About the Author

John Stossel is co-anchor of ABC's 20/20. He also hosts ABC's John Stossel Specials reports for ABC radio, and ABCNews.com. A graduate of Princeton University, Stossel lives in New York City with his wife and two children. He devotes his time to beach volleyball, youth soccer, and his family.

Reviews

This is an account by 20/20 coanchor Stossel of his migration from consumer advocate to cash-generating libertarian who campaigns against government regulation (including disability laws) in favor of freedom of the marketplace. His political shift is noticeable in both his programs and his writing, and his credibility and tactics are called into question by his detractors-particularly those on the Left. Yet Stossel points out things we forget, such as the relatively low risk posed by much of what alarms us, e.g., dying of dioxin poisoning. He convincingly posits that the federal government is too slow to respond to serious problems and suggests that corporations would do a better job of managing some tasks than the government does. Stossel's audience acceptance ratings continue to soar, and the network allows him considerable freedom because he generates income. His breezy, sarcastic television style is maintained in his writing. Recommended for public libraries and academic journalism or communication collections where there is interest.-Necia Parker-Gibson, Univ. of Arkansas Libs., Fayetteville Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Stossel doesn't offer much detail about how he became "the first of the in-your-face TV consumer reporters," rushing through his career's start and then shifting to anecdotes from his experiences to illustrate how he reached the ideological conclusions that have given him a reputation as a rogue, a tag he both embraces and tries to shake here. Free markets are great, the 20/20 correspondent repeatedly tells readers, while government regulation stifles innovation and keeps consumers from gaining access to the best, safest products possible. Stossel calls out the federal government in particular, citing its "incompetence" and comparing the FDA to a "malignant tumor" (he also claims September 11 happened because "the FAA never asked for tighter security"). While Stossel describes himself as a libertarian, his comments on the liberal media establishment are reminiscent of those of outspoken conservative Bernard Goldberg. Many readers who nod in agreement when Stossel complains about the "totalitarian left," however, may find it harder to share his enthusiasm for extending personal liberty to include assisted suicide, legalized prostitution and dwarf-tossing. Stossel may be effective in small doses on 20/20, but his rhetorical strength diminishes when the print format requires him to go on at length. 16-page b&w photo insert not seen by PW. (Feb. 1) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.