The Napoleon of New York: Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia [Hardcover]

H. Paul Jeffers (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 29, 2002

Praise for H. Paul Jeffers

Diamond Jim Brady: Prince of the Gilded Age

"One of the most entertaining historical business narratives in recent memory. The story of this symbol of America's Gilded Age is filled with such gusto and vigor that even hardcore business readers will be swept away."
-Publishers Weekly

"Superb historical biography of one of the more colorful characters in American history . . . spirited. . . . Jeffers deftly weaves together intriguing stage-setting explanations of the age of robber barons, the crash of 1893, and that unforgettable era of unbridled wealth for the few in 1890s New York. As this marvelous story reveals, Brady's lavish lifestyle embodies America's Gilded Age. Highly recommended for all libraries."
-Library Journal

An Honest President: The Life and Presidencies of Grover Cleveland

"A well-written and timely book that reminds us of Grover Cleveland's courage, commitment, and honesty at a time when these qualities are so lacking in so much of American politics."
-James MacGregor Burns, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award

Colonel Roosevelt: Theodore Roosevelt Goes to War, 1897--1898

"A handsome narrative of a crucial period in the career of one of our country's most colorful politicians."
-Publishers Weekly

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...H Paul Jeffers's biography tells the mayor's story fairly and accurately..." (Daily Telegraph, 15 June 2002)

Review

"... reads like an extended magazine profile. It concentrates on his personality and his public image - and in many ways this is as it should be, since his most obvious attribute as a politician was showmanship... Among other New York mayors, only Giuliani can compare with him; and though Giuliani had to face a bigger challenge last year than anything that confronted him [La Guardia], you feel sure that he would have acquitted himself equally well..."(Sunday Telegraph, 26 May 2002)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (March 29, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471024651
• ISBN-13: 978-0471024651
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #348,511 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Popular Biography, May 31, 2002

By 

Steve Iaco (northern new jersey) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Napoleon of New York: Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia (Hardcover)

Paul Jeffers is a master of the popular biography, and he has produced another laudable work in this genre with this chronicle of Fiorello LaGuardia. I approached this book with only a cursory knowledge of LaGuardia, but came away with an enriched understanding of the Little Flower's far-reaching influence on New York City.

I was struck repeatedly by the parallels between LaGuardia and another successful, highly influential Mayor, Giuliani. Both wielded absolute power ("dictatorial," to their detractors), did not brook dissent easily, ran as anti-machine reformers (barely gaining office initially but subsequently amassing larger majorities), assailed corruption and malfeasance, and left New York City a markedly better place than they found it.

By his own admission, Jeffers's is NOT the definitive LaGuardia biography. He writes with broad brushstrokes, painting a colorful, big-picture portrait, and avoiding the pitfalls of needless minutae. Jeffers also has a talent for placing his subjects in the context of history. (To wit: LaGuardia spent his formative years in Prescott, Arizona, whose Mayor was the famous Bucky O'Neill of the "Rough Riders" lore. During the Spanish-American War, young LaGuardia was a stringer for a St. Louis newspaper, where he was in the company of such legendary war correspondents as Richard Harding Davis and Stephen Crane.)

As a result of this style, all of Jeffers's biographies are entertaining, easy to read, and provide a succinct overview to laypersons with a passion for history. If you fit that description, "The Napoleon of New York" is for you.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Little man, big accomlishments, May 16, 2004

By 

Rocco Dormarunno (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Napoleon of New York: Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia (Hardcover)

Part Italian, part Eastern-European Jew, Fiorello LaGuardia was the appropriate mayor at a time of peak immigrant population in New York. But to acknowledge his popularity on this basis alone is very wrong-minded. "The Napoleon of New York: Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia" by H. Paul Jeffers, while not an extensive, exhaustive biography, goes to great pains to make us understand why the Little Flower has achieved mythic proportions in New York's and America's history books. His remarkable achievements, his pit-bull tenacity, and his Herculean ability to face down the pugnancious Robert Moses, all exhibit LaGuardia's unlimited energy, and his all-encompassing love for his city.

Coming to City Hall during a record-setting unemployment level and disastrous budgets, LaGuardia faced seemingly insurmountable difficulties the minute he sat behind his desk. As Jeffers rightly demonstrates, this diminutive man would not be daunted or intimidated by any group, government agency, or persons of power when prosecuting his agenda. He personally was responsible for funnelling tons of federal money to the city during the Great Depression. He created jobs on one hand, while eliminating the patronage positions held by the hated Tammany machine. No small task. This is but one example that this book explores. There are dozens of others. Pick up "The Napoleon of New York: Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia" and learn more about this truly amazing New Yorker.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Napoleon of New York, April 15, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Napoleon of New York: Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia (Hardcover)

Fiorello LaGuardia was an amazing character. He was loved and hated depending on who you asked, but one thing is for sure- he did great things for the city of New York. This biography explores his immigrant roots, his rise to power, and his quest for revitalizing New York. A tough politician indeed, but one who brought greatness and glory to his city.