Desk 88: Eight Progressive Senators Who Changed America

by Sherrod Brown

Since his election to the U.S. Senate in 2006, Ohio’s Sherrod Brown has sat on the Senate floor at a mahogany desk with a proud history. In Desk 88, he tells the story of eight of the Senators who were there before him. Despite their flaws and frequent setbacks, each made a decisive contribution to the creation of a more just America. They range from Hugo Black, who helped to lift millions of American workers out of poverty, to Robert F. Kennedy, whose eyes were opened by an undernourished Mississippi child and who then spent the rest of his life afflicting the comfortable. Brown revives forgotten figures such as Idaho’s Glen Taylor, a singing cowboy who taught himself economics and stood up to segregationists, and offers new insights into George McGovern, who fought to feed the poor around the world even amid personal and political calamities. He also writes about Herbert Lehman of New York, Al Gore Sr. of Tennessee, Theodore Francis Green of Rhode Island, and William Proxmire of Wisconsin.

Together, these eight portraits in political courage tell a story about the triumphs and failures of the Progressive idea over the past in the 1930s and 1960s, and more intermittently since, politicians and the public have successfully fought against entrenched special interests and advanced the cause of economic or racial fairness. Today, these advances are in peril as employers shed their responsibilities to employees and communities, and a U.S. president gives cover to bigotry. But the Progressive idea is not dead. Recalling his own career, Brown dramatizes the hard work and high ideals required to renew the social contract and create a new era in which Americans of all backgrounds can know the “Dignity of Work.”

Genres: Politics, History, Nonfiction, Biography, American History, Autobiography, Memoir

366 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 5, 2019

Reviews

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sherrod Brown is the democratic senior senator from Ohio. He sits at desk number 88 in the Senate. He tells about the senators who have had the seat before him, such as: Senator Hugo Black; he had the desk from 1927 to 1937. Some of the other Senators that sat at this desk were George McGovern, Al Gore, Robert F. Kennedy and Theodore Green. Brown tells about each of the eight men and he works in information about himself. I was surprised at how many decades it took to stop child labor. Apparently, business and the Republicans fought every child labor law sent to the Senate. I found the information on Senator Lehman interesting. I sort of had the feeling I was in the Senate and the desk was talking to me. The book was interesting and well worth the read.

I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book was twelve hours and forty-six minutes. Sherrod Brown and Leon Nixon do a good job narrating the book. Nixon is an actor and voice-over artist.

[Donald Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a penultimate text on progressive politics, its importance, principles and legacy. Senator Brown is an accurate historian, concise writer and a man of true humane vision. While this history is a mere slice of the pie of the influence of progressive thought, it is a balanced, true and thoughtful explanation of how and why government is critical to humanity, serving as its major impediment when the rich and powerful control it.

[Cristie Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that Senator Brown wrote this book detailing how the previous Senators to sit at Desk 88 impacted history with their service. Each one had setbacks, but was still able to contribute to the better of America. This book is one that needs to be read, as it emphasizes the contributions made by Senators in the past and how working together with others can truly impact the future of our Country. We live in divided times and this book shows how Senators with different values held the same seat and were able to each make positive change.

[John Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional!

Rich history of those who are elected to help working people rather than the rich. Interesting stories of people who made America a better place to work and live. It’s just the honest, well written story we need with today’s sad political state. Even people who don’t like politics will like this book, perhaps even more so.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing more patriotic than reading this book in the nation's capital.

[John Newton · Rating 3 out of 5]

In general I'm not a big fan of memoirs by living politicians (at least the ones by Americans that I have read). They seem to follow a common formula in which the author turns the details of their into some quintessential American story and then recounts their political successes along with anecdotes of their struggles fighting the good fight (however that is defined).

This book by Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio follows another model, however, with short biographies of eight progressive senators. It's a walk through 20th-century (and early 21st-century) American history as seen through the life stories of men like George McGovern, Robert Kennedy, and Hugo Black. These aren't hagiographies and along with the achievements of these men, Brown covers their failings and failures too.

Between each of the biographical chapters there are others titled "Thoughts from Desk 88." (The desk 88 is a reference to the one in the Senate that Brown sits at and which was also used by a number of other progressive senators.) Those chapters do fit into the more conventional political memoir model, and you'll have to have some tolerance for Brown selling himself and his achievements to get through them. It is worth it to do so, however, especially if you wonder where progressivism goes from here. Brown is committed to a progressivism that is not limited to blue bubbles and instead calls for one that is responsive to the concerns of working-class and rural Americans—a commitment also reflected in some of the choices of progressive senators he focuses on in this book.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Sherrod Brown is one of the more level headed senators serving today and seems to be a decent person which is I why I picked up this book at Barnes and Noble as an impulse buy. The contents are an attempt to outline eight progressive senators who also sat behind the desk.

Unfortunately Sherrod Brown is neither a good biographer nor a particularly good writer. Of the eight progressive senators profiled in the book, we don't really learn their backgrounds. Brown's writing doesn't evoke any imagery nor does he describe their basic physical characteristics. References and quotes are often almost entirely missing. The basic biographer playbook is not followed. But some of this is understandable as good biographies require a lot of research and some literary chops.

I did enjoy the chapter on George McGovern who Brown got to know some and who had inspired Brown to enter politics. This chapter was personal in a good way. The other seven senators Brown never met. And with the exception of the chapter on Bobby Kennedy their stories - as written here - were not very interesting.

The epilogue speaks directly to the physical characteristics and the history of Desk 88 in the Senate and was the best chapter by far. It was very personal and tangible. Inexplicably Brown didn't start the book with this chapter and instead stuck it at the end.

There are also blurbs from Brown after each chapter which highlight how Brown's policies and political philosophies are reminiscent of each senator's own policies. I did not like any of these blurbs.

So overall, an intriguing idea with some insights but not well executed.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sherrod Brown is a better Senator than he is a writer, but that speaks to what a great Senator he is. What I learned most from reading the stories of eight Senators who sat at Desk 88 was that compromise is part of the job. You need to look at the entirety of a person's life, rather than looking for a flaw and claiming that it discredits all the good things he or she fought for.

Now it would be nice if a woman (or a minority) were to get to sit at Desk 88.

[Elinor · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a matter of routine, I don't read memoir, biography, or autobiography. I also don't find political histories of old white men all that compelling. However, Sherrod Brown tells an interesting, quirky, and unusual history of progressivism using his Senate desk as a touchstone, making the case for a new progressive era. He does so deftly, having researched his material for over a decade. This is not the kind of text one writes prior to launching a campaign for president; however, it IS the kind of text the next progressive candidate must read if s/he hopes to win. Progressive Brown wins tough races in the US' electoral bellwether of Ohio. Any candidate hoping to win swing states should take notice and study up.

[Andy Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sherrod Brown is known for his progressive politics and for his hard work in getting results. So there are interesting contrasts given the way he wrote Desk 88, alternating chapters of eight different progressive senators who also sat at Desk 88 with chapters titled "Thoughts from Desk 88" which tell of Brown's beliefs and legislative battles. Because many of the progressive senators described in the book were not particularly effective Senators while Brown's chapters show a passion for getting things done.
The first Senator, Hugo Black, may be an exception to this rule. Brown does not flinch and does not excuse Black's early membership in the KKK, noting that Black was more than a member. But he details Black's legislative career especially as an effective champion for the New Deal, Black for an example was the Senator most responsible for breaking up the holding companies in the 30s.
The next chapter was about Theodore Francis Green from Rhode Island, a senator I had not heard of before this book. Green was considered a traitor to his class, the wealthy patrician class of Rhode Island. Green was a leader in breaking the patrician political hold on Rhode Island but by the time he was elected to the Senate at age 65, much of his drive was gone, Brown focuses the senate portion of the chapter on Green's longevity and old age at the end of his career.
Glen Taylor was a one term senator from Idaho. He may have been one of the most radical Senators ever to serve and Brown writes admiringly of his incorruptibly, his passion for the little guy, for his commitment to civil rights that was far ahead of his time. However, Brown notes Taylor's Don Quixote campaign as Henry Wallace's running mate in 1948 and his lack of legislative accomplishments.
Herbert Lehman was FDR's successor as Governor of New York and Brown writes admiringly of Lehman's accomplishments in instituting the Little New Deal which often served as a laboratory for Roosevelt. Lehman was later elected to the Senate but did not have the same record of accomplishment given the southern dominated club atmosphere of the Senate. Brown also describes one of the saddest scenes in Senate history when Lehman called Joe McCarthy's bluff on the senate floor when McCarthy said he had the proof of his Communist theories on his desk by walking to McCarthy's desk and asking to see it. No one backed Lehman up, McCarthy snarled Get away from me you old man and Lehman walked sadly away.
Brown's chapter on Al Gore sr starts with the newly elected Gore refusing Strom Thurmond's demand to sign the Southern Manifesto while the Senate and gallery watched on. While Gore's later record on civil rights did not always match that early courage, Gore did take many progressive and principled stands, especially his votes against Nixon's Supreme Court's appointment's right before he lost his last election. But Brown does note that Gore's loss also was due to his not keeping in contact with his home state and lack of legislative accomplishment.
Brown titles his chapter on William Proxmire as "A Work Horse and a Show Horse" which reflects Proxmire's hard work as a senator while not being shy about getting publicity for it. Brown also notes that Proxmire's offbeat personality and focus on publicity took away from his effectiveness in getting things done for both his state and his progressive ideals.
Brown admires Bobby Kennedy. He writes glowingly of Kennedy's transformation after his brother's assassination into a fighter for the underdog, his going into stuffy crowds and telling them what they didn't want to hear while listening to genuine empathy to hungry children, dispossessed ghetto residents, struggling farmworkers. But Brown notes that Kennedy's greatness was not as a Senator, but as a political leader, a leadership cut too short by his own assassination.
The final chapter was on George McGovern. Again, Brown clearly admires McGovern's character, his early political success against all odds and of course his principled Presidential campaign. But again, McGovern was not a particularly effective Senator, save for his corroboration with Bob Dole against hunger, though it was work after his Senate where he got the most results against hunger, and part of the reason for his 1980 defeat was his loss of interest in the Senate in his last years there.
As mentioned earlier, the chapters on the eight senators are interspersed with chapters on Brown's thoughts. Those chapters show Brown's passion for being a Senator but more important, his passion for being a Senator because it is a vehicle for progressive change; to help the underdog, the union member, the uninsured, the victim of discrimination. Brown's hard work does not always pay off, he writes with frustration about his failure to obtain a public option in Obamacare with thinly disguised irritation at Joe Lieberman's unprincipled roadblock and Max Baucus's accommodation of Republican demands which served only to delay and build political opposition. But left unsaid, but still clear to the reader, is that Sherrod Brown loves being in the arena, fighting for the right things

[Stefan Gustafson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wish I could give this a 3.5! Loved the senatorial history. Incredibly informative- also Sherrod Brown will save us

[Lamadia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not expect to like this book this much. I've only lived in Ohio for five years, but I have gotten to vote for Sherrod Brown once. I learned so much about these eight ex-senators and the progressive movement throughout the twentieth century. I pay attention to politics and consider myself an informed liberal, but there was so much I didn't know and should have. While I had voted for Brown, I only now consider myself a fan! You will only like this if you like progressive politics to begin with, and it will also make you incredibly angry at those thwarting progressive legislation. And if you are a progressive, you should immediately make time to read this book.

I listened to the audio book, and while there is an excellent narrator for the biographical sections about the different senators, Brown narrates the sections in between that are his own thoughts from the desk. I get why they didn't have him narrate the whole thing, but I like listening to Brown's distinctive gravelly voice for the in between sections.

[Pamela Mclaren · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's an importance to getting to know politicians and political parties, to understanding their formation, their goals and their achievements. But there often is a challenge to it too. Do I want to read about racists and racism from any period of America? Can I begin to understand — even with best intentions — why some people seem to go into politics to better their wallets and not to service the people they represent? The answer surely is that in every job, every career, there are good people, well meaning and those who serve themselves only.

So when I got my hands on this book, I was interested to learn about these desks in the senate, as well as a variety of individuals who served while sitting at this desk. And I indeed did learn a lot — about the desk, the senate tradition of signing the desk drawer, as well as the people who sat there throughout history.

Admittedly, Sherrod Brown, the progressive senator from Ohio, chose to focus on those who, like himself are considered progressives, at least for part of their careers. And it was good because he writes well and shares both the good and the bad of the eight senators highlighted in these pages. I learned a lot, especially as I didn't know much about just what was a progressive, what they thought and believed. For that I am grateful for this book.

And it made me curious not only about these nine (if you count Brown) but others who served from the end of the civil war through two world wars and into these uncertain times. And I think its important to not just be curious, but to take the step to learn more.

Because being informed, on the issues as well as the individuals, is important for any individual who agrees that an informed electorate is that much further ahead. And I do believe that way. But these days it can be harder, because everyone has an opinion, everyone has a side and for many, they don't want to meet the other side halfway to gain a broader, better understanding of where we stand. I long for once again talking issues over with others and being able to discuss all sides of an issue, not to win, but to know why I feel the way I do and why others feel differently. Its important that we all try to better understand each other, without hatred, without rancor.

Perhaps some days, we will.

[Bryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Senator Sherrod Brown has written a perfectly good, readable, engaging book using a neat premise: mini-biographies of other senators who have shared his Senate desk. I did learn quite a bit about some senators that are less well known.

That said, my primary take away from this book -- though I don't believe it to be Brown's intention, at all -- is all the various ways he depicts the historical and present-day terribleness of the U.S. Senate as an institution. Nearly every Senate "progressive" Brown discusses gets stymied by the Senate itself. Not by voters, by procedure. Filibuster this, refuse to bring up to a floor vote, that, bury in committee this. Progress frustrated at every turn by a fundamentally anti-democratic body doing anti-democratic things.

In one such event, Brown relates the story of William Proxmire's 3,000 speech, 20-year campaign to get the Senate to adopt the UN treaty banning genocide, which the U.S. only adopted in 1986 (!), as a story of pluck and perseverance and dedication. And it surely was that. But why? When it finally passed in 1986 the vote was 83-11; surely there had been a 2/3rds majority for it for years beforehand. Those 83 votes didn't materialize in thin air. It wasn't some grand disagreement, just some number of the 11 must have held it up all those years, kept it off the voting agenda, frustrating a favorable majority for decades. And all that for a treaty saying genocide is bad!

Anyway, good on Senator Brown for writing the book, but my goodness what an unfortunate workplace he had to write about.

[Will Atkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a decent book about some of the folks who have sat at Desk 88 in the US Senate. But to be honest, my favorite parts were less about the individuals themselves, and more about how the issues of the day are repeating themselves today.

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good

[Julian Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The absolute best "political book" I've ever had the pleasure of reading, "Desk 88" is endlessly inspirational, reminding us of the capacity for government to do good thanks to the leadership and courage of the eight senators chronicled within. Well-written and a breeze to read, unlike so many other books by sitting politicians. A perfect read for all the progressive electoralists in your life; my respect for Senator Sherrod Brown has only grown from reading this.

[Bookreporter.com Biography & Memoir · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been almost two decades since Robert Caro published volume three of his biography of Lyndon Johnson, MASTER OF THE SENATE, which covered the years from 1949 to 1960 when Johnson served in the United States Senate. The book was a revelation about the history and workings of the Senate and how Johnson mastered the organization as no politician before him. When it released in 2002, Sherrod Brown represented Ohio in Congress. In 2006, he would win election to the Senate. He has been re-elected twice, which is no easy task, given the state’s conservative electorate and his unabashed progressive leanings. As the 2020 presidential campaign began, many progressives hoped he would run for president, but for now he has chosen to remain in the Senate.

DESK 88 is part autobiography and part historical account of the Senate through the story of the men who occupied the desk that Brown now occupies on the floor of the Senate. Upon his arrival in the Senate, he was given the responsibility of selecting a desk for the Senate floor. The traditions of the Senate run deep, and one of them is that most senators at some point carve their names in the drawers of their desks on the Senate floor. Brown’s search led him to Desk 88, previously occupied by Hugo Black of Alabama, George McGovern of South Dakota, Robert Kennedy of New York, William Proxmire of Wisconsin, and several other progressive senators. Brown had found his Senate home.

Anyone who has seen or heard Brown speak on issues important to him will appreciate the organization and writing of DESK 88. Just like its author, the book is well-organized and passionate. He alternates chapters on his predecessors with his own career and political views on important contemporary issues. Recounting the fascinating history of former U.S. senators serves as a reminder that although we are at a complex, perilous moment in our nation’s history, we have been here before.

The biographical portraits also shed light on the continuing evolution of life in American politics. Hugo Black was a progressive senator from Alabama, yet he was also a member of the Ku Klux Klan. His membership became public as he was nominated and confirmed to serve on the United States Supreme Court. In contemporary America, it is doubtful that Black would have been confirmed. Nor would men like Glen Taylor or George McGovern ever have been elected to the Senate, as they ran shoestring campaigns without any significant campaign donations. Before the days of television, social media and candidate imaging, candidates could make their appeal to the public in a far different manner than we see in America today.

In the personal portion of DESK 88, Brown makes the case that the progressive idea is not dead. You may not agree with him, but embracing his politics is not a requirement for appreciating the deep and endearing history of the progressive era in America. There was a time in our country when political disagreement could still find politicians seeking common ground for the public good. Brown reminds us of those bygone days, which hopefully will return to America’s political stage.

Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman

[Patrick Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very inspiring, when you look at the long view it’s impossible to conclude that change in impossible

[Susanna Natti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got a greater understanding of what progressive politics is about in reading Sherrod Brown's book about some of the occupants of his desk in the Senate, Desk 88. Some of the senators he chooses to profile are ones well known to most, and some not so familiar at all. All of them are imperfect, and Sherrod doesn't shrink from pointing out failings, but he also makes the compelling case that the overall impact of what these men did (no women at this desk, yet....) has had immense impact on our daily lives. I found reading about the historical cycles of progressive movement forward was enlightening, and a balm for our troubled times. I also came to admire greatly not only what an impassioned defense, vision and hard work can do to improve equity and justice for all, and my faith in the capacity of government to be an overall force for good was shored up. I definitely recommend this.

[Mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a truly enjoyable read for me. It definitely had a liberal agenda, which you need to understand going into the book, but it works for me. If you are more conservative in your political beliefs, you may not enjoy this book. I absolutely loved the premise. As Sherrod Brown heads into the Senate, he remembers he had heard that senators sign their desks at some point of their term. As he is choosing his seat, he looks in the desks and finds at Desk 88, several names that he recognizes. This book is about the stories behind eight of those signatures. For every story, he adds his own thoughts about the long-term legacy of those senators and a connection to the current political climate.

[Jeimy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was interesting, but my rating is affected by the fact that I wish Brown was a better raconteur. One thing is clear, the author not only respects his predecessors at Desk 88, but also his position and his constituents.

[Evan Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most books written by politicians fall into one of two categories: personal, which tend to be memoirs or autobiographies; or policy, which tends to focus on an area of a politicians interest, whatever that may be.
The two categories often come together to form the third hybrid, which is a campaign book, but that's predominantly for running for something, usually the Presidency, trying to give that sense of intellectual heft to the politician in question.

Sherrod Brown's book is the rarer version: while it is a combination of categories one and two, it is also a history, and a genuine story of progress in America, through the framing device of the titular desk that Brown used during his Senate tenure.

Brown is an unabashed progressive, and this book can be classified as a history of, defense of, and argument for, progressive liberalism. Brown does a really excellent job of building the history of liberalism in America into a historical narrative, and exploring the lives of eight progressive men who have sat at Desk 88 to do so.

Hugo Black of Alabama, Theodore F. Green of Rhode Island, Glen Taylor of Idaho, Herbert H. Lehman of New York, Al Gore Sr. of Tennessee, William Proxmire of Wisconsin, Robert F. Kennedy of New York and George McGovern of South Dakota-these are the names of the men who sat Desk 88, who build the story of the modern American progressive movement. Some of these names are instantly recognizable, others incredibly obscure. They were not at all perfect men, and they suffered from the faults of every human. But they did their best, sometimes to the detriment of their own political careers, to advance the cause of progressivism, to build a fairer, more just society.

Brown's own political views are evident through the book, as is his focus on "the dignity of work," which is a message that he emphasizes and re-emphasizes over and over. But he draws quotes from religion and philosophy, from poetry, from prose, from a career spent in public service, and what that means-this is not a traditional "politician's book," loaded with consultant pablum and stump speech phrasing. Brown stated that he started working on this book during the first Obama term, concluding it in the first Trump term, so it's very clearly a project that he had in mind for a long time. And his passion for his subject shows through quite clearly.

It's also an angry book. Brown's anger isn't a loud one, but his anger towards those conservatives he views as doing their best to prevent, sabotage, or rollback progressive achievements, comes across quite clearly. His disdain for the conservative positioning of an imagined past that seeks only to benefit the wealthy and the privileged is obvious, as is the disregard he has for the so-called "liberal" media-which in Brown's opinion, is anything but. As well, some of the close-up looks into politics do have an element of "I was there" writing, but they also provide a useful interior look into the constantly shifting details of modern U.S. politics.

Senator Brown wrote this a few years ago, and with a new afterword, it is more....optimistic, perhaps, than the current time calls for, when we are angrier and wearier. And, as of this year, the Senator sadly has lost his seat. But this book serves as a good legacy for him, I think. It explores the subject of American liberalism, does it well, and I do think adds Brown himself into that tradition.

The only complaints I'd have is that it tends to wander a bit-some of the topics jump here and there, and their placement doesn't make sense sometimes-and the phrase "of course" gets used so much it's almost a tic.

Ultimately though, I think it's a well-written, well-researched, passionate book, one that captures the history of liberalism, details its modern challenges, and maybe even gives a roadmap to the future. I'll definitely be coming back to this one.

[Ted Hunt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ever since John F. Kennedy used his book "Profiles in Courage" as part of his springboard to the presidency in 1960, White House aspirants have written books to outline their political philosophies. From Barry Goldwater ("Conscience of a Conservative") to Bill Bradley to Barak Obama to, well just about every candidate for the 2020 Democratic nomination, the "campaign book" has become almost a requirement. That is what "Desk 88" is all about as well, even though, in the end, Sherrod Brown decided not to compete for the 2020 Democratic nomination. And like Kennedy did with his book, Brown goes about outlining his beliefs and ideals by telling the stories of eight senators who once sat at his current desk (#88) in the Senate chambers. Rather than the thread binding the men together being "courage," it is "progressivism." It has become a Senate tradition to inscribe one's name inside the drawer of his/her desk, so Brown takes eight of the names from his desk drawer and tells the stories of eight of the "progressive" senators who once occupied his seat. Some of the eight are very well known names- Hugo Black, Robert Kennedy, George McGovern- while a couple are pretty obscure- Theodore Francis Green and Glen Taylor. There were some interesting "nuggets" that I encountered for the first time, like Black's efforts on behalf of labor legislation during the New Deal and the story of Taylor (who was from Idaho) getting arrested by Bull Connor in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1948 (fifteen years before M.L. King was arrested there) for breaking a city ordinance by speaking publicly to a mixed-race audience. But at times the book seems a bit contrived, as the author works to squeeze its subjects into the "progressive" camp by downplaying things like Hugo Black's early membership in the KKK and William Proxmire's knee-jerk opposition to virtually any federal spending on scientific research. He is on stronger ground when he points to George McGovern as being basically the "father" of the federal food stamp program. In typical fashion, McGovern never did a lot of self-promotion (and never made peace with his 49 state defeat to Tricky Dicky in the 1972 election). Brown tells the story of McGovern watching two women in a South Dakota grocery store paying for their groceries with food stamps and proclaiming that they wouldn't vote for McGovern in the next election because he supported too many "give away" programs. While the narratives about the senators are quite interesting, this book is very, very political. Brown not only takes the time at the end of every chapter to outline his own ideas and the programs that he has fought for, but he never passes up an opportunity to criticize, in often very stark terms, the opposition party. And because of that, I don't see this book having a very long "shelf life," unless Senator Brown somehow winds up in the White House.

[Cathy Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great idea for a book. By telling the stories of eight US senators who once sat at the very desk Senator Brown now occupies (#88 - same as the number of counties in Ohio) we have a great mechanism for telling the story of America's political history. By intermixing their stories with current "Thoughts from Desk 88" we have a framework for making sense of our current political situation. Genius.

I have followed Senator Brown's career since my days in Ohio State College Democrats and in all those years I am aware of only one vote he made that I disagreed with him on. We are pretty well aligned... so naturally, I appreciate his perspective. It's nice to be able to sit back in my chair and learn from a teacher whose motives I don't question, without having to wonder what is being twisted or left out to justify the view being presented. Sherrod Brown walks his talk, and I have been a fan of his words and deeds for more than 35 years.

That doesn't mean that my copy of the book (which is inscribed, by the way!) isn't all marked up with underlining and margin scribbles. Some note particularly interesting points, or provide another example. Other notes relate to information that has come to light since the writing of the book. The chapter on public health - published before the pandemic - is extra marked up. Senator Brown's prescience on this topic is breathtaking:
* "...investments in public health are as efficient and beneficial as any use of taxpayers' funds can be."
* "The politics of public health was becoming treacherous [in 2015]; far too many legislators saw public health emergencies as an opportunity for political gain, not as a problem to solve."
* "Twentieth-century history teaches us that major investments in public health improve the lives of hundreds of millions of Americans, and save millions of lives around the globe. The question is: Will the twenty-first century Congress and the White House learn the lesson?"

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us pretty conclusively that the answer to this question is "some will, some won't." To say that the response has been conducted along party lines is a statement of fact, not of partisan spin. It's shocking, but that is where we are. Our country is barreling headlong toward a repeat of some of the twentieth century's darkest history - with illness, with climate and other environmental destruction, with inequality, with political violence, with democracy itself. The only antidote I know of is in understanding that history and avoiding the mistakes of previous generations. Senator Brown's contribution here is invaluable. Five stars.

[Renee McCallion · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was a lot I learned about progressive senators from the past. Some shocking history, too—Like how Senator Hugo Black was once a member of the KKK but when on to do many positive things despite his past. And that Senator Gore Sr. chose not to vote for the Civil Rights Act - which he later deeply regretted and then went on to make transportation more accessible in the form of highways which granted many jobs for the Ford makers, (which some might say was good, but I wish that at the time of those decisions they would have considered investing in better public transit). The section on Senator Bobby Kennedy and his fight on poverty was encouraging. Most of the information was interesting. There were definitely moments of the book less so. Like how many hands a senator shook (Senator Proxmire). But then how he went on to help ratify laws against genocide. Senator McGovern spearheaded social welfare programs like WIC.
Senator Brown dedicates time in the book on Nixon and the tactic of wedge issues involving race.

Thoughts from desk 88 in between chapters was probably my favorite part. In one “Thought from Desk 88”, Senator Brown talks about the Emergency public health fund to help with impending health threats, without having to go to congress each time a crisis came and that Trump turned it down; Ironic that this was written before Covid.

One of the key take-aways is that progress is made in small amounts, and with the obstacle of conservativism, for any small improvement in our state or nation, and then takes years defending it.

The end summarizes perfectly the differences between progressives & conservatives and what needs to happen to help educate any misconceptions held about liberals’ agendas.
The only issue I have about the ending chapter is the focus on work as the ultimate value. Yes, fighting for workers rights and raising minimum wage is crucial, but the emphasis on hard work is a reminder that our nation is always swimming in capitalism. Overall good book.

[Olivia Thames · Rating 4 out of 5]

To all fellow and future canaries in the name of progressivism, Sherrod Brown's "Desk 88: Eight Progressive Senators Who Changed America" is the book for you. If you too have never steered from protecting the rights of those around you, even when the hills you must climb seem never ending, then you will find a kindred spirit in Brown and his allies whether you are from the Buckeye State or not.

Although Brown's chronicles of the eight progressives that sat at Desk 88 before him, and his reactions and sections on comparing and contrasting his own experiences to theirs are the bulk of the book, it will hardly cause the reader to grow bored. Each progressive (like Brown himself) shows that although no one is perfect (we all make sensational and regrettable choices in our lives) you should never let them hinder you from moving forward for yourself and those around you. It is the only direction we should strive to grow together.

While I am a rookie to the depths of politics and their history, I did not retreat from the material since it only reinforced my own views of being an ally and advocate for my fellow man/woman kind. I enjoyed and felt my morale bubble over when introduced to new views, and when given a new perspective on topics already dear to my heart. Whether it was savoring the words from parts of Robert F. Kennedy's speech that took place at the University of Capetown (241), Brown's example of Gallaudet University as an act of progressivism (187), or his view of how great victories grow from the collection of small victories (277) the book never felt dull and dry.

I am grateful to Beth, my boyfriend's mother, who gave me this book as a Christmas gift last year. It was truly thoughtful, and beyond that has caused me to further my own thoughtfulness in my present and in my future. I look forward to passing this book along to others, and to reading more by Brown and his wife, Connie Shultz, who is a profound wordsmith and ally too.

[Jen Jaketic · Rating 4 out of 5]

My senator, Sherrod Brown, gives an insightful and informative look at 8 senators who previously sat at the desk he currently sits at in the US Senate. He gives a chapter to each, and then provides an additional section after each chapter, giving modern examples of how that Senator's previous work helps Sen. Brown today (or how the struggles the one faced in the Senate are still very much alive now). Brown calls all 8 of the Senators "progressive," which I as a progressive take some umbrage with as I'm not sure I would use that term to describe them all. However, Brown is using the term more to show that these were Democrats who went against the grain and/or were ahead of their time, not necessarily that they were "liberal."

I learned a lot and definitely have more respect for some of the men (they are, alas, all men) written about here. I also appreciate Brown's writing style. He definitely writes like he talks; it's a conversational tone rather than a dry biographical piece. (Note: he does knock the Republican party and Republican politicians, but by using facts and his personal experiences with colleagues. Putting it here as a warning but I'm assuming that's implied given the author and subject.)

Also, a bit unrelated but my brother bought me this book at an event where Sen. Brown was speaking and signing copies afterward. My brother told him that I went canvassing in the city of Lakewood to help Brown win re-elect in 2018. The Senator signed it, "To Jen: thanks for delivering Lakewood." It makes me smile.

[Dominique King · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brown uses an interesting way to talk about his time in the Senate, and the history of the Senate, by tracing the history of the desk he occupies there! The book reminds me a little bit of a story like "The Red Violin" (a movie that traced the history of an inanimate object, and it's passage through history).
The other occupants of Brown's desk throughout the years represented a group of Senators, some relatively unknown to modern history, and a few folks with a more well-known names.
The desk's other occupants that Brown profiles were largely seen as "progressive" (as the title of the book tells us).
I found Brown's attention to some of the more obscure details of the Senators' lives and things like the making and marking of the desk itself added to the fun of the book, which might otherwise risk just being another boring political tome full of arcane stuff about the office holders and their work.
I learned a lot of new things about even the Senators I felt I knew more about with Brown's coverage.
Brown has an engaging style, and it was especially fun to read quickly after I'd read his wife's (Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Connie Schultz) novel about the lives of working class Ohio families

[Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book that enumerates and describes many Progressive political and social accomplishments in the 20th century. It is told through the lives and deeds of eight US senators who all happened to sit at the sane desk, 88, during their careers. It tells about their lives; their paths to election, and the difficult choices many had to make to stand up for Working People and against a powerful conservative establishment.
These Progressive figures helped enable policies such as Social Security, the 8 hour work day, the 40 hour work week, child labor laws, Medicare, Medicaid, Civil Rights laws, Voting Rights, Union rights, food stamps, and other social safety net programs that we now take for granted but were fought and obstructed vigorously and viciously by Republicans and their wealthy supporters, particularly in poor Southern states.
And the battles are still going on today.
Brown is unapologetic as he stands with working people, supporting the dignity of work and the dignity to life for those who have either been treated unfairly or may have had some bad luck.
It is an enlightening book, very partisan, but with righteousness and humility.