Issue #0

Rayburn: A Biography

Plot

Rayburn is the definitive biography of one of the most remarkable figures in American politics, Sam Rayburn. His tenure of twenty-one years as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives has never been equaled. He guided the most important legislation of the twentieth century through Congress--from the New Deal to the New Frontier--and served under eight presidents during his 49 year congressional career.Rayburn was a legend in Washington due to his integrity, tough-mindedness, and loyalty. A modest man with uncluttered rural values, he once said, "It is a wise man who realizes that the church is bigger than its pastor." Thirty years in the making, Rayburn is the result of research begun by the late D.B. Hardeman, a former state representative and journalist who first met Rayburn during the 1952 fight to rally Texas Democrats for Adlai Stevenson. This comprehensive biography begins with Rayburn's early life in Texas, follows his rise to power in Congress over five decades, and ends with his death in 1961. Compelling political history textured with rich personal detail, Rayburn is the story of one of America's greatest political heroes.His lifelong conviction was that the rich and powerful are entitled to justice but that the less fortunate are entitled to a helping hand from their government. He strove to make the system work--to advance the poor, restrain the greedy, reach toward that day when none would have too little or too much. He symbolized the House of Representatives at its best. To some he was the House--the embodiment of its history, traditions, simplicity, and closeness to the people.