John William McCormack: A Political Biography

Garrison Nelson

John McCormack worked his way from South Boston’s housing projects to a leading figure in the U.S. Congress, winning 22 consecutive elections from 1928 to 1971. In 1962 he was elected the first Catholic Speaker of the House, serving nine consecutive years, a record later broken by his protégé Tip O’Neill.
Written by Garrison Nelson, Professor of Law, Politics & Political Behavior at the University of Vermont, this book is a masterpiece of research and writing. With a meticulous understanding of government machinations and political culture, Nelson charts McCormack’s career against the 21st century’s major events – from the New Deal to Pearl Harbor to the Kennedy assassination. Originally from Lynn, Massachusetts, Nelson also reveals a keen appreciation of the intricate, clannish Boston Irish, in all their ambition and spite. As such, McCormack stands as a major contributor to the literature of the Boston Irish.
Bloomsbury | $40.00 HC | 928 pages | March 2017