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The Road Taken: A Memoir
A historic, sweeping memoir from United States Senator Patrick Leahy, currently the chamber’s longest-serving senator and President Pro Tempore.
In his landmark memoir The Road Taken , Patrick Leahy looks back on a life lived on the front lines of American politics. As the senior-most member and de facto dean of the chamber, Senator Leahy has been a key author of the American story. Leahy established himself as a moral leader and liberal pioneer over four decades spanning nine presidential administrations.
American history comes alive in this gripping story of a master political leader and consummate legislator. Leahy takes you inside the room as pivotal moments in our nation’s history play out, from the post-Watergate reform era to path breaking Supreme Court confirmations to stress tests like the impeachment of President Clinton, 9/11 and Congress’s role in greenlighting a disastrous war in Iraq, the January 6th Capitol insurrection, and both impeachment trials of Donald Trump—one of which Senator Leahy presided over, a historic first.
Beautifully written and filled with wonderful stories, Leahy’s memoir is populated by a larger-than-life cast of characters. We meet the major players who would shape the course of American politics, including every President from Ford onward, a fresh-faced Ted Kennedy, a dying Hubert Humphrey, a thirty-three-year-old son of Scranton named Joe Biden, a quick-witted Barry Goldwater, a freshman Senator and trash-talking gym-mate named Barack Obama, and a scrappy newcomer by the name of Bernie Sanders. Through these characters and many more, we see the rise, gradual decline, and push for redemption of a United States Senate that Leahy learns at an early age can be the “nation’s conscience.”
The Road Taken is also a moving personal portrait. Born in Vermont in 1940, Leahy got his first taste of politics at age six after riding his tricycle into the Governor’s office. Twenty-eight years later he became the first Democrat and youngest person ever elected to the United States Senate from Vermont. He writes movingly of his wife of nearly sixty years, Marcelle, his family life, his beloved home state of Vermont, and his unexpected life as an actor with cameos in five Batman movies. Despite being born legally blind in one eye, Leahy became an accomplished photographer, shooting history as he witnessed it. His intimate portraits illustrate the book, showcasing history through the lens of his life.
Full of wisdom and insight, The Road Taken ranks among the greatest political memoirs, revealing a momentous life marked by hard decisions made without regret.
In his landmark memoir The Road Taken , Patrick Leahy looks back on a life lived on the front lines of American politics. As the senior-most member and de facto dean of the chamber, Senator Leahy has been a key author of the American story. Leahy established himself as a moral leader and liberal pioneer over four decades spanning nine presidential administrations.
American history comes alive in this gripping story of a master political leader and consummate legislator. Leahy takes you inside the room as pivotal moments in our nation’s history play out, from the post-Watergate reform era to path breaking Supreme Court confirmations to stress tests like the impeachment of President Clinton, 9/11 and Congress’s role in greenlighting a disastrous war in Iraq, the January 6th Capitol insurrection, and both impeachment trials of Donald Trump—one of which Senator Leahy presided over, a historic first.
Beautifully written and filled with wonderful stories, Leahy’s memoir is populated by a larger-than-life cast of characters. We meet the major players who would shape the course of American politics, including every President from Ford onward, a fresh-faced Ted Kennedy, a dying Hubert Humphrey, a thirty-three-year-old son of Scranton named Joe Biden, a quick-witted Barry Goldwater, a freshman Senator and trash-talking gym-mate named Barack Obama, and a scrappy newcomer by the name of Bernie Sanders. Through these characters and many more, we see the rise, gradual decline, and push for redemption of a United States Senate that Leahy learns at an early age can be the “nation’s conscience.”
The Road Taken is also a moving personal portrait. Born in Vermont in 1940, Leahy got his first taste of politics at age six after riding his tricycle into the Governor’s office. Twenty-eight years later he became the first Democrat and youngest person ever elected to the United States Senate from Vermont. He writes movingly of his wife of nearly sixty years, Marcelle, his family life, his beloved home state of Vermont, and his unexpected life as an actor with cameos in five Batman movies. Despite being born legally blind in one eye, Leahy became an accomplished photographer, shooting history as he witnessed it. His intimate portraits illustrate the book, showcasing history through the lens of his life.
Full of wisdom and insight, The Road Taken ranks among the greatest political memoirs, revealing a momentous life marked by hard decisions made without regret.
480 pages, Hardcover
Published August 23, 2022
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286 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
September 25, 2022
An absolutely terrific history of the Senate during Senator Leahy's years there. It's also stunning to see how the Senate has changed during Senator Leahy's years representing Vermont, and how the Senator has -- much to his frustration -- seen it deteriorate from a wise and deliberative body that could approve a Supreme Court Justice 99-1 to a group marked by partisan wrangling. Senator Leahy also offers wonderful and unvarnished takes on Mitch McConnell, Donald Trump, and women and men from earlier eras, including Hubert Humphrey. And his account of the January 6, 2021 insurrection? Chilling. I savored this memoir. It's a gem.
August 26, 2022
Since this nation's current form of government was established in 1789, 1,994 men and women have been sworn in as U.S. senators. U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy has served with 402 of them -- about one-fifth.
It is fitting, therefore, that Leahy's valedictory book after eight terms in office concerns much more than a checklist of legislative victories, yarns from the campaign trail or tales of political intrigue. Instead it is a story about the senate itself, about how it used to function, and how the institution has weakened in recent years. It is, in effect, a metaphor for the public discourse of a country and her people.
To be sure, this book contains a mountain of gee-whiz: Vermont kid prosecutor from immigrant family finds himself propelled into the nation's center of power at the wizened age of 34. The buildings, the personalities of seasoned senators, the first phone call from a president -- they're all told with unapologetic wide-eyed delight. With persuasive examples, Leahy portrays a Senate of humility and mutual appreciation, with a code of behavior that is nearly chivalric.
That includes the politics, which are idealized in these pages. You do not become senate president pro tem nor the dean of the senate, as Leahy did, without developing some sharp elbows. Yet he holds faith with his larger point, for example declining to say almost anything negative about the people who campaigned against him.
It is all a set up. The code, over the passing years, decays. Partisanship takes a greater hold with every election. Fellow senators who he considered decent allies begin tweeting things they know to be untrue. The huge responsibility of weighing Supreme Court nominees descends into a pure power battle.
All of this leads inevitably to the events of January 6, 2021, in which an army of traitors -- gathered, fomented and encouraged by a president who had decisively lost re-election -- sought to disrupt the Congress, thwart the peaceful transfer of power that is this country's hallmark, and kill the House Speaker and Vice President. This is also when Leahy delivers the strongest and most page-turning part of the book, because it is filled with rage. His anger over what democracy has become is so passionate, so well argued, and ultimately so sad, it proves that the beliefs behind all those idealistic years were true.
Vermonters know well that Leahy delivered on funding to improve water quality in Lake Champlain, enlarged the generosity of programs to feed hungry families, and much more. He also used his clout to boost an international campaign to ban land mines to Nobel Peace Prize effectiveness, and to improve relations with Cuba, among many efforts. Over the years he hired a consistently first class team in both his Vermont and Washington offices, many of whom either appear in the book or receive well-deserved praise in the acknowledgements.
It's a touching realization that the reason the voters kept returning him to the Senate, enabling him to amass a seniority that gave a small state disproportionate influence, is not because he argued like a prosecutor or loved the Grateful Dead or failed ever to err. Instead, by the end of this book, the truth is plain: He believed in America.
It is fitting, therefore, that Leahy's valedictory book after eight terms in office concerns much more than a checklist of legislative victories, yarns from the campaign trail or tales of political intrigue. Instead it is a story about the senate itself, about how it used to function, and how the institution has weakened in recent years. It is, in effect, a metaphor for the public discourse of a country and her people.
To be sure, this book contains a mountain of gee-whiz: Vermont kid prosecutor from immigrant family finds himself propelled into the nation's center of power at the wizened age of 34. The buildings, the personalities of seasoned senators, the first phone call from a president -- they're all told with unapologetic wide-eyed delight. With persuasive examples, Leahy portrays a Senate of humility and mutual appreciation, with a code of behavior that is nearly chivalric.
That includes the politics, which are idealized in these pages. You do not become senate president pro tem nor the dean of the senate, as Leahy did, without developing some sharp elbows. Yet he holds faith with his larger point, for example declining to say almost anything negative about the people who campaigned against him.
It is all a set up. The code, over the passing years, decays. Partisanship takes a greater hold with every election. Fellow senators who he considered decent allies begin tweeting things they know to be untrue. The huge responsibility of weighing Supreme Court nominees descends into a pure power battle.
All of this leads inevitably to the events of January 6, 2021, in which an army of traitors -- gathered, fomented and encouraged by a president who had decisively lost re-election -- sought to disrupt the Congress, thwart the peaceful transfer of power that is this country's hallmark, and kill the House Speaker and Vice President. This is also when Leahy delivers the strongest and most page-turning part of the book, because it is filled with rage. His anger over what democracy has become is so passionate, so well argued, and ultimately so sad, it proves that the beliefs behind all those idealistic years were true.
Vermonters know well that Leahy delivered on funding to improve water quality in Lake Champlain, enlarged the generosity of programs to feed hungry families, and much more. He also used his clout to boost an international campaign to ban land mines to Nobel Peace Prize effectiveness, and to improve relations with Cuba, among many efforts. Over the years he hired a consistently first class team in both his Vermont and Washington offices, many of whom either appear in the book or receive well-deserved praise in the acknowledgements.
It's a touching realization that the reason the voters kept returning him to the Senate, enabling him to amass a seniority that gave a small state disproportionate influence, is not because he argued like a prosecutor or loved the Grateful Dead or failed ever to err. Instead, by the end of this book, the truth is plain: He believed in America.
September 11, 2022
The road taken was a very good book. It examines the career of Patrick Leahy . He served as a lawyer in Vermont and was elected 3 times as senator. It’s a refreshing read.
June 19, 2023
I was surprised how powerful Senator Leahy’s account of his 50 years in Washington came across to me. Because his start as the first Democrat elected to the Senate from VT coincided with my moving there and falling in love with the attitude of Vermonters and the beauty of the land, I was intrigued from the very beginning of his memoir. As he discusses the people and issues of the times, and his personal relationships with all who he dealt with, he made it clear how, even during crisis: Nixon’s resignation, JFK’s death, some Carter woes, the government stood ready to deal with it. When Obama was in his last year of office and the powers that be didn’t allow for a Supreme Court Justice nomination until after the end of his term, Leahy painted a much more “right there” picture which continued until Trump’s Jan 6 resurrection, after which Leahy’s tale was rich and no longer told in the bipartisan way of the earlier tale. Fascinating!!
April 6, 2024
I'm not a huge fan of memoirs but I'm glad I took the time to read this one.
September 7, 2022
At the end of his memoir, Leahy reflects that he has served with 402 senators, over one-fifth of all since 1789. His book recounts his life in chronological order, giving the reader a great sense of Leahy's humility and dedication to public service.
July 19, 2023
I have to admit I was not looking forward to reading a political memoir, even if it was by Senator Leahy. As I began the book though, I was immediately drawn into the story of Patrick as a 4-year-old on his tricycle in 1944, zooming through the marble corridors of the Vermont Statehouse years before security protocols were even thought of. And that he not only pedaled through the open door of then-Governor William Wills, but actually crashed into the front of his desk! What a fun way to start his story in “politics”.
I thought the first section of the book was especially fascinating with Vermont’s history woven through it, including things I didn’t know: His father’s memory of signs in Montpelier’s storefront windows that read “NO IRISH NEED APPLY” or “NO CATHOLIC NEED APPLY.” Vermont had its own history of Ku-Klux Klan in the state. I had known that Vermont had historically been a strong Republican state, but seeing the political change over the years through Leahy’s experiences was enlightening. That he was the first Democratic Senator elected from Vermont speaks to that change.
The anecdotes and personal stories he tells of events and politicians who coincided with my own life and interest in politics, beginning with JFK being elected and then assassinated. I was only a small child at the time, but I remember our Catholic family gathered around our black & white TV, watching Walter Cronkite report on the history being made by Kennedy…one a triumph, and one a tragedy.
A story that stood out from his early years is how he overcame congenital blindness in one eye and not only became a voracious reader, but also learned to read upside down and backward at his family’s printing press in Montpelier.
Another anecdote I liked from his time as State’s Attorney when he issued a memoranda on dealing with Hippies skinny-dipping in Vermont’s lakes and rivers.
And then there is Fred Tuttle!
Overall, reading the inside story about Senators during his 48 year career including Barry Goldwater, Frank Church, Bob Dole, Joe Biden, and Robert Kennedy, to name a few. Not to mention the Presidents during his 4 decades as a Senator: JFK, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and, finally, sadly, Donald Trump.
This memoir helped me re-live historic events I have witnessed during my own life:
the assassinations of JFK, RFK and MLK. The moon landings. Watergate. Civil Rights protests, 9-11, and more recently, Covid and January 6.
Something that stood out to me is that Republicans started their dirty tricks long before Trump. Pat Buchanan’s anti-gay, anti-immigrant, and anti-women speech at the Republican nominating convention before Clinton-Gore were elected. And then after that election, how they focused on the single issue of reducing “the deficit” when during the Reagan and Bush years, it was the Republicans who had made the deficit explode. That sure rhymes with what is going on today.
Sometimes the book read a bit like gratuitous name-dropping although I have no doubt that those personal relationships he established are what made him effective as a Senator. I thought his writing patted himself on the back a little too often and painted an unrealistic rosy picture of politics (until the most recent years), one of great collegiality and working across the aisle. He does mention, at one point, that our country’s political institutions are comprised of flawed individuals who usually have had the best interest of the country in their heart, but he doesn’t really explore much of the flaws in his own positions with nuances that had to have been there in order to get legislation passed. There is always give and take…politics is a messy business. Instead, Leahy paints himself as an uncompromised and open-minded person and gives the example of his support of Sandra Day O’Connor in her Supreme Court confirmation hearings.
Regarding Justices, I was a little shocked at his casual mention of a dinner he attended at Nina Tottenberg’s house (NPR justice correspondent), where Leahy, the head of the judiciary committee was there with Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The whole section on how confirmation hearings have changed is extremely disturbing. The recent news about Clarence Thomas shows just how broken things have gotten.
I skimmed some of the end of the book because I thought the writing had become repetitive.
I thought the first section of the book was especially fascinating with Vermont’s history woven through it, including things I didn’t know: His father’s memory of signs in Montpelier’s storefront windows that read “NO IRISH NEED APPLY” or “NO CATHOLIC NEED APPLY.” Vermont had its own history of Ku-Klux Klan in the state. I had known that Vermont had historically been a strong Republican state, but seeing the political change over the years through Leahy’s experiences was enlightening. That he was the first Democratic Senator elected from Vermont speaks to that change.
The anecdotes and personal stories he tells of events and politicians who coincided with my own life and interest in politics, beginning with JFK being elected and then assassinated. I was only a small child at the time, but I remember our Catholic family gathered around our black & white TV, watching Walter Cronkite report on the history being made by Kennedy…one a triumph, and one a tragedy.
A story that stood out from his early years is how he overcame congenital blindness in one eye and not only became a voracious reader, but also learned to read upside down and backward at his family’s printing press in Montpelier.
Another anecdote I liked from his time as State’s Attorney when he issued a memoranda on dealing with Hippies skinny-dipping in Vermont’s lakes and rivers.
And then there is Fred Tuttle!
Overall, reading the inside story about Senators during his 48 year career including Barry Goldwater, Frank Church, Bob Dole, Joe Biden, and Robert Kennedy, to name a few. Not to mention the Presidents during his 4 decades as a Senator: JFK, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and, finally, sadly, Donald Trump.
This memoir helped me re-live historic events I have witnessed during my own life:
the assassinations of JFK, RFK and MLK. The moon landings. Watergate. Civil Rights protests, 9-11, and more recently, Covid and January 6.
Something that stood out to me is that Republicans started their dirty tricks long before Trump. Pat Buchanan’s anti-gay, anti-immigrant, and anti-women speech at the Republican nominating convention before Clinton-Gore were elected. And then after that election, how they focused on the single issue of reducing “the deficit” when during the Reagan and Bush years, it was the Republicans who had made the deficit explode. That sure rhymes with what is going on today.
Sometimes the book read a bit like gratuitous name-dropping although I have no doubt that those personal relationships he established are what made him effective as a Senator. I thought his writing patted himself on the back a little too often and painted an unrealistic rosy picture of politics (until the most recent years), one of great collegiality and working across the aisle. He does mention, at one point, that our country’s political institutions are comprised of flawed individuals who usually have had the best interest of the country in their heart, but he doesn’t really explore much of the flaws in his own positions with nuances that had to have been there in order to get legislation passed. There is always give and take…politics is a messy business. Instead, Leahy paints himself as an uncompromised and open-minded person and gives the example of his support of Sandra Day O’Connor in her Supreme Court confirmation hearings.
Regarding Justices, I was a little shocked at his casual mention of a dinner he attended at Nina Tottenberg’s house (NPR justice correspondent), where Leahy, the head of the judiciary committee was there with Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The whole section on how confirmation hearings have changed is extremely disturbing. The recent news about Clarence Thomas shows just how broken things have gotten.
I skimmed some of the end of the book because I thought the writing had become repetitive.
September 28, 2022
I had read Sen. Leahy was retiring but did not know much about him besides that he's a big fan of character Batman and has made cameos in several of the movies. As a long career comes to a close I was curious to see what the current senior Senator from Vermont would have to say, what many of his thoughts were, what we could benefit from hindsight.
This reads like many standard political memoirs: his early life and family, how he got into politics, many stories and tidbits that you may have read before, some you may not have, etc. I'll admit that I was mostly uninterested until it got to more contemporary times. He's definitely seen lots of history (and sausage) being made, though, so for historians this would likely be a neat resource for info on what Leahy covers.
The most compelling part for me was his description of January 6th, 2021 and what he and his colleagues, staff, the US Capitol staff, etc. all went through. There are the hearings, testimony, news articles, etc. but nothing quite like reading through the day through the eyes of someone actually in Congress and a likely target of the rioters if it had come down to it.
Overall I would say this wasn't a "must read" book, but as mentioned he seems like an interesting guy and the Senate will likely miss him once he's gone. If you're interested in him, his tenure in the Senate, etc. this would likely be a good read, maybe useful as a reference too. But if you're just a casual reader this is likely either skippable or something you can wait on until you've got time.
Library borrow for me and that was about right. A bargain buy would have been fine too, with no deadline to return.
This reads like many standard political memoirs: his early life and family, how he got into politics, many stories and tidbits that you may have read before, some you may not have, etc. I'll admit that I was mostly uninterested until it got to more contemporary times. He's definitely seen lots of history (and sausage) being made, though, so for historians this would likely be a neat resource for info on what Leahy covers.
The most compelling part for me was his description of January 6th, 2021 and what he and his colleagues, staff, the US Capitol staff, etc. all went through. There are the hearings, testimony, news articles, etc. but nothing quite like reading through the day through the eyes of someone actually in Congress and a likely target of the rioters if it had come down to it.
Overall I would say this wasn't a "must read" book, but as mentioned he seems like an interesting guy and the Senate will likely miss him once he's gone. If you're interested in him, his tenure in the Senate, etc. this would likely be a good read, maybe useful as a reference too. But if you're just a casual reader this is likely either skippable or something you can wait on until you've got time.
Library borrow for me and that was about right. A bargain buy would have been fine too, with no deadline to return.
October 2, 2022
Reading this memoir was like reviewing my own life. I re-experienced both of the Kennedy assassinations, the Nixon resignation, 9/11, the reopening of Cuba, the day that marriage was declared equal for all, Vietnam, the joy and pride on Obama's election night…the list is long. There were no surprising revelations. In essence, this book is about ethics and being honest, sincere, and honorable.
I most enjoyed the sections about his personal life: his childhood, marriage, and family life. His law career as a prosecutor was very interesting. His conversations with Vermonters and his tales from different parts of the state were very familiar. He always established and maintained open communications between legal and political opponents and himself.
The book ends on a scary note, however: the insurrection of January 6, 2021. Leahy is clear about what happened before and after that day. The nation is having serious problems, but somehow Leahy, by just being himself, reassured me that we can make it through to the other side with a secure democracy — if we are vigilant and truthful with ourselves and value our country. There are other Leahys out there; he is not the only honorable person in Washington or the country, so it is possible that we will be okay in the end.
We are proud of Senator Leahy in Vermont. I have never met the senator, but his soft-spoken voice is as familiar as my own father's. It is a shame that he is retiring now when the country needs his high character and calm demeanor.
I most enjoyed the sections about his personal life: his childhood, marriage, and family life. His law career as a prosecutor was very interesting. His conversations with Vermonters and his tales from different parts of the state were very familiar. He always established and maintained open communications between legal and political opponents and himself.
The book ends on a scary note, however: the insurrection of January 6, 2021. Leahy is clear about what happened before and after that day. The nation is having serious problems, but somehow Leahy, by just being himself, reassured me that we can make it through to the other side with a secure democracy — if we are vigilant and truthful with ourselves and value our country. There are other Leahys out there; he is not the only honorable person in Washington or the country, so it is possible that we will be okay in the end.
We are proud of Senator Leahy in Vermont. I have never met the senator, but his soft-spoken voice is as familiar as my own father's. It is a shame that he is retiring now when the country needs his high character and calm demeanor.
May 10, 2025
This is an engaging, intimate, insightful book recounting Senator Leahy's experience as the third longest serving U.S. Senator in history, a career that played out over a uniquely transformational time for this foundational U.S. institution, between 1975 and 2023.
The personal stories of Senator Leahy's life that began in Vermont's state capital as the son of an Italian immigrant, interwoven with stories of relationships built with his family, constituents and other senators over the course of his tenure are moving and thought-provoking. They describe the mentoring of freshman senators across party lines, out of mutual respect and kindness, that characterized the senate's culture when he first arrived in Washington in 1975, a time when the senate was still comprised entirely of white men. His story then shows how that culture began to break down, despite his and other old hands' determined efforts to sustain it, as women and people of color were elected into the mix.
Throughout the book a sense of the open-hearted, humble, wise and generous public policy leader that Leahy's constituents so valued comes through. Those qualities that first won Leahy, a Democrat, the position of Junior Senator from Vermont, at a time when Vermont's political leadership was dominated by Republicans, becomes evident in the way he describes his experiences and the culture of community collaboration and neighborly care that has long characterized Vermont politics. He will be sorely missed!
The personal stories of Senator Leahy's life that began in Vermont's state capital as the son of an Italian immigrant, interwoven with stories of relationships built with his family, constituents and other senators over the course of his tenure are moving and thought-provoking. They describe the mentoring of freshman senators across party lines, out of mutual respect and kindness, that characterized the senate's culture when he first arrived in Washington in 1975, a time when the senate was still comprised entirely of white men. His story then shows how that culture began to break down, despite his and other old hands' determined efforts to sustain it, as women and people of color were elected into the mix.
Throughout the book a sense of the open-hearted, humble, wise and generous public policy leader that Leahy's constituents so valued comes through. Those qualities that first won Leahy, a Democrat, the position of Junior Senator from Vermont, at a time when Vermont's political leadership was dominated by Republicans, becomes evident in the way he describes his experiences and the culture of community collaboration and neighborly care that has long characterized Vermont politics. He will be sorely missed!
January 20, 2023
Senator Leahy's book is a memoir that features a duel narrative, one of the Vermont Senator who would rise to be the Senate's most senior member from being its 99th most senior upon the time of this first term and one of an institution that has begun in the past 40 years to crumble from its intended post as the conscience of a nation into the politics of the 21st century. Leahy's book is an excellently told memoir that imparts the author's humor and humanity into the nation's legislative body, two things we certainly could use more of today. The book is not a large policy read as many of the main things that Leahy took on as a Senator are largely glossed over aside from some key issues that receive a few full chapters (though the chapters in this book are very short, which is nice for brevity but hamper in depth discussions on his key accomplishments). The two most prominent things policy areas are US-Cuba relations and US-Vietnam relations, included in the latter is discussion about landmines and the mine ban treaty. The true best chaptes of the book are oes disucssing events in real time from Senator Leahy's perspective, including hearing the news of Hubert Humphrey's death to his account of the January 6th insurrection. Book definitley becmes more detailed as it gets closer to the present. Overall reads very well if you would like to know more about the Senate from one of its most devoted members.
September 13, 2023
Take an almost 50 year career in politics and try to create a cohesive book that isn't 1000 pages and you have this book.
Elected in the wake of Nixon, Patrick Leahy remembers a time when politics was not as contentious. When Senators could disagree on an issue, but still talk to members from the other party and consider them friends. (Much as Joe Biden could). I'm not sure if that was our own version of the era of good feelings and this is normal or we've become more divisive in this country.
At first it felt like the book was name dropping politicians and not getting to explore them in depth. It was more about the sense of comradery and working together for the good of America.
As I got further in the book I wished they could have gone more into depth on some of the things Senator Leahy was part of. His decision to vote against invading Iraq after 9/11 and more of the work to get major bipartisan legislation passed. Perhaps there are a few more books out there. I'd love the Senator's insight into: the Clarence Thomas appointment to the Supreme court, the response to 9/11, the battle to pass Obama Care ...
As it was I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to my political junkie friends.
Elected in the wake of Nixon, Patrick Leahy remembers a time when politics was not as contentious. When Senators could disagree on an issue, but still talk to members from the other party and consider them friends. (Much as Joe Biden could). I'm not sure if that was our own version of the era of good feelings and this is normal or we've become more divisive in this country.
At first it felt like the book was name dropping politicians and not getting to explore them in depth. It was more about the sense of comradery and working together for the good of America.
As I got further in the book I wished they could have gone more into depth on some of the things Senator Leahy was part of. His decision to vote against invading Iraq after 9/11 and more of the work to get major bipartisan legislation passed. Perhaps there are a few more books out there. I'd love the Senator's insight into: the Clarence Thomas appointment to the Supreme court, the response to 9/11, the battle to pass Obama Care ...
As it was I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to my political junkie friends.
August 13, 2023
Read this together with Margo at the recommendation of my mother in law. Patrick presents himself as the embodiment of senatorial (I won't say republican ;)) virtue: Gregarious at Senate drinking holes yet grounded in his Vermont roots; passionate about his politics, but peaceable and seeking comity. He can be forceful against the guards of totalitarian hosts, but is able to laugh about it later. Its an auto-hagiography, and cloying for that reason, but he really does sketch the outlines of someone who I'd want representing me. [That said, he does reveal some awkward blind-spots. Example: The edition I'm reading is from just before the war in Ukraine, and he's pushing the US to destroy its landmines and cluster munitions. Given their ugly utility since, this seems a bleeding-heart dumb take.]
He longs throughout for a simpler time when Senators lived up to their duty and were less destructively polarized. He cannot explain why it happened. Perhaps it was Newt (Tulane grad!) and the cameras in the house. Who knows. Patrick certainly doesn't and the final chapters are elegy [e.g. Trump abusing an elderly Bob Dole], not repair manuals.
He longs throughout for a simpler time when Senators lived up to their duty and were less destructively polarized. He cannot explain why it happened. Perhaps it was Newt (Tulane grad!) and the cameras in the house. Who knows. Patrick certainly doesn't and the final chapters are elegy [e.g. Trump abusing an elderly Bob Dole], not repair manuals.
November 9, 2022
An autobiographical walk-through of a 48-year Senate experience from a native Vermonter.
Senator Leahy provides a first-person account of what it was like to be a kid in the state capital (and capitol) back in the day, narrates a career arc from the 70's when he started his Senate career, how the give-and-take, comradeship, and socialization changed over the years to what we have today. The early anecdotes are heartwarming, the later ones are heartbreaking.
As to how to address the current polarization, the Senator seems to believe in the constancy of change, restating his optimism several times. Not everyone will share that perspective.
Senator Leahy provides a first-person account of what it was like to be a kid in the state capital (and capitol) back in the day, narrates a career arc from the 70's when he started his Senate career, how the give-and-take, comradeship, and socialization changed over the years to what we have today. The early anecdotes are heartwarming, the later ones are heartbreaking.
As to how to address the current polarization, the Senator seems to believe in the constancy of change, restating his optimism several times. Not everyone will share that perspective.
September 27, 2022
As someone in their mid 30s, this book showed me things I could not have otherwise seen through the pages of history books. Senator Leahy shows the evolving nature of politics and history with witty humor, integrity, and intelligence. It’s an important document that shows the possibility underneath the politics and one that should make any reader yearn to do their very best on the roads they take. It’s not light reading, it has substance, but that substance is put to good use, painting pictures only a well-written narrative could.
October 18, 2022
Patrick Leahy's long service in the Senate has provided him with a perspective that few, if any, of his colleagues possess. Therefore, when he says the Senate (and the country) have been diminished by the shenanigans of recent decades, he knows what he's talking about. That's especially true since Leahy while has been a solid liberal, has never been a partisan hack. The prose is sometimes workmanlike, but Leahy has an interesting, informative, tragic and ultimately hopeful story to tell. I enjoyed his book immensely.
February 21, 2023
Very interesting insight into the Senate from one who really knows. Appreciated the differences based on ruling parties and sad to see the decorum of the Senate waning. Wish we could elect more folks like Leahy. I admire his commitment to serving the people and getting what he could get accomplished. As this story shows, we depend or should depend and vote on what our elected officials actually accomplish, not the grandstanding we see today. This is an honest and heartfelt history of one of our greatest institutions.
December 19, 2022
One of my favorite reads of the year. I am a big fan of the Senator, but I was surprised at how much history I learned. And I loved his insights on the Senate throughout his 50 years. When he first began Senators gathered and met together ignoring party affiliation, Senators crossed party lines to get things done, but no more. If you want to know how Congress used to work and should work, read this book. Senator Leahy's own photographs provided an interesting look at this life too.
December 11, 2022
I really thought this book was terrific. Very well written and quite informative. Leahy explains how the senate has deteriorated into a partisan body that is no longer very deliberative. Although he doesn't speak critically often of other senators, he does about a couple. You can guess who they might be.
Read
February 27, 2023I am very happy that my library decided to purchase this book. Senator Leahy did an incredible job journaling his years in the senate. I wouldn't do justice in trying to restate pieces of his history. Others should just read about all of his successes and thorough work for Vermont and the nation at large. Take the book out and enjoy the read.
J.
J.
September 21, 2022
Senator Leahy is a great story-teller, and this book collects 61 stories, nicely told. The Senator gives the reader an inside view of the Senate as an institution. And the book also gives the reader a welcome taste of the Leahy wit.
October 8, 2022
Interesting read. Oh, how things have changed since Leahy started representing VT in the US Senate.
He reminds us how special being a US Senator can be if your motives are really to better the country and the world.
He reminds us how special being a US Senator can be if your motives are really to better the country and the world.
September 23, 2022
A fairly pedestrian political memoir without any great insight or revelations.
September 27, 2022
Senator Patrick Leahy has served with distinction nearly half a century in the US Senate. His memoir is a magnificent walk down memory lane.
November 4, 2022
Good reading, lots of history covered.
dnf
November 14, 2022DNF @ 30%
Not bad but definitely not helping me get out of my reading slump.
Not bad but definitely not helping me get out of my reading slump.
December 22, 2022
Well written. A true statesman. Fascinating to read an insider’s perspective of major political issues from Watergate to Trump’s insurrection.
January 16, 2023
It is good to read of integrity of now retired Senator Patrick Leahy and back stories from his view of government during my lifetime.
January 27, 2023
One of the best memoires I've read. Personal, informative.
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