Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

  • Apple
  • Android
  • Windows Phone
  • Android

To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number.
Download to your computer
Kindle Cloud Reader
Facebook Twitter Pinterest <Embed>
  • List Price: $28.00
  • Save: $9.17 (33%)
FREE Shipping on orders with at least $25 of books.
Only 11 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
Frank: A Life in Politics... has been added to your Cart
Want it Tuesday, Aug. 23? Order within and choose Two-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
Ship to:
Select a shipping address:
To see addresses, please
or
Please enter a valid US zip code.
or
FREE Shipping on orders over $25.
Used: Good | Details
Sold by BigHeartedBooks
Fulfilled by Amazon
Condition: Used: Good
Comment: This item is in good condition. All pages and covers are readable. There are no stains or tears. Dust jacket is present if applicable. May contain small amounts of writing and/or highlighting. Spine and cover may show signs of wear. May not contain supplementary items. We ship within 1 business day. Big Hearted Books shares its profits with schools, churches and non-profit groups throughout New England. Thank you for your support!

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a service we offer sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's fulfillment centers, and we directly pack, ship, and provide customer service for these products. Something we hope you'll especially enjoy: FBA items qualify for FREE Shipping and .

If you're a seller, Fulfillment by Amazon can help you increase your sales. We invite you to learn more about Fulfillment by Amazon .

Sorry, there was a problem.

There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again.

Sorry, there was a problem.

List unavailable.
Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon
Flip to back Flip to front
Listen Playing... Paused   You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more
See this image

Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage Hardcover – March 17, 2015

by Barney Frank (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars 112 customer reviews
See all 7 formats and editions Hide other formats and editions
Price
New from Used from
Kindle
"Please retry"
$14.05
— —
Hardcover
"Please retry"
$18.83
$1.98 $0.01
Paperback
"Please retry"
$13.40
$7.69 $6.49
Audible, Unabridged
"Please retry"
$0.00
Free with your Audible trial
Audio CD, Audiobook, CD, Unabridged
"Please retry"
$30.48
$7.88 $6.38
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Author interviews, book reviews, editors picks, and more. Read it now
$18.83 FREE Shipping on orders with at least $25 of books. Only 11 left in stock (more on the way). Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
click to open popover

Frequently Bought Together

  • Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage
  • +
  • A Fighting Chance
Total price: $30.43
Buy the selected items together

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.
Back
  1. Believer: My Forty Years in Politics
    David Axelrod
    4.5 out of 5 stars 421
    Hardcover
    $16.92 Prime
  2. Frank Talk: The Wit and Wisdom of Barney Frank
    Peter Bollen
    4.7 out of 5 stars 6
    Paperback
    $14.06 Prime
  3. Barney Frank: The Story of America's Only Left-Handed, Gay, Jewish Congressman
    Stuart Weisberg
    4.4 out of 5 stars 15
    Hardcover
    $20.85 Prime
  4. The American People: Volume 1: Search for My Heart: A Novel
    Larry Kramer
    3.3 out of 5 stars 44
    Hardcover
    $28.37 Prime
  5. A Fighting Chance
    Elizabeth Warren
    4.7 out of 5 stars 1,526
    Paperback
    $11.60 Prime
  6. It's Not Over: Getting Beyond Tolerance, Defeating Homophobia, and Winning True Equality
    Michelangelo Signorile
    4.7 out of 5 stars 48
    Hardcover
    $22.58 Prime
Next
NO_CONTENT_IN_FEATURE
The latest book club pick from Oprah
"The Underground Railroad" by Colson Whitehead is a magnificent novel chronicling a young slave's adventures as she makes a desperate bid for freedom in the antebellum South. See more

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux; First Edition edition (March 17, 2015)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0374280304
  • ISBN-13: 978-0374280307
  • Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 1.4 x 9.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (112 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #389,460 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsAn absolute must for those interested in American politics and government!
By Skyhawk on March 20, 2015
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
Anyone expecting a juicy tell-all might be disappointed, as will those seeking snarky new quips. But this book should be required reading for anyone interested in American Government or LGBT history. I was fascinated and learned a great deal about how our government actually works. It is an excellent exposition of pragmatic politics and of fighting for the good in a system dominated by self-serving politicians and those beholden to the highest campaign contributors. It is also very funny, as Frank recounts some of his now legendary counterattacks on opponents. In general, it is sweet-spirited despite Frank's rep as an old curmudgeon and full of praise for those on both sides of the aisle who have won his admiration. He also takes the time to explain some of his controversial decisions and how he came to them. Brilliant, beautifully written and never boring. HIghly highly recommended. Fans of the American version of House of Cards should read this just to see how far the series departs from the reality of American government.
Comment 37 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
5.0 out of 5 starsfrankly, it is a good read!
By Jtierney on March 28, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
As a former colleague of Barney's I was not surprised to note that people interested in history, politics and the progress in LGBT Rights would find interesting reading in this book. I am, however, pleased with the additional impression that Barney's "voice" resonates throughout. His honesty, clarity of thought, humor and intellectual rigor are captured and thus most engaged citizens should enjoy and benefit from reading it-even if they disagree with his political views. Who knows, with such clear and rational thought perhaps some might even be coaxed over to his philosophies.
Comment 13 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
5.0 out of 5 starsAn Excellent Book About the American Political System that Every American Should Read
By John Lewis on May 2, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
Barney is as brutally honest about himself and his own mistakes as he is when he discusses the shortcomings of others. It's called honesty.

In a political system that frequently seems beyond repair Barney gives me hope. Perfection is not a reasonable goal and Barney shows us how lots of baby steps in the right direction can improve things a lot whereas insisting on perfection usually results in no progress.

He writes very well in a direct style that is easy to read and not preachy.

He is also funny.
Comment 7 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
4.0 out of 5 starsA reformer not a radical
By David Williams on August 18, 2015
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
I once published a letter in the Washington Post defending Barney Frank from charges that he was rude to the point of meanness. I argued instead that he was honest and not willing to engage in all the polite niceties that make civilization possible, "not one of those oily people who grease the gears of the system." But I was wrong,
In this book, Barney shows that he knew exactly how to do that, how to compromise when necessary, how to make allies across the aisle, how to work within the system. In fact, despite Barney's reputation as the most left of the lefties, his is a conservative argument for working within the system rather than confronting it from the outside. Beginning with his working the Civil Rights movement in the 60's to his LGBT activities, he has, he shows us, argued for the system, a reformer rather than a radical.
Given that, the book is a wonderful introduction to the workings of government and politics, from the Mayor's office in Boston to Congress. He shows us how the system works with clarity and his usual humor. The book is not itself funny. The author rarely jokes, but he lightens the text with accounts of his past jokes. His main emphasis is on the economic crisis of 2008 and the LGBT rights movement, but he includes a lot of other campaigns, some perhaps he would rather not recall. Back when he was in Boston, he argued for a stop to police harassment of Boston's combat zone. I remember reading the the press his argument,"Dirty old men have rights too," and thinking that belonged up there with Voltaire. I have loved him from afar ever since. He discusses being Jewish but leaves out anything about Israel, of which there is only one passing reference in the book. Yet his occasionally emotional support for Israel is one of those quirks I would have liked to learn more about. I highly recommend this for any budding politician or social scientist who would enjoy an engaging inside tour of the way things really work.
Comment 3 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
5.0 out of 5 starsA "must read" for political junkies
By Robert S. Bernstein on June 24, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
The subheading should be "A Pragmatic Liberal". This is a very revealing memoir of a life of advocacy but reasonable compromise. It should be a textbook for people who want to be effective in politics. The other major theme, his gay life, is treated with all of its complexity. I have found myself quoting the book since I read it. The book should be read by both liberals and conservatives, because it emphasizes the road to good government. It is rare to read such a revealing memoir.
Comment 3 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
4.0 out of 5 starsYeah Barney!!!!!
By J. Fye on May 18, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
I haven't finished it yet, but so far it is a very genuine and honest of his struggles and accomplishments. I live in MA so he was our Congressman for many years. I work with veterans, which he was not, but he was ALWAYS there for his veteran voters, which most of the other politicians were not. Gay or straight, he was a terrific governmental representative.
Comment 2 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
4.0 out of 5 starsglad I read it
By John H. Banister on May 16, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
I'm glad I read this book. I found it to be informative, and I enjoyed the voice in which it was written. In particular, I value the insight into what is and is not achievable via politics, and how to best go about obtaining the obtainable results.

One thing I noticed about this book, is that in several places it contrasts the way things were in the past to the way things are now. In a future edition, it may be wise to include some sort of reminder that words like "now" and "today" refer to the date of publication, not the current date for the person doing the reading. One might think this would be obvious, but I have met no small number of people who might well forget this consideration.
Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse

Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Great Book, Great Person

Published 1 month ago by avraham
5.0 out of 5 starsThe book arrived on time in good condition. A well written...

The book arrived on time in good condition.A well written autobiography which was quite entertaining and educating.

Published 1 month ago by James R. Nielsen
4.0 out of 5 starsBarney Frank's Frank Talk about Politics and Closets

The word “Frank” has two meanings. One is the name of a person. The second is “unreserved in expressing oneself.” FRANK, by former Congressman Barney Frank, is both. Read more

Published 1 month ago by Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Great read! Recommend it.

Published 2 months ago by Janet M. Simons
5.0 out of 5 starsThis is unequivocally the best such book I've ever read

Here perhaps is evidence of a life badly spent: I must have read 30 or more "Washington memoirs", books by everyone from Presidents to reporters about their time in the... Read more

Published 2 months ago by Donald E. Graham
5.0 out of 5 starsA disarmingly honest view of the last quarter century.

We know Barney Frank as America’s most prominent gay politician, but it is easy to forget that he spent more than half of his life in the closet. Read more

Published 2 months ago by Mike Dowling
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Well written. Historic info fascinating

Published 2 months ago by Fran Spitzer
1.0 out of 5 starsOne Star

What an awful book by the most hypocritical politician of all time!

Published 2 months ago by Warren Lynch
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Love Barney

Published 3 months ago by Annie Mo
5.0 out of 5 starsThank You Barney!

A fascinating political biography with many anecdotes describing how things do or do not get done in legislatures. Read more

Published 4 months ago by Frank H.

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage
Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway
This item: Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage
Set up a giveaway

There's a problem loading this menu right now.

Learn more about Amazon Prime.