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John A. Lawrence
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Arc of Power: Inside Nancy Pelosi's Speakership, 2005–2010 Hardcover – September 27, 2022

by John A. Lawrence (Author)
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 8 ratings
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Drawing from his thousands of pages of notes written while serving as chief of staff to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, John Lawrence has written a narrative documenting his insider perspective from 2005 to 2010. These momentous years included furious political and legislative battles over the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the economic recession, the 2008 presidential election, the productive first two years of Barack Obama’s presidency, as well as many key legislative products, such as the Troubled Assets Relief Program, the Affordable Care Act, and Wall Street reform.

Lawrence’s unique observations provide an unparalleled look at the interpersonal relationships of major political leaders and institutions and give readers a first-hand perspective of this significant period in political history. Utilizing more than 9,000 pages of transcribed notes from hundreds of conversations between top congressional and administration officials, readers can enter the room and experience the discussions of the key participants in real time.

Arc of Power provides a valuable account of the strategies, machinations, and challenges of congressional leaders as they gain, exercise, and lose power. Utilizing the voices of the men and women involved in the often—but not always—partisan clashes, this book examines the role of personalities, factions, parties, and political institutions in the formulation of national policy on key issues. Lawrence artfully demonstrates the challenges presented by intraparty factional disagreements when writing complex legislation and illustrates the institutional tensions between the House and Senate, and Congress and the White House, when the government is unified under one party or divided.

Lawrence offers valuable insights into the differing and often conflicting role played by the House and Senate given their design and composition, and shows how even a House led by powerful individuals is frequently undercut by the Senate, and how that weakness especially impacts the political power of minority populations.

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  1. Print length
    384 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    University Press of Kansas
  4. Publication date
    September 27, 2022
  5. Dimensions
    6.22 x 1.34 x 9.21 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0700633790
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0700633791
  8. See all details
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From the Publisher

Author John A. Lawrence in a White House meeting with Nancy Pelosi, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden
Book cover image and bullet points of the book's contents
Reviews for the book from the journal Congress & the Presidency and the Washington Monthly

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Lawrence’s book gives us rare insights into the personality, leadership style, and power dynamics that have driven Pelosi’s historic run as arguable the most significant American leader of the last twenty years."—Congress & the Presidency

"For anyone who is fascinated by how power operates at the top level, this book is a compelling read."—Washington Monthly

“Important and revealing, Arc of Power puts the reader in the room for key interactions between Speaker Pelosi, her congressional colleagues, and the presidents with whom she served. This book offers a window into the personal nature of Congress, the interchamber and interbranch politics that shape US policy, and the key contributions of a congressional leader managing it all for her party and institution. This superbly written insider’s account is a must-read for historians, political scientists, and anyone interested in American national politics.”—Douglas B. Harris, professor of political science, Loyola University Maryland

“Drawing upon his many years of experience as a top political staffer, Lawrence provides a revealing insider account of the House Democratic Caucus and Nancy Pelosi’s leadership during the Bush and Obama presidencies. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in how congressional Democrats grappled with such issues as the Iraq War, the Great Recession, and health care reform.”—Matthew Green, professor and chair, Department of Politics, The Catholic University of America

“As one who attended many of the meetings and events John Lawrence describes, I can say they vividly capture the scenes, personalities, and especially the leadership of Nancy Pelosi. There have been and will continue to be many books about Pelosi. Written from the inside, this volume is indispensable to understanding her.”— Steve Israel, former US representative from New York

“One of the very best accounts of the internal workings of Congress we have ever had or are likely to have. Anyone interested in understanding the legislative process and how it worked during the financial crisis of 2008–2009, as well as the creation of the Affordable Care Act, will find Lawrence’s study not only essential but also exceptionally rich and revealing. Among historical accounts of Congress, Arc of Power is a remarkable and probably unparalleled achievement.”—Richard D. Brown, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of History, Emeritus, University of Connecticut

About the Author

John A. Lawrence is visiting professor at the University of California, Washington Center.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ University Press of Kansas (September 27, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0700633790
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0700633791
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.22 x 1.34 x 9.21 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 8 ratings

About the author

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John A. Lawrence

John A. Lawrence

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John A. Lawrence is the author of congressional histories and Sherlock Holmes mystery pastiches based on historical events. His books include “Arc of Power: Inside Nancy Pelosi's Speakership 2005-2010” (2022) and "The Class of '74: Congress After Watergate and the Roots of Partisanship" (2018) as well as "Sherlock Holmes and The Affair at Mayerling Lodge" (2023), "The Undiscovered Archives of Sherlock Holmes" (2022), "The Further Undiscovered Archives of Sherlock Holmes" (2023) and numerous short stories that have appeared in the MX New Sherlock Holmes series and in "After the East Wind Blows" (Part I and III). He served for 38 years as a senior staff person in the United States House of Representatives and currently is a Visiting Professor at the University of California's Washington Center. He has a Ph.D. in history from the University of California at Berkeley and an undergraduate degree from Oberlin College.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
8 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Richard Patrick
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for those who care about our government
Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2023
Verified Purchase
Anyone who is interested in the inner workings of the U.S. government, specifically the interactions and dances between the Executive and the Legislative branches (including the dynamics between the House of Representatives and the Senate) must read this book. For the political/government insider, like me, who wants to recall and relive memorable events; for elected officials at any level who want to understand the art of negotiations and the limits of power; for political neophytes who want a quick lesson into the realities of their dreams; for lobbyists who think they understand the system but really don't; for academics who want to understand how theory becomes true policy; and for the American citizen who cares about how his or her government actually functions -- this book is a guide for you.
But, "Arc of Power" is more than a guide. It is an informative and entertaining tale of "democratic intrigue" and "Shakespearean drama" that every person who cares about our government should read.
One person found this helpful
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Benjamin P.
5.0 out of 5 stars How Congress Works
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2024
John Lawrence’s Arc Of Power demonstrates his tremendous ability to describe the enormous complications facing any Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives to pass controversial legislation. He shows how the first female Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, mastered the challenges of dealing with 2 Presidents and a turbulent U.S. Senate, and by her extraordinary political skills won approval for what became known as Obamacare providing medical coverage for over 30 million Americans previously without coverage. It is a masterful work, and should be part of the political science curriculum of every college and university.
One person found this helpful
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Robin A Johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars Masterpiece Work on the Functioning of Congress
Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2024
Arc of Power is a masterpiece work on the functioning of Congress and our national government and the relationship between politics, communications and governing. It raises some serious questions on our system of checks and balances in the current partisan environment. Lawrence is also fair and not immune to criticizing other Democrats along the way. Highly recommended book for understanding how government works and for an inside look at a particularly interesting and challenging time in our country's recent history.
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emi
5.0 out of 5 stars Insider View of the Democratic Process
Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2022
Having spent time working in the House of Representatives during the period of this book I can say that the reporting and story telling done by John Lawrence in describing the events and process of how the legislative and executive branches interact represents the back and forth that makes democracy work. Democracy is hard work and this book portrays the back-and-forth and the give-and-take that makes the legislative process work while being bombarded by special interests, political agendas, personal egos and playing to the press. John has done a remarkable job - well worth the read to anyone who wants to feel what it is like on the inside.
2 people found this helpful
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william gormley
5.0 out of 5 stars Nancy Pelosi and the Art of the Possible
Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2022
John Lawrence, who served as Nancy Pelosi's chief of staff from 2005-2012, offers a wise, detailed account of Pelosi's speakership in this absorbing book. Lawrence offers deeper insights into legislative sausage making than other Pelosi chroniclers. He portrays Pelosi as a passionate progressive but also a master political strategist who knows when to fold and when to hold. No congressional leader since Lyndon Johnson has wielded political power so masterfully. Pelosi battles on multiple fronts, almost constantly. The toughest pills to swallow are failures of nerve by fellow Democrats in the Senate and the White House, as in debates over health care reform. Readers will not be surprised to learn that Pelosi is combative, feisty, and an ardent dealmaker. They may be surprised to learn that she has a caustic wit and a gift for metaphors, as in this gem on party leadership: "We want to look like swans going across the lake, serene on top but frantically paddling" below the surface. Students of Congress, public policy, and the art of leadership will love this book!
One person found this helpful
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Cliff Rees
5.0 out of 5 stars Fly on the Wall
Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2022
Professor Lawrence provides a compelling and detailed inside look at how legislation is actually made on Capitol Hill. He profiles the personalities involved, especially his "Boss", Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in an even handed way that demonstrates her strengths and human moments as well when her goals are frustrated by the Senate and Presidents from both parties. He concludes with a comparison of how the lessons learned from Speaker Pelosi's experience apply to today's political environment. This book will be a must read for students of political science and interested followers of our political process for decades. A must read!
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