Huey Long by T. Harry Williams Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Huey Long
Book Review: Incredibly researched
Summary: 3 Stars
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. PEACEBook Review: Interesting Facts - Flawed Reasoning
Summary: 3 Stars
I very much enjoyed reading T. Harry Williams' biography of Huey Long. The book seems to be extensively researched and benefits greatly from being written at a time when many of Long's cohorts and enemies were still alive and accessible. The reality is a person would have to be a bad writer indeed for a book about Long not to be, at the least, interesting. Long was unlike any character in the history of American politics and, had an assassin not brought him down in 1935, would probably be much more than just a footnote to American history.
The book goes to great lengths to describe Long's conservative, status quo preserving enemies. It's an important point due to the fact that many, in recalling Long's exploits, have forgotten just how dangerous these folks were (Schlesinger comes to mind). Without these backward callous men (for the most part they were men), Huey Long would have likely been little more than an extremely shrewd Louisiana lawyer. But their outrageous indifference to anything other than their own prosperity laid the groundwork for Long's rise, and created a ready made constituency that is loyal (among those still living) to this day. William's book goes to great lengths to point out the legitimate achievements, against bitter resistance, of Long's machine - roads, bridges and education being top of the list. The acheivements were real and, only a few years before they occurred, had seemed utterly impossible. Long made them happen by force of will, uncanny political instincts and a willingness to do anything to achieve his goals - and it is here that Mr. Williams' book is profoundly flawed.
Mr. Williams is an apologist for Long. Williams will recite some fascist (and there is really no other word that works) scheme of Long's - for example, having the state police arrest two men a few days prior to an election because he fears the men will talk to the press and make allegations that might hurt Long, ramrod (single-handedly) legislation of dubious constitutionality through the Lousiana legislature in record time (a few minutes in some accounts) when he has no legal authority to do so (he was a US Senator), ensure kickbacks are provided to his subordinates (and himself) in exchange for favor in the state government, appoint himself as counsel for the state in big cases and - of course - receive large fees for his representation, use the state police as his own personal security staff, via unconstitutional law, strip virtually all autonomy from local government and centralize it in Baton Rouge to ensure his machine controls all government-related jobs (county deputies, for example), deduct money from state employee's pay and use it for his political campaigns (keeping the "deducts" in cash in a lock box - supposedly containing, at the time of Long's death, a million dollars (that's 1935 dollars!) - only to tell his reader that, well, it looks bad but 'ol Huey was really just being politically astute and doing what had to be done in the harsh political environment of Louisiana.
Williams' theme seems to be that whatever the Kingfish did of an underhanded nature was done because that was the only way to help the people. Although Williams does note that Huey was a power-seeker (in a gargantuan understatement), it doesn't seem to occur to Mr. Williams that power was, in fact, the passion that drove him. Helping the poor and the middle class, and improving Louisiana, were only a pretense to the power grab. Williams points out when Long was a young man, newly married, he laid out his vision to his wife. He would be elected to a lower state office, then become governor, then a US Senator, then the president. He did not lay out a plan to her about how he would build roads or educate the poor or bring Louisiana out of the nineteenth century. That would come later, when he realized that was his best avenue to power. While reading Mr. Williams' book this becomes overwhelmingly evident - to everyone but Mr. Williams.
Book Review: Living large in Louisiana
Summary: 5 Stars
Huey Long was one of the most fascinating characters in American history and T. Harry Williams tells his story better than anyone else. Long rose from absolutely abject poverty to become perhaps the most powerful political leader in Louisiana history and for a time, one of the most influential leaders in the US. This hick from the sticks went to the big city and made good.
The Kingfish was, of course, corrupt, but was genuinely populist. He fought for better education for the poor, the right to organize labor unions, and he pushed adult literacy, which mainly benefited African-Americans. His public works projects employed thousands and built hundreds of roads and bridges. He fought the entrenched and powerful interests in favor of the common man.
T. Harry Williams' work is simply the best on the man and the politician.
Book Review: My Great Grand Father
Summary: 5 Stars
This book was one of the best books, in my opinion, that my Great Grand Father, T. Harry Williams, ever wrote. He researched this topic, and it took him a many of years to compile it all on paper. This book covers all of the aspects of Huey Long in graphic detail, and I recomend it to any political historian.Book Review: One of America's True Radicals
Summary: 5 Stars
One reality about America that separates us from our European heritage is the ability of our citizens, solely through their own efforts, to rise from total obscurity, seize the mantle of public attention, and become inexplicably polarizing figures. A few examples are Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton. Huey Long was one of these people. This excellent biography tells the story of Huey's rise from nothing, his erascibility as a child, his drive and energy and ultimately his tireless efforts to push Franklin Roosevelt toward a more progressive agenda. Too often, people such as Huey who challenge the status quo end up dead at the hands of an assassin. As a citizen of Louisiana, however, I can guarantee you that Huey's influence lives on today, for better or worse. Very few people would agree today with Huey's policies or his tactics, but, you have to tip your hat to him, he shook things up and left a lasting impression. Williams' biography, often characterized (erroneously) as pro-Huey, brings Huey's impact to life in a neutral but intriguing way.