I'm not blaming him. He's a politician. It's like all those politicians who let us know what is in their iPods. The demonstration of balance is too obvious, the need to show the right frame of mind, so we'll trust them with what they want us to let them do.
Giuliani briefly explains why he picked each book, and each explanation is perfectly honed as a campaign pitch -- deniable, yet unmistakable.
For book #1:
On the night after the attacks of Sept. 11, I remember getting home at about 2:30 a.m. and seeing on my nightstand a book I had been reading, a prepublication copy of Roy Jenkins's forthcoming "Churchill."...Mmmm... yeah... who's to say it didn't happen?
Book 2 is about Jefferson. Book 3 is about... guess!... Lincoln:
My mother was a great storyteller and a natural teacher. She introduced me as a child to the life of Abraham Lincoln....Don't you tell me she didn't! You don't appreciate Mom?
Book 4 is... love me Democrats... President Kennedy's "Profiles in Courtage"!
One profile in particular that stuck with me was that of Edmund Ross, the Kansas Republican who cast the deciding vote for acquittal in the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson in 1868. Ross was no fan of Johnson's but sensed that the trial was more about rounding up votes than weighing the evidence. His decision to break ranks with his party ended Ross's political career, but his principled stand has been vindicated by history....Yay, Republican!
Book 5 is... note, Democrats, I put him after Kennedy... Ronald Reagan!
My wife, Judith, recently bought me Richard Reeves's book (subtitled "The Triumph of Imagination"), which excels in depicting Ronald Reagan's management style and unrelenting pursuit of his core principles: the restoration of the American spirit, limited government, a strong defense and the defeat of communism.First, Kennedy, then, Reagan. First, Mom, then, Wife. Do you love me yet? Did I present my admiration for Reagan in a way that makes both Democrats and Republicans feel good? Management style! Principles! Like the principles I extracted? Come on, they're really good ones! What? You're for unlimited government?
Hey, I love the guy. I'm just saying I can read.
Posts
5 comments:
Like him or not, one of the best bio's I have read is the first volume of a trilogy on Lyndon Johnson by Robert Caro The Path to Power
Which just underlines my point... Giuliani had to pick admirable characters who represented himself and bios that inspired by example.
Yes, and if I were asked to make a list I too would begin with those I most respect even though I have read stunning bio's on Stalin and Mao. I just don't think I could manage to have them on my list.
Manipulative, self serving? Maybe........
I like the way he emphasizes that Judith is "my wife." For the longest time, they were just . . . going together. When she saw him through prostate cancer, she was only his dear companion. Can't have the base thinking of that and scowling. "My wife" is moral Lysol that wipes out messy history -- wipes out Donna, divorce, fleeing to his gay friends' home, and then living in sin with Judith for the longest time.
vw: bywds (short for bywords)
Amba:
Oh, for f***s sake, he is married to Judith Nathan isn't he? the man calls his wife his fracking wife.
As for the list itself - well, I don't know why anyone does these things. Guiliani comes across as a man with pretty middle of the road tastes in political biographies. I suppose if he'd come up with a list of esoterica we'd all be snarking about which poli. sci. major working at Guliani Partners got drafted to make his poseur boss look like an intellectual.
And when my father died, I couldn't sleep and spent the evening reading C.S. Lewis' 'A Grief Observed'. I just did that so I'd have something to write about if the WSJ came knocking.
Post a Comment