Paul Powell of Illinois: A Lifelong Democrat

Rating:
Summary: A real inside look at politics
Review: This is a fascinating look at a politican best remembered for the $800,000 he left in a shoebox (more or less) in a shabby Springfield hotel room. But Paul Powell was more than that. He was a product of a unique time and place and became a political force that for a time revolved as a "twin-sun" with the Chicago Daley Machine. This book explains how Southern Illinois shaped Powell and how his roots affected his role in Illinois politics. It's also a fascinating look at racetrack politics - a convergence that sent Gov. Otto Kerner to prison. Bob Hartley knows his stuff and has written a very readable account of a very fascinating man.