Robert caro the power broker excerpt from book

President barack obama the most absorbing, detailed, instructive, provocative book ever published about the making and. It is, according to david halberstam, surely the greatest book ever written about a city. Tells the tale of new york and us politics in the early and mid 20th century in great detail. Praise surely the greatest book ever written about a city. In democratic america,supposedly, ultimate power rests in the voters, and the man for whom a majority of. Even after 1200 pages and approximately 700,000 words i still didnt want it to end. Robert moses and the fall of new york, everywhere acclaimed as a modern classic, was chosen by the modern library as one of the hundred greatest nonfiction books of the twentieth century. For a long time after it was published in 1974, 40 years ago, for a couple of decades probably, i never opened the book. After working for many years as a reporter, caro wrote the power broker 1974, a biography of new york urban planner robert moses, which was chosen by the modern. Robert caros monumental book makes public what few outsiders knew. In his chairmanship of twelve agencies from 1924 to 1968, moses spent at least 27 billion dollars. Caro began his career as a biographer with the power broker, his 1974 book about robert moses, which was excerpted in four parts in the new yorker. Caro has twice won the pulitzer prize, twice won the national book award, three times won the national book critics circle award, and has also won virtually every other major literary honor, including the gold medal in biography from the american academy of arts and letters and the francis parkman prize. Caros biography of johnson, the passage of power, was published in 2012 and won the national book critics circle award for biography in 20.

This is another book about power, its use and abuse. So as ive been reading alongin what turns out to be a nearly 1200 page, absolute pageturner of a book ive been wondering how the power broker reacted to robert caros work. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. The london sunday times has said that caro is the greatest political biographer of our times. Technically, robert caros book the power broker is a biography of urban planner robert moses, but that description feels laughably inadequate. Mar 23, 2012 caro began his career as a biographer with the power broker, his 1974 book about robert moses, which was excerpted in four parts in the new yorker. Power broker by robert caro, first edition abebooks. Robert moses and the fall of new york by caro, robert a. The elements of the tale are familiar, at least among journalists and writers. But the power broker is first and foremost a brilliant multidimensional portrait of a manan extraordinary man who, denied power within the normal framework of the. Robert moses and the fall of new york is a 1974 biography of robert moses by robert caro. Robert moses and the fall of new yorka sevenyear ordeal that took the book through three publishers and two editors and nearly bankrupted carothe firsttime author got a surprise phone call from his agent, lynn nesbit. Power brokers on robert caros the power broker keenan mayo.

In 1974, to go along with publication of the book, long excerpts had appeared in four issues of. Robert moses and the fall of new yorka sevenyear ordeal that took the book. President barack obama the most absorbing, detailed, instructive, provocative book ever published about the making and raping of modern. There are some great lines, including a quote from a veteran new york. The power broker ivpoint of no return the new yorker. Oct 23, 2015 t echnically, robert caros book the power broker is a biography of urban planner robert moses, but that description feels laughably inadequate on multiple counts. Power brokers on robert caros the power broker bloomberg. Caro goes into great detail at charting the rise to power of robert moses. Caro was awarded his first pulitzer prize for the book, which became known as a. Robert moses and the fall of new york, caro spent seven years tracing and talking with hundreds of men and women who worked with, for, or against robert moses, including a score of his top aides. Robert moses response to robert caros the power broker. It is, according to david halberstam, surely the greatest book. Caro was awarded his first pulitzer prize for the book, which became known as a classic in the field of urban planning.

Robert moses and the fall of new york is a pulitzer prizewinning biography of robert moses by robert caro. So as ive been reading alongin what turns out to be a nearly 1200 page, absolute pageturner of a book ive been wondering how the power broker reacted to. Robert caro is one of the most respected historians of our time. Apart from the book s being so good as biography, as city history, as sheer good reading, the power broker is an immense public service. The sentences, pages, and chapters are beautifully written and are immensely gripping. He examined mountains of files never opened full biography link to robert a. Since then ive reread it three or four times over the years. One of the most acclaimed books of our time, winner of both the pulitzer and the francis parkman prizes, the power broker tells the hidden story behind the shaping and misshaping of twentiethcentury new york city and state and makes public what few have known. Caro has won two pulitzer prizes, two national book awards, and three national book critics circle awards. The book focuses on the creation and use of power in local and state politics, as witnessed through moses use of unelected positions to design and implement dozens of highways and bridges. Everywhere acknowledged as a modern american classic, winner of the pulitzer prize, and chosen by the modern library as one of the hundred greatest books of the twentieth century, the power broker is a huge and galvanizing biography revealing not only the saga of one mans incredible accumulation of power, but the story of the shaping and misshaping of new york in the. Hospitality has always been a potent political weapon.

Caro is simply one of the best nonfiction books in english of the last forty years dominic sandbrook, sunday times. Robert moses and the fall of new york, has entered the realm of authorial legend. Sep 16, 1974 one of the most acclaimed books of our time, winner of both the pulitzer and the francis parkman prizes, the power broker tells the hidden story behind the shaping and misshaping of twentiethcentury new york city and state and makes public what few have known. Robert moses is a young man with a dream to build an infrastructure for the new york city area. This damning portrait of the planner who most shaped modern new york, aside from being a considerable work of. Everywhere acknowledged as a modern american classic, winner of the pulitzer prize, and chosen by the modern library as one of the hundred greatest books of the twentieth century, the power broker is a huge and galvanizing biography revealing not only the saga of one mans incredible accumulation of power, but the story of the shaping and misshaping of new york in the twentieth century. T echnically, robert caros book the power broker is a biography of urban planner robert moses, but that description feels laughably inadequate on multiple counts. Caros monumental the years of lyndon johnson displays all the narrative energy and illuminating insight that led the times of london to acclaim it as one of the truly great political biographies of the modern age.

At the height of his power robert moses was emperor of nearly all new york state public worksbridges, highways, housing, parks, electrical power, the worlds fair and the united nationswithout ever holding elected office. Moses is an interesting and important figure in new york history, but caros writing elevates him to an almost machiavellian character. Robert moses and the fall of new yorka sevenyear ordeal that took the book through three publishers and two. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. David halberstam i think about robert caro and reading the power broker back when i was twentytwo years old and just being mesmerized, and im sure it helped to shape how i think about politics. The power broker the power broker audiobook, by robert a.

The secrets of lyndon johnsons archives, by robert a. In his chairmanship of twelve agencies from 1924 to 1968, moses spent at least 27 billion dollars with immense inefficiency, utter disregard for opponents and maximum. For those of us who adore his books on lyndon johnson and regard him as the best political biographer of the modern era, his first book, published in 1975 as another extraordinary achievement. Book excerpts are provided by the publisher and may contain language some find offensive. Everywhere acknowledged as a modern american classic, winner of the pulitzer prize, and chosen by the modern library as one of the hundred greatest books of the twentieth century, the power broker is a huge and galvanizing biography revealing not only the saga of one mans incredible accumulation of power, but the story of the shaping and misshaping of new york in. The power brokers robert moses and the fall of new york, by robert a. Surely the greatest book ever written about a city. This massive work is at the same time a biography of robert moses and the metropolitan new york city area. Well, the book that got the most criticism was the power broker. Every mp, wonk and wouldbe wonk in westminster has read robert caros the years of lyndon johnson, because they think it is the greatest insight into power ever written. Jane jacobs required reading for all those who hope to make their way in urban politics.

I first picked up the power broker when it was published 25 years ago. The power broker, 40 years later the new york times. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. If that was not enough, robert caro is a gifted and skilled writer and biographer. His memoir is a masterclass in how great books are built, and is peppered with great anecdotes about people of power.

Caro and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The book focuses on the creation and use of power in local and state politics, as witnessed through moses use of unelected positions to design and implement dozens of highways and bridges, sometimes at great cost to the communities he nominally served. Caro published by a borzoi book published by alfred a. There is something shakespearean about caros writing. Time magazine chose it as one of the hundred top nonfiction books of all time.

Robert allan caro born october 30, 1935 is an american journalist and author known for his biographies of united states political figures robert moses and lyndon b. Robert moses and the fall of new york paperback july 12, 1975. The oath that was administered to robert wagner in city hall on january 1, 1954, should have given wagner supreme power in new york. For his biographies of robert moses and lyndon johnson, robert a. Moses is pictured as idealist reformer, and political manipulator as his rise to power and eventual domination of new york state politics is documented. The passage of power follows lyndon johnson through both the most frustrating and the most triumphant periods of his career 1958 to1964. One of the most acclaimed books of our time, winner of both the pulitzer and the francis parkman prizes, the power broker tells the hidden story behind the shaping and misshaping of twentiethcentury new york and makes public what few have known. Jul 12, 2017 in the spring of 1974, after robert a. President barack obama the most absorbing, detailed, instructive, provocative book ever published about the making and raping of modern new. Working on the power broker researching it, writing it took me seven years, and when i finished i was sure i never wanted to see it again.