Mr. Speaker!: The Life and Times of Thomas B. Reed The Man Who

Condition - Very Good
The item shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and functions properly. Item may arrive with damaged packaging or be repackaged. It may be marked, have identifying markings on it, or have minor cosmetic damage. It may also be missing some parts/accessories or bundled items.

Mr. Speaker!: The Life and Times of Thomas B. Reed The Man Who Broke the Filibuster

James Grantâ€™s enthralling biography of Thomas B. Reed, Speaker of the House during one of the most turbulent times in American historyâ€”the Gilded Age, the decades before the ascension of reformer President Theodore Rooseveltâ€”brings to life one of the brightest, wittiest, and most consequential political stars in our history.

The last decades of the nineteenth century were a volatile era of rampantly corrupt politics. It was a time of both stupendous growth and financial panic, of land bubbles and passionate and sometimes violent populist protests. Votes were openly bought and sold in a Congress paralyzed by the abuse of the House filibuster by members who refused to respond to roll call even when present, depriving the body of a quorum. Reed put an end to this stalemate, empowered the Republicans, and changed the House of Representatives for all time.

The Speakerâ€™s beliefs in majority rule were put to the test in 1898, when the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine in Havana Harbor set up a popular clamor for war against Spain. Reed resigned from Congress in protest.

A larger-than-life character, Reed checks every box of the ideal biographical subject. He is an important and significant figure. He changed forever the way the House of Representatives does its business. He was funny and irreverent. He is, in short, great company. â€œWhat I most admire about you, Theodore,â€ Reed once remarked to his earnest young protÃ©gÃ©, Teddy Roosevelt, â€œis your original discovery of the Ten Commandments.â€

After he resigned his seat, Reed practiced law in New York. He was successful. He also found a soul mate in the legendary Mark Twain. They admired one anotherâ€™s mordant wit. Grantâ€™s lively and erudite narrative of this tumultuous eraâ€”the raucous late nineteenth and early twentieth centuriesâ€”is a gripping portrait of a United States poised to burst its bounds and of the men who were defining it.

Country	USA
Author	James Grant
Binding	Hardcover
EAN	9781416544937
Edition	First Edition
ISBN	1416544933
Label	Simon & Schuster
Manufacturer	Simon & Schuster
NumberOfItems	1
NumberOfPages	448
PublicationDate	2011-05-10
Publisher	Simon & Schuster
ReleaseDate	2011-05-10
Studio	Simon & Schuster

Mr. Speaker!: The Life and Times of Thomas B. Reed The Man Who Broke the Filibuster

You might also like...