Working by Robert Caro

[Saluki]

I was very impressed by this autobiography of Robert Caro. I had heard about him but didn't know much about him. He's been talked about a lot on podcasts recently since the release of the documentary about him "Turn Every Page."  His depth of research is legendary and "turn every page" is not far from the truth. He moved to the hill country in Texas while writing the book on Lyndon Johnson to get a feel for what it was like living in that part of the country and to be considered a local so that people who lived there when LBJ did would open up to him. He uncovered things about LBJ (and Robert Moses) that would otherwise be lost to time and which contradicts a lot of the published work. "People die, but papers don't" and his persistence over years poring over old documents uncovered things no one would have the patience for.  He's only written a handful of books in his 60 year career, but won 2 Pulitzer Prizes.  His first book on Robert Moses took years to finish and the $2500 advance wasn't enough to live on so his wife sold their home so that he could continue working on it. It's hard to make a living as a writer. L Ron Hubbard wrote more than 250 terrible sci-fi books before he discovered that starting a cult is where the real money is. There is less money in history books than Sci-fi and if you only write one volume every 6 or 7 years, it's hard to keep a roof over your head.

 

He admits he wrote this biography partly because he's in his 80s and he may die before completing "volume 5, so far of my 3 volume biography on LBJ." He thought he would do his biography afterwards, but wanted to commit some things about his own history and work process to paper. I don't have the patience to read thousands of pages on LBJ, but I might tackle it on audiobook, which is the version of this that I consumed. He narrated it himself, and his thick Bronx accent, humor and care for his writing subjects really comes through in the descriptions, not only of his research but his writing. He mentions several older people commenting on his writing about the electrification program in rural areas and how their parents or grandparents tried to explain how hard it was back then, but they never really got it until reading his descriptions in the book. He describes going to an old woman's house in the hill country and looking at the buckets and harness used to bring water from the well and not really understanding until he picked it up himself and saw how heavy it was with water, and they thought about hauling 40 gallons a day for hours. 

 

https://amzn.to/4lQIWK5

 

I probably won't read the LBJ or Moses books on paper, but I definitely will get the audio versions for my next several long plane trips. Highly recommend this book, particularly the audio version, narrated by Caro himself. 

[whiskybravo]

1 hour ago, Saluki said:

I was very impressed by this autobiography of Robert Caro. I had heard about him but didn't know much about him. He's been talked about a lot on podcasts recently since the release of the documentary about him "Turn Every Page."  His depth of research is legendary and "turn every page" is not far from the truth. He moved to the hill country in Texas while writing the book on Lyndon Johnson to get a feel for what it was like living in that part of the country and to be considered a local so that people who lived there when LBJ did would open up to him. He uncovered things about LBJ (and Robert Moses) that would otherwise be lost to time and which contradicts a lot of the published work. "People die, but papers don't" and his persistence over years poring over old documents uncovered things no one would have the patience for.  He's only written a handful of books in his 60 year career, but won 2 Pulitzer Prizes.  His first book on Robert Moses took years to finish and the $2500 advance wasn't enough to live on so his wife sold their home so that he could continue working on it. It's hard to make a living as a writer. L Ron Hubbard wrote more than 250 terrible sci-fi books before he discovered that starting a cult is where the real money is. There is less money in history books than Sci-fi and if you only write one volume every 6 or 7 years, it's hard to keep a roof over your head.

 

He admits he wrote this biography partly because he's in his 80s and he may die before completing "volume 5, so far of my 3 volume biography on LBJ." He thought he would do his biography afterwards, but wanted to commit some things about his own history and work process to paper. I don't have the patience to read thousands of pages on LBJ, but I might tackle it on audiobook, which is the version of this that I consumed. He narrated it himself, and his thick Bronx accent, humor and care for his writing subjects really comes through in the descriptions, not only of his research but his writing. He mentions several older people commenting on his writing about the electrification program in rural areas and how their parents or grandparents tried to explain how hard it was back then, but they never really got it until reading his descriptions in the book. He describes going to an old woman's house in the hill country and looking at the buckets and harness used to bring water from the well and not really understanding until he picked it up himself and saw how heavy it was with water, and they thought about hauling 40 gallons a day for hours. 

 

https://amzn.to/4lQIWK5

 

I probably won't read the LBJ or Moses books on paper, but I definitely will get the audio versions for my next several long plane trips. Highly recommend this book, particularly the audio version, narrated by Caro himself. 

Wow, you described Robert Caro beautifully.  My favorite author.  Bumping into him on the street in New York was a thrill for me. He was so gracious telling my wife and I that we made his day.

 

I have read his biographies on Robert Moses 

and the four volumes of LBJ.  I am hoping for the fifth and final volume, but unfortunately he is getting old.  Although long, they are well worth reading.  The writer is amazing and the details unsurpassed.  So many stick with me.

 

In the Master of the Senate for instance he would sit down next to a Senator whose vote he needed, cross his big leg in front of the man, lightly tug his jacket lapel, then face to face virtually envelop the poor fellow who sat sunk in an easy chair, unable to escape.  At a dinner party, he might yell out “Bird bring me another piece of pie”!  While campaigning and making stops he would talk to crowds from the back of a train while the Yellow Rose of Texas played.  When the train pulled away, the music still playing, he yelled out “Bobby turn off that yeller rose”!  You really get to know the man.

 

The theme of his biographies is the attainment and use of power.  This argument is crafted over thousands of pages.  You also get inside people these men were associated with and the times they lived in.  Absolutely unique.

Edited July 14, 2025 by whiskybravo

[whiskybravo]

I also wanted to say that the greater than 3000 pages of his four volume biography of LBJ might seem arduous and reading it like drudgery, but given Caro’s beautiful and detailed writing it is the opposite.  It is pleasurable.  

The same can be said for the greater than 1000 pages of The Power Broker. At the least, I recommend watching Turn Every Page.