PositiveThe New York Times Book ReviewTailspin distinguishes itself within the America Gone Wrong genre in three important ways. First, it comes to life when Brill focuses on the legal shifts and stalemates that ushered in the country’s current predicament, examining how these changes rippled across the rest of society ... Second, as the subtitle suggests, Brill leavens the gloom of Tailspin with vignettes of individuals and organizations working to counteract the overarching negative trendlines. These range from college presidents who prioritize admitting deserving, underprivileged students to OpenSecrets, which provides greater transparency into campaign contributions. It may sound medically impossible to get revved up about sober, middle-of-the-road think tanks like the Bipartisan Policy Center or the Center for Responsive Politics. Brill nonetheless manages to inspire with stories of government made good ... The third way in which Tailspin distinguishes itself is the number of times the phrase \'unintended consequences\' appears ... Brill describes so many unintended consequences that he may leave the reader skeptical about whether any reform efforts can improve matters. He would have been better served to devote more attention to systems that actually work ... In a downbeat era, Tailspin offers some modest ammunition for hope.
