A Colossal Wreck: A Road Trip Through Political Scandal, Corruption and American Culture

By Alexander Cockburn

Alexander Cockburn was without question one of the most influential journalists of his generation, whose writing stems from the best tradition of Mark Twain, H.L. Menchken and Tom Paine. Colossal Wreck, his final work, finished shortly before his death in July 2012, exemplifies the prodigious literary brio that made Cockburn’s name.

Whether ruthlessly exposing Beltway hypocrisy, pricking the pomposity of those in power, or tirelessly defending the rights of the oppressed, Cockburn never pulled his punches and always landed a blow where it mattered. In this panoramic work, covering nearly two decades of American culture and politics, he explores subjects as varied as the sex life of Bill Clinton and the best way to cook wild turkey. He stands up for the rights of prisoners on death row and exposes the chicanery of the media and the duplicity of the political elite. As he pursues a serpentine path through the nation, he charts the fortunes of friends, famous relatives, and sworn enemies alike to hilarious effect.

This is a thrilling trip through the reefs and shoals of politics and everyday life. Combining a passion for the places, the food and the people he encountered on dozens of cross-country journeys, Cockburn reports back over seventeen years of tumultuous change among what he affectionately called the “thousand landscapes” of the United States.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Sep 10, 2013
• ISBN: 9781781681824

Alexander Cockburn

Alexander Cockburn (1941-2012) was the coeditor of CounterPunch and the author of a number of titles, including Corruptions of Empire, The Golden Age Is in Us, Washington Babylon (with Ken Silverstein) and Imperial Crusades. One of three brothers, all journalists, he is the son of the journalist and author Claud Cockburn. Born in Ireland and educated in Scotland and England, he moved to America in 1972, soon establishing himself as a radical reporter and commentator, writing for the Village Voice, the New York Review of Books, Esquire and Harpers. He also wrote regular columns for the Nation, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, New Statesman, and his influential newsletter CounterPunch. In 1991 he settled in Petrolia, a rural hamlet in Humboldt County, Northern California, where he remained until his death.

Reviews for A Colossal Wreck

[ohsillytwigg · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I have to admit: I only read the 1st 100 pages. This is a REALLY long book.There really isn't a plot of any sort, it's a mishmash of short stories. Cockburn may have been intelligent, but he was not concise.

[datrappert · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One doesn't have to agree with all of Cockburn's opinions to appreciate this book. Throughout, he is consistent in his skewering of politicians of all stripes. There are very few, short of outright communists, that he admires. George W. Bush comes in for some well-deserved criticism, of course, but so does Bill Clinton. Cockburn also gets straight to the heart of Barack Obama's weaknesses. And he has nothing good to say about Hillary Clinton. Despite this curmudgeonly attitude, Cockburn still emerges as a complex, caring individual with interesting character traits, such as his love of old American automobiles. Although this book is long and frequently depressing as it details abuses of power around the world, it is compelling reading from start to finish. Anyone wanting to get up-to-date about the truth of the 20th and early 21st centuries needs to read this. Unfortunately, with Cockburn's death in 2012 there are few journalists with the intelligence and writing skills to continue his battle against hypocrisy.