• The Passage of Power

  • The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Book 4
  • By: Robert A. Caro
  • Narrated by: Grover Gardner
  • Length: 32 hrs and 45 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (3,408 ratings)

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The Passage of Power  By  cover art

The Passage of Power

By: Robert A. Caro
Narrated by: Grover Gardner
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Publisher's summary

National Book Critics Circle Award, Biography, 2013

The Passage of Power follows Lyndon Johnson through both the most frustrating and the most triumphant periods of his career - 1958 to 1964. It is a time that would see him trade the extraordinary power he had created for himself as Senate Majority Leader for what became the wretched powerlessness of a Vice President in an administration that disdained and distrusted him. Yet it was, as well, the time in which the presidency, the goal he had always pursued, would be thrust upon him in the moment it took an assassin’s bullet to reach its mark.

For the first time, we see the Kennedy assassination through Lyndon Johnson’s eyes. We watch Johnson step into the presidency, inheriting a staff fiercely loyal to his slain predecessor; a Congress determined to retain its power over the executive branch; and a nation in shock and mourning. We see how within weeks - grasping the reins of the presidency with supreme mastery - he propels through Congress essential legislation that at the time of Kennedy’s death seemed hopelessly logjammed and seizes on a dormant Kennedy program to create the revolutionary War on Poverty.

Caro makes clear how the political genius with which Johnson had ruled the Senate now enabled him to make the presidency wholly his own. This was without doubt Johnson’s finest hour, before his aspirations and accomplishments were overshadowed and eroded by the trap of Vietnam.

It is an epic story told with a depth of detail possible only through the peerless research that forms the foundation of Robert Caro’s work, confirming Nicholas von Hoffman’s verdict that “Caro has changed the art of political biography.”

©2012 Robert A. Caro (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

What listeners say about The Passage of Power

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Exceptional detail and storytelling

This book brought the JFK presidency and the takeover of LBJ to life in vivid detail. It is a remarkable piece of work and I cannot wait for the final book in the series!

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i mean fork, that was a damn good book.

i truly wish there were more. Who knew Lyndon Johnson had had such a terrible bifurcation?

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Incredibly well done.

This is my third listen to the entire series and it is just so well done. Masterful.

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The best biography I’ve read on anyone.

I’ve read all available biographies on all presidents from Geo Washington to LBJ (so far) and this is the best of all them. Can’t wait until the 5th volume comes out.

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Too good?

I couldn’t put it down, couldn’t stop talking about it. I cannot recommend it enough.

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Astounding!

A miracle of exhaustive research and brilliant writing. Robert Caro has set a new, unreachable standard for political biography.

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A classic

A classic. Proustian. I'm waiting for the final installment of such an amazing journalistic work

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Fantastic...so much more than our 36th President

Read a ton of biographies... Robert Caro is the BEST biographer. Johnson was extremely complex, gifted and flawed. Caro has researched so well and included so much content that you come away understanding Johnson. Caro is at times a judge of fantastic accomplishments, but also a judge of over the top corrupt behavior. Very even handed. The RFK relationship handling... f
exemplary.


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excellent book on topic

this is my third book from the same author and it's been just fascinating I opening a new very smooth listen fantastic narrator is well

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  • VB
  • 10-07-19

A great standalone book!

Since I had not read the first three volumes, my biggest concern before getting this book was would the story make sense. Turns out, I didn't feel missing out on anything. The biographical sketch of LBJ in this book was just right. What a flawed individual! But he also delivered where others failed, making him a genius in his own right.

Absolutely loved the book, great storytelling. Excellent narration too. I noted, however, there were three instances where the narration jumped from the middle of a sentence to the next. I hope I only lost half a sentence in each case.

I can't wait for the final book and hope it comes out soon!!

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