"(The book) has impressive breadth, describing the influence of public opinion from Plato's cave to modern times". -- Richard L. Berke, New York Times Book Review

"Fishkin has greatly enlivened debate about public opinion and democracy.... He offers an engaging view of the virtues of direct democracy". -- Robert Y. Shapiro, American Political Science Review

"A book about a fundamental problem of American democracy. ... Anyone ... will find this slim, well-written volume an invaluable launching pad for further thinking and discussion". -- Doris A. Graber, Political Science Quarterly

"Fishkin's thesis is that governments have lost touch with the 'voice of the people, ' which has been submerged in a welter of polling, petitions and lobbying. (He wishes) to discover what people really believe -- or would believe if they had a proper technique called Deliberative Polling.... Empowerment or enlightenment? A bit of both, perhaps". -- Economist