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Inside: A Public and Private Life
Joe Califano grew up in a tight-knit working class family in Depression-era Brooklyn. His parents instilled in their son a work ethic, sense of self, and devotion to Church that stayed with him as he rose through the ranks of America's ruling class. From Jesuit undergraduate schools to Harvard Law, influential law firms, Robert McNamara's Pentagon, Lyndon Johnson's White House, and Jimmy Carter's Cabinet, Califano was hard charging, effective, and committed to his causes—whether that meant reforming the military, working for equal rights for all, his struggle to be a committed Catholic in America, or finally his passion to combat addictions that ruin so many American lives.
The book is called Inside , and that's where it takes us—inside his public and private life—as Califano worked in the power centers of three Democratic administrations. He shows us how hardball is often necessary to make government serve its people. Califano remained "inside" even out of government, representing the Washington Post and Democratic Party during Watergate.
Inside is history, memoir, and a profoundly revealing personal drama of a powerful figure involved in many defining events of the last half century. It is a tale of how ambition, tenacity and courage, guided by deeply felt ethics, can move the world, from the inside.
The book is called Inside , and that's where it takes us—inside his public and private life—as Califano worked in the power centers of three Democratic administrations. He shows us how hardball is often necessary to make government serve its people. Califano remained "inside" even out of government, representing the Washington Post and Democratic Party during Watergate.
Inside is history, memoir, and a profoundly revealing personal drama of a powerful figure involved in many defining events of the last half century. It is a tale of how ambition, tenacity and courage, guided by deeply felt ethics, can move the world, from the inside.
- GenresHistory
560 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
November 30, 2008
If you're interested in politics, I recommend to anybody that they read at least one book on LBJ. His background, personality, intellect, accomplishments and failures make for fascinating reading.
If you don't know much about LBJ, Califano's book probably isn't the best place to start. He assumes the reader has a working knowledge of LBJ's biography and the pressing issues of the Johnson Administration. Califano doesn't spend any time couching the historical events he took part in.
What he does an outstanding job of is creating a portrait of LBJ and what it was like to work for the man. He backs up his observations of LBJ with stories about the battles they waged with Congress, the press, the economy, in Vietnam and anything else the President thought wasn't acting as it should. The stories put all of LBJ's talents on display, but also his deep character flaws that lead to, among other mistakes, his misleading of the public about Vietnam. If nothing else, Califano's accounts are highly entertaining given LBJ's fondness of swearing and colorful stories to make a point.
If you don't know much about LBJ, Califano's book probably isn't the best place to start. He assumes the reader has a working knowledge of LBJ's biography and the pressing issues of the Johnson Administration. Califano doesn't spend any time couching the historical events he took part in.
What he does an outstanding job of is creating a portrait of LBJ and what it was like to work for the man. He backs up his observations of LBJ with stories about the battles they waged with Congress, the press, the economy, in Vietnam and anything else the President thought wasn't acting as it should. The stories put all of LBJ's talents on display, but also his deep character flaws that lead to, among other mistakes, his misleading of the public about Vietnam. If nothing else, Califano's accounts are highly entertaining given LBJ's fondness of swearing and colorful stories to make a point.
Displaying 1 of 1 review