Young Bob: A Biography of Robert M. La Follette, Jr. [Paperback]

Patrick J. Maney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 30, 2002

United States senator "Young Bob" La Follette entered politics as a young reformer in the shadow of his legendary father, "Fighting Bob" La Follette. He made his own mark as a key architect of Roosevelt’s New Deal and as a champion of labor rights and civil liberties. But in 1946 he was unexpectedly unseated by Joseph McCarthy, whose rise to Cold War notoriety foreshadowed La Follette’s despair and suicide in 1953. This new edition updates the only full scale biography of La Follette,Jr., the first to exploit his voluminous collection of personal papers. Patrick J. Maney makes clear that Young Bob’s story is as relevant today as it was when he died. His life stands as dramatic evidence of how one of the most respected politicians of his time bridged the political spectrum and was admired by both liberals like FDR and Harry Truman and conservatives like Robert Taft and Richard Nixon.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Thoroughly researched, carefully analytical . . . this outstanding biography is rewarding reading." (Frank Freidel, The Washington Post Book World)

"An indefatigable and a keen student of the period in which his protagonist lived and died, the author has brought both compassion and criticism to his exacting assignment. As one who was an intimate friend, adviser, and companion of 'Young Bob,' I find the author’s criticisms of the man and his policies cogent, creative, and constructive. Maney has painted 'Young Bob' warts and all, which is precisely the way he would have wanted it done." (Morris H. Rubin, The Progressive)

About the Author

Patrick J. Maney, a native of Wisconsin,  received a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 1969 and a doctorate from the University of Maryland in 1976. He worked in the Wisconsin Senate during the late 1970s and taught American history at Tulane University from 1980 to 1998. Currently the chair of the history department at the University of South Carolina, he is the author of The Roosevelt Presence: The Life and Legacy of FDR.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Wisconsin Historical Society Press; 2nd Edition edition (November 30, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087020341X
• ISBN-13: 978-0870203411
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,411,385 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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