The education of a senator
By: Everett McKinley Dirksen ; foreword by Howard H. Baker Jr. ; introduction by Frank H. Mackaman.
Publisher: University of Illinois Press
Published: 1998
Place of publication: Urbana
Language: eng
Number of pages: 256
Subjects: Dirksen, Everett McKinley.; United States. Congress. Senate -- Biography.; Legislators -- United States -- Biography.; United States -- Politics and government -- 1945-1989.
Description: Recently discovered in the archives of the Dirksen Congressional Center, this is the memoir Senator Dirksen was writing at the time of his death in 1969 - and his gravel-voiced warmth and wisdom come through on every page. Covering the years of his boyhood through his election to the Senate in 1950, The Education of a Senator reveals the foundation of a great public servant in the making.

Although Dirksen was often criticized for changing his position, his admirers viewed his flexibility as an asset: a willingness to adapt thoughtfully to changing realities, instead of holding on to rigid views based on outdated circumstances. By his eloquence and clear vision, Dirksen drew national attention for his leadership in Congress, particularly for his role in civil rights legislation.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. xlv-li) and index.