Mavericks: The Lives and Battles of Montana's Political Legends

by John Morrison, Catherine Wright Morrison

The lives and careers of Montana's political giants, Joseph K. Toole, Ella Knowles, Joseph M. Dixon, Thomas Walsh, Jeannette Rankin, Burton K. Wheeler, James E. Murray, Mike Mansfield, and Lee Metcalf are inextricably interwoven with Montana political history. Their careers were launched and their values were hewn by a state rich with populism, progressivism, and activism. At a time when Americans search for reasons to reinvolve themselves in government, the stories of these nine politicians remind us of the qualities that underpin effective leadership. This is essential reading for Montanans, those interested in the dynamics of politics, and general readers wishing to gain a greater understanding of our nation's political heritage as exemplified in the lives of nine dedicated individuals.

Genres: History

344 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

After a long career as a foreign correspondent in Russia, Europe and Africa, John Morrison spent two years reporting at Westminster for Reuters and travelled to China, Japan and the United States. He is now an independent author, playwright and publisher.

Reviews

[Colleen Browne · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a Montanan, or are simply interested in the people featured in this book, I recommend this book. It is popular history, easy reading, and very interesting.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

This filled in a lot of history gaps for me, and provided a lot of inspiration.

For one thing, I came away surprised at how progressive Montanans were decades ago and even before statehood, certainly seemingly more progressive than many are now (or at least the voting ones ;)). Lots of food for thought, and reason to be hopeful for change.

[Greg Strandberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book that's written by former Montana State Auditor, John Morrison.

He give great biographies of the following Montana politicians:

Joseph Toole
Ella Knowles
Joseph Dixon
Thomas Walsh
Jeanette Rankin
Burton Wheeler
James Murray
Mike Mansfield
Lee Metcalf

Chances are good that you probably don't know a lot of those people. They were politicians in the 1910s through the 1970s. For the 1950s onward especially, we just don't know much about these people.

That's why this book is so good. It gives us the background and the stories and the legislation that these people worked on. It's a great window into Montana's past and gives you a good image of the state for decades.

If you live in Montana you should read this book. If you like Montana politics then reading this book will give you an edge. Like I said, most people just don't know this history anymore.