Though the summary clearly says that this book is for a certain type of conservative American seeking validation in their beliefs and opinions, the title suggests that perhaps a liberal might learn a thing or two and understand the other side, even just a little bit. It’s preaching to the choir, and as someone on the opposite side of the spectrum, none of these arguments changed my mind or made me think differently about certain kinds of conservative beliefs.

It paints a picture of all people on the liberal side of the spectrum believing a rigid set of things, yet those on the other side being complex people with a variety of thoughts, opinion, and beliefs. In other words, “Not all conservatives, but yes, all liberals.”

I rolled my eyes a lot. I have never been so annoyed at a bonus chapter, and, uh, in light of last week’s events, some of this hasn’t aged well in the last year, like the part about who commits political violence. I heavily skimmed the second half and can’t recommend it, unless you need some validation for what you already believe.

It should be called 13.5 reasons to stand firm in your “conservative,” beliefs, because I don’t think it’s changing any minds. That said, if you are a certain kind of conservative looking for ammo for your next fight, or want to argue with the other side, this book quotes a great many things and will provide you with information relevant to your causes and interests.

Although I share many of the same political economic views as Judd Dunning, I was not familiar with him prior to reading this book. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving an ARC in exchange for an unbiased and honest review. This book is an excellent read for anyone want to learn more about modern conservative positions. It offers great detail and many specifics examples backed by evidence and history. Dunning is a former Democratic activist/ passionate liberal and provides an excellent understanding of both the liberal and conservative topics discussed in this book. This book is very relevant in Fall 2020. It discusses the COVID 19 pandemic , the George Floyd riots and the extensive history of Joe Biden’s long political career. The book also discusses important topics such as immigration, free speech and the Second Amendment. The thirteen reasons are discussed in a manner that looks at the liberal position and provides the conservative The “half “ reason chapter was more of an emotional and personal discussion by the author on the highly controversial topic of abortion.. I found this book did not change any of my political views but it did give me more information to support them and also provided me with a better understanding of the topics.

Disclaimer: THIS IS NOT A BOOK FOR THOSE WHO WANT SOMETHING SERIOUS.

Anyways, now that I've inserted that there. I enjoyed this book and what it had to offer, the author is pretty funny and I enjoy the satire that was added into the book. There were interesting points that he indicated about history that I wasn't aware of, and of course, I found a few areas that I didn't agree with. Overall, this book is definitely an interesting read for me, and I am glad he also cited sources and facts to back up his claims.

Well done, and well written.

13 1/2 Reasons Why NOT To Be A Liberal: And How to Enlighten Others by Judd Dunning, with Eric Golub, is a very highly recommended guide to talking to any liberal.

Dunning has the facts, research, and all the information collected here to help you answer all the insults, accusations, lies, and unfounded assumptions that are constantly yelled out to those who are conservative. It truly is a must-read guide. You may know much of the information here, but it is wonderful to have a comprehensive guide all prepared for you that presents it in an organized, logical fashion. If you are tired of liberals yelling illogical and clueless things at you, this will help you reply with confidence and clarity using facts, reason, and logic. Dunning has everything organized, with Liberal arguments (or rants and lies) followed by the facts. There may be a movement to rewrite or erase history, but there are still plenty of us who do know our history and facts. (Although I have this review copy, I am buying my own hardcover copy.)

INTRODUCTION
PART I ECONOMICS
Chapter 1: Big Government Fails at (Almost) Everything - Republican Party Small Government Pro-Growth Platform
Chapter 2: Life Is Not Fair and People are Inherently Unequal- Free-Market Capitalism and Individual Liberty
Chapter 3: Big Green Elephant - Climate Change, Responsible Progress, and Real versus Junk Science

PART II CULTURAL AND SOCIAL ISSUES
Chapter 4: You Are Not a Bigot - Colorblind Conservatism and the Myth of the GOP as Racist
Chapter 5: Justice Does Not Need an Adjective - Constitutionalism, Social Justice, and Special Rights
Chapter 6: Life Is Not a Safe Space - Free Speech versus Leftist Political Correctness
Chapter 7: American Exceptionalism Is Not a Hate - Patriotism, Excellence, and Gratitude
Chapter 8: Jews and Christians Don’t Blow Up Airlines - Judeo-Christian Values Are American Values

PART III SAFETY AND SECURITY
Chapter 9: Freedom Is Not Free, Might Does Make Right, and Reluctant Interventionism Is Just - Strong Military and Foreign Policy
Chapter 10: Guns for (Almost) Everyone - Criminals by Definition Do Not Obey Laws
Chapter 11: Every Nation Secures Its Borders - Immigration
Chapter 12: Violent Anarchic Mobs Are Bad - The Decline of Law, Order, and Civility

PART IV TRUMP
Chapter 13: Facts Trump Feelings and Deeds Trump Words - Results Trump Everything

PART V Bonus Chapter
Chapter 13½: Babies Are Beautiful and So Are Women’s Rights - Abortion
Conclusion: First Principles, Final Thoughts

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Humanix Books.
After publication the review will be posted on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

What could and should have been an engrossing and enlivening book peters out into a discursive assemblage of thoughts. Marinated in right wing ideology and sautéed in its philosophy, “13 ½ Reasons”, is an unashamed paean to Conservatism and the Conservatives. Judd Dunning, in his book, pays exaggerated obeisance to Donald Trump and in the process resorts to waging a blistering attack on the Democrats and their principles. While the intention as professed at the outset – to engage in informed deliberations with a bipartisan bent of mind in tackling issues that transcend party politics and philosophies – is noble, the execution falls explicitly and woefully short of the avowed cause. The end seems to be tangentially divergent from the means. While Dunning raises a few issues that are both topical in their contemporaneity, and ambivalent in their perception, the better part of the book, however, is lost, unfortunately in a byzantine exercise of personal vilification and vituperative outrage.

The title of the book itself is a throwback to the transformation induced in Dunning, in so far as shifting allegiances go. An actor and a producer known for his roles in ‘The Young and The Restless” amongst others, Dunning hosted a horde of television shows, including ‘Conservatively Unplugged!’, and ‘Judd Dunning Unplugged!’ A former liberal and a Democrat, Dunning is now an uncompromising Conservative, and 13 ½ Reasons is a Handbook for Conservatives to handle the many popular allegations hurled by Democrats against their opponents.

Part 1 of Dunning’s book titled “Economics” glorifies free market capitalism and also expounds on the supposed fallacies and foibles of a big government. There is no pulchritude or putsch here since, the segment is a reinvention of the tried and tested spiel that has become the hall mark of every Economist graduating out of the neoclassical school of economic thought pioneered by Milton Friedman, and perfected by the Chicago School of Economics. Railing against measures that advocate redistribution of wealth and lambasting selective bail out strategies that rescue a Bear Stearns but leave Lehman Brothers all strung up, Dunning pooh poohs Keynesian economics. As he does in every part of his book, he takes recourse to a few books to bolster his arguments. His Man Friday in the Chapter on Economics is Tom Del Beccaro, and his book, ‘The New Conservative Paradigm.’

The most interesting segment of the book however deals with the climate change and global warming conundrum. There is no semblance of doubt that the common man/lay person is left staring from the depths of a cleave which has at either side an outlook that is contrasting and conflicting. From one side abutting the chasm, emanate Panglossian voices in the mode of a Steven Pinker trying to assuage us that all is well. From across the optimistic side of things are hurled pessimistic warnings from prophets of doom such as Andrew Dessler, who claim that the only opportunity we had to save Planet Earth was the one that passed us by, yesterday! The outspoken student environmental activist Greta Thunberg recently was the receiving end – rightfully so in my personal opinion – of the scorn of a million Indians, when she expressed umbrage, via her Twitter handle, over a decision made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India to go ahead with a professional examination called National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (“TEET”) in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thunberg’s hold on the intricacies surrounding the topic is as good as the hold which the Cro-Magnon Man had over the laws of thermodynamics. While acknowledging the perils of climate change, Dunning exhorts the need for cultivating a balanced outlook between anthropocentric changes and natural causes that imperil the environment.

Dunning also makes some telling points about the disturbing ascendancy of the woke mentality where every harmless and genuine comment is painted with the brush of neologism. As Dunning illustrates, according honest appreciation for the manner in which a woman is dressed or for the patterns in her attire would attract a cant of prejudiced mentality and an incredulous accusation of judging a woman not for her intellect but for totally extraneous factors.

The most controversial Chapter in the book is reserved for gun control, or rather against it. Taking firm refuge in the Second Amendment, Dunning argues that gun control is evil and the possession of guns solely as a matter of self defense leads to a considerable reduction in crime. Resorting to arguments ranging from the shallow to the silly, Dunning engages in a circular argument about employing guns for defensive purposes rather than for any offensive action. He also brings about an incredulous argument that elucidates that “in England, where it’s almost impossible to get a gun, a woman is three times more likely to be raped than in America.” In so far as support from books are concerned, Dunning’s companion for this Chapter is National Review’s John R. Lott Jr, the President of the Crime Prevention Research Centre and his book, titled, surprise surprise, “More Guns, Less Crime.” Dunning in all probability has been reading the wrong book. His point of reference ought to have been “Repeal the Second Amendment: The Case for a Safer America” by Allan Lichtman.

Dunning also shoots himself in the foot on a few occasions in the book. Whilst directing his anger at the woke brigade for misinterpreting genuine comments of appreciation as exercises in gender bias, he engages in some of his own with gay abandon. In listing out a litany of ‘improper sexual conduct’ practiced by Joe Biden (every single one of which looks like Montessori stuff when compared with the shenanigans of Trump), Dunning completely absolves Trump of all his sexual misdemeanors by terming them as consensual.

The final Chapter of the book however makes for some poignant reading as it touches on various facets of the abortion debate. A debate between pro-life and pro-choice. Here Dunning takes a measured approach. While scorning at the landmark verdict in Roe v Wade, he also emphasizes that each State ought to be accorded an element of latitude in formulating their own choices, and well within the limits of statutes such as the Human Life Protection Act, and Reproductive Health Act.

Overall, 13 ½ Reasons flatters to deceive.

(13 ½ Reasons Why Not to be a Liberal by Judd Dunning is published by Humanix Books and will be released on the 10th of November 2020.)

I was honestly hoping for some good arguments that summarize "the other side" but I'm afraid what you get with this book is a well-organized set of rants that don't actually contain much in the way of logical argument or proof. Statements appear to be based on a lot of assumptions that you may or may not agree with. Disappointing but also illuminating. Worth a rapid read.

Definitely not a book for all, but as someone that takes things on the lighter side I enjoyed. It helped me understand my own conservatism more than I had in the past.

Eye opening. As a conservative I look for some talking points and this helped. Not my normal
Read but worth it

I received an advance copy of 13 1/2 Reasons Why NOT To Be A Liberal, by Judd Dunning. Judd is a former liberal. This book is a great logical read, Its gives you help to have a discussion with a liberal, and maybe at the same time convert them.

13 1/2 Reasons Not To Be A Liberal and Enlighten Others is a gem of a book. Author Judd Dunning clearly presents the liberal side of the topics today that can be guaranteed to get folks’ panties in a knot and then calmly presents the well documented (and end-noted) facts that counter liberal claims. This is a highly readable book, not at all pretentious or stuffy. Our Founders valued liberty far above all. They valued equality of opportunities, not equality of outcomes. We have different talents that lead in different directions. They put constraints on the power of government. Mr. Dunning has no problem criticizing both parties when policies have attempted to pre-engineer an outcome at the expense of liberty. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

This book was complete and utter garbage. The tone of the writing has nothing to do with helping America move back to a more Conservative view point, but rather, its sole purpose is to "own the libs." It's this kind of childishness that is literally driving moderates to more liberal viewpoints, NOT because they agree but because they're looking for sanity and maturity. Instead of making the case for Conservative views, the author merely paints Liberals as lawless, stupid, selfish, and lazy. Any Conservative (or Moderate) with friends or relatives who hold more liberal viewpoints will see right through it for what it really is: an attention-grabbing ploy to make powerful GOP voices sit up and take notice.

Dude? You're not getting a Cabinet position under Trump, so quit trying so hard. Even if you did, he'd fire you within the year.

If people really want to help America return to Conservative views, they need to grow up, act like caring adults, and present real-world strategies for how those values benefit ALL of us, not just their elite few.

Garbage book, don't waste your money, your time, or your brain cells.

This book was so great. I really liked the set of having one overarching point, stating the liberal arguments, and then countering them with facts. It was really well written and defended the conservative viewpoint with facts and logic. I also really appreciated the look into the Hollywood leftism. This is great for people who liked "Conservative Comebacks to Liberal Lies".

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy.
On Netgalley, this book had many thumbs down for it's cover.
Though I know the real reason is the Title. It's very threatening to tolerant Liberals. I should know, I was one. No one "down votes" any other book on NetGalley. It's a sad commentary on where we are and have been for the better part of 2000.
Anyway.
This book made me laugh (that's a compliment!) I had no idea who Judd Dunning was until I started reading this book. It's not laugh out loud funny, but it has it's humorous moments and doesn't take everything so seriously.
I've been reading Conservative books since about 2007.
I'd read books similar to Dunning's book (comparing/contrasting the differences of the parties). However, what makes this different from the rest is that flows so easily. It helped me understand Capitalism in way that was really never explained before.
I feel like it's almost impossible to change a liberals mind when everywhere they look, they are told they are brilliant and anyone else is a fool. But this book will make you feel more confident when conversing with a liberal and give you the ability to walk away with smile instead of a grimace.