The Years of Lyndon Johnson: The Path to Power

 

This is a very LONG and DETAILED book of President Lyndon Johnson's growing up years in Texas to his life as a young congressman. 

I would love to say Johnson was a man of high moral character and integrity, but, sadly, I cannot. Are there any politicians who are not into power in the long run? Did he have any convictions about anything? He supported the New Deal until Roosevelt died, and then he didn't. He was just wanting to be president, and he would do anything to pave that path to power. One thing he did have: DETERMINATION, but to what end?

How appropriate that I would finish this book on the author's 85th birthday! 

I think Caro is fastidious and detailed about too much. His books would be much more accessible if he edited things a bit. (Do I really need to know every last detail about kerosene lamps in rural homes?) I will say that I learned a ton about Johnson and about the differences in the urban and rural areas in terms of basic necessities like electricity. It was shocking. 

This is only one of four volumes written about Johnson, and Caro has yet to write the final volume! 

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