Master of the SenateMaster of the Senate
Score Modern
What it's about
Book three of Robert Caro's The Years of Lyndon Johnson covers Johnson's twelve years in the Senate, from 1949 to 1960. At its heart is how legislative power really works in America, and how Johnson mastered the Senate as no leader before him had, culminating in the passage of the 1957 Civil Rights Act, the first since Reconstruction.
Why it's worth reading
It won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award and reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It's the most complete portrait ever written of how Congress actually gets things done.
You'll love it if you liked
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York
The Passage of Power
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham LincolnGood to know
At more than 1,200 pages it's a commitment, but it stands on its own and rewards slow reading. The civil rights chapters are the heart of the book.
By the numbers
- Readers97 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics86 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller25 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #3 of the 44 politics books we rank
- #12 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #28 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #55 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
More by Robert Caro
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York
The Path to PowerIf you like this, read next
When Breath Becomes Air
A Promised Land
Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators
How to Be an Antiracist
Alexander Hamilton
GrantExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is Master of the Senate worth reading?
Yes. It won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award and reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #55 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 88.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Master of the Senate about?
Book three of Robert Caro's The Years of Lyndon Johnson covers Johnson's twelve years in the Senate, from 1949 to 1960. At its heart is how legislative power really works in America, and how Johnson mastered the Senate as no leader before him had, culminating in the passage of the 1957 Civil Rights Act, the first since Reconstruction.
How long does it take to read Master of the Senate?
About 31 hours (1233 pages), or about 9 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Master of the Senate won?
Pulitzer Prize (Biography) winner (2003); National Book Award (Nonfiction) winner (2002).
What should I read after Master of the Senate?
If you liked it, try The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York by Robert Caro, The Passage of Power by Robert A. Caro or Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin.