Adam Simpson In The New York Times Book Review, Edward L. Glaeser reviews “City of Ambition: FDR, La Guardia, and the Making of Modern New York,†by Mason B. Williams. Mr. Glaeser writes:
Williams’s story of La Guardia and Roosevelt shows that effective federal infrastructure spending depends upon partnerships with able local leaders, and that New York’s greatest mayor was great at partnering with a friendly president. Williams, a historian specializing in urban politics, quotes Roosevelt saying that La Guardia “comes to Washington and tells me a sad story. The tears run down my cheeks and the tears run down his cheeks and the next thing I know, he has wangled another $50 million out of me.†La Guardia achieved so much because he had so much unfettered power, but after leaving office, he quickly attacked the use of that power by his erstwhile lieutenant, the “oberburgermeister†Robert Moses.
On this week’s podcast, Mr. Williams talks about “City of Ambitionâ€; Orville Schell and John Delury discuss “Wealth and Power,†their new book about Chinese history; Julie Bosman has notes from the field; and Gregory Cowles has best-seller news. Pamela Paul is the host.
