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The Rascal King: The Life And Times Of James Michael Curley
"A truly brilliant biography."--John Kenneth Galbraith, Chicago Tribune
Twice jailed while serving in office yet a champion of the people, builder of schools yet a shameless grafter, James Michael Curley was the stuff of legend long before his life became fiction in Edwin O'Connor's classic novel The Last Hurrah . As mayor of Boston, as a United States congressman, as governor of Massachusetts, Curley rose from the slums of South Boston in a career extending from the Progressive Era of Teddy Roosevelt to the ascendancy of the Kennedy sons. While Curley lived, he represented both the triumph of Irish Americans and the birth of divisive politics of ethnic and racial polarization; when he died, over one million mourners turned out to pay their respects in the largest wake Boston had ever seen.
Nominated for a National Book Critics Circle Award in Biography, Beatty's spellbinding story of "the Kingfish of Massachusetts" is also an epic of his city, its immigrant people, and its turbulent times. It is simply biography at its best.
"Beatty's book is a delight--rich, witty, flowing, and full of insight about the nature of political corruption."--Constance Casey, Los Angeles Times
"A panoramic, exquisitely incisive biography that illuminates the triumphs, debacles, and personal sorrows of the irrepressible man known as Boston's 'Mayor of the Poor.'"--Robert Wilson, USA Today
Twice jailed while serving in office yet a champion of the people, builder of schools yet a shameless grafter, James Michael Curley was the stuff of legend long before his life became fiction in Edwin O'Connor's classic novel The Last Hurrah . As mayor of Boston, as a United States congressman, as governor of Massachusetts, Curley rose from the slums of South Boston in a career extending from the Progressive Era of Teddy Roosevelt to the ascendancy of the Kennedy sons. While Curley lived, he represented both the triumph of Irish Americans and the birth of divisive politics of ethnic and racial polarization; when he died, over one million mourners turned out to pay their respects in the largest wake Boston had ever seen.
Nominated for a National Book Critics Circle Award in Biography, Beatty's spellbinding story of "the Kingfish of Massachusetts" is also an epic of his city, its immigrant people, and its turbulent times. It is simply biography at its best.
"Beatty's book is a delight--rich, witty, flowing, and full of insight about the nature of political corruption."--Constance Casey, Los Angeles Times
"A panoramic, exquisitely incisive biography that illuminates the triumphs, debacles, and personal sorrows of the irrepressible man known as Boston's 'Mayor of the Poor.'"--Robert Wilson, USA Today
620 pages, Paperback
First published August 21, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 2, 2018
This is a beautiful book. Beatty writes about a lovable rogue, but a rogue still, with balancing degrees of probity, admiration, disdain, outrage, reasoned analysis, and stunned humor, sketching a rich and fairly comprehensive picture of the great colonial city Boston from the postbellum era to the Kennedy administration in the bargain. A master longform writer, there are touches of real brilliance in the text that elevate this work from strong political biography to one in the class with Caro, Morris, Williams, and McCullough. As an added bonus, the discourses into Curley's demagoguery, and his expert use of ethnic grievances to continually win power and cement a permanent base, has remarkable parallels with what we read in the papers today. The lesson: in a nation with so many divisions along ethic, racial, social, and economic lines, where there are leaders seeking to set us against one and other, they will always find at least some success.
April 24, 2014
Finally finished this VERY long book! For some reason got stuck around the 1st World War. There is a lot of great material in this book, but I surely could have used a timeline and a family tree (both biological and political). When an octogenarian spends 60 of his years in politics, the story can really get convoluted! I did find the places where the author decided to draw parallels between Curley's politics/philosophy and modern politicians a little forced, and dated (the book was published in 1992). However, reading through the whole thing gave me a much better understanding of why some things are (or are not) in Boston and Massachusetts government systems. It also helped me understand the passionate responses (positive and negative) people had to Curley, with his virtual split-personality.
July 27, 2011
A comprehensive portrait of one of the most controversial and most storied mayors of Boston (and later governor of MA), whose monumental self-interest spurred many of the reforms that made the city the way it is today. Beatty does a wonderful job separating fact from fiction while still allowing the colorful Curley myths time to demonstrate what it is that caused them to be told and passed along. In addition to the deft portrayal of the complexity of Curley and the issues of his times, this book could also serve as a primer for neo-Machievellian politics. Beatty's narrative style is engaging but also discursive, as he illustrates Curley's tactics, strategies and even the oratorical style that contributed to Curley's muscling into whatever office he wanted.
November 9, 2021
An impressive, painstakingly researched work, no question. Here we have a Donald Trump who actually gave a damn about the poor, a fan of Mussolini who (at least in his corrupt, swaggering ways) was also an obvious precursor to Don the Con. Certainly, Curley “got a lot done,” as he brazenly enriched himself at the public trough, and he climbed the ladder out of deep poverty, unlike the thug who was not my president. But Beatty also makes clear in this book that insult, both personal and ethnic, dirty tricks, and out-and-out lies have always been central to American realpolitik. We read of Roosevelt’s elitist dismissal of Jews and Catholics as subservient members of “this Protestant country.” I had not really appreciated the odious anti-semitism of the Father Coughlin crowd in Depression times, and how it permeated the sentiments of Boston’s Irish. Sometimes Curley stood up for the Jews with great eloquence, sometimes not. His earlier tolerance of The Birth of a Nation, on the other hand, was a different and sadly offensive kettle of fish.
Goodread posters here seem to fawn on Curley’s loveable “roguishness,” but I saw mainly a foreshadowing of the combative narcissism of Trumpism, a guy for whom everything and everybody was simply a means to his own glorification. Beatty points to Curley as the starting point in the evolution of American politicians into exercises in egotism and self-advertisement, the pol-as-product. Had he written this book 25 years later, he surely would have drawn analogies to Trump. It didn’t matter so much what Curley did, it was what he was, in the adoring eyes of his followers. “Yeah, he’s a corrupt boss, but he’s our corrupt boss.” Where have we seen that lately and pray we don’t again in the White House?
And yet, and yet. Curley lost his adored wife to cancer and something like 7 of his nine children, all untimely, shocking deaths, and thus he qualifies as a truly tragic figure, risen to power, fatally flawed, ultimately cursed. He is a fit subject for a detailed, incisive biography, which this certainly is – as well as the movie molded after him, “The Last Hurrah.”
Goodread posters here seem to fawn on Curley’s loveable “roguishness,” but I saw mainly a foreshadowing of the combative narcissism of Trumpism, a guy for whom everything and everybody was simply a means to his own glorification. Beatty points to Curley as the starting point in the evolution of American politicians into exercises in egotism and self-advertisement, the pol-as-product. Had he written this book 25 years later, he surely would have drawn analogies to Trump. It didn’t matter so much what Curley did, it was what he was, in the adoring eyes of his followers. “Yeah, he’s a corrupt boss, but he’s our corrupt boss.” Where have we seen that lately and pray we don’t again in the White House?
And yet, and yet. Curley lost his adored wife to cancer and something like 7 of his nine children, all untimely, shocking deaths, and thus he qualifies as a truly tragic figure, risen to power, fatally flawed, ultimately cursed. He is a fit subject for a detailed, incisive biography, which this certainly is – as well as the movie molded after him, “The Last Hurrah.”
September 2, 2021
A well written account of a fascinating, complicated life. Cruder and more corrupt than his fictional alter ego, The Last Hurrah’s Frank Skeffington, James Curley was just as charming and endearing. And funnier. I laughed out loud at several choice quotes.
Curley acted as the tribune of his people, Boston’s Irish. The author makes clear Curley’s many faults, but also clearly demonstrates the strong bond between him and his constituents. They knew what he was, but still loved him anyways. Perhaps because of a different view of political morality. As long as you’re helping others, why shouldn’t you also help yourself and your family and friends? Beatty criticizes Curley for appealing to Irish resentment against the old stock Americans, the Yankees. But was it really resentment, or just an acknowledgement of difference? Different groups have different interests, and the ethnic divide at that time was real. Yankees and Irish did resent each other, and both had valid reasons for doing so.
Beatty’s writing wraps you up in Curley’s life. You know it must, but you don’t want the story to end. The book’s only drawback is that it unnecessarily dates itself with too much use of then current (circa 1992) bien pensant goblins to compare and contrast with James Curley’s failings.
Curley acted as the tribune of his people, Boston’s Irish. The author makes clear Curley’s many faults, but also clearly demonstrates the strong bond between him and his constituents. They knew what he was, but still loved him anyways. Perhaps because of a different view of political morality. As long as you’re helping others, why shouldn’t you also help yourself and your family and friends? Beatty criticizes Curley for appealing to Irish resentment against the old stock Americans, the Yankees. But was it really resentment, or just an acknowledgement of difference? Different groups have different interests, and the ethnic divide at that time was real. Yankees and Irish did resent each other, and both had valid reasons for doing so.
Beatty’s writing wraps you up in Curley’s life. You know it must, but you don’t want the story to end. The book’s only drawback is that it unnecessarily dates itself with too much use of then current (circa 1992) bien pensant goblins to compare and contrast with James Curley’s failings.
March 17, 2021
After years of eschewing Boston political history, I came to this book specifically for '30s statewide Massachusetts politics. Really, though, it is a book that anyone interested in Massachusetts history should read. Full blog post here: tylerwolanin.com/blog/2021/3/13/what-...
February 27, 2024
What a life this man led! Jack Beatty gathered a ton of strings to pull together the amazing story of James Curley, Boston's mayor. (And a relative of mine.)
April 11, 2010
This book is a classic political biography about James Michael Curley of Boston, the corrupt and lively mayor, governor and congressman who defined an era in Irish Massachusetts politics. I'd rank it No. 2 of books about local pols -- just behind "The Prince of Providence," on Rhode Island's equally colorful Buddy Cianci.
January 25, 2012
I loved this book. It's a detailed account of the life and career of James Michael Curley. I read it chapter by chapter over the course of a year, constantly Googling details, dates and people tied to Boston politics from the 1920's through 1955. Absolutely fascinating. It dragged in some areas. Beatty's style to Doris Kearns Goodwin's. So many details styled into a readable and complete work.
May 16, 2012
James Michael Curley, what else needs to be said? Rascal King is a well written, comprehensive, entertaining read. The Purple Shamrock is another great book on Curley. Not the most ethical politician, but a true character.
August 24, 2015
A well-researched and -written look at the career of the legendary Boston mayor. It drives home the point that, back in the day, politicians were just as corrupt as they are now, but they were a lot more fun.
March 2, 2008
Hands down, the best book I read in the last year.
October 4, 2010
I've been reading a lot of presidential biographies and this book made me want to read more about the lesser known political figures of america.
April 7, 2012
Well researched and as a Bostonian it is a truly unbelievable story.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews