This was my first Chomsky, and it was everything that I’d expected going in. I’ve seen a few of Chomsky’s debates and speeches, and his opinionated but thorough analyses of world affairs comes across similarly here, along with his penchant for sprinkling playful sarcasm every now and then.

Regarding the US operations in the Middle East, Indo-China and Central America, which are recurring case-studies in the book, there are many horrific events that I know of only thanks to Chomsky's diligent investigating (his documentary Manufacturing Consent is also worth a watch). Chomsky is a force to reckon with in global political discourse, armed with an (enviously) extensive knowledge bank of facts to back him up every step of his argument. While I had an idea of the situation in Cuba following the missile crisis, I was not prepared for the horrors inflicted by the powers in other parts of the world, with little to no regard for humanity. Chomsky does a commendable job in highlighting condemnable actions of past US presidents, and in case you were wondering, it also includes Obama.
The book seemed somewhat structured to drill his case into our heads, but I found that useful anyway. It didn't end with a "What you can do about it" section, but then again Chomsky knows that ordinary people can't really go about their own investigations all the time; it's a job that's best left to public intellectuals. That fact, although a bit unsettling at first, ultimately might to be our best recourse.

I think whether you agree with his analyses or not, there is no denying the need for eye-openers like these to be much more visible in bookstores. And even if the truth evades Chomsky still, at least I can tell his heart is in the right place in starting up a dialogue.