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The Good Fight
One of the remarkable books of this season— a tough, plainspoken, deeply passionate narrative by one of our most important national figures.
We all know them: politicians’ books that read as if they’ve been cobbled together from old speeches. The Good Fight is as far from that as it is possible to get.
In a voice that is flinty, real, and passion-filled, Senator Harry Reid tells the tale of two places, intertwining his own story, particularly his early life of deep poverty in the tiny mining town of Searchlight, Nevada—“a place that boasted of thirteen brothels and no churches”—with the cautionary tale of Washington, D.C.: “If I can do nothing greater in this book than explain those two places to each other, then I will have done something important.”
Reid is inspired by obstacles. Brought up in a cabin without indoor plumbing, he hitchhiked forty-five miles across open desert to high school. He worked full-time as a Capitol Hill policeman to get through law school, after the school refused him financial aid, telling him he wasn’t cut out to be a lawyer. As head of the Nevada Gaming Commission, he led an unrelenting fight to clean up Las Vegas, despite four years of death threats —and much worse. And in Congress, Reid’s spent more than twenty-five years battling those who would take the country in the wrong direction: “The radical ideologues degrade our government, so much so that when they are in charge of it, they do not know how to run it.”
And, always, it all comes back to Searchlight: “Who I am now, and what I am doing now, began in that town, with those people, in those mines.” This book is the story of a man who knows what a good fight is, because he has had to fight like hell for everything his whole life. It is populated by a rich and raucous cast of great and failed men, eccentrics, visionaries, gangsters, and presidents who make up his life and times. And it is for all those who not only like a good story, but wonder what we should do now in America.
We all know them: politicians’ books that read as if they’ve been cobbled together from old speeches. The Good Fight is as far from that as it is possible to get.
In a voice that is flinty, real, and passion-filled, Senator Harry Reid tells the tale of two places, intertwining his own story, particularly his early life of deep poverty in the tiny mining town of Searchlight, Nevada—“a place that boasted of thirteen brothels and no churches”—with the cautionary tale of Washington, D.C.: “If I can do nothing greater in this book than explain those two places to each other, then I will have done something important.”
Reid is inspired by obstacles. Brought up in a cabin without indoor plumbing, he hitchhiked forty-five miles across open desert to high school. He worked full-time as a Capitol Hill policeman to get through law school, after the school refused him financial aid, telling him he wasn’t cut out to be a lawyer. As head of the Nevada Gaming Commission, he led an unrelenting fight to clean up Las Vegas, despite four years of death threats —and much worse. And in Congress, Reid’s spent more than twenty-five years battling those who would take the country in the wrong direction: “The radical ideologues degrade our government, so much so that when they are in charge of it, they do not know how to run it.”
And, always, it all comes back to Searchlight: “Who I am now, and what I am doing now, began in that town, with those people, in those mines.” This book is the story of a man who knows what a good fight is, because he has had to fight like hell for everything his whole life. It is populated by a rich and raucous cast of great and failed men, eccentrics, visionaries, gangsters, and presidents who make up his life and times. And it is for all those who not only like a good story, but wonder what we should do now in America.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2008
17 people are currently reading
188 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
November 22, 2020
This is not a biography. Rather is a senator trying to have sex with Harry. In the end, both seem quite satisfied, although it wasn't very clear to me why.
March 10, 2022
I read the first couple of pages, stopped and checked the copyright date. Nope, he was denouncing Bush 2, not talking about the former guy, abbreviated tfg aka trump. His strong enraged words make me wonder what he’d have said about about tfg! I had forgotten how much many of us had despised 2, since we’ve been coping with tfg since 2016. Reid actually served in the Capitol police while going to school. I can’t imagine what he’d have said about January 6!
This was a very interesting biography of a person who grew up in abject poverty but didn’t know it because everyone was like that in the tiny town where he grew up. I found it fascinating and rather wish it had been longer. There was a discussion where the Republicans first attacked the filibuster which he passionately defended as the fundamental mechanism that made the Senate a deliberative institution. I’m not sure I agree with him there. However it certainly was pertinent to times right now. I checked this out when his death was announced and I’m very glad I read it. I think we lost a valuable public servant with his death. May his name be for a blessing.
This was a very interesting biography of a person who grew up in abject poverty but didn’t know it because everyone was like that in the tiny town where he grew up. I found it fascinating and rather wish it had been longer. There was a discussion where the Republicans first attacked the filibuster which he passionately defended as the fundamental mechanism that made the Senate a deliberative institution. I’m not sure I agree with him there. However it certainly was pertinent to times right now. I checked this out when his death was announced and I’m very glad I read it. I think we lost a valuable public servant with his death. May his name be for a blessing.
July 29, 2022
After attending Harry Reid’s funeral earlier this year, I wanted to learn more about him. Not great writing, but I really enjoyed learning about this man that came from a rough background and lived an interesting life, contributing much to his state, country, and family. Very glad to have learned so much about his life and views.
December 24, 2017
Harry Reid's unusual upbringing—deep poverty in a small mining town in the Nevada desert—and his interactions with a cast a characters that could make up TVs most fascinating variety show animate this otherwise humdrum political memoir.
Highlights include a worldwide search for Howard Hughes, an afternoon spent with Muhammed Ali, grisly murder cases, and countless death threats from the mob. The lowlight was a cringeworthy chapter in which Reid blasts Republican Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and the Bush White House's attempt to invoke "the nuclear option" and do away with the 60 vote threshold required for judicial appointments. If successful, Reid contends, the institution of the Senate would be gone forever. Well, Reid ended up invoking the exact same "nuclear option" years later after Republican obstruction of Obama's judicial appointments. Nevertheless Reid comes off as a decent man with a rugged optimism and indomitable belief in American greatness.
Highlights include a worldwide search for Howard Hughes, an afternoon spent with Muhammed Ali, grisly murder cases, and countless death threats from the mob. The lowlight was a cringeworthy chapter in which Reid blasts Republican Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and the Bush White House's attempt to invoke "the nuclear option" and do away with the 60 vote threshold required for judicial appointments. If successful, Reid contends, the institution of the Senate would be gone forever. Well, Reid ended up invoking the exact same "nuclear option" years later after Republican obstruction of Obama's judicial appointments. Nevertheless Reid comes off as a decent man with a rugged optimism and indomitable belief in American greatness.
September 6, 2012
After reading George W. Bush's autobiography, I wanted to read an opposing viewpoint to see how the two books compared. Umm, I certainly found one. I can't say this was as enjoyable of a book as GWB's was, but I think I'm still glad I read it. It helped me see how the political differences in our country run much deeper than policy and programs... they are based on completely different ideologies. Differences on things like the purpose of government, how government should function, what to do with wealth, which social issues warrant our attention, etc. As you're reading this review, you're probably thinking, "Uh, doi. It took you a whole book to figure that out?" Yeah, I know. I guess before I just figured that a lot of those differences were more about political posturing than actual belief systems. It was a little unsettling in a way because I realized just how difficult it will be to ever reconcile those differences. How do two people talking a different language ever communicate? Also, I didn't really get all the answers I wanted about Pres. Bush's book. I was intrigued by some of the claims he made in there about 9/11, Iraq, and other decisions during his presidency. He gave names, dates, and resolutions to back up those claims too. Harry Reid certainly talks about those same decisions in his book. Boy, does he ever. But he doesn't give any solid proof for his bitter diatribes about GW and his policies. He just offers plenty of anger and disgust. So I am left wondering if he just didn't include the proof or if proof lies on someone else's side.
Darn politics. I think I'll take a break from them for a while.
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Language: a moderate amount, including a sprinkling of "f" words. I guess Harry Reid believes in quoting people in all their flavor, whether it contributes to the story or not.
Violence: a few violent murders are detailed, drawing back to his days as a lawyer and then Gaming Commissioner in Las Vegas. I'm not a CSI kind of a girl, so I found myself skimming these parts. A little mob activity, domestic violence, and fighting as well.
Sex: Nothing really comes to mind, although there may have brief references stuck in here and there as he detailed all the colorful characters from his life.
Darn politics. I think I'll take a break from them for a while.
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Language: a moderate amount, including a sprinkling of "f" words. I guess Harry Reid believes in quoting people in all their flavor, whether it contributes to the story or not.
Violence: a few violent murders are detailed, drawing back to his days as a lawyer and then Gaming Commissioner in Las Vegas. I'm not a CSI kind of a girl, so I found myself skimming these parts. A little mob activity, domestic violence, and fighting as well.
Sex: Nothing really comes to mind, although there may have brief references stuck in here and there as he detailed all the colorful characters from his life.
July 30, 2010
I went into this book as an avowed fan of Reid's, and also as one who has been quite angered at the irrational hatred that has been directed towards him as part of the recent Tea Party tantrums. I've admired his leadership and long-game thinking as the Senate Majority leader, and his level-headedness in the face of Republican obstructionism. In other words, I'm rather biased towards Reid and his book.
That said, I think just about any reader interested in politics can appreciate much of this book, and gain a greater respect for Reid even while disagreeing with some of his policies (though some of my conservative friends may come away from this book quite surprised at how little they'd actually known about Reid's opinions). Yes, it bashes Bush quite relentlessly--but the criticisms gather more and more validity as the disasters of the Bush administration become more and more clear. People of faith may also be quite surprised at Reid's plain but heartfelt expressions of religious devotion--particularly in the last chapter, which takes the form of a letter he wrote to his oldest granddaughter in response to her query about his faith.
The book takes an interesting structure--starting at both ends of his life and kind of meeting in the middle. It alternates between accounts of his childhood and accounts of his work as Majority Leader during GWB's presidency. The narrative structure generally works, but one of my criticisms of this book is that there are conspicuous seams between the passages written by Reid and those constructed from notes or anecdotes by his collaborator. Greater editorial care should have been taken to smooth out the story and the tone.
One thing is for sure: if any of today's Reid-haters were to have the audacity to question to his face his integrity, belief in self-reliance, his faith, his patriotism, his devotion to the Constitution, or his love for his country, this book makes clear that he'd have every excuse to punch their lights out--and that he'd have the right hook to do it with, too.
That said, I think just about any reader interested in politics can appreciate much of this book, and gain a greater respect for Reid even while disagreeing with some of his policies (though some of my conservative friends may come away from this book quite surprised at how little they'd actually known about Reid's opinions). Yes, it bashes Bush quite relentlessly--but the criticisms gather more and more validity as the disasters of the Bush administration become more and more clear. People of faith may also be quite surprised at Reid's plain but heartfelt expressions of religious devotion--particularly in the last chapter, which takes the form of a letter he wrote to his oldest granddaughter in response to her query about his faith.
The book takes an interesting structure--starting at both ends of his life and kind of meeting in the middle. It alternates between accounts of his childhood and accounts of his work as Majority Leader during GWB's presidency. The narrative structure generally works, but one of my criticisms of this book is that there are conspicuous seams between the passages written by Reid and those constructed from notes or anecdotes by his collaborator. Greater editorial care should have been taken to smooth out the story and the tone.
One thing is for sure: if any of today's Reid-haters were to have the audacity to question to his face his integrity, belief in self-reliance, his faith, his patriotism, his devotion to the Constitution, or his love for his country, this book makes clear that he'd have every excuse to punch their lights out--and that he'd have the right hook to do it with, too.
July 21, 2008
Reid writes sort of a cross between a memoir and an anti-Bush political pamphlet. While some of his life's experiences are really interesting, much of this book is unfortunately side-tracked by partisan rhetoric. Reid's stories of meeting his wife, training to be an amateur boxer, growing up in a run-down mining town in Nevada, catting with Muhammad Ali, dodging the Las Vegas mob, and especially his strange run in with the almost mythic legend, Howard Hughes, provide some spice to this otherwise rather fragmented book.
While some of his political stories evoked a certain amount of sympathy in me, I was a little disoriented when he would repeatedly emphasize how some legislation or policy that the Bush Administration was trying to push through would destroy modern government as we know it...and then he would not explain (at least adequately for a layperson like me) WHY the action was such political heresy. In obvious cases I was able to follow his logic, but I was left in the dust sometimes as well.
I got the feeling that Reid really wanted to write two books. One book about how cool and unusual his life has been (which is true). Another book just in time for November on how bad the Bush Administration (and Republicans) have been for the country. Whatever your politics, you will not get a very balanced view of the federal government after this read, but it is certainly recommended reading for any stanch Democrat, anyone interested in Nevada history, and anyone interested in Senator Reid himself.
While some of his political stories evoked a certain amount of sympathy in me, I was a little disoriented when he would repeatedly emphasize how some legislation or policy that the Bush Administration was trying to push through would destroy modern government as we know it...and then he would not explain (at least adequately for a layperson like me) WHY the action was such political heresy. In obvious cases I was able to follow his logic, but I was left in the dust sometimes as well.
I got the feeling that Reid really wanted to write two books. One book about how cool and unusual his life has been (which is true). Another book just in time for November on how bad the Bush Administration (and Republicans) have been for the country. Whatever your politics, you will not get a very balanced view of the federal government after this read, but it is certainly recommended reading for any stanch Democrat, anyone interested in Nevada history, and anyone interested in Senator Reid himself.
June 18, 2020
I heard an interview on NPR with him, & thought the book sounded good.
Senate Majority Leader Reid was exceptionally candid in this particular interview (promoting his book) about White House meetings with Bush (how he tells you what he wants to hear) and he was talking about Lugar and other (D) Senators who say things need to change with the war, and appear to be taking a stand but then vote with the Republicans.
Reid grew up extremely poor, his father pulled out his tooth with plyers, and when his brother brooke his leg, he just layed in bed, they couldn't afford to bring him to the hospital....
An interesting tidbit-- Reid was Jewish growing up and later converted to Mormonism, a quote I found on Wikipedia: "I think it is much easier to be a good member of the Church and a Democrat than a good member of the Church and a Republican."
He went on to say that the Democrats' emphasis on helping others, as opposed to what he considers Republican dogma to the contrary, is the reason he's a Democrat.....
Senate Majority Leader Reid was exceptionally candid in this particular interview (promoting his book) about White House meetings with Bush (how he tells you what he wants to hear) and he was talking about Lugar and other (D) Senators who say things need to change with the war, and appear to be taking a stand but then vote with the Republicans.
Reid grew up extremely poor, his father pulled out his tooth with plyers, and when his brother brooke his leg, he just layed in bed, they couldn't afford to bring him to the hospital....
An interesting tidbit-- Reid was Jewish growing up and later converted to Mormonism, a quote I found on Wikipedia: "I think it is much easier to be a good member of the Church and a Democrat than a good member of the Church and a Republican."
He went on to say that the Democrats' emphasis on helping others, as opposed to what he considers Republican dogma to the contrary, is the reason he's a Democrat.....
May 2, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: “PUT THE POLITICS ASIDE AND YOU HAVE A REALLY INTERESTING AMERICAN STORY!”
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I would first like to make it clear that I am not what you would call a political “animal”. Though of course I knew that Harry Reid is a United States Senator, I did not buy this book for his political beliefs or stance on current issues. I had seen a couple of interviews with him on TV regarding this book that all centered on his “hard-scrabble” background and family issues, and that’s what led to me to buy this book. I don’t know of any American today who isn’t sick and tired of this “ENDLESS- PRIMARY-ELECTION” with its continuous mud-slinging, back-stabbing, lies and innuendos. Maybe it’s just the season, but Senator Reid’s political chapters seem to be infected with the same diatribes. BUT…
The rest of the book which entails Reid’s personal life is ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING! I think maybe the Senator didn’t realize how interesting and entertaining his tales of his days as a lawyer and the CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE NEVADA GAMING COMMISSION are. Harry was born in a tiny mining town in Searchlight, Nevada. The leading industry in town when he was born wasn’t mining, it was prostitution. Searchlight had thirteen whorehouses and no churches. As a child, Harry learned how to swim at a whorehouse. His parents had problems with alcohol and at times would have physical fights in front of their children. Harry’s statement regarding this situation is what starts to endear the reader to this “man” rather than politics. “I AM NOT CONFESSIONAL BY NATURE, SO SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE SURPASSING HARD FOR ME TO SAY. I LOVED MY PARENTS VERY MUCH. THEY GAVE LIFE EVERYTHING THEY HAD. BUT NO CHILD SHOULD BE RAISED THE WAY I WAS RAISED.” The house he was raised in was nothing more than a shack made out of railroad ties. His Father was fifty-seven-years-old when he committed suicide by shooting himself in the head. “The last year of his life, he had been sober-no more masking his demons with alcohol. Harry and his brothers still joke that it was being sober that killed him.”
The author shares a number of his legal cases that ranged from “Martinez v. Safeway. This was one of many cases that Harry’s firm did not want him to handle, since the client had no money. Harry defended Joyce Martinez a cocktail waitress who was arrested at her place of work for supposedly writing bad checks. She not only didn’t write the checks but Safeway thinking it was above the law, skipped steps that needed to be taken during the legal process. Harry won the case and Joyce’s award was the largest in history in a case of malicious prosecution. Another case he defended against was entitled: “United States of America vs. Four Machine Guns and One Silencer.
In 1972 Howard Hughes owned five hotels in Las Vegas and no one in Vegas had seen him. As Chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission Harry was ordered by the Governor to get Howard Hughes to appear at a meeting, or Hughes’s gaming licenses would be revoked. Harry’s reaction was: “He had not granted an interview in twenty years. HE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN IN TWENTY YEARS, and you want me to arrange a meeting with a man who had refused to see ANYONE for decades. Okay, I would do it.” Harry had to track down the “Mormon Mafia”, who were a group of loyal employees that Hughes had surrounded himself with. “Hughes felt that because of their devout faith, they were the only people he could trust.” They tracked Hughes down in Europe and arranged a one hour meeting in London. The Governor and the Chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board flew to London and met with Hughes for one hour. Reid never got to meet him face to face but the Governor told him that Hughes “looked emaciated, with sunken eyes, free-range fingernails, and a mop of long, stringy hair.” After the meeting Hughes’s gaming license was renewed.
There was an incident while Harry was gaming commissioner when he was approached by an underworld character and offered a bribe. Harry became part of a sting operation and when the FBI burst into the room to arrest the mob guy, Harry lost his temper and thought “How could they think they could do this to me? I was so angry I went up to the gangster and said: You SOB, you tried to bribe me! I lunged at the gangster and got him in a choke hold. I was in a rage. The FBI agents had to pull me off of the criminal.” Harry and his family started to get death threats and they even tried to bomb his cars. Harry decided then to get into politics.
As I said in the opening of my review, Senator Reid might not fully appreciate how fascinating and engaging his stories are. He says he has many more of them. I would wholeheartedly recommend the Senator write another book fully dedicated to the non-political parts of his life. Near the very end of the book, Harry receives a request from his sixteen-year-old granddaughter, as part of a project in her school to have a family member write about an experience that helped shape their testimony about faith. One part of his response touched me deeply, and I couldn’t think of a better way to end my review.
“MY OUTLOOK ON LIFE -MY-FAITH- IS BEST SUMMARIZED BY AN INSCRIPTION FOUND IN A COLOGNE, GERMANY, CELLAR WHERE JEWS HID FROM THE NAZIS WHICH READ, “I BELIEVE IN THE SUN EVEN WHEN IT IS NOT SHINING. I BELIEVE IN LOVE EVEN WHEN NOT FEELING IT. I BELIEVE IN G-D EVEN WHEN HE IS SILENT.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would first like to make it clear that I am not what you would call a political “animal”. Though of course I knew that Harry Reid is a United States Senator, I did not buy this book for his political beliefs or stance on current issues. I had seen a couple of interviews with him on TV regarding this book that all centered on his “hard-scrabble” background and family issues, and that’s what led to me to buy this book. I don’t know of any American today who isn’t sick and tired of this “ENDLESS- PRIMARY-ELECTION” with its continuous mud-slinging, back-stabbing, lies and innuendos. Maybe it’s just the season, but Senator Reid’s political chapters seem to be infected with the same diatribes. BUT…
The rest of the book which entails Reid’s personal life is ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING! I think maybe the Senator didn’t realize how interesting and entertaining his tales of his days as a lawyer and the CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE NEVADA GAMING COMMISSION are. Harry was born in a tiny mining town in Searchlight, Nevada. The leading industry in town when he was born wasn’t mining, it was prostitution. Searchlight had thirteen whorehouses and no churches. As a child, Harry learned how to swim at a whorehouse. His parents had problems with alcohol and at times would have physical fights in front of their children. Harry’s statement regarding this situation is what starts to endear the reader to this “man” rather than politics. “I AM NOT CONFESSIONAL BY NATURE, SO SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE SURPASSING HARD FOR ME TO SAY. I LOVED MY PARENTS VERY MUCH. THEY GAVE LIFE EVERYTHING THEY HAD. BUT NO CHILD SHOULD BE RAISED THE WAY I WAS RAISED.” The house he was raised in was nothing more than a shack made out of railroad ties. His Father was fifty-seven-years-old when he committed suicide by shooting himself in the head. “The last year of his life, he had been sober-no more masking his demons with alcohol. Harry and his brothers still joke that it was being sober that killed him.”
The author shares a number of his legal cases that ranged from “Martinez v. Safeway. This was one of many cases that Harry’s firm did not want him to handle, since the client had no money. Harry defended Joyce Martinez a cocktail waitress who was arrested at her place of work for supposedly writing bad checks. She not only didn’t write the checks but Safeway thinking it was above the law, skipped steps that needed to be taken during the legal process. Harry won the case and Joyce’s award was the largest in history in a case of malicious prosecution. Another case he defended against was entitled: “United States of America vs. Four Machine Guns and One Silencer.
In 1972 Howard Hughes owned five hotels in Las Vegas and no one in Vegas had seen him. As Chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission Harry was ordered by the Governor to get Howard Hughes to appear at a meeting, or Hughes’s gaming licenses would be revoked. Harry’s reaction was: “He had not granted an interview in twenty years. HE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN IN TWENTY YEARS, and you want me to arrange a meeting with a man who had refused to see ANYONE for decades. Okay, I would do it.” Harry had to track down the “Mormon Mafia”, who were a group of loyal employees that Hughes had surrounded himself with. “Hughes felt that because of their devout faith, they were the only people he could trust.” They tracked Hughes down in Europe and arranged a one hour meeting in London. The Governor and the Chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board flew to London and met with Hughes for one hour. Reid never got to meet him face to face but the Governor told him that Hughes “looked emaciated, with sunken eyes, free-range fingernails, and a mop of long, stringy hair.” After the meeting Hughes’s gaming license was renewed.
There was an incident while Harry was gaming commissioner when he was approached by an underworld character and offered a bribe. Harry became part of a sting operation and when the FBI burst into the room to arrest the mob guy, Harry lost his temper and thought “How could they think they could do this to me? I was so angry I went up to the gangster and said: You SOB, you tried to bribe me! I lunged at the gangster and got him in a choke hold. I was in a rage. The FBI agents had to pull me off of the criminal.” Harry and his family started to get death threats and they even tried to bomb his cars. Harry decided then to get into politics.
As I said in the opening of my review, Senator Reid might not fully appreciate how fascinating and engaging his stories are. He says he has many more of them. I would wholeheartedly recommend the Senator write another book fully dedicated to the non-political parts of his life. Near the very end of the book, Harry receives a request from his sixteen-year-old granddaughter, as part of a project in her school to have a family member write about an experience that helped shape their testimony about faith. One part of his response touched me deeply, and I couldn’t think of a better way to end my review.
“MY OUTLOOK ON LIFE -MY-FAITH- IS BEST SUMMARIZED BY AN INSCRIPTION FOUND IN A COLOGNE, GERMANY, CELLAR WHERE JEWS HID FROM THE NAZIS WHICH READ, “I BELIEVE IN THE SUN EVEN WHEN IT IS NOT SHINING. I BELIEVE IN LOVE EVEN WHEN NOT FEELING IT. I BELIEVE IN G-D EVEN WHEN HE IS SILENT.”
May 27, 2025
I read this because I’m working for Senator Cortez Masto of Nevada this year, and I’m trying to better understand the state. Harry Reid looms large, so his autobiography felt a good place to start. (I would’ve preferred the Jon Ralston biography of him, but that’s not out yet.)
Reid wrote this autobiography in 2008 which feels a lifetime ago, particularly in US politics. Obama wasn’t even the democratic nominee for president. And about a third of the chapters are reflections from 2008 on how Reid views GWB as the worst president in history. It’s an interesting trip back a couple decades — on the one hand, a reminder of how the seeds of today were sown then; on the other hand, it all seems innocuous compared to how things are now. Anyway, the ‘08 reflections didn’t really interest me—having someone prosecute the case against the Iraq War in 2025 just felt dated.
What stood out about this biography were a couple chapters in Reid’s early adult life. He led an interesting life. There’s a bizarre true crime type chapter where he’s a defense attorney for a trust fund kid who murdered his parents. And there’s a long chapter towards the end on Reid’s time as Head of the Nevada Gaming Commission. He wore a wire for the FBI. He black listed the gangster that Joe Pesci plays in Casino. He had a car bomb put on his car. His first 40 years of life from poverty in Searchlight to political office are extremely interesting.
But this is still a political autobiography. It didn’t feel like it was told with much real reflection or emotion. More a cover letter than a meditation. Not bad, but just not deep. I’d love to learn more about Reid and Nevada. Bring on the Ralston biography.
Reid wrote this autobiography in 2008 which feels a lifetime ago, particularly in US politics. Obama wasn’t even the democratic nominee for president. And about a third of the chapters are reflections from 2008 on how Reid views GWB as the worst president in history. It’s an interesting trip back a couple decades — on the one hand, a reminder of how the seeds of today were sown then; on the other hand, it all seems innocuous compared to how things are now. Anyway, the ‘08 reflections didn’t really interest me—having someone prosecute the case against the Iraq War in 2025 just felt dated.
What stood out about this biography were a couple chapters in Reid’s early adult life. He led an interesting life. There’s a bizarre true crime type chapter where he’s a defense attorney for a trust fund kid who murdered his parents. And there’s a long chapter towards the end on Reid’s time as Head of the Nevada Gaming Commission. He wore a wire for the FBI. He black listed the gangster that Joe Pesci plays in Casino. He had a car bomb put on his car. His first 40 years of life from poverty in Searchlight to political office are extremely interesting.
But this is still a political autobiography. It didn’t feel like it was told with much real reflection or emotion. More a cover letter than a meditation. Not bad, but just not deep. I’d love to learn more about Reid and Nevada. Bring on the Ralston biography.
October 29, 2021
What a life! Enjoyed his crazy stories and his optimism in politics. My parents always told me this man was the devil, and it’s nice to discover how wrong they were.
My favorite quotation from the book as I read this in 2021:
“I believe in America. Even though progress may at times seem hard to discern, we do tend to improve over time. From our standard of living to our life expectancy to our levels of education, we improve. We are as adaptable to change and as self-correcting as any society ever to have existed. But America doesn’t just make itself. America requires work. And each of us remakes our country every day.”
— The Good Fight: Hard Lessons from Searchlight to Washington by Harry Reid, Mark Warren
Hopefully we remake our country with a little more kindness and a little less authoritarian meanness and craziness.
My favorite quotation from the book as I read this in 2021:
“I believe in America. Even though progress may at times seem hard to discern, we do tend to improve over time. From our standard of living to our life expectancy to our levels of education, we improve. We are as adaptable to change and as self-correcting as any society ever to have existed. But America doesn’t just make itself. America requires work. And each of us remakes our country every day.”
— The Good Fight: Hard Lessons from Searchlight to Washington by Harry Reid, Mark Warren
Hopefully we remake our country with a little more kindness and a little less authoritarian meanness and craziness.
January 4, 2022
All in all, a solid memoir of a recently departed American icon. He is the first Democratic Senate leader I remember, somebody I always respected, and a quiet institution in the background of my Washington years. I really appreciated his decision to structure the book with one book detailing his time growing up in Searchlight; falling in love, eloping, and starting a family while being the first in his family to go to college and get a law degree; and then his initial life as a young trial lawyer in Nevada who eventually took on the responsibility of running the Gaming Commission during some of Las Vegas' formative years. Harry Reid will be missed, and I'm glad that I was able to ensure the first book I read in 2022 was his memoir.
May 11, 2020
Revision of History
Harry Reid is from my state of Nevada. He tells a story of a poor boy from Searchlight, NV., but fails tou tell you he became a multi-millionaire only working in “public service”
He congratulated himself for stopping the Republicans from invoking “The Nuclear Option “ and then as Majority leader , did just that for Barack Obama, which is now why President Trump has been able to get over 200 judges approved with a simple majority.
As for his time on the Nevada Gaming Commission, He clearly enriched himself during those years while “earning $500 per month.....Right!
Harry Reid is from my state of Nevada. He tells a story of a poor boy from Searchlight, NV., but fails tou tell you he became a multi-millionaire only working in “public service”
He congratulated himself for stopping the Republicans from invoking “The Nuclear Option “ and then as Majority leader , did just that for Barack Obama, which is now why President Trump has been able to get over 200 judges approved with a simple majority.
As for his time on the Nevada Gaming Commission, He clearly enriched himself during those years while “earning $500 per month.....Right!
January 3, 2023
Harry Reid gives us a no-nonsense account of his childhood in desolate Searchlight, Nevada and his improbable descent to the Senate Majority leader. Reid's everyman voice shines throughout the novel as he discusses the adversity he faced as the child of a poor miner that prepared him for an illustrious Congressional career. While I wish there had been more attention paid to Reid's time in Congress, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about his upbringing and path he took as a young lawyer. I recommend this book for anyone that appreciates a protagonist who overcomes obstacles to achieve goals beyond what they could ever comprehend.
February 2, 2022
Reid grew up in the small town of Searchlight. Towns that they don't make anymore. The way he describes it - he didn't want or need for anything. And if he did - he didn't know it. From a little town that most likely none of his Senate Colleagues had ever heard of he became one of the most powerful men in Washington DC. He's got some great stories - about Washington, Las Vegas, and the making of modern America and everything in between. If you haven't had a recent history lesson or slept through 1950 through 2000 - this book would be a good one to pick up.
July 8, 2024
This book was a mixed bag for me. I hated Harry’s lengthy political tirades and diatribes against George W. Bush. The politics weren’t what I was interested in, although I do understand they were a large and very real part of Harry’s life. For me, the highlights of the book were all the chapters about his life and upbringing. I like learning what made him who he was, and how he felt about Las Vegas and Nevada during a pivotal time in its growth and development. I would recommend the book, but would personally skip the political chapters.
January 23, 2021
I found an autographed copy in a used book store and devoured it over Christmas break. Folksy, personal and relevant to our troubled times, Reid holds nothing back in his condemnation of George Bush as our "worst president ever." Written in 2008, this book could use an update with Reid's takes on the past 12 years.
May 10, 2021
BOOK REVIEW AND REFLECTIONS - The Good Fight, Hard Lessons from Searchlight to Washington (03.19.21)
Over 30 years ago I came up with an idea to enhance the visibility of the Hill Cumorah Pageant in the Rochester, NY region. I proposed a dinner in which local dignitaries would be invited to dinner at the Palmyra Ward then be bussed to the Pageant. We proposed initially inviting political leaders, then in the successive 2 years, religious leaders, and business and community leaders. The purpose was to show that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was not just a “Western institution” but vibrant in New York. The first year we invited Harry Reid as the keynote speaker. He was less than 2 years into his first term.
I was delighted when Harry agreed to speak. He gave an outstanding speech that was very personal in describing his conversion to the LDS Church as a college student with his wife. He then spoke about the failed presidential campaign of the Church’s founder Joseph Smith. How Joseph’s platform was bold, progressive, way ahead of its time and influenced in large measure by his experiences with prejudice, persecution and hatred. I was extraordinarily impressed with his speech and how personable he was in my interaction with him. As a result I followed his political career from afar until his retirement.
I wonder if we will have many more senators like Harry Reid in terms of his truly humble beginnings. Reid attended high school in Henderson, hitchhiking 45 miles each way from his hometown, Searchlight. A town with at least a half-dozen brothels and not a single church. Harry endured extreme poverty and dysfunction and substance abuse in his family. He took up boxing in high school and put himself through George Washington University Law School by working as a Capitol Police officer.
Back in Nevada, he was started practicing law (achieving great financial success as a trial lawyer) and became involved with politics at the local level. His political education included a stint as Nevada’s gaming chairman in the 1970s, even though he didn't gamble. This which placed him in the cross hairs of the Las Vegas mob. (Some of the plot of the film “Casino” was based loosely on Reid’s experiences.) There were numerous threats to his life and at least one actual attempt (a bomb discovered under the hood of his family car).
For the most ardent Republicans they will find this book off putting. Harry is blunt and knowing his background you know why. He never pulled punches when he felt they were deserved. Rightly or wrongly that was his political style. He didn’t hold back against George W. Bush. At the same time, despite his one-time support of the Clinton’s he was one of the first to encourage the freshman senator Barack Obama to run for POTUS.
I so much enjoyed the interspersing in the book of his political with his personal battles. Some may despise his politics but as a very high ranking member of the LDS Church leadership once told me. “Harry is a fine man. He is our go to guy in DC.” Although not covered in the book I feel compelled to share a story. I had an assignment with an Apostles of the LDS Church a few years ago. We had a lot of time together and talked about a wide range of issues including politics. I asked him about Harry, who had recently won his last term as Senator. It was a hard fought battle and one where the LDS vote was trending pretty strongly against Harry.
A few weeks prior to the election a regional conference was held in Nevada that included Harry���s home congregation. In the planning meeting Elder ________ learned that Harry was in attendance and he announced that he wanted to make a change to the agenda. He wanted to invite Harry to “bear his testimony.” Some of the local leaders were opposed and objected. Elder ________, insisted and offered to release them if they didn’t want be seen on the same stage with Senator Reid. They begrudgingly relented. According to Elder _______ Harry spoke briefly and humbly. Elder _________ told me, “Harry won the election and if that small act increased his votes, I will take full credit.”
Like so many public figures, Harry was polarizing. I am glad I had brief personal experiences with him. He was indeed one of a kind.
Although, an enjoyable read for me, it could have used some serious editing. It almost reads as it was dictated and not edited. My only reason for 4/5 stars.
Over 30 years ago I came up with an idea to enhance the visibility of the Hill Cumorah Pageant in the Rochester, NY region. I proposed a dinner in which local dignitaries would be invited to dinner at the Palmyra Ward then be bussed to the Pageant. We proposed initially inviting political leaders, then in the successive 2 years, religious leaders, and business and community leaders. The purpose was to show that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was not just a “Western institution” but vibrant in New York. The first year we invited Harry Reid as the keynote speaker. He was less than 2 years into his first term.
I was delighted when Harry agreed to speak. He gave an outstanding speech that was very personal in describing his conversion to the LDS Church as a college student with his wife. He then spoke about the failed presidential campaign of the Church’s founder Joseph Smith. How Joseph’s platform was bold, progressive, way ahead of its time and influenced in large measure by his experiences with prejudice, persecution and hatred. I was extraordinarily impressed with his speech and how personable he was in my interaction with him. As a result I followed his political career from afar until his retirement.
I wonder if we will have many more senators like Harry Reid in terms of his truly humble beginnings. Reid attended high school in Henderson, hitchhiking 45 miles each way from his hometown, Searchlight. A town with at least a half-dozen brothels and not a single church. Harry endured extreme poverty and dysfunction and substance abuse in his family. He took up boxing in high school and put himself through George Washington University Law School by working as a Capitol Police officer.
Back in Nevada, he was started practicing law (achieving great financial success as a trial lawyer) and became involved with politics at the local level. His political education included a stint as Nevada’s gaming chairman in the 1970s, even though he didn't gamble. This which placed him in the cross hairs of the Las Vegas mob. (Some of the plot of the film “Casino” was based loosely on Reid’s experiences.) There were numerous threats to his life and at least one actual attempt (a bomb discovered under the hood of his family car).
For the most ardent Republicans they will find this book off putting. Harry is blunt and knowing his background you know why. He never pulled punches when he felt they were deserved. Rightly or wrongly that was his political style. He didn’t hold back against George W. Bush. At the same time, despite his one-time support of the Clinton’s he was one of the first to encourage the freshman senator Barack Obama to run for POTUS.
I so much enjoyed the interspersing in the book of his political with his personal battles. Some may despise his politics but as a very high ranking member of the LDS Church leadership once told me. “Harry is a fine man. He is our go to guy in DC.” Although not covered in the book I feel compelled to share a story. I had an assignment with an Apostles of the LDS Church a few years ago. We had a lot of time together and talked about a wide range of issues including politics. I asked him about Harry, who had recently won his last term as Senator. It was a hard fought battle and one where the LDS vote was trending pretty strongly against Harry.
A few weeks prior to the election a regional conference was held in Nevada that included Harry���s home congregation. In the planning meeting Elder ________ learned that Harry was in attendance and he announced that he wanted to make a change to the agenda. He wanted to invite Harry to “bear his testimony.” Some of the local leaders were opposed and objected. Elder ________, insisted and offered to release them if they didn’t want be seen on the same stage with Senator Reid. They begrudgingly relented. According to Elder _______ Harry spoke briefly and humbly. Elder _________ told me, “Harry won the election and if that small act increased his votes, I will take full credit.”
Like so many public figures, Harry was polarizing. I am glad I had brief personal experiences with him. He was indeed one of a kind.
Although, an enjoyable read for me, it could have used some serious editing. It almost reads as it was dictated and not edited. My only reason for 4/5 stars.
May 15, 2019
Fascinating life. Worth the time.
January 13, 2022
As far as the genre is concerned, refreshingly frank and unexpected. He will be missed.
January 6, 2025
home means NEVADA!!!!!!!!!
January 18, 2025
The best parts were the flashbacks to Senator Reid’s experiences in Nevada. It was a good book for Nevadans! The stories in DC were not as interesting, surprisingly.
August 9, 2016
Senator Harry Reid of Nevada(current Majority Leader of the US Senate) writes his story from his boyhood in Searchlight, Nevada to the start of the Obama presidency in 2009. I knew bits and pieces of his story from articles, videos, etc., but found myself intrigued by this book (especially since it was on sale as bargain, haha!).
The book jumps around a bit in roughly chronological order from his time in Nevada to the relatively present day events in the Senate. We learn Reid grew up fairly poor to alcoholic parents. His father was a miner and Reid went to school in a one room classroom until the 8th grade. Often broke, he went onto high school, college and law school and then into politics. Meanwhile, in the "present", we see his views on the Iraq war and President Bush, the elections of 2006, the financial meltdown of 2008 and the very beginning of the Obama first term as president.
Those looking for gossip on current political figures probably won't find much that's too exciting or stuff that's not already well-known to some degree. We know Reid dislikes GW Bush but admires his father, George HW Bush. He thinks John McCain "set his hair afire" when McCain suddenly declared he would cease his own presidential campaign to come to Washington to deal with the financial meltdown, etc.
I found his his background in Nevada pretty boring overall once he was an adult. I enjoyed reading about his childhood and his family, but I didn't care too much about most of the cases he took as a lawyer. However, it was pretty sad and frightening to see that his family was apparently under legitimate threat from some of the work Reid did.
Part of it I guess is that the book is not very well-written. Reid has a ghost-writer or co-author, but sometimes the flow is frustrating and changes mid-paragraph from Nevada to the Senate. I'll cut Reid some slack because apparently it wasn't until college that he was told he needed basic help on grammar. But there are times when some of Reid's humor comes through, as with the "hair afire" bit on McCain. Or when he finds his parents' marriage certificate, he realizes that he and his brother Larry had already been born when their parents get married. So Reid calls up his brother and calls him a bastard.
It was a somewhat interesting read, but I'm REALLY glad I got as a bargain. Those interested in Nevada politics or in Reid specifically might find this interesting, depending on how familiar one is with his background. Would recommend library if you can, or getting it cheap off of say eBay if you really want to have it.
The book jumps around a bit in roughly chronological order from his time in Nevada to the relatively present day events in the Senate. We learn Reid grew up fairly poor to alcoholic parents. His father was a miner and Reid went to school in a one room classroom until the 8th grade. Often broke, he went onto high school, college and law school and then into politics. Meanwhile, in the "present", we see his views on the Iraq war and President Bush, the elections of 2006, the financial meltdown of 2008 and the very beginning of the Obama first term as president.
Those looking for gossip on current political figures probably won't find much that's too exciting or stuff that's not already well-known to some degree. We know Reid dislikes GW Bush but admires his father, George HW Bush. He thinks John McCain "set his hair afire" when McCain suddenly declared he would cease his own presidential campaign to come to Washington to deal with the financial meltdown, etc.
I found his his background in Nevada pretty boring overall once he was an adult. I enjoyed reading about his childhood and his family, but I didn't care too much about most of the cases he took as a lawyer. However, it was pretty sad and frightening to see that his family was apparently under legitimate threat from some of the work Reid did.
Part of it I guess is that the book is not very well-written. Reid has a ghost-writer or co-author, but sometimes the flow is frustrating and changes mid-paragraph from Nevada to the Senate. I'll cut Reid some slack because apparently it wasn't until college that he was told he needed basic help on grammar. But there are times when some of Reid's humor comes through, as with the "hair afire" bit on McCain. Or when he finds his parents' marriage certificate, he realizes that he and his brother Larry had already been born when their parents get married. So Reid calls up his brother and calls him a bastard.
It was a somewhat interesting read, but I'm REALLY glad I got as a bargain. Those interested in Nevada politics or in Reid specifically might find this interesting, depending on how familiar one is with his background. Would recommend library if you can, or getting it cheap off of say eBay if you really want to have it.
February 20, 2022
This was written in in 2007 - before Obama was president. But he really didn't like G.W. Bush - not one bit and that came through pretty plainly. He detailed some of his political journey from head of the Las Vegas Gaming Commission until his national office. I've always admired him and his quiet ways of getting things done. I wonder how he would be dealing with the Senate as it is today - he wouldn't like it at all I'm sure (neither side of the aisle). The book also talks about his childhood and growing up and going to school. It's absolutely amazing that someone with his background could really ascend to the political heights he did.
January 5, 2009
This is our January Book Club pick. I didn't know what to expect, especially since I am not a personal fan of Harry Reid. Politics aside, I enjoyed learning about his upbringing in Searchlight. It gave me a greater appreciation learning about his roots, and what he has accomplished. I wasn't surprised that the vast majority of the book was somewhat arrogant (in my opinion) as to his accomplishments. His descriptions of events in congress implied that he was personally responsible for numerous bills that he helped to pass! Let me just say, he has a "healthy" self-esteem! I enjoyed learning more about the inner workings of congress, albeit disheartened to read that so much of what goes on is all about the "deal making." Did I want to read this book? It's not necessarily one I would have chosen, however, I'm glad now that I did read it. While Reid is not my candidate of choice, I now know that he has a great love for Nevada, and that is something we definitely have in common!
December 11, 2008
this book is written in first person by the nevada senator, harry reid. he alternates the chapters between his experiences in nevada and in washington. as a native nevadan, i found much of the nevada chapters fascinating. i also felt like this book gave a good, honest insight into politics. senator reid often comes off a bit smug and arrogant (he takes credit for so many policies and initiatives that i had a hard time believing he did it all by himself). the first half of the book was slow reading for me simply because this book does not read like a novel. instead it reads more as several vignettes strung together. by the end of the book i had more respect for senator reid (although i do not always agree with him) as well as a deeper love for my beautiful state of nevada and this country.
May 18, 2009
Let me begin by saying the book is not well written. It is rambling, repetitive, and frequently sounds like an unedited transcript of Harry speaking. For this, I blame the co-author, who is supposed to know something about writing.
Having said that, I found the story engaging and thought provoking. Senator Reid makes no attempt to hide his disdain for Bush jr., nor does he exempt himself from the extreme partisanship we have seen over the last decade. Even as he presents what is obviously his biased side of the story, I find myself understanding and even agreeing with him.
Modern politics casts everything as black and white (red and blue really), and the media representation IMHO accentuates rather than mitigates this absolute approach. As one who has usually leaned red, I like this guy and admire his accomplishments.
Having said that, I found the story engaging and thought provoking. Senator Reid makes no attempt to hide his disdain for Bush jr., nor does he exempt himself from the extreme partisanship we have seen over the last decade. Even as he presents what is obviously his biased side of the story, I find myself understanding and even agreeing with him.
Modern politics casts everything as black and white (red and blue really), and the media representation IMHO accentuates rather than mitigates this absolute approach. As one who has usually leaned red, I like this guy and admire his accomplishments.
February 20, 2012
I usually avoid the first person political books or those written in an election year, but I found this one at the Dollar Tree for - yes, $1.
He uses quite earthy language to describe his growing up years in Searchlight, NV. I've been there and it is one of the armpits of Nevada.
Something that I did not know is that he was gaming commisioner in NV for four years after serving as Lt. Governor. He describes the threats that came to him and his family during that time. He emerfed squeaky clean from that experience despite the fact that many others accepted bribes and favors while serving in that office.
No surprise about his political feelings - he seems more exercised in the book - the public pronouncements I've heard from him are very calm and restrained.
Only read it if you can take the earthy language.
He uses quite earthy language to describe his growing up years in Searchlight, NV. I've been there and it is one of the armpits of Nevada.
Something that I did not know is that he was gaming commisioner in NV for four years after serving as Lt. Governor. He describes the threats that came to him and his family during that time. He emerfed squeaky clean from that experience despite the fact that many others accepted bribes and favors while serving in that office.
No surprise about his political feelings - he seems more exercised in the book - the public pronouncements I've heard from him are very calm and restrained.
Only read it if you can take the earthy language.
January 16, 2013
I appreciate that Harry Reid wrote down his experiences. They are fascinating and remarkable and his memory is a gift. Additionally, I was pleased to learn about his personal principles and to gain greater respect for him despite opposing his slamming hits to the economy through overabundant federal spending. Nevertheless, the top five things I discovered to be true about Harry Reid--
1. He was born more poor than anyone I've ever met.
2. He was the Chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission for four years but doesn't gamble.
3. He is opposed to abortion (except in special cases) and even introduced legislation to that effect for Nevada prior to Roe v Wade.
4. He is pro-guns and very pro-land conservation.
5. He believes in God and has raised a good family in addition to serving his community as Lt. Governor, Assemblyman, Congressman, Senator, counselor, and more.
1. He was born more poor than anyone I've ever met.
2. He was the Chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission for four years but doesn't gamble.
3. He is opposed to abortion (except in special cases) and even introduced legislation to that effect for Nevada prior to Roe v Wade.
4. He is pro-guns and very pro-land conservation.
5. He believes in God and has raised a good family in addition to serving his community as Lt. Governor, Assemblyman, Congressman, Senator, counselor, and more.
November 25, 2008
I read this because I've read a few articles about Harry Reid and was intrigued by how he was portrayed.
Reading this book, I would say he is a good storyteller. The book has some great stories about Las Vegas and the mafia (during the time that Reid served as gaming commissioner) and gives an insider's view of the machinations and maneuverings of the Senate - fascinating stuff! The drawbacks - it is very apparent that Reid considers George W. Bush the devil incarnate and is not bashful about saying so.(I would kind of like to hear Bush's side of things) Also, he portrays himself at times as a "caped crusader" in the Senate who along with his fellow Dems upholds truth, justice and the American way. If you're interested in this, take his partisanship with a grain of salt. Enjoy!
Reading this book, I would say he is a good storyteller. The book has some great stories about Las Vegas and the mafia (during the time that Reid served as gaming commissioner) and gives an insider's view of the machinations and maneuverings of the Senate - fascinating stuff! The drawbacks - it is very apparent that Reid considers George W. Bush the devil incarnate and is not bashful about saying so.(I would kind of like to hear Bush's side of things) Also, he portrays himself at times as a "caped crusader" in the Senate who along with his fellow Dems upholds truth, justice and the American way. If you're interested in this, take his partisanship with a grain of salt. Enjoy!
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