The Last Hurrah

by Edwin O'Connor

The nephew of an old-style Irish-American politician becomes involved in his uncle's last campaign for public office

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Politics, Literature, Literary Fiction, Novels, American

427 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1956

About the author

Edwin O'Connor was an American journalist, novelist, and radio commentator who won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1962 for his novel The Edge of Sadness (1961). His ancestry was Irish, and his novels concerned the Irish-American experience and often dealt with the lives of politicians and priests.

Reviews

[Elyse Walters · Rating 3 out of 5]

…Dark comedy
…American politics in the 50’s with Frank Skeffington running for mayor… told mostly through the eyes of his nephew Adam Caulfied.
…Funny - insightful
…A tad slow..a little long—
…But many endearing qualities.

3.5 rating - appreciated it. Liked it - a little dated in my opinion. But interesting to compare with politics today.

[James Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last Hurrah, published in the mid-nineteen fifties, was Edwin O'Connor's first success and his most popular novel. The plot of The Last Hurrah focuses on a mayoral election in an unnamed East Coast city. Veteran Irish, Democratic Party politician Frank Skeffington is running for yet another term as Mayor. As a former governor, he is usually called by the honorific title "Governor." While the city is never named, it is frequently assumed to be Boston. As a result of this novel, he was forever associated with Irish Boston—although he never did quite admit in interviews that he had used Boston’s greatest rascal, the often-elected mayor James Michael Curley, as the model for Skeffington. The story is told in the third person, either by a narrator or by Adam Caulfield, the Mayor's nephew. Skeffington is a veteran and adept "machine" politician, and probably corrupt as well. The novel portrays him as a flawed great man with many achievements to his credit. One of Adam's friends explains that the election was "a last hurrah" for the kind of old-style machine politics that Skeffington had mastered. Developments in American public life, including the consequences of the New Deal, have so changed the face of city politics that Skeffington no longer can survive in the new age with younger voters. And prophetically, for the first time, television ads win the day.
Reading it as a teenager in high school I was fascinated with the realistic portrayal of politics and the impact on the city and family of the larger-than-life Skeffington. Both a popular and literary success when published, it remains in my memory as one of the best political novels I have ever read.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it...the reason could be that I remember Spencer Tracey did the movie. As I read the book I visualized Tracy.

I felt the story did depict politics at that time....and coming from an old political and special little town...I understood the favors, etc...and did see how old political ways eventually.

I wouldn't doubt this could indeed be Thomas Curley's life! What a charismatic character he must have been.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another terrific read! This is another book from the list of books about America that should be read by foreigners looking to learn just how this country of ours works.

This one is about urban politics during the first half of the 20th century. Arthur Schlesinger said it is "The best American novel about urban politics."

It is an hilariously funny read about a most serious subject. It's not always pretty, and Frank Skeffington, the main character, is not always admirable. But he's a man of his times and culture, and O'Connor has pegged him perfectly. You may not always like him or how he runs his city, but you care about him. He's real. He's likeable in an odd sort of way. And all his various cronies and hangers-on are funny, sad and pathetic all at the same time.

When they all come to the realization (Skeffington first) that the old order is on the way out and that their time has passed, it is just heartbreaking.

The book is supposedly set in a city in the Midwest, but O'Connor was a Bostonian, and it has always been assumed that he wrote this about Boston politics. Think the Kennedy family -- in particular the patriarch, Joseph Kennedy.

Edwin O'Connor was an immensely talented writer. He won the Pulitzer for The Edge of Sadness in 1962, and this book won the Atlantic Monthly Prize in 1956.

You will probably need to go to a library for this one. It's out of print. I found my copy through a rare book dealer.

[Charles Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book after reading O'Connor's The Edge of Sadness — which won the Pulitzer in 1961. The Edge of Sadness is one of the best books I ever read. The Last Hurrah, written in 1956, is a great portrait of the dying of a political era in Boston — an era of Democratic ward bosses and the last moments of absolute Irish political rule. The funny thing is, Boston is never mentioned but it's clearly about the city. There are wonderful laugh out loud moments in The Last Hurrah and some wonderful descriptions of the kind of loyalty that now seems thing of the past. I grew up in NYC during the 1950s and 60s and I love the atmosphere of that period. In some ways this reminded me of some of the William Kennedy Albany novels.

[Pat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Politics, politics, politics. It was a tedious read and I only finished it as it was a book club assignment.

[Jon Frankel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Hurrah is a great political novel, and a great novel about the Irish in Boston. OK, it's that. It's also a great novel. It is a life: the life of a man and his city, sure, and the life of men, women and cities as they were in this country for about 150 years. Written in 1953, it captures the moment when the machine politicians and the ethnic communities they served faded into the post war world. O'Connor writes both stories explicitly. The Last Hurrah is the final mayoral campaign of Frank Skeffington. He is an old time Irish politician, much like his Tammany Hall brothers in NY. Skeffinton's wife has died years before and his son is an incurious, unintelligent playboy who plays golf. Skeffington, not a sentimental man in any way, never-the-less longs for a legacy and so he invites his nephew Adam, a cartoonist for a newspaper dedicated to Skeffington's destruction, to observe the campaign. Adam's wife Maeve comes froma family that also hates Skeffington. Skeffington is a man despised by republicans and reform democrats, a dinosaur in their eyes. Adam, apolitical and curious, goes along for the ride, and his, and the reader's eyes are opened to the complex world city politics and to Skeffington's shrewd, intelligent, pragmatic approach to life and politics. A master Machiavellian, he also is dead serious about doing good for the city. His critics are dumbfounded by him, acknowledging both his skill and the good he does. One critic sums it up beautifully near the end of the book: "...the man's entire career seemed to have been devoted to contravention of the law. He thought of the buildings erected and roads constructed unnecessarily and at three times their normal cost; he thought of contracts skillfully diverted to political friends; he thought of tax rebates handed out in wholesale lots to campaign contributors; he thought of the endless jobs given to old pals, of the time when the entire city payroll seemed to be supporting nothing but a host of indolent comedians; he thought of the gerrymandering, the featherbedding, of the whole, incredible, ridiculous, wasteful tangle....Yet even as he thought this , a slight smile appeared on his lips, for in remembering all these items of discredit, he had remembered the other side too: the astonishing, good humored audacity of the man which had so often stunned a roomful of opponents; the mischievous gleam in the eye which suddenly appeared as he advanced some particularly outrageous proposal; the extraordinary wit and congeniality which had relieved so many deadly dull committee meetings; the courage, the generosity, the charm, the sheer ability of the man." In the end, it is the New Deal that destroys this system, as government programs replace the need for a local pol to get someone a job or their pension. O'Connor tells this story with a vivid cast of rogues and incorrigible talkers. The stories reel off the tongues of his operatives, reporters, priests and widows. It is a world we still see the shadows of, a world of individuals and tribes soon to be replaced by Nielsen ratings and pollsters.

[Judy · Rating 2 out of 5]

At #2 on the bestseller list for 1956 is the story of an Irish politician who has held office in his city (presumably Boston) as mayor, his state as governor and after 50 years, is running one more time for mayor. He is in his 70s, the time period is post WWII, and as the title suggests, it is his last go around.
According to the cover flap the reader can expect to "discover a great deal about Irish life and politics in America." That may have been true in 1956 when not many novels had covered this subject. It is certainly old news in 2010 and for me the book was of some historical interest but not much else.

The writing is fairly dull and overly wordy. The plotting is obvious; not only does he give it away in the title but by halfway through the story, the breakdown of the politician's health has been foreshadowed enough times that it comes as no surprise.

It was clear that the author wrote a novel to propound his analysis of how ward politics came to an end in Boston. But it was a bestseller at the time and is still a well known novel amongst those who write about Boston, the Irish and politics. The book did increase my interest in reading Dennis Lehane's latest novel, The Given Day.

[Shanelle Sorensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book. I stumbled across it in a library surplus book sale and got a (rather battered) copy for something like $.50. It caught my attention because of the blurb on the front that calls it one of the best American novels about urban politics.
I thought this novel was brilliant. It was hilarious, profound, and has such incredibly memorable characters. I found it fascinating that even though it was written in the mid-1950s, not much in politics seems to have changed.
Seriously, guys. If you have any interest whatsoever in a novel that pokes fun at politics and politicians, give it a try!

[Voracious · Rating 5 out of 5]

No-one writes novels quite like this any more. I didn't really expect to be gripped by the story of a mayoral election in the fifties, but I really was. No doubt the Irish Catholic aspect made it more appealing to me, but the central character, and the picture of a time when elections were human in scale, were also arresting.

[CLM · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars - after a slow start, I was captivated by this story of a rascally Boston politician based on infamous Mayor Curley. Here is a link to my review for the 1956 Club.

http://perfectretort.blogspot.com/202...

[Esther Bradley-detally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well I participated in NanoWrimo for the first time in my young life, and lo and behold, characters showed up, and said to me, "This is our story, not yours," and as a result they tromped back to Boston, Massachusetts, reminded me I had a great grandfather who was Sheriff of Suffolk County, a mother who lived in Hull, Massachusetts, born around 1905, and then research led me to Mayor Hines, who was the Hines kids across the street uncle, and their father had died, and Uncle John came by a lot of Sundays with his chauffeur, and we'd all pile in for a ride around the block. He was a kind man, and I discovered from my research he was honest. Whaddya know.

So i finished my 50,000 words for Nano's requirements, have the husk of a young chicken of a book, sitting near me, and I have been led to read all about the Brothers Bulger - I had read All Saints; fabulous, and I have the Boston Irish on my desk too, and am now reviewing The Last Hurrah, by edwin O'Connor which I found compelling, funny, unexpectedly funny, and it gave dimensions of a rogue politician that there fascinating and lovable. So there you go. That's what i'm doing at the moment. catching up on politics - politicans - they are corrupt - still, some are lovable, some are honest, but my novel is not a political novel, and i'll let you know when i finish it, as I like the people in it very much.

[Patrick Barry · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Hurrah tells atale of a mayoral election in a city modeled on Boston. Long time Democratic Mayor Frank Skeffington is running for another term. He is a former governor and often called by that title. Skeffington is a machine politician. The novel portrays him as a flawed great man with many achievements to his credit.

Skeffington is old and surprises many by announcing he is runing for another term as mayor. He runs an old school campaign. His opponent, Kevin McCluskey, isn inexperienced politician but his handsome looks play well on television. McClusky defeats Skeffington on election day. Thus the last hurrah is for old political ways and now television and advertising rule the day.

This is an excellent story and provides great incite into the ways campaigns were once run before mediia became dominannt.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - written in 1956, this book brings you back to simpler times when people called on folks at home, made phone calls and had more personal connections, even in a political setting. Parallels can be drawn to modern times. A fitting title, the book follows Frank Skeffington, an old time politician trying to get re-elected for one 'last hurrah' and the bond he forms with this nephew in the process. Recommended by my cousin, I'm glad to have taken the journey in the book, even if it took me months to finish.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

From beginning to end I just couldn't put the book down. Masterfully written, and ahead of its time. It does not surprise me to know that this book, published in the late 50's, was a national best seller. This political story is unlike any other I have read. It holds within inspired details and a narrative which speaks volumes of truth. I enjoyed this book and I'm aware that I will most likely read it again.

[Ruth York · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was required reading for my Irish American Literature class. It is not one I would personally chosen to read. However, while it wasn't a favorite, it certainly isn't at the bottom of books I've read. It felt a bit slow, especially the beginning. And politics isn't normally a topic I enjoy reading about. But it was an interesting story. I especially liked how O'Connor presented the differences in how the multiple generations look on traditions.

[Conor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remarkable book. Edwin O'Connor is underappreciated. Incredible writer.

[Kathryn Gavaghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great book in its era, though obviously dated now. Nonetheless, some great prose and a glimpse into the "machine" era of politics of Boston. Perhaps not so different from the machinations that still drive our electoral system.

[Scott Brunner · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best er political novels I’ve ever read — and have now now re-read. I encountered it first in graduate school in a marvelous course called ‘The Politician and the Novel.’ Recommend.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novel that is highly relevant to my professional trajectory. I've put off reading this one for some time--partly because it always somehow felt "too close to home." I overcame that, and enjoyed reading this.

It could stand to be 20-30% shorter. Its attempt at being "kaleidoscopic" by integrating vignettes and perspective shifts that bring in a wider cast of characters falls flat for me. Mostly these characters just produce pages of insignificant dialogue. Equally weak is the thin veneer placed over Boston.

But the core of the story -- Frank Skeffington and the story of the declining ethnic urban "boss" politician -- is convincingly rendered and compelling. Strong ending.

[Stefanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've always heard that the Last Hurrah was a fictional novel about the political career of James Michael Curley of Boston. Curley himself apparently believed it was about him, though the author never came out and officially said so. It's one of those books, coming from MA that gets brought up in history, english, and a fair amount of Library classes, but is not actually something I'd read before. I'm glad to have read the book, but I found it a lot of hard work. The prose is tedious and the humor, while witty, is lacking the repartee of a live performance. I think perhaps I would enjoy the movie a bit more, but I found myself having to go back over lines that are supposed to be humorous and reread them with different emphasis to really get at the humor.

For those who don't know, the Last Hurrah is a novel following the most recent attempt to run for Mayor of an unnamed New England city and particularly the incumbent candidate, Frank Skeffington. Skeffington is the last of the old boss politicians and has made a lot of enemies over time who are convinced they'll beat him this time. It also follows Skeffington's nephew, Adam, who is invited to watch the proceedings and goings on during a Skeffington campaign. There is a lot of insight into the corruption and graft of the 1950s/1960s and its obvious that there is a changing attitude towards politicians and the system of tribute that the boss system used.

I think this is actually an excellent book club choice because it is a way to talk about politics without venturing into actual politics and has that local feeling if you're from the North East. The social and cultural problems between the established old money families, and the new Irish and Italian and Chinese immigrants is also an interesting opportunity for discussion.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew that a book written in 1956 would still be so relevant today. Trigger warning: language used in 1956 would not be used today.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really fine novel about an old time politician gearing up for one final run for office. Francis Skeffington is an American creation and his tale veers back and forth between self-absorption and magnanimity in delicious fashion. An inside look at a by-gone era, it is funny, insighftul, and strangely warm. 'This country is run by madmen. Madmen and midwesterners!' A fine American novel.

[Dennis McClure · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edwin O'Connor, a great writer from times a bit past, writing about a style of politics equally past. It's an enormous pleasure to follow a literary giant practicing his craft. And the politics of the northeastern cities, the politics that dominated for so many decades, the politics that ushered Irishmen and Italians into the middle class... O'Connor conveys their subtle, historical reality with absolute precision.

[Ronald · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you read this book, you'll understand why my partner and I are adapting it to the musical stage. It's both epic and intimate; it's also where the phrase 'the last hurrah' enters the American lexicon. Frank Skeffington is one of the great characters in American fiction.

[Carol Lynch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Know those books you get assigned to read, you begrudgingly go along, then love the text? Yep, this will totally be one of those.

[Bliss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put this down.

[Salvatore Leone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good novel, not much like the John Ford movie, but a gripping, well written story.

[Amanda Ellison · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a really excellent book! Very surprised, it really took my breath away that it was as good as it was from beginning to end.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant portrayal of old school politics being usurped by newer politics that use the use of "modern devices" such as the creation of television ads.