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Chicago Lives
My Chicago
By the end of her first meeting with the late mayor Richard J. Daley, Jane Byrne had been questioned, berated, and told she might, one day, reach the House but probably not the Senate-and she had also reduced him to tears. That would be but the first of many altercations in her pioneering political career.
My Chicago is the story of Jane Byrne's rise from young campaign worker to the mayor's office, all within the bruising arena of Chicago politics. Part sociopolitical history, part memoir, it begins with a history of the city and her early life, before she enters politics as a paid staff member of JFK's presidential campaign and, soon after, begins service in the Chicago Machine, but not of it.
Her view from the inside allows Byrne to sketch portraits of Daley, for whom she eventually worked, members of the Kennedy family, and Presidents Carter and Reagan. And, of course, it provides a fascinating perspective on the battle to succeed Daley, which ended with her own triumph over the Machine and a controversial term as mayor, which saw her begin development across the city and (famously) move into the Cabrini-Green housing project. The first memoir by a Chicago mayor in two generations, My Chicago is a valuable history as well as an entertaining look at no-holds-barred city politics.
My Chicago is the story of Jane Byrne's rise from young campaign worker to the mayor's office, all within the bruising arena of Chicago politics. Part sociopolitical history, part memoir, it begins with a history of the city and her early life, before she enters politics as a paid staff member of JFK's presidential campaign and, soon after, begins service in the Chicago Machine, but not of it.
Her view from the inside allows Byrne to sketch portraits of Daley, for whom she eventually worked, members of the Kennedy family, and Presidents Carter and Reagan. And, of course, it provides a fascinating perspective on the battle to succeed Daley, which ended with her own triumph over the Machine and a controversial term as mayor, which saw her begin development across the city and (famously) move into the Cabrini-Green housing project. The first memoir by a Chicago mayor in two generations, My Chicago is a valuable history as well as an entertaining look at no-holds-barred city politics.
392 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 19, 2018
very comprehensive history of the city, going all the way back to the beginning. I remember hearing of Jane Byrne, me here in NJ, while she was in office, but enjoyed the complete story of her.
Interesting that politics never really changes at all, just the names & faces.
Interesting that politics never really changes at all, just the names & faces.
May 13, 2012
First, a few things: it took me forever to finish this book, but don't let that be a negative, and this is the first autobiography I've read from a political figure.
That being said, I loved it.
Jane Byrne was out of office by the time I was 2. The majority of the book is spent on Chicago history, from the early settler days to the consistent influx of immigrants. She clearly establishes her third-generation Chicagoan status, with second-person accounts of the Chicago Fire and the Great Depression. Her start in to politics is almost naive--it wasn't so much sought, as the path was established by her access to people and organizations that matter. This seems natural, especially when we consider how many of our politicians are "well-connected." Her lead up to the '68 Democratic National Convention is vivid and prophetic to what I see in Chicago for the NATO Summit approaching in one week. The fact that she orchestrated labor contracts for the police & firefighters amazes me, since labor contracts are all I have known as a city employee since 1998. Her statements on business, bureaucracy, crime, and education show that very little has changed since her first experiences in city government. Byrne is the only female mayor to have led Chicago in its history thus far.
I greatly enjoyed the insight her autobiography provided and would recommend it to anyone interested in Chicago politics, although if you want to cut into the heart of the matter, you probably want to read about Richard J. Daley, or Richard M. Daley, who served lengthier terms.
That being said, I loved it.
Jane Byrne was out of office by the time I was 2. The majority of the book is spent on Chicago history, from the early settler days to the consistent influx of immigrants. She clearly establishes her third-generation Chicagoan status, with second-person accounts of the Chicago Fire and the Great Depression. Her start in to politics is almost naive--it wasn't so much sought, as the path was established by her access to people and organizations that matter. This seems natural, especially when we consider how many of our politicians are "well-connected." Her lead up to the '68 Democratic National Convention is vivid and prophetic to what I see in Chicago for the NATO Summit approaching in one week. The fact that she orchestrated labor contracts for the police & firefighters amazes me, since labor contracts are all I have known as a city employee since 1998. Her statements on business, bureaucracy, crime, and education show that very little has changed since her first experiences in city government. Byrne is the only female mayor to have led Chicago in its history thus far.
I greatly enjoyed the insight her autobiography provided and would recommend it to anyone interested in Chicago politics, although if you want to cut into the heart of the matter, you probably want to read about Richard J. Daley, or Richard M. Daley, who served lengthier terms.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews