Master of the Senate
by Robert A. Caro · first published 1983
71% recommend29% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Gripping, richly detailed account of Lyndon Johnson's Senate years that explains how political power is built and used, and the tensions over race and the South. Suits anyone curious about American politics or history.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
Related books
2022–2023Beautiful Country
Qian Julie Wang
Recommended by 2 · mentioned by 22 recommend · 2 mention2 recommend · 22 recommend
The years of Lyndon Johnson
Robert A. Caro
Recommended by 20 · mentioned by 2220 recommend · 22 mention20 recommend · 2220 recommend
2014–2024American Caesar
William Manchester
Recommended by 6 · mentioned by 86 recommend · 8 mention6 recommend · 86 recommend
2008–2026Truman
David McCullough
Recommended by 3 · mentioned by 53 recommend · 5 mention3 recommend · 53 recommend
2008–2026The power broker
Robert A. Caro
Recommended by 121 · mentioned by 180121 recommend · 180 mention121 recommend · 180121 recommend
2022–2025Upgrade
Blake Crouch
Recommended by 5 · mentioned by 85 recommend · 8 mention5 recommend · 85 recommend
2019–2025Working
Robert A. Caro
Recommended by 3 · mentioned by 63 recommend · 6 mention3 recommend · 63 recommend
2018–2024Binti
Nnedi Okorafor
Recommended by 6 · mentioned by 96 recommend · 9 mention6 recommend · 96 recommend
…support the lobbyists' plan. Most of this happens right out in the open - the days of passing around suit cases full of cash are over (although if you want to read about those times check out Caro's Master of the Senate). The amount of the contributions is not enormous, but in an election every bit helps. It's enough money that the Congressman will try to find away to help the lobbyist if he can. The end result is…
on “Stock Market Meltdowns - Why they will happen again and again and again” ↗Fiction: A Little Life, not about technology but a very eye-opening set of perspectives I've never read before. Cried on the El twice while reading it. Nonfiction: Master of the Senate by Rob Caro. Lyndon Johnson's years in the senate (1949-1960) with an incredibly rich historical backdrop and detail. Caro is known for writing about power and how powerful people have wielded it, and…
on “Ask HN: Best books you read in 2017?” ↗…Human Societies - The Precipice: Existential Risk and the Future of Humanity - Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead - Franny and Zooey - Master of the Senate - Atlas Shrugged - Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed - Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides’s Trap? - The Hitchhiker's Guide…
on “Ask HN: What book changed your life?” ↗…amazing. Compares the countries fighting in around 20 different areas (technology, leadership, geography, aircraft) and says who is better and why. Also very good: * FDR by Jean Edward Smith * Master of the Senate by Robert A. Caro * The Penguin History of New Zealand by Michael King * The years of Lyndon Johnson 2 – Means of Ascent by Robert Caro * Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad…
on “Ask HN: What are some of the best books you have read in 2022?” ↗…ludicrous); it just wasn't even considered as a rational tactic. (For more on the circumstances of this, I would recommend reading Caro's excellent biography of Lyndon Johnson: specifically the third volume "Master of the Senate," where he discusses in depth the South's effectiveness at stopping bills from coming to a vote circa 1957). As for cloture, in its original incarnation (remember, this was only quite recently: 1917)…
on “Lawrence Lessig: How to Get Our Democracy Back” ↗…(except for giving them leases on Federal land) increases costs. A great resource to learn about the early days of this phenomenon is Robert Caro's series of biographies of Lyndon Johnson -- particularly "Master of the Senate".
on “Edward Snowden’s Escape from Hong Kong [audio]” ↗Master of the Senate: The Years of Lyndon Johnson by Robert Caro If you're interested in the complex history of LBJ, the Senate, or America during that time, I'd recommend this (or really, any) Robert Caro book.
on “Ask HN: What was the best book you read in 2016?” ↗You're best bet at understanding is to read "Master of the Senate" by Robert Caro. The book is about LBJ, but goes into detail about how the civil rights legislation caused the "conservative democrats" (aka segregationists) to join up with Western conservatives, who…
on “Uncomfortable Truths Behind California’s Economic Surge” ↗…recommendation to an ambitious college kid who wants to know the real Politik of how the world works. The next book Means of Assent was my least favorite of Caro’s books, but still highly enjoyable. Master of the Senate and Passage of Power are both great. But sort of specific to LBJs spot in life. Great, but I’m not sure they sparked my thinking quite the way the Power Broker and Path to Power did.
on “Binance to acquire FTX” ↗This year I got into a history binge after I finally got around to reading Caro's Master of the Senate this January. It was so good I'm already ready to read it again. I used to be scared of tackling big books because I don't feel strongly committed. But with these I did audiobooks for the first time,…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2022 and recommend for 2023” ↗Just started Master of the Senate. Caro's books have reignited my love of reading. Cannot recommend his books enough for anyone interested in how power in organizations or government is culled and cultivated. His books read like thrillers,…
on “Ask HN: Any interesting books you have read lately?” ↗Actually no it was not. It's more that power was distributed differently. The speaker of the house, the master of the Senate had real power. Power that now rests with interest groups. If you are interested read Robert Caro's Master of the Senate.
on “The "Eisenhower matrix" productivity hack” ↗Two of Caro's books remain in my favorites today: The Power Broker; and Master of the Senate. The concept of political power, mentioned in the conversation, is fully limned out in both of them. Worth reading by anyone with an interest in how the real world works. Unfortunately, Vonnegut, I never…
on “An Interview with Robert Caro and Kurt Vonnegut (1999)” ↗Master of the Senate by Robert Caro. The entire series is worth it, and I am waiting on the edge of my seat for the last book in the LBJ series.
on “Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?” ↗…and is revelatory (Google tries to bury the quote now but you can find it) what LBJ delivered is the plight of most inner cities now...ask yourself if this is "progress" btw feel free to read Caro's "Master Of The Senate" for the full download of LBJ's crazy racism...even by the standards of the time and the standards of the South, the man was more than willing to say things out loud that made people blush...a lot of…
on “Trump revokes Lyndon B. Johnson's landmark civil rights executive order” ↗