Noble Conspirator: Florence S. Mahoney and the Rise of the National Institutes of Health [Hardcover]

Judith Robinson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 4, 2001

"Noble Conspirator" is the biography of Florence S. Mahoney (1899-), one of the driving forces behind the rapid growth of the National Institutes of Health in the three decades after World War II. Her crowning achievement was her almost single-handed creation of the Institute on Aging. As a close friend of presidents, members of Congress, and other influential citizens, Mahoney made her home a forum for public policy discussion. The book offers a unique insider's view into both the history of American medicine during this critical period and the workings of the American system of government.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

An institution's history can remind us of the complex ways things get done. In the case of the National Institutes of Health, such history is a key player. When Florence Stephenson married Dan Mahoney, the widowed son-in-law of newspaper magnate James Cox (a former Ohio governor and an unsuccessful Democratic candidate for president in 1920), she was able to use Cox's clout and that of her husband, who ran the Miami Daily News for several decades. Mahoney's career as a health activist took off in the late '40s, when she linked up with philanthropist Mary Lasker and journalist Mike Gorman, whose exposes of "snakepits" drove mental health reform crusades. Robinson suggests that Mahoney's signal triumph was her single-handed campaign to convince Congress (over strong opposition from President Nixon) to establish an Institute on Aging within the NIH in 1974. Boomers have Mahoney to thank for the vast increase in science's understanding of gerontology and age-related illnesses over the past quarter century. A reminder that dedicated lobbying can be a good thing. Mary Carroll
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Judith Robinson is a former journalist, editorial writer, and legislative aide in the U.S. Congress. A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, she worked for the Associated Press, United Press International, "National Journal," and "San Francisco Examiner."

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Francis Press; First Edition edition (September 4, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 096650514X
• ISBN-13: 978-0966505146
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,779,946 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Woman For All Seasons, December 11, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Noble Conspirator: Florence S. Mahoney and the Rise of the National Institutes of Health (Hardcover)

Long before Ralph Nader and Common Cause became successful public advocates, Florence Mahoney worked for decades behind the scenes in Washington to shape federal policy on children's health issues and medical research. Her influence extended from the years just after World War II to the last years of the 20th century, through Democratic and Republican administrations alike, and her legacy today includes the United States National Institutes of Health. While raising two sons, she developed the intimate dinner party to a fine art of political influence, always fighting for federal assistance aimed at curing and preventing disease among children and adults alike. A fascinating biography of a woman who deserves to be known much better than she is.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ms. Florence Mahoney is truly a heroine to remember, December 8, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Noble Conspirator: Florence S. Mahoney and the Rise of the National Institutes of Health (Hardcover)

Noble Conspirator: Florence S. Mahoney And The Rise Of The National Institutes Of Health is the compelling biography of a singularly remarkable woman and her decades of unpaid advocacy for governmental biomedical research. Her legacy that is with us to this day is the National Institutes of Health, or NIH. Noble Conspirator is filled with anecdotes, courage, and the growth of the fledgling NIH into a gigantic complex with an annual budget of $16 billion in the new millennium. Noble Conspirators is highly recommended for anyone with an interest in the history of medical research in America, political success stories of nonprofit lobbying, or biographies of women who helped to shape American society into what it is today. Ms. Florence Mahoney is truly a heroine to remember.