for his bizarre displacement and his deep disappointment. Even his pair of long monologues make sense with his real-life history of verbosity. Taft 2012 isn't great, but it's fun and smart. People with a bit of modern political savvy will get a kick out of the games Heller plays and may just give President Help I'm stuck in the Bath Tub the second chance he deserves. show less

What a treat to read a book that is pure fantastical fun! An imaginative plot with a satirical twist that had me finishing it in one sitting.
President William Howard Taft has returned in 2012 after mysteriously disappearing at his successor, Woodrow Wilson's, inauguration. He hasn't aged a bit and the citizenry of the United States falls in love with Taft and his political honesty.

Coming in an election year with our current parade of buffoons, I myself wish President Bill Taft would show up and come to our rescue!