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(More customer reviews)If you are interested in the politics of American cities this marvelous biography of the four-term mayor of Baltimore should be on the top of your reading list. C. Fraser Smith, a veteran reporter for the Baltimore Sun, has used the life of William Donald Schaefer -- a lackluster ward politician who surprised almost everyone by becoming one of America's most successful big city mayors -- as a vehicle for examining the inner workings of Baltimore during the last half century. In doing so he opens up a window through which to view and better understand every American city. With a sharp eye for detail and a knack for compelling narrative, Smith guides us through the morass of city politics, introducing us up-close-and-personal to an array of interesting characters who, at one time or another, performed on center stage with Schaefer. They include members of the mayor's staff, party godfathers, business leaders, neighborhood activists, obscure but powerful civil servants, black political leaders, and owners of sports teams, to cite a few. In his ability to employ ordinary citizens to tell a city's story, one is reminded immediately of J. Anthony Lukas' Common Ground, the Pulitzer-prize winning dissection of Boston. The reader senses that Smith, as a reporter on city and state beats, knew personally and had earned the trust of most of the key players he interviewed. They felt comfortable revealing to him the most intimate stories and opinions.
Yet despite all its attention to the political context, the book stays true throughout to its basic purpose of creating a rich, reliable biography of a remarkable public servant. It will be as valuable to scholars of urban America as it will be enjoyable to persons wanting simply to immerse themselves in big city lore.
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