Larry Felder, Candidate

by Bob Levey

When a successful Washington journalist hits his late 50s, he’s usually on a glide path to either more of the same or a quiet, comfortable retirement. Not Larry Felder. When an opportunity to run for Congress presents itself, Felder abandons his usual caution and his longtime career as a columnist and decides to run. Meanwhile, his campaign manager (a smitten young lady named Charlie) is running for something else—Felder’s heart. It doesn’t take long for sparks and complications to start flying. Larry Felder, Candidate is a close-up look at big-time newspaper and contemporary Washington-area politics. It captures a man who is ceaselessly loyal to his wife, an invalid, and who looks like a cinch to win a House seat until fate intervenes. It also spotlights a swaggering white-shoe lawyer, a beleaguered editor, a corrupt businessman and a congressional opponent who gets luckier than she ever thought she would. Bob Levey’s Larry Felder, Candidate is a searching snapshot of how difficult it can be to attain a lifelong dream—and to leave others behind.

212 pages, Paperback

Published September 15, 2018

Reviews

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good book. A simple plot with a couple of minor surprises leading to a contrived ending.

[Jack Crain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book. Worth the read. Written by a prior Washington Post columnist. Provides some insight on working for a major newspaper in the early 2000s.

[Susan Long · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I live where the story takes place, it was interesting.