The American Mayor: The Best and the Worst Big-City Leaders - hardcover

ISBN: 0271018763

[SR: 2562666], Hardcover, [EAN: 9780271018768], Penn State University Press, Penn State University Press, Book, [PU: Penn State University Press], Penn State University Press, The America… More...

[SR: 2562666], Hardcover, [EAN: 9780271018768], Penn State University Press, Penn State University Press, Book, [PU: Penn State University Press], Penn State University Press, The American Mayor offers a unique ranking of the nation's big-city mayors by expert scholars. Although the mayoralty is one of the most important political executive offices, it has escaped the kind of evaluations by which scholars have ranked American presidents. Now, thanks to Melvin Holli, we have a comparable survey of the "best" and "worst" mayors, covering some 730 mayors from the big-fifteen cities, from the beginning of the modern office in 1820 to the 1990s. The poll of historians, biographers, and social scientists produced a remarkably strong consensus. Who were our best mayors? The list ranges from Boston's "Great Mayor" Josiah Quincy (1823–1828) to New York City's Fiorello La Guardia (1934–1945), who is first on the all-time-best list. La Guardia, a stouthearted fireplug of a man, built modern New York, fought Murder Incorporated, read the comics to children over the air during a newspaper strike, and was a symbol of ethnic probity and honesty. Sandwiched between Quincy and La Guardia are several other outstanding mayors, including Cleveland's Tom Johnson (1901–1909), Pittsburgh's David Lawrence (1946–1959), Detroit's Hazen Pingree (1890–1897), and Los Angeles's Tom Bradley (1973–1993).Taking the first-worst prize among scoundrel mayors is Chicago's William H. "Big Bill" Thompson (1915–1923, 1927–1931), one of the most colorful mayors in the city's history, if not the most corrupt. Big Bill, also known as "Kaiser Bill" for his pro-German stand during World War I, accepted campaign funds from gangsters including Al Capone. Also among the "worst" is another Chicago mayor, Jane Byrne (1979–1983), the only woman on the list. Jersey City's Frank Hague (1917–1947) and Philadelphia's Frank Rizzo (1972–1980) are among the other notable rascals who have sat in city halls.The American Mayor presents complete findings of Holli's poll in jargon-free fashion. Holli explains the results of the survey, gives biographical sketches of the ten best mayors, as well as some attention to the worst, and then uses the findings of modern leadership studies to explore mayoral success and failure. He concludes with a chapter titled "Pathways to Power," in which he reviews the New York City political milieu that produced the nation's "best" mayor, Fiorello La Guardia, and also examines the career of the nation's most successful big-city mayor, Buffalo's Grover Cleveland, the only mayor t, For years the designer Blackwell has been dining out on his 10 best-and-worst-dressed celebrity lists; People magazine has made hay out of its 50-most-beautiful people issues; now Melvin G. Holli gets into the act with The American Mayor: The Best and Worst Big-City Leaders. If Holli's lists are neither as frivolous nor as pulchritudinous as Blackwell's nor People's, in their own way, they're certainly as interesting. Polling some 160 experts ranging from journalists to historians to social scientists, Holli has compiled both the required lists of the 10 best and 10 worst mayors in the United States from 1820 to the present and also some fascinating insights into what separates the good from the bad. In addition to biographies of each, and a summary of his or her major accomplishments (or lack thereof), the book also contains several chapters analyzing just what qualities contribute to a successful mayor. Anyone interested in city government--or leadership in general--will find much to admire (and probably more than a few conclusions to argue with) in this best-and-worst list for civic-minded readers., 2395, United States, 9681303011, American Revolution, 465246, Civil War, 9681307011, US Presidents, 2376, Historical, 2, Biographies & Memoirs, 1000, Subjects, 283155, Books, 14278871, State & Local, 4853, United States, 4808, Americas, 9, History, 1000, Subjects, 283155, Books, 5011, Military, 3568213011, Afghan War, 5012, Aviation, 1043892, Canada, 5015, Intelligence & Espionage, 387040011, Iraq War, 5016, Korean War, 16233491, Life & Institutions, 5017, Napoleonic Wars, 5018, Naval, 5019, Pictorials, 16244451, Prisoners of War, 16244121, Regiments, 5020, Strategy, 5021, Uniforms, 5022, United States, 13922587011, Vehicles, 5025, Vietnam War, 1043894, War of 1812, 5026, Weapons & Warfare, 5030, World War I, 5031, World War II, 9, History, 1000, Subjects, 283155, Books, 11086, History & Theory, 16022621, Political Science, 5571255011, Politics & Government, 3377866011, Politics & Social Sciences, 1000, Subjects, 283155, Books, 10773, State, 16023071, United States, 5571255011, Politics & Government, 3377866011, Politics & Social Sciences, 1000, Subjects, 283155, Books, 11105, Leadership, 5571256011, Elections & Political Process, 5571255011, Politics & Government, 3377866011, Politics & Social Sciences, 1000, Subjects, 283155, Books, 11109, General, 5571256011, Elections & Political Process, 5571255011, Politics & Government, 3377866011, Politics & Social Sciences, 1000, Subjects, 283155, Books, 10767, Public Affairs & Administration, 5571275011, Public Affairs & Policy, 5571255011, Politics & Government, 3377866011, Politics & Social Sciences, 1000, Subjects, 283155, Books, 16022981, Communication Policy, 5571275011, Public Affairs & Policy, 5571255011, Politics & Government, 3377866011, Politics & Social Sciences, 1000, Subjects, 283155, Books, 491422, United States, 468230, History, 468206, Humanities, 465600, New, Used & Rental Textbooks, 2349030011, Specialty Boutique, 283155, Books, 491472, Political History, 491464, Political Science, 468214, Social Sciences, 465600, New, Used & Rental Textbooks, 2349030011, Specialty Boutique, 283155, Books, 684293011, Government, 491464, Political Science, 468214, Social Sciences, 465600, New, Used & Rental Textbooks, 2349030011, Specialty Boutique, 283155, Books, 684295011, Public Affairs, 491464, Political Science, 468214, Social Sciences, 465600, New, Used & Rental Textbooks, 2349030011, Specialty Boutique, 283155, Books<

1993

ISBN: 0271018763

The American Mayor offers a unique ranking of the nation's big-city mayors by expert scholars. Although the mayoralty is one of the most important political executive offices, it has esca… More...

The American Mayor offers a unique ranking of the nation's big-city mayors by expert scholars. Although the mayoralty is one of the most important political executive offices, it has escaped the kind of evaluations by which scholars have ranked American presidents. Now, thanks to Melvin Holli, we have a comparable survey of the "best" and "worst" mayors, covering some 730 mayors from the big-fifteen cities, from the beginning of the modern office in 1820 to the 1990s. The poll of historians, biographers, and social scientists produced a remarkably strong consensus. Who were our best mayors? The list ranges from Boston's "Great Mayor" Josiah Quincy (1823-1828) to New York City's Fiorello La Guardia (1934-1945), who is first on the all-time-best list. La Guardia, a stouthearted fireplug of a man, built modern New York, fought Murder Incorporated, read the comics to children over the air during a newspaper strike, and was a symbol of ethnic probity and honesty. Sandwiched between Quincy and La Guardia are several other outstanding mayors, including Cleveland's Tom Johnson (1901-1909), Pittsburgh's David Lawrence (1946-1959), Detroit's Hazen Pingree (1890-1897), and Los Angeles's Tom Bradley (1973-1993). Taking the first-worst prize among scoundrel mayors is Chicago's William H. "Big Bill" Thompson (1915-1923, 1927-1931), one of the most colorful mayors in the city's history, if not the most corrupt. Big Bill, also known as "Kaiser Bill" for his pro-German stand during World War 19th century,20th century,americas,communication policy,elections and political process,history,leadership,modern (16th-21st centuries),political science,politics and government Elections & Political Process, Pennsylvania State University Press<

1993, ISBN: 0271018763

The American Mayor offers a unique ranking of the nation's big-city mayors by expert scholars. Although the mayoralty is one of the most important political executive offices, it has esca… More...

The American Mayor offers a unique ranking of the nation's big-city mayors by expert scholars. Although the mayoralty is one of the most important political executive offices, it has escaped the kind of evaluations by which scholars have ranked American presidents. Now, thanks to Melvin Holli, we have a comparable survey of the "best" and "worst" mayors, covering some 730 mayors from the big-fifteen cities, from the beginning of the modern office in 1820 to the 1990s. The poll of historians, biographers, and social scientists produced a remarkably strong consensus. Who were our best mayors? The list ranges from Boston's "Great Mayor" Josiah Quincy (1823-1828) to New York City's Fiorello La Guardia (1934-1945), who is first on the all-time-best list. La Guardia, a stouthearted fireplug of a man, built modern New York, fought Murder Incorporated, read the comics to children over the air during a newspaper strike, and was a symbol of ethnic probity and honesty. Sandwiched between Quincy and La Guardia are several other outstanding mayors, including Cleveland's Tom Johnson (1901-1909), Pittsburgh's David Lawrence (1946-1959), Detroit's Hazen Pingree (1890-1897), and Los Angeles's Tom Bradley (1973-1993). Taking the first-worst prize among scoundrel mayors is Chicago's William H. "Big Bill" Thompson (1915-1923, 1927-1931), one of the most colorful mayors in the city's history, if not the most corrupt. Big Bill, also known as "Kaiser Bill" for his pro-German stand during World War 19th century,20th century,americas,biographical,biographies,biographies and history,biography and history,communication policy,elections and political process,history Elections & Political Process, Pennsylvania State University Press<