“The more facts you collect, the closer you come to the truth.”
— Robert Caro
Robert Caro is 87.
Normally, a writer’s age would not be a concern. That is, so long as the research gets done, the prose flows, and words continue hitting the page. However, a biological time clock is now ticking. We’re well into the night. Caro’s own human heartbeat now keeps time on the final chapter of not one, but two lives, intertwined into duel legacies.
Caro is unquestionably the greatest political biographer of our time, maybe any time. He’s known for his extensive and meticulous biographies of two towering political figures — Robert Moses and Lyndon B. Johnson. His life’s work and methodology are characterized by intense in-depth research, obsessive attention to detail, and compelling narrative storytelling that reads like classic fiction.
Consider that Caro began writing about his current historical subject (LBJ) close to half a century ago, in the mid-1970s. As of January 2023, he’s still writing about LBJ in what can only be described as the single most comprehensive investigation and portrait of any person in American history. Like with other great biographies, the book isn’t just about an important historical figure. It’s about us. It’s the story of how we got to now. And there’s no one better skilled than Caro to teach us the lessons.
Caro was born in New York City in 1935. After graduating from Princeton, Caro worked as a reporter for Newsday, a daily newspaper based on Long Island. He was a born writer, but also felt constrained by the limitation of newspaper writing. The writer became the author.
In the 1960s, Caro became interested in the story of Robert Moses, a controversial figure who was the most powerful man in New York during the 20th Century. Virtually everything in New York today has Moses’ fingerprints (or bootprints, given how he conducted his business) on it. Moses played a monumental role in shaping the physical, cultural, and economic landscape of New York City, more than any mayor or city official. Yet, he remains largely unknown outside of New York, until Caro came along. For more than a decade, Caro devoted himself to researching and writing the definitive biography of Moses, which was finally published in 1974 as The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York. The book was a smash — a critical and commercial success, and it won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography in 1975.
Not bad for a first book.
Opinion: The Power Broker is the best political book ever written and is my favorite non-fiction work.
His next project would be even more ambitious.
In the 1980s, Caro turned his attention to another political giant — Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th President of the United States. So devoted to his subject matter, he opted to move to Texas to live in the Hill Country for two years, along with his wife, his faithful companion and collaborator to the day. That’s some dedication for a native New Yorker.
His first volume on Johnson, The Path to Power, was published in 1982 and covered Johnson’s early life and rise to political power. It’s s stunning work and the best work ever on early Texas politics.
The second volume, Means of Ascent, was published in 1990 and focused on Johnson’s tumultuous 1948 Senate race.
The third volume, Master of the Senate, was published in 2002 and explored Johnson’s years as Senate Majority Leader, including a conversion toward and commitment to civil rights, which would later define his presidency.
The fourth and final volume, The Passage of Power, was published in 2012 and covered the years 1958-1964, including Johnson’s presidency.
Throughout his career, Caro has been known for his relentless dedication to research and his refusal to cut corners. He could have chased the bucks and cashed in, but the craft was always more important. He has spent countless hours poring over primary sources and conducting hundreds of interviews in order to get to the heart of his subjects. His biographies are widely respected for their thoroughness and insight, and they have had a significant impact on the way we understand these important historical figures.
What’s next?
The fifth and final volume of Robert Caro’s highly acclaimed Lyndon B. Johnson biography series is one of the most anticipated books in many years.
With the release of the fifth and final volume, Caro will bring his decades-long project to a close, provided he finishes his work in time. Titled The Undefeated, the book will focus on Johnson’s presidency and his efforts to pass sweeping legislation on civil rights, fighting poverty, and the Vietnam War — which was his downfall. It is sure to be a must-read for anyone interested in the life and times of this complex and influential figure, which mirrors America’s own struggles and perils, at home and abroad.
The release date for The Undefeated has not yet been announced, but it is sure to be a major event in the world of literature and history. In the meantime, Caro’s previous works continue to be widely read and admired.
Fortunately, we readers-fans-students have something to hold us over while we wait, which makes the wait for Caro’s final chapter even more anticipatory.
Lizzie Gottlieb’s latest documentary film, Turn Every Page, centers on her father’s decades-long editing relationship with Caro. The first film of its kind ever to explore the art of writing through the collaboration of editing, Gottlieb focused on the expansive career of her own father, Robert Gottlieb. At 91, he is perhaps the most acclaimed book editor of his time.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT TURN EVERY PAGE, INCLUDING AN INTERVIEW ON NPR
Gottlieb started out as an editor in 1955 and has been working in publishing ever since — serving as editor-in-chief at Simon & Schuster, Alfred A. Knopf, and The New Yorker. The list of authors he’s edited includes — Joseph Heller, Toni Morrison, John le Carré, Katharine Graham, Bill Clinton, Nora Ephron, Michael Crichton, and Robert Caro (including all of his books).
So, this isn’t just the race against time of one man — but rather, two. The clock now has two hands, both ticking towards midnight.
I’ll write a review of the new film Turn Every Page after I see it. I don’t expect an unbiased review. In fact, I expect it shall be a fitting accompaniment to two lives, also intertwined, and well lived that ultimately made millions all the wiser.