Book: Bland Ambition

If you think that the happenings in Washington D.C. today are anything new and different, reading Bland Ambition by Steve Tally will likely change your mind. It seems that not much has changed in our nation's Capitol since 1789.

This political satire includes brief biographies of the men who held the position of Vice President of the United States of America. The subtitle reads: From Adams to Quayle - the cranks, criminals, tax cheats, and golfers who made it to Vice President.

Dan Quayle (remember him? He's the one who said he wished he had taken Latin in school so that he could communicate better with the people in Latin America.) is the person who inspired this book. Unfortunately, it was written during the Bush/Quayle administration, so that we don't know Tally's opinion of Al Gore, Dick Cheney, or Joe Biden.

Tally sometimes sacrifices clarity for humor (I wasn't always sure, without doing further research, exactly when an event occurred), but the facts themselves are all accurate. I've read lots of political biographies and Tally's descriptions square with what I know - even if his interpretation is somewhat unique.

I found this book most useful in gaining perspective on Washington politics today. I sometimes worry about our country and it's current atmosphere of anger and vindictiveness. I keep reminding myself and other that we survived the administration of Richard Nixon. It's a relief to know we've survived a whole lot more, too.

What Are You Reading?

This morning, I finished volume 4 of The Years of Lyndon Johnson by Robert Caro. I'm not sure exactly when I began volume 1, but it was sometime in 2012 when volume 4 was published. I heard a review of the newest volume on NPR, but didn't want to begin anywhere except at the beginning. There will be a 5th (final?) volume, but probably not for many years.

Each volume is about 1,000 pages of small print. They're all incredibly interesting, but still slow reading. My strategy has been to borrow the book from the library. The loan period is 3 weeks plus one renewal. I usually can't get through the entire volume in 6 weeks, so I return it as I need a break. This is when I read a few mystery novels. Then I borrow the Johnson book again and finish it.

The Kennedy/Johnson campaign in 1960 is the first presidential election I really followed. I was in high school when Kennedy was assassinated and Johnson became president. This 4th volume that covers 1960-1964 includes incidents I remember.

The entire series has been nothing short of fascinating which is why I've persisted through 4 massive books. Robert Caro writes in amazing detail, but his writing is never boring. It is vivid and engrossing. Reading any part of the Johnson story, I can practically feel myself in the situation: what life was like in the Texas hill country during the Depression; why the U.S. Senate works the way it does (it was designed to be "thoughtful" i.e.slow and plodding). I've learned so many things. 

I strongly recommend these books to everyone, even those not interested in American history or government, though reading them is definitely a commitment.