Huey Long

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Summary: Huey Long by T. Harry Williams
Review: A superb job by the author, Williams. If you love biographies or politics you will not be able to put this book down. If you're not familiar with American political history, let's just say that the best stories always come from the fascinating corruption that exists in "down south" politics. It brings out the genius in Long's political strategies; a genius that was too much (or perhaps too threatening) for the people of his time (or his fellow politicians).

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Summary: Politics 101
Review: Academic historians spend a lot of time complaining about the merits of so called popular history. This is of course mostly due to the fact that popular histories outsell what the academics turn out causing the academics to cry foul. I have read a fair amount of both types of history and have always felt that if the academics would turn out books that weren't so dull they could attract readers also. In his biography of Huey Long, T. Harry Williams delivers absolute proof that academics can turn out extremely interesting books. This book is fascinating from cover to cover and anyone who is considering a career in government should read this biography of one of the cleverest politicians of all time.

Historians often crucify the Kingfish but Williams doesn't follow that course. He simply presents the story and lets the reader decide whether Long was a hero or a villain. Huey's tactics were ruthless there is no doubt but in order to break the power of the Bourbon ruling class of Louisiana there was little alternative. This elite ruling class was thoroughly entrenched and had been grinding the people of Louisiana under their feet for years. Long may have indeed become a dictator but he broke the power of the Bourbons and brought Louisiana out of the 18th century. Huey's list of accomplishments is far too long for a review of this type but there is one area that must be mentioned. Huey gave to the people of Louisiana the key that would open the door to a brighter future by finally giving people a chance to get an education. For the first time children in Louisiana received free textbooks and LSU was built into a major institution of higher learning. He also created a medical school at LSU so those qualified citizens of the State that couldn't pay the high tuition at Tulane could still become doctors. Not only did this let the children of the middle class attend medical school, but also it also greatly improved the access of the people to medical care.

There is of course no doubt that Long had his bad side also and Williams doesn't cover it up. This is a very fair and balanced biography and the author's writing style is marvelous. Do not let the size of this work intimidate you, there are no tedious sections and chapters that will make your eyelids heavy. Williams relies heavily on oral history in this book. He has done dozens if not hundreds of interviews with Long's family, his associates, his supporters, and his enemies. Most of Long's communications were face to face or over the phone so this method was critical to the success of this work, and a success it is.

Many biographies are credited with being the definitive work on the subject's life. Sometimes with justification, sometimes without. In this case there is great justification for the definitive label. Nothing before or since has come close to Williams' work. If you want to understand the Kingfish, Louisiana politics, or just study a political genus at work, this is the book to read hands down.

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Summary: The Kingfish!
Review: As I picked up this book to learn more about depression era politics, I thought that this would be just another boring book about a politican. But as I kept on reading I started to realize that this is the best biography about powerful politicans. No one except for FDR could match Huey's hold on people and subordiantes. You have to understand that Long controoled all the branches of government in Louisiana. The judicial, legislative, and executive. No one person has been able to control a state the way Long did. What I like more about this book is William's style in telling the story. He puts in boring statistics and the seconds that with an interesting or funny side note, which made the book easier to read. No wonder he recieved the Pulitzer Prize for biography for this book. But what is more important is that Williams helps you and even him in trying to understand the man, which is important when reading any biography. He just didn't tell what he did but why he did it or William's comes to his on conclusions based on his research. It is a lengthy book, but don't worry just sit and read and let yourself be absorbed. You will not regret it. Praise to T. Harry Williams, he has written the best biography that anyone could possibly read. Thanks!

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Summary: exciting at first, then loses focus; also too pro-Long
Review: basically the 1 line above says it. the writing kind of peters out and becomes tiresome even, although Long personally is always fascinating. Also, Williams seems to think Long's abuse of power and corruption were amusing. maybe for the historian. a better read by far would be the great classic, Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men. of course that's fiction, but so is some of Williams's interpretation.

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Summary: Useful but lumbering, borders on hero worship
Review: Because Dr. Williams so thoroughly details Huey Long's fascinating life, this book is important. Especially interesting is Dr. Williams' portrait of the young Huey Long and his rise. However, the book often gets bogged down in the Byzantine world of Louisiana politics. It is often plodding. More disappointing is the lack of critical analysis. Basically, Dr. Williams believes Huey Long could do no wrong. Long's conservative enemies were all bad people who wanted to keep the downtrodden in their place. Dr. Williams does not acknowledge that Long's political enemies might have philosophical differences with him. Long's enemies are not really persons in this book; they're all the same caricature.

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Summary: Surprisingly interesting book!
Review: Biography on one of the most famous Louisiana politicians. Interesting book about a very colorful character. The author was actually very positive about Long -- I did not think that was possible.

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Summary: Incredibly researched
Review: Don't get me wrong, if you want to know about Huey Long, this is the book! It's just not the smoothest/fastest read. I knew nothing about Huey Long before picking this up, except that he was considered a demagogue. Apparently he was one of the most amazing politicians of at least the 20th century, if not in American history. Unfortunately, I knew nothing of the supposed infamous goings-on around Huey and found some of the detailed explanations of what seemed like tedious little legends to be far too long and boring. Never heard of a round robin and I am now convinced I never want to hear of one again. When comparing this book to "Truman" by McCullough, there really is no comparison - Truman is the greatest biography ever. This book is incredibly well researched and (in some ways unfortunately) does not leave anything out. PEACE

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Summary: Huey Long is God.
Review: Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god Huey is god

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Summary: One of the best historical biographies I have read!
Review: Huey Long was a was an amazing politician and a contradiction. A man of the people who came close to establishing a dictatorship in Lousianna. He overturned a corupt political system operated by the Lousianna's wealthy old families, and gave basic services to the poor of his state. Despite Long's liberal program, one of the greatest fears of many liberal New Deal Democrats was that Huey Long would succeed Roosevelt as president. Williams does the almost impossible, he helps the reader comprehend the contradition that was Huey Long

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Summary: Great!!!!
Review: I read somewhere that this book won the Pultizer Prize. If so, it bolsters for me the image of that award. Professor Williams must have been a great man to have written a book like this, as it gets to the heart of life itself. As to setting, it is a story about what happens (and what actually once did happen) when you try to fight city hall. I suspect this is one of the greatest books ever written -- as it should be, perhaps, for being based on one of the most interesting of historical dramas.