false 1111 9 One of the most acclaimed books of our time, winner of both the Pulitzer and the Francis Parkman prizes, <b>The Power Broker</b> tells the hidden story behind the shaping (and mis-shaping) of twentieth-century New York (city and state) and makes public what few have known: that Robert Moses was, for almost half a century, the single most powerful man of our time in New York, the shaper not only of the city's politics but of its physical structure and the problems of urban decline that plague us today.<br><br>In revealing how Moses did it--how he developed his public authorities into a political machine that was virtually a fourth branch of government, one that could bring to their knees Governors and Mayors (from La Guardia to Lindsay) by mobilizing banks, contractors, labor unions, insurance firms, even the press and the Church, into an irresistible economic force--Robert Caro reveals how power works in all the cities of the United States. Moses built an empire and lived like an emperor. He personally conceived and completed public works costing 27 billion dollars--the greatest builder America (and probably the world) has ever known. Without ever having been elected to office, he dominated the men who were--even his most bitter enemy, Franklin D. Roosevelt, could not control him--until he finally encountered, in Nelson Rockefeller, the only man whose power (and ruthlessness in wielding it) equalled his own. 428384 12 7 1975 The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York (Vintage) total:806|5:476|4:234|3:83|2:10|1:3| 806 3588 1640 207 5 26 false false Wed May 21 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sat Sep 29 08:02:48 -0700 2007 Wed May 21 21:00:59 -0700 2008
Midway through adolescence, I began wondering a bit which life event would finally make me feel like an adult. Of course I had the usual teenaged hypotheses, and acted accordingly to test some of them out. Getting drunk? Having s...more...]]> 5 2 false false Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2005 Thu Aug 09 12:18:05 -0700 2007 Sun Aug 12 12:31:04 -0700 2007 more...]]> 3 2 false false Tue May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Wed Oct 03 08:45:00 -0700 2007 Wed Oct 03 09:10:21 -0700 2007 more...]]> 4 1 false false Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 -0800 2003 Tue Sep 18 19:13:26 -0700 2007 Mon Sep 24 06:41:37 -0700 2007 Robert Caro's exhaustive, yet compelling biography of Robert Moses should be required reading for anyone in or considering public service. Moses held more power than Mayors and Governors in New York for over 40 years, without ever having to be elected. Though he did once mount a disastrous run for G...more...]]> 4 1 false false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2002 Wed Jan 28 09:10:48 -0800 2009 Wed Jan 28 09:11:43 -0800 2009 more...]]> 5 1 false false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 1976 Thu Aug 30 12:50:39 -0700 2007 Thu Aug 30 12:53:47 -0700 2007 more...]]> 5 1 false false Thu May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Wed Dec 05 20:51:28 -0800 2007 Sat May 10 13:52:14 -0700 2008 5 0 false false Wed Oct 28 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sat Oct 10 12:53:49 -0700 2009 Wed Oct 28 21:07:33 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Fri Aug 28 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Jul 21 16:33:09 -0700 2009 Sat Aug 29 12:31:42 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2002 Thu Jul 16 07:14:10 -0700 2009 Thu Jul 16 07:14:10 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 1 false false Mon Jun 16 14:13:14 -0700 2008 Mon Jun 16 14:13:46 -0700 2008 5 0 false false Thu Dec 04 13:51:41 -0800 2008 Wed Dec 31 06:18:19 -0800 2008
The paradox, which Caro certainly has no power to resolve, that the ability to Get Things Done requires a familiarity with power that leads to as much evil as good, is the cen...more...]]> 5 0 true false Thu Jan 22 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Fri Nov 14 09:24:33 -0800 2008 Fri Jan 23 12:43:03 -0800 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Sat Nov 22 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Tue Sep 30 05:56:30 -0700 2008 Wed Dec 03 21:33:25 -0800 2008 more...]]> 5 0 false false Mon Aug 11 16:22:37 -0700 2008 Mon Aug 11 16:22:45 -0700 2008 more...]]> 3 0 false false Mon Jun 30 10:06:08 -0700 2008 Mon Jun 30 10:40:10 -0700 2008
The first half of the book is fascinating and hard to put down. If the remainder of the book had been this good, I would ...more...]]> 5 0 false false Wed Jun 18 15:28:02 -0700 2008 Wed Jun 18 15:29:30 -0700 2008 more...]]> 3 0 false false Thu Apr 09 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Thu May 01 13:31:06 -0700 2008 Thu Apr 09 07:18:35 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false true Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Thu Apr 03 13:47:00 -0700 2008 Fri Oct 03 04:11:59 -0700 2008
This is the story of Robert Moses, the greatest builder who ever lived. His rise to power and what power did to him. There was some good war theory in here. Credit vs. influence, stake driving and whipsawing.

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I'm only on page 200 of 1200, but so far Robert Caro's storytelling detail about the master builder of New York City is addictive!

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Update 7/15:

Phew. What a re...more...]]>