Working

De: Robert A. Caro

Narrado por: Robert A. Caro

“One of the great reporters of our time and probably the greatest biographer.” —The Sunday Times (London)

From the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Power Broker and The Years of Lyndon Johnson: an unprecedented gathering of vivid, candid, deeply moving recollections about his experiences researching and writing his acclaimed books.

Now in paperback, Robert Caro gives us a glimpse into his own life and work in these evocatively written, personal pieces. He describes what it was like to interview the mighty Robert Moses and to begin discovering the extent of the political power Moses wielded; the combination of discouragement and exhilaration he felt confronting the vast holdings of the Lyndon B. Johnson Library in Austin, Texas; his encounters with witnesses, including longtime residents wrenchingly displaced by the construction of Moses' Cross-Bronx Expressway and Lady Bird Johnson acknowledging the beauty and influence of one of LBJ's mistresses. He gratefully remembers how, after years of working in solitude, he found a writers' community at the New York Public Library, and details the ways he goes about planning and composing his books.

Caro recalls the moments at which he came to understand that he wanted to write not just about the men who wielded power but about the people and the politics that were shaped by that power. And he talks about the importance to him of the writing itself, of how he tries to infuse it with a sense of place and mood to bring characters and situations to life on the page. Taken together, these reminiscences—some previously published, some written expressly for this book—bring into focus the passion, the wry self-deprecation, and the integrity with which this brilliant historian has always approached his work.

To understand more about Robert Caro's research, see the Sony Pictures Classic documentary “Turn Every Page.”

I am a huge fan

I’m a huge fan of Robert Caro. I have read all his books with the exception of the Power Broker which is on my list. I do wonder if he ever considers the unintended consequences of the Great Society’s entitlement programs. Many black people blame Johnson for contributing to the breakup of the nuclear black family. The dependence created by these entitlement programs has provided for a solid block of voters for Democrats. I noticed that when he refers to the Senate opponents of the Civil Rights Acts he always refers to them as “Southerners” and never Democrats. And he doesn’t give Republicans like Everett Dirksen any credit for the success of the bills. I’m not an expert but I feel that there’s a bit of a whitewash going on. I still admire Mr. Caro and am grateful to him.

News to me - surprisingly good

Like a benevolent uncle, Carrow provides a Glimpse into a world that I didn’t know, because I was a child. His writing and dedication are marvelous model for writers today.

Well worth a listen.

Great to hear this in Caro's voice

What a joy to hear Caro read. His accent is wonderful and he is such a good writer. I wish he could read all of his books.

Excellent Book Read by the Author Himself

Loved this. Caro’s voice is the perfect conduit through which to receive his remarkable writing.

Greatest Hits of Robert Caro

This book, especially the audio book reading by author Robert Caro filled with anecdotes about Robert Moses, LBJ and Caro's writing life, is terrific. It's like a greatest hits of Caro's mammoth Power Broker and the Years of LBJ. Caro is to non-fiction what Moses and Caro were to power. Just put the reading speed to 1.25 because Caro reads a bit slow, and you'll still be able to hear Caro's charming NY accent.

Fascinating look into how he reports & interviews

Full of detailed accounts about how he was able to track down info and interview people for his monumental books on Robert Moses and LBJ. Fantastic if you've read those, but if not you'll want to. His very heavy NYC accent doesn't sound like the typical audiobook reader, but he's right for this. Also he explains why his books take soooo long to write....

well done enjoy- great voice and writing

enjoyed it so much- i brought his book power broker as well- well written and great voice

Great Insight into the Art

Robert Caro is a master biographer, but even more he is a masterful story teller. This book lifts the covers to show us how he does it. I am writing a leadership book, illustrated by stories of leaders who excel at their craft. I’ve gained invaluable insight from Mr. Caro, learning how to interview and tell these stories with impact.

The fact that the audiobook is narrated by Mr. Caro himself adds to the pleasure of the reading. Love his NY baritone.

Interesting

Robert Caro is one of my favorite biographers. In this book Caro discusses his life but mostly provides information about how he and his wife do research about a topic. The number one take away I got from this book is do not hurry, take your time and do it right. He tells of hours in the archives, reading other people’s work, newspaper articles, diaries and letters. He also tells of traveling around doing interviews with people. He spent years doing the research, gathering material, organizing it and then analyzing it. The last thing he does is the writing.

A lot of the information in this book can be found in his book “On Power” and in his other essays, etc. I think he put together a collection of his shorter essays that discuss his writing and research methods and stuck them into this book. For those of us who have read most of his writings, this is all old material except for some pearls provided about research. I am tempted to give this only three stars; but because it is Caro, I will give it four stars.

The book is seven hours and fifty-five minutes. Caro narrated the book. It is great to hear him tell about what he does.

Good book; terrible narrator

Robert Caro should never narrate another book!
I struggled but finished through the entire book.
I learned about Robert Moses by listening to this book for which I’m grateful.

Mr Caro’s research allowed me to better understand Lyndon Johnson which has given me a understand how he accomplished much during his presidency even though he lacked personal integrity.