[Jake]

This is an off-shoot to the Robert Moses thread, but shouldn't belong in there since this link refers more to Robert Caro, and Lyndon Johnson, than to Robert Moses.

For those interested in listening to Robert Caro, here's a you tube link to a Charlie Rose show featuring, as a first guest, Robert Caro.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgyeB5_7EAo

[Edwin]

Caro's multi volume biography of LBJ is beyond definitive. A great work that tells so much about LBJ and those around him as well as the world and the times throughout his life.

[Jake]

I like the enthusiasm Caro displays on the Charlie Rose show regarding his subject LBJ.

I also like his argument against the old addage "more power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely."
"Power reveals" is a valid argument.

[RickinKs]

Jake
Thank you for posting the link. Caro is awesome. No one has done it like LBJ since then.

[Jake]

I just got a book, "Robert Moses and the Modern City", a collection of essays and works by various authors edited by Hilary Ballon and Kenneth Jackson, the editor of the massive "The Encyclopedia of New York City".

Jackson, although acknowledging and praising Caro's "The Power Broker", does criticize that the sub-title of the work alone "Robert Moses and the Fall of New York" alludes to Robert Moses being part of the cause of NYC's downfall in the 70s, and argues that, Robert Moses is as much a part of NYC's consequent rise in the 80's in return.

I would love to ask Caro what, thirty-odd years after he wrote "The Power Broker", he would add to the story of Robert Moses, or the legacy of Robert Moses, knowing what we know now.

[Jake]

Robert Caro wrote an article in the International Herald Tribune regarding Obama's acceptance speech and the ties to the legacy of Lyndon Johnson.

He's currently writing the last of a four volume, critically acclaimed, biography of Johnson.

It's a good article

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/08/...ion/edcaro.php

[Jake]

On Facebook there's a page for Robert Caro fans, and on that page there's a link to a blog on which Ina Caro, Robert's wife, wrote to say how he's doing and how his latest book project, his last on Lyndon Johnson, is progressing:

http://chimeraobscura.com/vm/lifes-work/

"Robert Caro has finished the first 500 pages of the last volume of his Lyndon Johnson biography and, so far, it is better than anything I have ever read.

For those of you concerned about his health, he works out for two hours each day and is in good health.
Ina Caro, researcher, author and wife"

This was dated August 27, 2008.

I personally haven't even started the Lyndon Johnson works yet. I'm currently reading Sir Winston Churchill's "The World Crisis", hope to read his Marlborough works, Anna's parents gave me Obama's "Dreams From My Father" and "The Audacity of Hope" for Christmas, plus Anna gave me "Gomorrah" by Roberto Saviano. I'm flooded with great books, so little time.

I look forward, however, to reading all of the Johnson books once the last is published and maybe go through them in one sweep.

[Jake]

The Jane Jacobs medal awards ceremony of 2008. Robert Caro spoke there.

Now I understand that the Rockefeller foundation may spark different emotions amongst some of you, and perhaps with reason perhaps not. However, getting away from the politics and financial crisis and such, I've posted this link for the sake of seeing and listening to Robert Caro speak of urbanization, Robert Moses, Jane Jacobs. Unfortunately his portion of the video time is small, about two minutes, and edited, but at least we get to see him.

I'll take the liberty of including this link in the Robert Moses thread as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T-xAmQZJ2s

[Jake]

A little update on Robert Caro's new book, from Robert Caro himself...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gcm0WY6LKYw

[RickinKs]

[Jake]

Sunofagun!!!!

Now for sure you're going to show me an autographed copy of Sammy D's "Yes I Can" and both Frank's and Nelson Riddle's autographs on an "Only the Lonely" album!!!!

[RickinKs]

Originally Posted by Jake

Sunofagun!!!!

Now for sure you're going to show me an autographed copy of Sammy D's "Yes I Can" and both Frank's and Nelson Riddle's autographs on an "Only the Lonely" album!!!!

I wish..... Caro lectured at the Robert Dole Library in Lawrence,Kansas in 2003. It will was a good series. I saw Michael Beschloss,David McCullough,Edmund Morris (T.R./Reagan biographer),David Gergen and Richard Norton Smith.

[Jake]

Excellent!

I like Robert Caro because he's quite thorough in his work and he has a great passion for his work. When you hear him speak, you get the feeling he lives for just these books, and the pleasure and love he has for them and the subjects (in Caro's case Robert Moses and Lyndon Johnson) you can't help but feel a certain passion to find out what Caro's all about. In that respect Robert Caro is very much like Frank Sinatra or even Louis Armstrong.

Robert Moses has become a fascinating figure for me, mainly because of Caro's work. I don't know about Johnson: in school we usually called him the meanie who took the presidency after the good-looking guy JFK. I guess my opinion of Johnson will undoubtedly change once I read Caro's books on LBJ.

That C-Span interview posted before is quite good, and I think you can get a good idea about Caro and his work.

[Jake]

http://www.newsweek.com/id/183678

[Jake]

His last book won't be completed for at least, in Caro's words, three or four YEARS!

[Jake]

http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/10215

latest interview with Charlie Rose

[Jake]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahlybc9HgiE

This is the first of seven parts to an event Robert Caro was invited to, and where he talks about Lyndon Johnson and Caro's biography of LBJ. I'll just post the link to the first part, the others you can easily find in youtube should you have interest.

[Jake]

Good interview of Robert Caro on his career, and his books:

As in the last post I include only the link to the first part, as people who are interested in this subject can easily find the next two parts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPgGIm3XEHk

[Jake]

Caro received the 2009 National Humanities Medal:

http://www.neh.gov/news/archive/20100225.html

... and will be inducted to the New York State Writers Hall of Fame:
http://www.nyla.org/index.php?page_id=1873

[Jake]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/15/ma...?ref=magazine#

Another volume coming out, and still Robert Caro isn't finished writing about Lyndon Johnson. There are no words grand enough for this great writer on political power.