American Pravda: My Fight for Truth in the Era of Fake News

Anyone who has been paying attention to societal abuses and corruption flowing from America's Left will certainly know about James O'Keefe and Project Veritas. But unless you've been following the work of that organization closely, you probably don't know just how deeply influential and wide-ranging its effect has been. This book lays out the accomplishments of O'Keefe and connects the dots about what Project Veritas's aspirations truly are, namely, nothing less than a revolution in the field of journalism.

An interesting leitmotif throughout the book is how members of the MSM refuse to countenance O'Keefe as a bona fide journalist. One sees this even in O'Keefe's Wikipedia entry, which gives all evidence of being written and edited by people in thrall to the MSM:

===FIRST PARAGRAPH OF O'KEEFE'S WIKIPEDIA ENTRY AS OF 2/5/18===
James Edward O'Keefe III (born June 28, 1984) is an American conservative political activist. He produces secretly recorded undercover audio and video encounters with figures and workers in academic, governmental and social service organizations, purporting to show abusive or allegedly illegal behavior by employees and/or representatives of those organizations. He has been criticized for selectively editing videos to misrepresent the context of conversations and the subjects' responses, creating the false impression that people said or did things they did not.
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Note: (1) O'Keefe is charaterized as a "conservative political activitist." Having the word "conservative" in there ensures that he is instantly discredited with anyone on the Left; "activist" ensures that he's not a real journalist, but simply someone stirring trouble. (2) "Purporting to show abusive or allegedly illegal behavior." Give me a break. Nothing "purported" or "alleged" here: when O'Keefe nailed Acorn, PP, and the DNC, he caught them red handed. (3) "Selective editing" -- yes, gotta have that old chestnut in there to discredit O'Keefe.

In some ways, AMERICAN PRVADA can be read as a long and entertaining rebuttal to this Wikipedia paragraph. Read it and find out the truth about O'Keefe and his organization.

Perhaps the most important take-away for me from this book, though one I understood in another controversial context (my work on intelligent design), is that O'Keefe's media critics are implacably opposed to admitting that he has anything of value to offer and will resist him until either he or they disappear. It's as though he can't get anything right and must be shut down at all costs.

And yet, O'Keefe's reporting coups are the closest thing you'll find to slam-dunk, knock-down, remove-all-doubt evidence. He takes video of bad guys with their hands in the cookie jar, then slams the cookie jar on their hands, then photographs their bloody hands, and then tracks them to the ER to get the doctor's report.

And still ... ... ... Nothing to see here. What are you going to believe, your lying eyes and that disreputable, discredited James O'Keefe, or the august Gray Lady?

This is an important book. In it one gets glimmers of the future of journalism. At some point, reality --- a reality delineated by Project Veritas --- is going to crash so resoundingly on the MSM that they will not be able to continue business as usual, if at all. But like the Cold War and the fall of the Berlin Wall, that may still take some time. In the meantime, Project Veritas will need to keep chipping away as it has.

But I hope that it also advances the bigger vision of reconceptualizing journalism as such. In reading AMERICAN PRVADA one gets the sense that O'Keefe is smarting under the lack of respect he gets from the MSM. I would rather he be even more explicit about assuming the attitude "Who needs them anyway," and hammer out a positive vision for journalism that is not just about ferreting out corruption but about reporting the whole truth as society needs to hear it. Instead of beating your head against them, leap frog over them. Of course, O'Keefe has been doing plenty of leapfrogging, but I'd like to see him take it to the next level. I get it that for now the focus still needs to be on corruption. But this is bigger than just corruption. This is the future of journalism.

There were some small weaknesses in the book. It was a bit repetitious in places. And O'Keefe, while philosophically sound, comes across as a bit young and green in places -- but he is young, after all. On the whole, however, this is a fun read, especially if your sensibilties run counter to our leftist and progressive media.

James first book was amazing and this book does not disappoint! I would love to find a signed book somehow! I have been following him for about a decade now ever since I saw him at a Chersterton conference and have been so proud of his work! With his latest work inside Twitter, I have been so thankful! O’Keefe is just what America has needed and thank God that we have him! May he never stop and I look forward to what he will come up with next! ‘Do Columbia’!

This book contains more truth about the crisis we face today than what the media has told us in the past year. Definitely worth the purchase if you are tired of being lied to or being a sheep.

The events described in this book were covered for several months in online news sources and Fox News. But the in-depth insights behind that reporting are nearly always better explained in a book like this. For anyone who wants more insight into the 2017 Trump campaign, this is an entertaining read and should afford you some insider knowledge not reported elsewhere. The Russian collusion hoax is not covered, that broke after this book was put to bed.

So I will say I am skeptical of James O'Keefe because I don't think he does enough balanced reporting (lots of attacks on the progressive movement but not enough for the right) but overall I was impressed by this book and it does go to show how biased all news sources are and how we cannot and should not ever trust the main stream media.

I make a habit of always reading the most negative reviews first to see why someone saw the book differently,. Most of the negative reviews never specifically said why the book was "crap" or stupid they just wrote that and walked away; what they did not say was that the undercover conversations were false !!!! a major concession in my mind. Then of course the interviews were fixed or edited...James has given his critics the whole conversations on more than one occasion so I'm thinking the writers might not have been on the "right" side(bad joke) on my part. To see the underbelly of these organizations whether you love James or hate him was a revelation. I mean you "ambushed " me so I said what I really think. What kind of journalism is that. Obviously every one has private views but when you work for a newspaper it is supposed to be more like the motto of Yale, Lux et veritas

If he was being honest, James O'Keefe wouldn't claim to be looking for "truth." Never has been, never will be. He's a sad man looking to have the tropes and conspiracy theories he's ALREADY decided are "truth" and "facts" validated by any means necessary, even if it means ignoring or manipulating that truth he claims to be seeking. One could drive a truck through the holes in this book. He can write what he likes but to call it truth is just insulting to people smart enough to know better. Judging by the other more-effusive reviews, that's not many.

WOW! As one-sided as it gets.

It’s James O’Keefe writing about ‘truth’ and LITERALLY using the Russian word.

O’Keefe makes the Ministry of Truth look like a book of mathematic proofs.

Remember, he’s been sued multiple times for LYING. There’s a case as of today pending in court.
Further, EVERY investigation of the organizations O’Keefe smears has vindicated the organization and PROVED O’Keefe was peddling bull.

Don’t support him, don’t support liars in general.
If you’re honestly concerned about fake news, stay as far away from this book as possible.

Not one of my greatest reads.. I was disappointed so after being bored, I resorted to skimming this book.