All The King's Men Review

I started this book knowing I was going to hate it.  I don't enjoy politics or I should say politics turn me into an ugly, angry person and so I just stay away.  Knowing this book was all about politics made me not anxious to read it and I knew I would not like it.  But as you can see from the number of balls of yarn I gave it I ended up liking it. 

I thought it was going to be mainly about politics but I think it was mostly about human nature and how choices lead our life.  Politics was an underlying theme and did have a lot to do with the book, but I felt that the people in the book and the choices they made were the strong parts.

One of the main characters (Jack Burden - he's the one that is telling the story) began his career as a newspaper journalist and met Willie Stark when he was just beginning his career as a politician.  Willie Stark was kind of a good 'ol boy and was used in an election to distract votes from another candidate.  It fired him up and he became completely involved in politics.  He hired Jack Burden as his right hand man and made it all the way to governor.

You begin to learn about Jack Burden and his view of life.  He tells of a love affair he had with a girl he grew up with and how they were practically engaged and then it just fell apart.  She comes back into the story in a huge way and because of choices made, tragedy happens.

As I said in the first paragraph, the small part of politics that it talks about in the book is the dark side of politics.  Lots of bargaining and threatening so that those on top can get what they want.  I think we all know deep down that this is how politics work, even if we don't want to.  But mostly this book is about people getting caught up in their career and forgetting who they are.  Willie Starks made some rotten choices when he thought life was easy, but when something hard happens to their family he realizes the error of his ways but it's a little too late. 

I did enjoy this book and even though the characters weren't endearing to me like in other books I've read, I was interested in them and their actions made me think.  I think this was and continues to be a pivotal book in American history.