Masters Of The House: Congressional Leadership Over Two Centuries

by Roger H. Davidson, Susan Hammond, Raymond Smock

Much of this nation’s political life and public policy have been shaped by a handful of powerful people—the leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives. Masters of the House identifies enduring patterns of House leadership, explaining the effects of such factors as party strength, White House–Congressional relations, leaders’ formal prerogatives, members’ expectations, public attitudes, shifts in the policy agenda, and leaders’ personal attributes and style. Ten chapters cover such colorful and diverse personalities as Henry Clay, Joe Cannon, Hale Boggs, and Tip O’Neill. Coeditors Roger Davidson, Susan Hammond, and Raymond Smock have blended essays by political scientists, historians, and journalists into an integrated treatment of House leadership over time, including an analysis of emerging trends in the 1990s.

359 pages, Paperback

First published April 16, 1998

Reviews

[Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of academic papers on different speakers, majority and minority leaders of the House. Some are written in more engaging fashion than others but all are informative and enlightening about their topic.