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The Rascal King: The Life And Times Of James Michael Curley 1874-1958
A biography of the twice-jailed "champion of the people," shameless grafter, and New Deal pioneer describes how Curley helped transform U.S. governance from a politics of deference to a politics of serving human need. 50,000 first printing. $50,000 ad/promo.
581 pages, Hardcover
First published August 21, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 17, 2017
This is a beautiful book. Beatty writes about a lovable rogue, but a rogue still, with balancing degrees of probity, admiration, disdain, outrage, reasoned analysis, and stunned humor, sketching a rich and fairly comprehensive picture of the great colonial city Boston from the postbellum era to the Kennedy administration in the bargain. A master longform writer, there are touches of real brilliance in the text that elevate this work from strong political biography to one in the class with Caro, Morris, Williams, and McCullough. As an added bonus, the discourses into Curley's demagoguery, and his expert use of ethnic grievances to continually win power and cement a permanent base, has remarkable parallels with what we read in the papers today. The lesson: in a nation with so many divisions along ethic, racial, social, and economic lines, where there are leaders seeking to set us against one and other, they will always find at least some success.
August 19, 2009
Finally finished this VERY long book! For some reason got stuck around the 1st World War. There is a lot of great material in this book, but I surely could have used a timeline and a family tree (both biological and political). When an octogenarian spends 60 of his years in politics, the story can really get convoluted! I did find the places where the author decided to draw parallels between Curley's politics/philosophy and modern politicians a little forced, and dated (the book was published in 1992). However, reading through the whole thing gave me a much better understanding of why some things are (or are not) in Boston and Massachusetts government systems. It also helped me understand the passionate responses (positive and negative) people had to Curley, with his virtual split-personality.
July 27, 2011
A comprehensive portrait of one of the most controversial and most storied mayors of Boston (and later governor of MA), whose monumental self-interest spurred many of the reforms that made the city the way it is today. Beatty does a wonderful job separating fact from fiction while still allowing the colorful Curley myths time to demonstrate what it is that caused them to be told and passed along. In addition to the deft portrayal of the complexity of Curley and the issues of his times, this book could also serve as a primer for neo-Machievellian politics. Beatty's narrative style is engaging but also discursive, as he illustrates Curley's tactics, strategies and even the oratorical style that contributed to Curley's muscling into whatever office he wanted.
September 11, 2026
A fascinating and uniquely written political biography of James Michael Curley that at times dragged and is definitely too long.
Beatty follows the life story of the 1x governor of MA, 4x mayor of Boston, and 3x congressman (amongst countless other political roles) and along the way offers a lot of his own political analysis as well as many humorous and illuminating quotes from Curley himself. Curley was truly a man of contradictions and his life story is an epic tragedy that reflects the worst of politics and yet you find yourself rooting for him nonetheless.
Curley was incredibly corrupt and selfish (imprisoned twice decades apart for fraud and corruption related charges) and yet never gave up on the politics of advancing the lives of the working poor like that of his single immigrant mother who raised him. A diehard supporter of the Irish immigrant cause in America, he still never flinched at standing in the way of a fellow Irish political candidate who stood to outshine him. He was a fanatical campaigner for FDR through several elections, and yet as governor he rejected many New Deal federal funds provided to Massachusetts because he wasn’t able to skim money from them. Intelligent and a highly skilled orator who loved Shakespeare, he was known to get into street brawls with his opponents. A mayor with a long track record of building up the infrastructure of Boston, he also oversaw a long period of its economic decline. He was a committed family man and devout husband who betrayed many a friend and colleague.
Beatty captures these contradictions by providing his own political insights and comparisons to other eras and incidents of American politics. The truth about Curley is that he was much more bad than good (the book being written in 1992 misses the opportunity to make in some ways Curley’s best current day political comparison: Donald Trump) and the author pulls no punches when laying out all his worst deeds. However, to dismiss Curley as just another morally corrupt politician misses both his place in the history of Boston and Irish America but also his incredibly charismatic if not always completely sincere support for many of america’s underdogs during his time.
At the book’s end Beatty describes a broke and elderly Curley who has outlived most of his children and lost his last several elections, working tables at local conventions to earn a quick buck. That the reader feels a mixture of disdain, pity, and empathy is a sign of Beatty’s success in capturing this indelible character of Boston and Massachusetts history.
Beatty follows the life story of the 1x governor of MA, 4x mayor of Boston, and 3x congressman (amongst countless other political roles) and along the way offers a lot of his own political analysis as well as many humorous and illuminating quotes from Curley himself. Curley was truly a man of contradictions and his life story is an epic tragedy that reflects the worst of politics and yet you find yourself rooting for him nonetheless.
Curley was incredibly corrupt and selfish (imprisoned twice decades apart for fraud and corruption related charges) and yet never gave up on the politics of advancing the lives of the working poor like that of his single immigrant mother who raised him. A diehard supporter of the Irish immigrant cause in America, he still never flinched at standing in the way of a fellow Irish political candidate who stood to outshine him. He was a fanatical campaigner for FDR through several elections, and yet as governor he rejected many New Deal federal funds provided to Massachusetts because he wasn’t able to skim money from them. Intelligent and a highly skilled orator who loved Shakespeare, he was known to get into street brawls with his opponents. A mayor with a long track record of building up the infrastructure of Boston, he also oversaw a long period of its economic decline. He was a committed family man and devout husband who betrayed many a friend and colleague.
Beatty captures these contradictions by providing his own political insights and comparisons to other eras and incidents of American politics. The truth about Curley is that he was much more bad than good (the book being written in 1992 misses the opportunity to make in some ways Curley’s best current day political comparison: Donald Trump) and the author pulls no punches when laying out all his worst deeds. However, to dismiss Curley as just another morally corrupt politician misses both his place in the history of Boston and Irish America but also his incredibly charismatic if not always completely sincere support for many of america’s underdogs during his time.
At the book’s end Beatty describes a broke and elderly Curley who has outlived most of his children and lost his last several elections, working tables at local conventions to earn a quick buck. That the reader feels a mixture of disdain, pity, and empathy is a sign of Beatty’s success in capturing this indelible character of Boston and Massachusetts history.
November 8, 2021
An impressive, painstakingly researched work, no question. Here we have a Donald Trump who actually gave a damn about the poor, a fan of Mussolini who (at least in his corrupt, swaggering ways) was also an obvious precursor to Don the Con. Certainly, Curley “got a lot done,” as he brazenly enriched himself at the public trough, and he climbed the ladder out of deep poverty, unlike the thug who was not my president. But Beatty also makes clear in this book that insult, both personal and ethnic, dirty tricks, and out-and-out lies have always been central to American realpolitik. We read of Roosevelt’s elitist dismissal of Jews and Catholics as subservient members of “this Protestant country.” I had not really appreciated the odious anti-semitism of the Father Coughlin crowd in Depression times, and how it permeated the sentiments of Boston’s Irish. Sometimes Curley stood up for the Jews with great eloquence, sometimes not. His earlier tolerance of The Birth of a Nation, on the other hand, was a different and sadly offensive kettle of fish.
Goodread posters here seem to fawn on Curley’s loveable “roguishness,” but I saw mainly a foreshadowing of the combative narcissism of Trumpism, a guy for whom everything and everybody was simply a means to his own glorification. Beatty points to Curley as the starting point in the evolution of American politicians into exercises in egotism and self-advertisement, the pol-as-product. Had he written this book 25 years later, he surely would have drawn analogies to Trump. It didn’t matter so much what Curley did, it was what he was, in the adoring eyes of his followers. “Yeah, he’s a corrupt boss, but he’s our corrupt boss.” Where have we seen that lately and pray we don’t again in the White House?
And yet, and yet. Curley lost his adored wife to cancer and something like 7 of his nine children, all untimely, shocking deaths, and thus he qualifies as a truly tragic figure, risen to power, fatally flawed, ultimately cursed. He is a fit subject for a detailed, incisive biography, which this certainly is – as well as the movie molded after him, “The Last Hurrah.”
Goodread posters here seem to fawn on Curley’s loveable “roguishness,” but I saw mainly a foreshadowing of the combative narcissism of Trumpism, a guy for whom everything and everybody was simply a means to his own glorification. Beatty points to Curley as the starting point in the evolution of American politicians into exercises in egotism and self-advertisement, the pol-as-product. Had he written this book 25 years later, he surely would have drawn analogies to Trump. It didn’t matter so much what Curley did, it was what he was, in the adoring eyes of his followers. “Yeah, he’s a corrupt boss, but he’s our corrupt boss.” Where have we seen that lately and pray we don’t again in the White House?
And yet, and yet. Curley lost his adored wife to cancer and something like 7 of his nine children, all untimely, shocking deaths, and thus he qualifies as a truly tragic figure, risen to power, fatally flawed, ultimately cursed. He is a fit subject for a detailed, incisive biography, which this certainly is – as well as the movie molded after him, “The Last Hurrah.”
September 2, 2021
A well written account of a fascinating, complicated life. Cruder and more corrupt than his fictional alter ego, The Last Hurrah’s Frank Skeffington, James Curley was just as charming and endearing. And funnier. I laughed out loud at several choice quotes.
Curley acted as the tribune of his people, Boston’s Irish. The author makes clear Curley’s many faults, but also clearly demonstrates the strong bond between him and his constituents. They knew what he was, but still loved him anyways. Perhaps because of a different view of political morality. As long as you’re helping others, why shouldn’t you also help yourself and your family and friends? Beatty criticizes Curley for appealing to Irish resentment against the old stock Americans, the Yankees. But was it really resentment, or just an acknowledgement of difference? Different groups have different interests, and the ethnic divide at that time was real. Yankees and Irish did resent each other, and both had valid reasons for doing so.
Beatty’s writing wraps you up in Curley’s life. You know it must, but you don’t want the story to end. The book’s only drawback is that it unnecessarily dates itself with too much use of then current (circa 1992) bien pensant goblins to compare and contrast with James Curley’s failings.
Curley acted as the tribune of his people, Boston’s Irish. The author makes clear Curley’s many faults, but also clearly demonstrates the strong bond between him and his constituents. They knew what he was, but still loved him anyways. Perhaps because of a different view of political morality. As long as you’re helping others, why shouldn’t you also help yourself and your family and friends? Beatty criticizes Curley for appealing to Irish resentment against the old stock Americans, the Yankees. But was it really resentment, or just an acknowledgement of difference? Different groups have different interests, and the ethnic divide at that time was real. Yankees and Irish did resent each other, and both had valid reasons for doing so.
Beatty’s writing wraps you up in Curley’s life. You know it must, but you don’t want the story to end. The book’s only drawback is that it unnecessarily dates itself with too much use of then current (circa 1992) bien pensant goblins to compare and contrast with James Curley’s failings.
March 17, 2021
After years of eschewing Boston political history, I came to this book specifically for '30s statewide Massachusetts politics. Really, though, it is a book that anyone interested in Massachusetts history should read. Full blog post here: tylerwolanin.com/blog/2021/3/13/what-...
February 27, 2024
What a life this man led! Jack Beatty gathered a ton of strings to pull together the amazing story of James Curley, Boston's mayor. (And a relative of mine.)
April 1, 2026
I’m bored. Going to put this one back on the shelf.
April 15, 2026
Fabulous.
April 11, 2010
This book is a classic political biography about James Michael Curley of Boston, the corrupt and lively mayor, governor and congressman who defined an era in Irish Massachusetts politics. I'd rank it No. 2 of books about local pols -- just behind "The Prince of Providence," on Rhode Island's equally colorful Buddy Cianci.
February 22, 2011
I loved this book. It's a detailed account of the life and career of James Michael Curley. I read it chapter by chapter over the course of a year, constantly Googling details, dates and people tied to Boston politics from the 1920's through 1955. Absolutely fascinating. It dragged in some areas. Beatty's style to Doris Kearns Goodwin's. So many details styled into a readable and complete work.
May 16, 2012
James Michael Curley, what else needs to be said? Rascal King is a well written, comprehensive, entertaining read. The Purple Shamrock is another great book on Curley. Not the most ethical politician, but a true character.
August 24, 2015
A well-researched and -written look at the career of the legendary Boston mayor. It drives home the point that, back in the day, politicians were just as corrupt as they are now, but they were a lot more fun.
July 5, 2007
Hands down, the best book I read in the last year.
September 18, 2010
I've been reading a lot of presidential biographies and this book made me want to read more about the lesser known political figures of america.
April 7, 2012
Well researched and as a Bostonian it is a truly unbelievable story.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews