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Kingfish: The Reign of Huey P. Long Audiobook
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(3.09) - 203 listener ratings
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From the moment he took office as governor in 1928 to the day an assassin’s bullet cut him down in 1935, Huey Long wielded all but dictatorial control over the state of Louisiana. A man of shameless ambition and ruthless vindictiveness, Long orchestrated elections, hired and fired thousands at will, and deployed the state militia as his personal police force. And yet, paradoxically, as governor and later as senator, Long did more good for the state’s poor and uneducated than any politician before or since. Outrageous demagogue or charismatic visionary? In this powerful biography, Richard D. White, Jr., brings Huey Long to life in all his blazing, controversial glory.
White taps invaluable new source material to present a fresh, vivid portrait of both the man and the Depression era that catapulted him to fame. From his boyhood in dirt-poor Winn Parish, Long knew he was destined for power–the problem was how to get it fast enough to satisfy his insatiable appetite. With cunning and crudity unheard of in Louisiana politics, Long crushed his opponents in the 1928 gubernatorial race, then immediately set about tightening his iron grip. The press attacked him viciously, the oil companies howled for his blood after he pushed through a controversial oil processing tax, but Long had the adulation of the people. In 1930, the Kingfish got himself elected senator, and then there was no stopping him.
White’s account of Long’s heyday unfolds with the mesmerizing intensity of a movie. Pegged by President Roosevelt as “one of the two most dangerous men in the country,” Long organized a radical movement to redistribute money through his Share Our Wealth Society–and his gospel of pensions for all, a shorter workweek, and free college spread like wildfire. The Louisiana poor already worshiped him for building thousands of miles of roads and funding schools, hospitals, and universities; his outrageous antics on the Senate floor gained him a growing national base. By 1935, despite a barrage of corruption investigations, Huey Long announced that he was running for president.
In the end, Long was a tragic hero–a power addict who squandered his genius and came close to destroying the very foundation of democratic rule. Kingfish is a balanced, lucid, and absolutely spellbinding portrait of the life and times of the most incendiary figure in the history of American politics.
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"Nice little bio of Huey Long, touching on the better part of his life. It manages to explain a lot about politics of the time, while leaving you scratching your head. When ever you try and wrap modern morals around stuff like that you always end up puzzled. Just read it and nod your head. "
— Jonathan (4 out of 5 stars)
Awards
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Winner of Choice Magazine Outstanding Academic Title, 2006
Kingfish Listener Reviews
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" I enjoyed every page of this one. In Louisiana, where I lived for most of my life, everyone's got a Huey Long story to recount. Richard White has a book full of them, a well-written, largely anecdotal account of a man for whom the anecdotes are many. "
— Wlwarner, 1/19/2014 -
" White tells a great story of Huey's rise to power and his ultimate fall. He explores how it was possible for someone like Huey to gain so much power in so little time. And how just about everyone, including FDR, worried about how much power he would actually obtain. "
— Brad, 1/14/2014 -
" Life of governor and U.S. Senator from Louisiana. Shows corruption and greed in politics. "
— Diane, 1/11/2014 -
" What a frightening character...his total disregard for the US Constitution is amazing to me as is his followers blind loyalty. "
— Jessica, 1/2/2014 -
" The writer paid slightly too much attention to Long's corruption and not enough on his contributions and legacy. "
— Dan, 12/8/2013 -
" This book explains a lot about LA. The man got away with the unbelievable. Glad I read it. "
— Susan, 12/3/2013 -
" If you don't believe something like Hitler can ever happen in America, read this book about this absolute corruption of power in Louisiana. "
— Kim, 12/1/2013 -
" Excellent history of Huey P. Long. Very well written with a good feel for the times. "
— Lynn, 11/19/2013 -
" Nice little bio of Huey Long, touching on the better part of his life. It manages to explain a lot about politics of the time, while leaving you scratching your head. When ever you try and wrap modern morals around stuff like that you always end up puzzled. Just read it and nod your head. "
— Jonathan, 10/25/2013 -
" Good bio on a polemic character. Gets bogged down in it's own research towards the end. "
— Justinhensley023, 1/21/2013 -
" If you think politics is peculair now, you need to read about Huey Long. Very well written. "
— Nicole, 8/28/2012 -
" "I'm beginning to be convinced by the logic of my own argument." "
— Suzie, 7/23/2012 -
" Excellent and highly readable book about the disturbingly conflicted (and short) life of Huey Long. Fast-paced and engaging. Very well researched. Really draws readers in to feel as though they've come to know Huey (warts and all). "
— Elizabeth, 6/26/2012 -
" Very interesting, amazing history. My only quibble is that it does not explain which of Long's corrupt practices had long been common in Louisiana, and which were bold innovations. "
— Will, 3/20/2012 -
" Wow. I had heard of Huey P. Long, of course, but I had no idea how corrupt he was and how much that impacted Louisiana politics. "
— Laura, 8/16/2011 -
" Great book for political junkies ... one of the great characters in US history "
— Steve, 7/28/2011 -
" Reads like Shakespeare! "
— Steve, 3/20/2011 -
" Not only was his political career cut short by the assassin's bullet, but so was his likely jail term for tax evasion. Perhaps the most unique character in the history of American politics. I think I would have liked the guy. "
— Bruce, 3/11/2011 -
" Excellent history of Huey P. Long. Very well written with a good feel for the times. "
— Lynn, 12/16/2010 -
" I enjoyed every page of this one. In Louisiana, where I lived for most of my life, everyone's got a Huey Long story to recount. Richard White has a book full of them, a well-written, largely anecdotal account of a man for whom the anecdotes are many. "
— Wlwarner, 10/18/2010 -
" "I'm beginning to be convinced by the logic of my own argument." "
— Suzie, 10/2/2010 -
" Very interesting, amazing history. My only quibble is that it does not explain which of Long's corrupt practices had long been common in Louisiana, and which were bold innovations. "
— Will, 8/11/2009 -
" White tells a great story of Huey's rise to power and his ultimate fall. He explores how it was possible for someone like Huey to gain so much power in so little time. And how just about everyone, including FDR, worried about how much power he would actually obtain. "
— Brad, 8/6/2009 -
" Excellent and highly readable book about the disturbingly conflicted (and short) life of Huey Long. Fast-paced and engaging. Very well researched. Really draws readers in to feel as though they've come to know Huey (warts and all). "
— Elizabeth, 3/17/2009 -
" This book explains a lot about LA. The man got away with the unbelievable. Glad I read it. "
— Susan, 3/3/2009 -
" Life of governor and U.S. Senator from Louisiana. Shows corruption and greed in politics. "
— Diane, 1/4/2009 -
" Good bio on a polemic character. Gets bogged down in it's own research towards the end. "
— Justinhensley023, 12/22/2008 -
" Not only was his political career cut short by the assassin's bullet, but so was his likely jail term for tax evasion. Perhaps the most unique character in the history of American politics. I think I would have liked the guy. "
— Bruce, 6/30/2008 -
" Not very enthralling, in my opinion. As a Louisiana native, I was curious to read about Huey P. Long, especially since he was instrumental in getting LSU's Tiger Stadium built :) <br/> <br/>The author didn't really keep me interested, so it was a bit of a chore to finish the book. "
— Desiree, 2/1/2008 -
" The writer paid slightly too much attention to Long's corruption and not enough on his contributions and legacy. "
— Dan, 10/2/2007 -
" If you don't believe something like Hitler can ever happen in America, read this book about this absolute corruption of power in Louisiana. "
— Kim, 9/25/2007
About the Narrators
John Lescault, a native of Massachusetts, is a graduate of the Catholic University of America. He lives in Washington, DC, where he works in theater.
John Lescault, a native of Massachusetts, is a graduate of the Catholic University of America. He lives in Washington, DC, where he works in theater.