Politics—in Prose and Photos

     

With the 2014 election season in full swing, Politics & Prose is pleased to offer a number of author talks in the next few weeks featuring books about politicians or about the condition of our political institutions.

Upcoming events for the politically-minded include Matt Bai on Oct. 27 for his new book on Gary Hart, Aaron David Miller on Nov. 2 on the state of the modern presidency, Jules Witcover on Nov. 9 on the vice presidency, David Rothkopf on Nov. 15 on America’s leadership in an age of fear, and Lindsay Mark Lewis on Nov. 16 on the effect of billionaires on politics.

Two other events are worth noting for their focus on two high-profile political figures who inspire near constant speculation about their future ambitions: Hillary Rodham Clinton and Boris Johnson, the charismatic bike-riding mayor of London and possible candidate for British prime minister.

Clinton is the subject of a new book by Time magazine photographer Diana Walker, who will be at the store on Nov. 1. Hillary: The Photographs of Diana Walker contains a collection of 150 photos of the former first lady, U.S. senator, and secretary of state. Walker, who spent two decades taking White House photos, enjoyed exceptional behind-the-scenes access to the Clintons in particular. Virtually none of the photos is staged, and all are revealing. Walker took her first photographs of Clinton in the mid-1970s in Arkansas and went on to capture a number of iconic images of her.

Johnson himself will be appearing on Nov. 15 to discuss his new book, The Churchill Factor: How One Man Made History. The London mayor, nicknamed BoJo, may be best known on this side of the Atlantic for riding his bike to City Hall each day and for a much-publicized social life. But Johnson is a former journalist and a prolific author of books about history and current events (as well as a novel). His new book is his tenth, and some commentators have suggested that Johnson chose to make it about Churchill to coincide with his own anticipated foray into national politics. But timing considerations aside, the London mayor provides a lively, thoughtful, and refreshing look at the former British leader.

Please remember, Nov. 4 is election day. Don’t forget to vote!

--Brad and Lissa