Tag Archives: Caro

How bad was LBJ?

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The man himself: LBJ.

Reading book two of the Robert Caro series on Lyndon Baines Johnson at the moment. These are four epic pieces of non fiction, researched over many years, rightly winning all the plaudits.

I started with little knowledge of the guy other than the fact that he made it to the White House; details of his upbringing were unknown. The way he made it into politics was also unclear.

The thing that’s standing out to me as I near the end of book two – Means of Ascent – is how low this guy was prepared to go to make his political dreams come true.

I won’t spoil the plot. The usual antics of the power hungry are clear throughout, but there’s a deeper urgency to ‘make it’ on his part. A true desperation. The pages reek of it.

His wife, ‘Lady Bird’ Johnson, survived him by a number of years, hopefully to enjoy a life that would never have been possible with him still alive, sucking up all of the glory.

The lies, endlessly cultivating a false impression, wrapped up and sold to hapless voters in all parts, are a theme all of their own.

And the voters bought it. His supporters got what they wanted and their man got the top job he craved, no matter what it took to get there.

There are so many lessons in this story. I’ll let on more when I work through the series.

Robert A. Caro

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Ever heard of Robert Caro? I thought not. Look him up and get your hands on his work. If you have, you’ll know why I reckon he’s The Man in terms of writing and journalism. He’s still working, well into his 80’s. It’s a job that he’s filled full of passion through the years.

His life’s work has been telling the stories of only a couple of men who changed society in their own ways. His first book, The Power Broker, describes the rise and fall of the most powerful unelected official ever to hold office inside a democracy, Robert Moses. The guy built the infrastructure of modern New York City – parkways, public parks, bridges, beaches, and tunnels – but ruined numerous lives – those of everyday politicians brave enough to vote against his projects, anyone in a property on a route he wanted to develop, and anyone else who got under his feet – along the way.

The Power Broker won the Pulitzer Prize in the 70s when it came out after a few years in the making. The title sums it up but the combination of great investigative journalism, sound non-fiction wordsmithing and a killer story underpin why Obama credits it as the book that got him into politics.

I’m biased – I admire the man. His work shines as a beacon of hope in today’s world of influencers and fakery. He’s a brilliant writer. He calls in his lunch order to the same cafe, the Cosmic Diner, at the same time every day. Talk about consistency. Give his work a try if you’re into biographies and non-fiction.