Home Style: House Members in Their Districts

by Richard F. Fenno Jr.

Reissued as part of the “Longman Classics in Political Science” series, Fenno's landmark study of eighteen members of Congress in their districts features a new Foreword by John Hibbing. Home Style , which won the 1979 Woodrow Wilson Foundation Award and the 1980 D.B. Hardeman prize, has been re-issued in a "Longman Classics" Edition and features a new Foreword by renowned scholar John Hibbing of The University of Nebraska.

Genres: Politics, Political Science, The United States Of America, Academic, Grad School

300 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1978

About the author

Richard Francis Fenno Jr. was an American political scientist known for his pioneering work on the U.S. Congress and its members. He was Distinguished University Professor Emeritus at the University of Rochester. He published numerous books and scholarly articles focused on how members of Congress interacted with each other, with committees, and with constituents. Political scientists considered the research groundbreaking and startlingly original and gave him numerous awards. Many followed his research design on how to follow members from Washington back to their home districts. Fenno was best known for identifying the tendency — dubbed "Fenno’s Paradox" — of how most voters say they dislike Congress as a whole, but they trust and reelect their local Congressperson.--Wikipedia

Reviews

[Samuel P · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is no surpirse why Richard Fenno's work is considered a must read for students of Congress. I found myself laughing and enjoying myself more than anything else while reading. If he would have observed every member of the 92nd Congress and compiled a 3,000-page volume, I would happily read every last word.

[Ed McKinley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is as interesting and readable as academic political science can get. As a journalist, I also find it somewhat inspiring how far an acquiring, disciplined mind can get you combined with hanging out and paying close attention to what's happening around you.

[Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite books I read in whole course of my masters program. It is a work that has aged well since it was written in the 1970s, and remains insightful and valuable to understanding our politics. It was especially fun for me personally because I had a job once upon a time where I often traveled with a politician in his district, and much of what Fenno describes in Home Style had me nodding along.

Sometimes we may imagine that being a member of Congress is all fancy dinners and high drama in Washington, DC. Home Style has no such illusions. Richard Fenno knows that members must spend much time in their home districts, cultivating their political networks and keeping in touch with the folks at home.

Home Style follows over a dozen different Congress-persons in their home districts (though they are not named except as Congressman A, B, etc.). It evaluates what kind of persona they adopt with their constituents. It gets inside their heads about what kind of constituencies they believe are important. It discusses how difficult it can be for politicians to find groups to "present" themselves in front of. Fenno's description of the "rings" of constituencies seemed spot-on to me, as did his discussion of the expansionary phase of a political career and the merely holding steady phase.

Fenno does an excellent job of demonstrating the breadth of options available to a Congress-persons in terms of the sort of identity they may wish to adopt, but also the ways their districts may constrain their options. The book is relatively short, but took something like seven or eight years to write because of the extensive travel and time necessary to observe and absorb how a Congress-person acts. It doesn't get bogged down in too much terminology or jargon and for an academic book is very easy to read.

I do believe that times have changed in some ways since Fenno wrote this book, but perhaps not as much as we may imagine. Members spend as much time in their districts as ever before, probably more in most cases. They are often engaged in these same types of activities and meetings. There is a pretty elemental truth that Fenno has uncovered in Home Style. For those interested in the most basic ways that political careers are constructed, this is a great place to start reading.

[Steven Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

When first published, this work was received extremely well. It affected how scholars viewed the relationship between elected representatives in Congress and their constituents. It emphasized the importance of what happens when members of the House of Representatives visit their districts--and how critical this is for individuals' careers.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book ever written about how members of Congress act outside of Washington.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've ever wanted to be a politician and need a "how-to" book, this is your ticket. Let your campaign manager read it, and then get to work.

[Robquarles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Timeless book. Doesn't profile Congressional members under the sexy friday night lights of Washington, but rather the Saturday morning dingy dank locker room of their districts.

[Fran · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was really good but pretty confusing and a little to advanced for my age group. Seems like it would be more appropriate for college. Too bad my Political Science teacher is such a nut. lol

[Ashleigh Gaines]

It was a good book on how congress is run.

[David Bippes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gives great insight into how congressmen think that would be beneficial for every voter to read.