Sly and Able: A Political Biography of James F. Byrnes Hardcover – January 1, 1994

Jimmy Byrnes was a U.S. Senator from South Carolina, a Supreme Court Justice, right-hand man to President Roosevelt, Head of War Mobilization during WWII, and Secretary of State under Truman, and who thereafter served as an adviser to Republican luminaries from Eisenhower to Reagan. This biography of Jimmy Byrnes is also a history of southern politics after reconstruction until the 1960’s, and the story of the behind-the-scenes adviser who helped Franklin Roosevelt pull the country out of the Great Depression and the key figure in organizing and mobilizing American war production for World War II. He was a politician’s politician who got things done and who came very close to being Roosevelt’s 4th term Vice President instead of Truman, who was set to nominate Byrnes for VP, but who got the nod himself just hours before he was to give the speech for Byrnes. All-in-all, a fascinating biography.

Book arrived promptly and in great condition. This is a great biography of a behind the scenes southern politician before, during, and after the Roosevelt Administration.

Jimmy Byrnes had a great effect on U.S. history and post war politics. He was a close advisor of President Truman.

Read headline.

Heard the book recommended on C-SPAN by a political leader who has it on his summer reading list. Byrnes seems very similar to Richard B Russell Jr of Georgia, who served in the Senate during the time Byrnes was in Washington. Byrnes seems to be a go-to guy for political leaders, a Mr. Fix-It. The book provides, too, a good history of South Carolina during that time period. I highly recommend it.

VERY INFORMATIVE,ABOUT THE VARIOUS TURF WARS IN POLITICS,AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH FDR AND TRUMAN

Superb! Who is David Robertson? Cited as poet, onetime Newspaper Editor; and taught English at the University that had Byrnes' collection, thanks people for lending him money. Not clear. This is superb biography, managing an awesome ability to manage sources (note the mastery of the academic literature, including Masters' Theses, use of newspapers and interviews); outstanding ability to focus upon and explain key events; the masterly writer's ability to evoke time, place and person; and, much welcomed, a very nice sense of humour. I loved it. Learnt so much. As for technique, his use of the entire paragraph in parentheses is neat. Who is David Robertson?

An excellent, thoughtful account of one of the most versatile and underrated American statesmen of the twentieth century. As is noted toward the end of the book, Jimmy Byrnes started out his political life as a Progressive-era Democratic reformer and ended it as an unofficial senior advisor to Richard Nixon. To learn about the kind of careful, brilliant political positioning that would make a transformation like THAT possible, I would strongly encourage you to read the book.