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American history, biographies, book reviews, LBJ, Lyndon Johnson, presidential biographies, Pulitzer Prize, Robert Caro, US Presidents
“Master of the Senate: The Years of Lyndon Johnson” is the Pulitzer Prize-winning third volume in Robert Caro’s series covering the life of Lyndon B. Johnson. Caro is a former investigative reporter and the author of another Pulitzer Prize-winning biography: “The Power Broker” reviewing the life of Robert Moses. He is currently working on the fifth (and presumably final) volume in his LBJ series.
Published in 2002, “Master of the Senate” covers Johnson’s life from 1949 through 1960 – the dozen years he spent in the U.S. Senate. With 1,040 pages, this is the longest of the four volumes which have been published to date. And while books in this series are designed to stand on their own (for anyone interested in just one part of LBJ’s life) this volume is most compelling for readers tackling the entire series.
Fans of Caro’s series will quickly recognize his writing style: it is articulate but often long-winded. Sentences are frequently complex but incorporate profound observations. And like preceding volumes, “Master of the Senate” is supported by painstaking research and an ability to dive deeply and thoughtfully into a topic. But while the primary story line itself is inherently fascinating, protracted digressions and diversions are common.
This third volume begins with a lengthy but often engrossing history of the United States Senate. The first half of this introductory section is so stirring and descriptive that I read it twice to ensure I didn’t miss anything. But as informative as this 100+ page preamble proves, it eventually overstays its welcome and needlessly delays LBJ’s appearance in the narrative.
Once the biography turns to Johnson, it rarely lets go. The narrative focuses almost exclusively on LBJ’s political life and the public world in which he operated. This volume chronicles his crusade to accumulate and exert power – from his earliest days in the Senate up to his nomination as his party’s 1960 vice presidential nominee. Not covered here (reserved for the next volume) is LBJ’s attempt to obtain the 1960 presidential nomination which was ultimately secured by John F. Kennedy.
Caro is at its best while revealing LBJ’s shrewd efforts to quickly gain credibility, power and influence in the Senate. Nearly one-third of the book is devoted to the Civil Rights Act of 1957 and the political maneuvering which ensured its passage. And where the narrative in previous volumes is often hostile toward LBJ, Caro employs a noticeably softer touch here in light of Johnson’s extraordinary “pivot” on civil rights.
Like earlier volumes, Caro provides mini-biographies of important supporting characters of the era. Chapters on Richard Russell and Leland Olds are excellent…though Caro could have been far more efficient with his review of LBJ’s political evisceration of Olds. Surprisingly absorbing is the later chapter describing how Johnson spent the weeks following his 1955 heart attack.
But some of the very best chapters in this biography are those devoted to the difficulties faced by African-Americans in the early-to-mid 20th century South and LBJ’s public and private attitudes toward minority rights. “The Compassion of Lyndon Johnson” is undoubtedly one of the best chapters from any book I’ve read recently.
Almost as captivating is Caro’s examination of Johnson’s effort to gain the 1956 Democratic presidential nomination. This canny review includes a lengthy and detailed chapter on the Chicago convention which will appeal to almost any reader. Not surprisingly, however, the chapter would have been equally effective (and more accessible) at half its length.
Typical of Caro’s volumes is that much of LBJ’s personal life is sacrificed in order to focus more fully on his political life. Readers interested in understanding LBJ’s marriage to Lady Bird, his relationship with his children, or the disposition of his alleged dalliances will not come away significantly enlightened.
More irksome for many readers, however, is Caro’s penchant for literary loquacity. Nearly every topic he reviews – from those aimed squarely at LBJ’s life to the numerous tangents he incorporates to supply context and supporting detail – could have been covered with far more efficiency. As good as this book is, its unnecessary heft undoubtedly intimidates many potential readers.
Overall, Robert Caro’s “Master of the Senate” proves to be far more than a biography focusing on LBJ’s years in the Senate: it is essentially a political history of the United States during the 1950s and a fascinating primer on the acquisition and use of political power. At its worst it is insightful but tediously turgid; at its best it is good – astoundingly good.
Overall rating: 4½ stars
Great review, I agree. This is the best of the lot IMO.
Though I haven’t read this series so far (it is sitting on my bookshelf), I am a little surprised that you haven’t given it a higher rating. However, I can understand your point when it comes to efficiency. I am reading Chernow’s Grant right now and I could imagine Caro doing a three-volume set on his life, including a 1,200 page tome just on his Civil War duties. Chernow completes his life in one volume and I haven’t felt cheated yet. I guess it’s just a matter of expectations. I am looking forward to Caro’s series, though. It might be verbose, but if I leave the series a little more enlightened, not just in LBJ’s life but in history as well, so much the better. Thanks for the review!
The only substantial aspect of Caro’s biographies I’m disappointed with is the length. I don’t mind hefty biographies; in fact, I’m increasingly skeptical that a biography under 400-500 pages can be truly insightful & comprehensive. But Caro’s writing and ability to penetrate a topic is so so phenomenal when he isn’t straying too far from his subject that when he does wander off-topic for a chapter or two it kills the momentum for me. That being said, this is still one of the best series I’ve ever read… 🙂
Perhaps the biggest reason why I like reading presidential biographies so much is the actual writing styles of the authors. Usually within a single volume I am engrossed in an individual’s life while immersed in U.S. history. Of all the writers I have read, Chernow is hands down the best. Every now and then while I’m reading Grant, I have to stop and savor some of his passages. Such mastery of language. But sometimes I seek to be challenged where the writer’s prose style is a bit verbose and demanding and I suspect that’s what Caro offers. On the flip side, I just completed reading Edward Jean Smith’s Bush, which is about 700 pages. His writing style is pretty economical and I finished the book in about a week, yet I didn’t feel cheated from anything. As long as I am engrossed in the subject that doesn’t drag me down, then it doesn’t matter how big the biography is.
You nailed it right here:
“fascinating primer on the acquisition and use of political power. At its worst it is insightful but tediously turgid; at its best it is good – astoundingly good.”
This would equally apply to The Power Broker. Both are phenomenal studies on the accumulation and uses of political power.
“The Power Broker” is sitting on a shelf staring at me – so I’m glad to know what to expect! Sounds as though Caro’s style hasn’t wavered despite several decades having passed since he left journalism and became a biographer. Fingers still crossed he manages to finish Vol 5 with time to spare!
Reblogged this on Practically Historical.
I’ve only read the first volume so far. Absolutely loved it. Trying to stretch them out, but your reviews are making me want to jump back in!
Several people told me in advance that this series would “change my life.” I have to admit…it’s quite an impressive effort on Caro’s part and I’m enjoying it immensely! The individual volumes would rank as the very best of everything I’ve read if he was a little more efficient with his writing style but there are sections of each volume that are not short of phenomenal. I’m almost done with volume 4 at this point and I can’t believe I’m going to have to wait to read his concluding volume!
Just finished this volume earlier this week. And it really is a masterpiece. A little editing probably would helped, but the set-up for how the Senate worked and all the little digressions into the various solons that ran the place is probably necessary to make the section on the Civil Rights Act of 1957 work the way it does. Because that really is a heck of a story and one that most people don’t know a damn thing about, overshadowed as it (rightfully) is by later, better legislative achievements like the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
This also contains what has to be the fairest portrayal of Richard B. Russell, and still makes me want to march on Washington and rip his name off the RSOB (which I worked in at one time and had basically no understanding of who Richard Russell was).
I find Caro’s contempt for LBJ in this series frustrating at times (it was taken to almost absurd heights in Means of Ascent), and I wonder how much of it is rooted in Caro being a historian and never being a politician. Douglas is treated ever so kindly here, despite his inability to achieve his goals. Humphrey gets whacked for kowtowing to Johnson’s line; any sacrifice of principle to pragmatism almost always seems to find Caro’s ire…until the 1957 bill.
But it’s a great book in an excellent series.
I agree. Thinking back I really appreciate the deep insight into the Senate as well as the Russell mini-bio. With that editing it would have been almost a 5 for me. I’m definitely going to have to go back and re-read this one sometime.