Rating: Summary: A great bio, a great book 1/2 of a correct thesis Review: This is an awesome book. Like the two volumes before it Caro proves to be a master storyteller, which is just what you need to tell the story of a master storyteller. The authors paints a portrat of the senate and how it became the place that LBJ entered and also of the Civil Rights movement in ways that put you there and keeps you entertained and turning pages. The book revolves around the Civil rights act of 1957 and Johnson's efforts (and purpose) to pass it. The gist of the author's arguement is twofold: #1. Without LBJ there is no passed Civil rights act of 1957. This is an arguement that is well supported. Caro mentions how the various liberals acting on principle failed time and again to pass such a law, becasue they were more dedicated to principle then winning they were unable to make the deals to get such a law passed. Since LBJ as all three books never let principle stand in the way of his goals, he could succeed where they would fail. This thesis is right on. #2. The second thesus is suspect. It is that Johnson was an actual true believer in for civil rights. I think this arguement can't be supported by the facts shown in this and the previous volumes. I think the arguement instead is that LBJ was a true believer in being president and once president was a true believer in being remembered as a great president. I don't say that he didn't understand the right and wrong of the situation. I say he accepted the right because the took him toward the overall goal. It is apparent to a reader of these volumes that Johnson was one of the hardest workers ever to serve in the congress, but his ultimate goal was what he was working for. If LBJ spoke honestly about his purpose, I think he would have stole these lines from Lincoln: "My paramount object is to be president and not to advance or retard the cause of civil rights. If I could be president by advancing civil rights I would. If I could be president by retarding civil rights I would, and if I can be president by advancing some civil rights and denying others I would do that too. The only complaint I can give on the book is the hints of personal bias, (particularly pp 679 & 680) but other than that it is golden. Can't wait for the next one.
Rating: Summary: A hardback to buy Review: This is the one book and especially hardback in the past years that is worth every cent and maybe more. I found Caro's description of the post-war senate and Southern democrats was of particular interest and enlightening for a mid-30s person such as myself. Caro shows the political animal of LBJ in all its glory and really underlines the basic truth that politics is the art of the possible and that LBJ was an old master.
Rating: Summary: Unfortunate Bias Review: Robert Caro is as capable and talented as any biographer presently being published, and "Master of The Senate" is a worthy successor to his two previous works on Lyndon Johnson. As in the case of most any biographer, Caro has his own views and attitudes and it is not possible to completely obscure them in his writing. However, in the two previous efforts on LBJ, Caro did a better job of apparent objectivity. In "Master of The Senate" Caro's Northeastern, far left, ultra liberal orientation comes through much too forcefully. This is unfortunate. A more objective offering would have made a good biography an excellent one.
Rating: Summary: The Leader is a Reflection of His Supporters' Values Review: Biographer Robert Caro's continuing exploration of the sort of supernaturally self-interested, amorally pragmatic, dishonorably promiscuous, purely unprincipled opportunist that seems to emerge periodically to be worshipped on a level with Christ by the Democrat Party is absolutely riveting, and belongs on everyone's reading list this year.
Rating: Summary: A Masterpiece Review: I have read no book in the past 10 years that I have found more fascinating than this. It is, in itself, a graduate seminar not only on the life of Lyndon Johnson but also of the creation and the uses, and abuses, of raw political power. Johnson is a compelling enough character, but Caro's flawless writing and rich research make this book simply impossible to put down. I disagree with any reviewer who maintains that Caro's editors should have cut some text. I found everything covered in just the right amount of detail. Everything included here was essential to Caro's story. The first 100 pages, which were devoted to a history of the US Senate, were especially important to understand why Johnson's tenure as Majority Leader was unparalled in United States history. Despite its length, this book is actually a quick read because of Caro's surperb writing. Importantly, this book is a self-contained story. While Caro's previous two volumes are equally interesting and provide an important background, this book can be read alone. Johnson comes to life here, if only for the 12 short years this book covers. I anxiously await Caro's fourth and final installment on Johnson's Presidency. I can recommend no book more highly than this one.
Rating: Summary: Absorbing and endlessly fascinating Review: I finished reading The Path to Power on 8 Apr 1983 and Means of Ascent on 14 Oct 1990 and while those volumes are worthwhile reading this volume is easily the best and most attention-holding of the three. We all know that Caro is a master at doing the opposite of what a photographer or painter might do to a subject: Caro accentuates, underlines, and reiterates the flaws in Johnson, but in this volume much time is devoted to the 1957 Civil Rights bill which Johnson managed to get enacted, and so there are more good things for Caro to say about LBJ than in the earlier volumes. The opening account of the Senate's history and the extended account of Richard Russell's life and career are digressions of great interest and are exceptionally well-done, and all in all I found this book one that held my attention and great interest to the very last page. It probably will be the volume which has the most good things to say about LBJ. The interest of the material for anyone who has followed politics makes five stars essential for this book, tho one might question some of the emphases that Caro puts on his material. But I suspect that the account of how Johnson got the civil rights bill of 1957 enacted cannot be improved upon. There are bound to be in a book this size some errors, and I noted a few that I will list so that they can be corrected in the next printing. On page 20, it is said that Webster's famed Seventh of March speech was given in 1849 instead of the correct year: 1850. Page 64: Caro says in 1938 Howard Smith was the head of the House Rules committee, but he did not become the chairman of the Rules Committee until 1955! Also on page 64, and later, Caro says every major domestic law proposed by FDR after the Supreme Court fight of 1937 was blocked, but the Wage-Hour Law certainly qualifies as major legislation, and it was enacted in 1938. In a footnote on page 1075 Caro describes Elbert Thomas of Utah as a "firm southern ally" which anyone familiar with his career would know is not true: he was a consistent New Deal supporter. Page 254: Charles Tobey is called a Democrat, but he was a Republican. On page 96 Caro describes the Southern senators entering the Senate and has Cotten Ed Smith entering with Clyde R. Hoey, but Cotten Ed Smith died in 1944 and Hoey did not become a Senator till 1945 so they could not have entered the chamber together. Page 361: It is stated that Robert Taft died just four months after accepting the post of Majority leader in January of 1953; but Taft died July 31, 1953, so it is more like six months than four. Page 362: "the arch-conservative William Langer of North Dakota" is a particularly inappropriate description of the rabidly isolationalist but radical Senator from North Dakota, often denominated as "Wild Bill." Page 375: Brien McMahon is described as a Republican, which he of course was not. Page 522 calls Welker of Idaho and Malone of Nevada "midwestern" allies of Taft, which is a new way to look at those states. Page 562: Senator Hayden did not become chairman of Appropriations "thanks to McKellar's death" but thanks to McKellar's defeat by Albert Gore, Sr. (in 1952). Page 704 and page 776: Clarence Diggs, Jr. is described as a Chicago Congressman but he was a Detroit Congressman. Page 1055 names "William J. Fulbright" but his correct name is "J. William Fulbright." But these obvious errors are minor and do not mean the book is not carefully researched--even tho it would have been nice to have real footnotes instead of the difficult to follow source notes which the book has.
Rating: Summary: The Best Political Biography Ever Written Review: Robert Caro has always been a brilliant writer, meticulous researcher, and "demystifier" par excellence. No complex process, policy, or political controversy has been beyond his ability to clearly and lucidly explain. But something even new and better happens in "Master of the Senate." Caro now becomes in every sense a brilliant historian. Because, more skillfully than he ever has before -- Caro places Johnson within the much larger context of the history of the US Senate and the ongoing theme of legislative vs. executive power. The riveting and fascinating anecdotes are there, believe me. The double-dealing, the womanizing, the red-baiting, the legislative genius. All there. But they are placed smack dab in the middle of a serious and subtle analysis of the history of legislative decision-making. Quite simply the best political biography I have ever read.
Rating: Summary: Cactus On The Potomiac Review: In the shadow of LBJ are many conflicts. No doubt - the man was a genius and it is clear he delivered some outstanding changes in civil rights and social goodness. At the same time he was a horrible tyrant - very capable of crushing anyone's self esteem. Robert Caro mixes the good with the bad in describing LBJ's Senate years in the outstanding biography, "Master of the Senate." Lyndon Johnson was master communicator. He shamelessly kissed up to key mentors while terrorizing some collegues and staff. His main gift was a systemic vision of how to amplify his power throughout the Senate. In doing so he rapidly changed our society. Caro is very effective at describing LBJ without judgement, like a fly on this historic wall. The author forces us to make our own judgements, utilizing records and colorful antecedents. The entire story is informative and enjoyable. My only concern was the lengthy history of Senator Richard Russell that seemed to go on and on. Perhaps a fifth of the 1,100 pages are not essential to the story. That is why I really enjoyed the audio version of the book. It is abridges, but thorough. I especially enjoyed the various accents delivered by the narrator. LBJ was a cactus on the Potomac. Later, he will burn in the fires of Viet Nam. His light shines during his tenure as "Master of the Senate."
Rating: Summary: raving robert caro fan Review: This book is mis-classified. It reads like a fast-paced novel. I'm already through the first 500 pages and can't wait for the next 500. Robert Caro is the Master of Biography.
Rating: Summary: Caro's Best Yet Review: Being Texan, I read the first two Caro volumes on Johnson and they were indeed eye-openers. After release of the first volume it was easy to see why the Johnson family didn't support this effort. I wasn't shocked or disappointed by Johnson's early life. Like so many of the great achievers in our world, unhappiness and disappointment early in his life motivated and drove Lyndon Johnson to his great achievements later in life. Like other reviewers, I waited so many years for this volume that I wondered whether it would ever be released. Like another reader, I found I couldn't put the book down once I started it. I already knew Caro was a master biographer, one who can make history 'live'. This book is the best yet of the series. Why? Because by this volume's inception, Johnson was dealing with many other public figures well-known to readers. Caro masterfully paints the portrait of both of our houses of Congress being ruled by lonely and eccentric bachelors who were persistently seduced by Lyndon Johnson, who didn't hesitate to use his family as a tool to further his influence with these men. Caro accurately awards much credit for Johnson's success to the unfailing support of Lady Bird, who places LBJ and his comfort and goals ahead of their children. This volume also illustrates in great deal how Johnson's ambition shaped Congress in a way that is still a great influence today. One wonders where our Congressional structure would be today without his legacy there? It is reinforced repeatedly in this book, as with the earlier volumes, that LBJ's core political beliefs are very hard to pin down. However, if we look at most of our greatest political operators who reached the White House--including FDR and, more recently, Bill Clinton, this is a characteristic of all. Strangely, many of our Presidents who have been downrated in history are those who have the most passionate beliefs and principles! I did feel that Caro's handling of Johnson's weaknesses and liabilities was more even-handed than the earlier volumes. However, this may be simply because LBJ was also gaining sufficient political power to demonstrate his 'mastery'. Like another reviewer, I only hope Mr. Caro has the health and energy to finish this masterwork.
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