I Never Did Like Politics: How Fiorello La Guardia Became America's Mayor, and Why He Still Matters

by Terry Golway

A hugely entertaining celebration of one of America’s greatest politicians―a source of inspiration for our equally challenging times...

Fiorello LaGuardia was one of the twentieth century’s most colorful politicians―on the New York and national stage. He was also quintessentially the son of Italian immigrants, who rose in society through sheer will and chutzpah. Almost one hundred years later, America is once again grappling with issues that would have been familiar to the Little Flower, as he was affectionately known. It’s time to bring back LaGuardia, argues historian and journalist Terry Golway, to remind us all what an effective municipal officer (as he preferred to call himself) can achieve...

Golway examines LaGuardia’s extraordinary career through four essential As a patriot, a dissenter, a leader, and a statesman. He needed them all when he stood against the nativism, religious and racial bigotry, and reactionary economic policies of the 1920s, and again when he faced the realities of Depression-era New York and the rise of fascism at home and abroad in the 1930s. Just before World War II, the Roosevelt administration formally apologized to the Nazis when LaGuardia referred to Hitler as a “brown-shirted fanatic.”

There was nobody quite like Fiorello LaGuardia. In this immensely readable book, as entertaining as the man himself, Terry Golway captures the enduring appeal of one of America’s greatest leaders.

Genres: History, Politics, Biography, Nonfiction, New York, American History

300 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 20, 2024

About the author

Terry Golway is a senior editor at POLITICO, supervising coverage of New York State politics. He is a former member of the New York Times editorial board and former city editor and columnist at the New York Observer. He has a Ph.D. in U.S. history and has taught at the New School, New York University, and Kean University.

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sure, I knew the name. La Guardia. It was an airport. Ok, I recall hearing about the Little Flower here and there. Oh, and he was connected to New York City. So I was in for a big surprise reading this biography. It was such a fun, upbeat read, and I was impressed by this rumpled man’s character and career. I even got misty eyed reading about some of his amazing accomplishments.

He was a diplomat, congressman, major in the army, and had a popular radio show. He stood up to Tammany Hall and crossed party lines, focused on what was right for the people. He was instrumental in the creation of the Fair Employment Practices Committee to fight racial discrimination. Advocated for American relief efforts for European refugees.

Most of all, La Guardia is a role model for the non-political government leader. He had an oversized trust in his own moral compass. He saw what was right and what was needed and he determined to just do it.

Everything La Guardia stood for still matters. Leadership for the good of the people. A deep hearted love for justice and equality. Staying true to one’s values and beliefs. We needed this kind of leadership in the 20th c, and we sure need it today.

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

[Mima. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m reading a book about a politician from decades ago, so why am I noticing jabs at Trump slipping in? I’m not reading the book for the writers current political opinions, I’m reading it to learn about La Guardia.

[Brendan Cheney · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent biography of Fiorello LaGuardia. Terry Golway is a great, engaging and funny writer. The book is not linear or chronological, but tells you about his main accomplishments. It is also concise for readers that want to know about perhaps New York’s best mayor but don’t want a massive biography.

[Felicia Roff Tunnah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seems like it could have been better researched. Also I’m sure there was a lot more to be said about Robert Moses and La Guardia’s relationship with him professionally and personally. Finally, could have done without the author’s commentary on politics today. I feel like I need to read a better biography bc it did wet my appetite to learn more about La Guardia.

[Chris Krohn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fiorello La Guardia is a competent role model for our age, in the terms of being a real "public servant." He focused on people of lesser means, not an ideologue, and often showed great skepticism for the American capitalist project. I often wonder why he ran as a Republican because many of his causes and achievements were simply not on the GOP agenda, then or now. Housing, hunger, garbage pick-up, international relations, anti-segregation, and organized crime were all on the mayor's to-do list. La Guardia, the Republican, presumably came to the party because of his can-do, successful heroes, Abe Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt.

Sometimes voters say they are wary when a politician comes into office with an agenda. I worry if they do not. La Guardia had an agenda, a people's agenda. It was inclusive, community-oriented, and by all appearances, honest. He railed against segregation when he was a congressmember, got behind thousands of housing units for middle and low-income New Yorkers as mayor, took pride in our nation's immigrant past, and ended his career with UNNRA, working to help feed the hordes of people left homeless and hungry in the aftermath of WWII. But on a third hand, Fiorello let us down when he went along with the prevailing racism of the times by segregating all of this new housing, supporting a whites only policy.

Terry Golway's non-fiction work is highly readable and presents a perhaps too over-the-top positive view of La Guardia before, during, and after his mayorship. Golway is just too sanguine in looking back at the enviable qualities of someone we might crave to have around today. I did not mind his few editorial comparisons with La Guardia and the hyper-partisanship of today--Eleanor Roosevelt came out when he needed cheer-leading and federal housing money--but I would also like to know much more about La Guardia's family, intimate friends, his relationship with both the Republican Party and organized crime figures of the time. Everybody I know in NYC says things like, 'I gotta friend, I can get you that, no problem' and 'oh well, it fell off a truck.' What, if anything, did La Guardia do to change those attitudes? What was his relationship like with, not just Tammany Hall, but the Robber Barons and their legacy barons? Golway falls down here and does not address the greed factor and the many hands that had their fingers in the public pot. He writes that the Astor family practically gave the city some townhouses to develop, but did Astor care about housing people, or getting a tax write-off? Maybe it didn't matter, but was La Guardia able to raise taxes and get over on the wealthy very often? Golway does not address it.

Ps. I see, the lamentable former US Rep., Peter King, commented on the back of the book's jacket. King's politics are reprehensible. Where La Guardia was a pacifist, King a cold-warrior; La Guardia a champion of the people; King championed tax cuts and give-aways to the rich; La Guardia put his heart and soul into helping those less well-off, King placed his in assisting the well-off to become more well-off, indeed.

[Doreen Prentiss Gabriellini · Rating 3 out of 5]

I Never Did Like Politics: How Fiorello LaGuardia Became America’s Mayor and Why He Still Matters Today by Terry Golway. While I grew up in New York State, I only knew a handful of things about Fiorello LaGuardia. In reading this book I learned so much more about this man. The book is easy to understand and is broken down into chapters that discuss different periods of time in Mayor LaGuardia’s life.

Fiorello LaGuardia was a three term Mayor of New York City. He was also a United States Representative who left Washington in order to serve his Country during World War I. It was his idea to build the airport in Queens which is now named after him. He wanted to make New York City a hub for travel. He was unapologetically an American Patriot. He was also known as a man who didn’t mince words and you either liked him or you didn’t.

My only complaint was that Mr. Golway veered off his topic somewhat. He started comparing and contrasting Mayor LaGuardia’s ideals with the issues we are facing in the political arena today. I understand that the title implies that the author would tell us why Mayor LaGuardia would be a good example for the politicians today. It seems to me that Mr. Golway was pushing his own political ideology. I however did not let it to deter me from finishing the book. I am sure many people will be upset by this. I just jumped over the parts that were opinionated and moved along. I think a book just about Fiorello LaGuardia would have lead a lot of readers to wish his ideals were in effect today.

I would like to thank St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading biographies about famous politicians and this certainly was a great one. Fiorelli LaGuardia was a token candidate for a Saint Tammany nominee who he would eventually beat to become the Manhattan congressman from New York Who was also the first Italian American to be voted in and would eventually become mayor of New York in 1934 and stay there until 1945 he was a rare politician who didn’t negotiate his principles like when he voted for America to join the great war in 1917 he two joined the military to prove he would put his money where his vote was. He also thought every American was deserving of what any other American deserved whether they were poor rich or in between he was a great politician who even has an airport named after him but at the time they call it Fiorello’s Follie but now is an airport that millions of people go to a year. I really enjoyed this book and found his life to be so interesting I have a great interest in Saint Tammany hall and the destruction of that hall and so found this book to be a great read in one I definitely recommend and a five-star read. I have read this authors/journalist books before and they always read like a great fiction story and this one was no exception. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it. I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Matt- History on the Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fiorello La Guardia is widely regarded as the epitome of a great Mayor of New York City. I was pleasantly surprised when the Instagram algorithm finally showed me an ad that actually caught my interest. The ad was from Saint Martin's Press, promoting the recently published book titled "I Never Did Like Politics Anyway: How Fiorello La Guardia Became America's Mayor, and Why He Still Matters" by Terry Golway. Golway provides a unique perspective on the life of New York City's beloved mayor, tracing his journey through pivotal moments that shaped his worldview. La Guardia was a larger-than-life figure who consistently fought for justice, whether it was against the prevailing corruption of his time or the anti-immigrant sentiments that continue to persist. While not a comprehensive biography, "I Never Did Like Politics Anyway" highlights the most influential moments of La Guardia's life, using the various causes he championed to illustrate his ascent to becoming the mayor of the nation's largest city. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, as it served as an excellent introduction to the life and times of Fiorello La Guardia, leaving me eager to explore this period of history in greater depth. It was also a bonus that La Guardia's final resting place is not too far from where I live, which provided me with the opportunity to pay my respects.

[Kelly {SpaceOnTheBookcase] · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know much about Fiorella La Guardia before beginning the book, I Never Did Like Politics, and I found myself shedding tears at the end when author, Terry Golway, wrote about his death. An Italian-American who wasn't a born politician, but instead a born statesman (just don't tell him), Golway lays out the time of La Guardia's life and his foray into both local, national and international politics. A fierce and stubborn man, La Guardia had a good heart and cared deeply about New York City. While history would look back at some of his actions in a critical way, I appreciated that Golway didn't shy away from calling these things out; particularly when it came to race relations.

The life and career of La Guardia is specifically relevant today as the United States deal with a polarizing electorate and our country seems to be on the brink of something...change, collapse, isolationism? The lessons and insights that can be gained from the leadership style of La Guardia could teach present day politicians more than a thing or two.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the gifted ARC.

[DianeLikesToRead]

I don’t normally read nonfiction, but I had to read this book about “America’s Mayor”, Fiorello H. LaGuardia. I lived in Queens until I was thirty, but I only knew LaGuardia as the Italian American mayor of New York City and the airport that was named after him. (I was actually at that airport last week dropping my daughter and her cousin there for a girls trip.)
As a native New Yorker, I appreciated this book. I knew nothing about him and he was so much more than anything I could have imagined. This book started off really great, telling about LaGuardia’s policies. However, then the author started pushing his own opinion into the book, and going off the rails. After that, I was done with the book. I did finish it, but I read it to learn about America’s mayor, not to hear someone preach their own views.
Many thanks to the author, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's probably inevitable that a political biography will be somewhat political. Be particularly wary though when someone of the opposition party writes a political biography, as is the case with I Never Did Like Politics, a book on the politics of Fiorello LaGuardia.

The author, Terry Golway, focuses on the characteristics of LaGuardia that portrays him more as a liberal than a Republican rather than one who was the very embodiment of the ideals of Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.

Golway disingenuously juxtaposes facts to suggest that Republicans were the party of eugenics and Jim Crow, rather than the Democrats. He points out the one Republican who had KKK support without a mention of the hundreds of Democrats they supported.

What stopped me dead in my tracks though was his comparison of LaGuardia to Liz Cheney, because of her bucking the party in her opposition to Trump.

[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very quick book on why La Guardia remains one of the most popular American mayors. I enjoyed learning about how he was on the right side of many issues but I would appreciated if the book wasn't as glowing, I think there were times criticisms would've been fair but they seemed to have been glossed over. This is not to take away from how "the Little Flower" was a truly stand up guy and we could all benefit more from politicians like him. If you want to read a book about a politician who will make you believe we can have good ones again, check out this book.

One side note: it's very funny some people take issue with the author comparing the times of La Guardia to now considering how they were made in passing and it only occured about 4 or 5 times. I think some people just don't appreciate how this New Yorker was a much better person then a specific New Yorker in today's headlines, and they don't like being reminded of it.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew practically nothing about Fiorello LaGuardia going into this book. I knew that he was a famous New York City mayor and now has an airport named after him. Through this very readable book, I learned that he was so much more. The airport is named after him, partially because he is the reason New York City is a hub for air travel. He was not only a mayor but an international diplomat and US Representative. I really enjoyed reading this book. It was simply written and easy to understand. Each chapter focused on another facet of LaGuardia's life, communicating who he was through short stories that exemplified his personality or career. It was a very enjoyable read, and I'm glad I now know more about "America's Mayor".

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Stephanie P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley, Terry Golway, and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an advanced copy of I Never Did Like Politics. I received an advanced reader copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I wanted to read this book because my mother's family is related to Fiorello LaGuardia and I wanted to understand more about who he was as a person.

He is well known as being the best mayor that New York has ever had. Was he a perfect human? No, but who really is? It is important that he grew as a person and grew in his political beliefs. He believed in social justice and equality.

The author took the time to do a lot of thorough research, but the inclusion of how LaGuardia would be as a politician in today's times felt a little too opinionated and felt more biased than how a nonfiction piece should be presented.

[Kristen Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I received an ARC of this book from a Goodreads giveaway.

I knew nothing of Fiorello la Guardia prior to reading this book other than that he was a friend of the Roosevelts and there is an airport named after him.

Because of this, I both learned a lot and, I feel missed a lot. The book isn’t written from birth to death but rather hops around La Guardia’s life by theme. After a while, it started making sense but I was struggling a bit during the first third of the book. The book paints La Guardia as a lively man with a true affinity for public service.

I do disagree with other reviewers about the inclusion of the author’s personal political views. While there is definitely an argument that any inclusion of personal views doesn’t have room in a biography, the author only did this 2-3 times throughout the book. I didn’t find it preachy at all.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Never Did Like Politics. Terry Golway has written an interesting and informative biography about Fiorello LaGuardia that reads like a love letter to the man many consider the greatest mayor NYC ever had. Born to Italian immigrants, Fiorello was a fierce American patriot who “made it his life’s mission to replace despair with patience, hopelessness with fortitude.” Although a member of Congress he still signed up to serve his country as a pilot during WWI. As the mayor of NYC during the depression and WWII his friendship with Franklin Roosevelt was financially very beneficial to the city. I was excited to be given an ARC because until reading the book my knowledge of LaGuardia was confined to the musical and that an airport bears his name. My review is voluntary. Highly recommend.

[Nan Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

This began as a delightful look at one of America's most colorful men in politics. I really enjoyed learning more about La Guardia and for a while enjoyed learning how closely aligned his concerns were with the concerns of many people today.

After I got into the book, I realized that once he started comparing and contrasting LaGuardia's ideals with today's political atmosphere, Golway was merely tauting his own political (or cultural) agenda and went far afield of his established purpose in writing the book. And at that point, he lost me and I lost interest.

The beginning is excellent, the development is intriguing, but once the author starts preaching, the whole book declines.

I appreciate this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

[Nick DiColandrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best short biographies you will ever read about anyone in American history. As a native New Yorker I had no idea of this man’s overarching legacy that spanned two world wars, public housing, poverty, classism, and more. The guy also was responsible for the Central Park Zoo!?

The author doesn’t sugar coat any shortcomings, especially as a white man in the early 1900s, though points out he did more than most did in many ways if they weren’t all perfect.

And as someone who is a second generation Italian American, i respect La Guardia in a way I didn’t before - because like me, he never leaned into that part of his life. But it did help him understand more than people thought he knew about the plight of others.

[Thea Marlowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW… what a leader/trailblazer!
Loved his Italian name Fiorello, meaning “Little Flower” by his mother.
Should be required reading for every aspiring politician regarding character/honesty. Loved how he refused leaving his airplane seat to make a point that his ticket stated arriving in NY, when actually arriving in Newark, NJ, then transporting across river to NY. In an effort to make a point that the big city of NY needed it’s own airport, now his namesake La Guardia Airport. He was also instrumental in the building of JFK airport. Being born of immigrant parents, he was truly a leader/advocate for all races preferring to be remembered as an humanitarian, not a politician. He lived simple, by example!

[George Neville-Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good overview of La Guardia and his achievements. The attempts to relate him to today’s politics are admirable but fall flat. He was a good mayor, and also imperfect, like all people. That he would have been angry at the politics of the 2020s, 100 years after he was in congress, is easy to imagine, but the book makes no attempt to say what a modern politician, or voter, might do to channel anger in the ways that La Guardia did to get the right points across. If the point of the book was to point out how we once had an honest and hard working mayor with progressive values it could have done this just by telling his story. The asides about the present were more of a distraction than an education.

[Thomas Lambe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read this wonderful new book. In short, this is why I read. I love US and World History, Biographies, and Memoirs. This was a treat. Elegant writing. I grew up very close to NYC and have travelled through LaGuardia Airport at least 200 times!. But now I know the story of this terrific man. Our country has had so many characters that have made this country what it is today (both good and bad). This should be required reading and I do hope that some colleges add to courses on US History. Really learned a ton about this man and his significant accomplishments. Highly recommended!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Naturally, I knew of feisty, outspoken New York City mayor Fiorello La Guardia, but, until I read this lively biography, I didn't know much about him. I didn't know what he accomplished as NYC mayor during the Great Depression and World War 2. I didn't know about his years in Congress or how he also served in the military.

An absolutely fascinating, beautifully written biography of a man who made a difference for regular people. Definitely not a typical "birth to death" biography but instead, one that focused on key areas, particularly as to his political life.

Very highly recommended!!

[CR Montoya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never knew much about the Little Flower before reading this book. He was quite the bundle of energy and ideas. He accomplished more in his life than most people. I loved that he always stood up for what was right, even if he was going against his party. He was an advocate for many and worked to help people. His leadership, energy, and grit are things we could use today. Working for the people and not the party is a virtue all politicians should strive to achieve. His influence made America better, and his legacy lives on and will continue for years to come.
Thank you, Fiorello, you were a hero and a giant.

[Lisa Konet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a a quick, witty, concise and entertaining read about Fiorello La Guardia and why he so important not only in New York state history, but also US History. Each chapter had more information about his background, struggles and triumphs. An enjoyable book about someone who became a well-known politician but he was not about politics first, but helping people.

Thanks to Netgalley, Terry Golway and St Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 2/20/2024

[Joe McMahon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Terry Golway has written a clear, captivating biography of the Mayor of my youth. Dad disliked LaGuardia for several reasons, some tribal. Golway's book of 290 pages lauds the man, and he makes me appreciate LaGuardia. The author correctly skips over LaGuardia's success at getting FDR to close racetracks. It was somewhat like the account on page 255, wherein LaGuardia dismisses a glass of pilsner as a waste of wheat. LaGuardia on occasion would scorn others' preferences.

[A. Jacob W. Reinhardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging but somewhat ideologically motivated, telling of the progressive Republican mayor of New York City. Reviews that point out the ideological motivation of the author seem right, as seen in anachronistic terms that clearly have more to do with the Trump moment when the book was released. Still, there is merit for considering this story, and I do feel my thinking has been stimulated on many critical issues.

[Denice Langley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not just a biography of a colorful figure in American politics. It's a defining picture of of an era in American history. The mayor of New York City has always had a prominenet role in the world view of America but Fiorella La Guardia was a king of his piece of the world. His story is both eye opening and entertaining.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a life! I had no idea La Guardia made international headlines with his compassionate leadership. People’s comments that this book is “too political” is funny since it’s a bio of a POLITICIAN. And much of what he worked to fight, fascism, racism, etc., is now a part of his party (Republicans). Hence the MAGA-ites being triggered by this.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Entertaining and an okay overview of La Guardia’s life, but in my opinion just a little too breezy and slight. The events are portrayed in a strange order, and the book makes such heavy use of other secondary sources, especially Thomas Kessner’s major biography of La Guardia, that it seems more fitting to read those if you have the time.

[Daniel Elsner · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick enjoyable read that covers some early life and the ~30-40 years of LaGuardia's political career. Definitely more of a pure celebration than a pure history though, and seems to skip the "Why He Still Matters" part of the title. Ultimately this left me just wanting to read a deeper history of the era.