Frank
About this book
"Filled with . . . insightful examples of legislative maneuvering and political intrigue . . . [a memoir] worth reading . . . as a primer about American politics." ā Huffington Post
How did an intellectually combative gay Jew become one of the most effective politicians of our time?
Growing up in Bayonne, New Jersey, Barney Frank made two vital discoveries about himself: he was attracted to government, and to men. He resolved to make a career out of the first attraction and to keep the second a secret. Now, fifty years later, his sexual orientation is widely accepted, while his belief in government is embattled. Frank is one man's account of the country's transformationāand the tale of a truly momentous career.
For more than four decades, Frank was at the center of the struggle for personal freedom and economic fairness. From the battle over AIDS funding in the 1980s to the debates over "big government" during the Clinton years to the 2008 financial crisis, the congressman from Massachusetts played a key role.
In this feisty and often moving memoir, Frank candidly discusses his painful quarrels with allies; his friendships with public figures, from Tip O'Neill to Sonny Bono; and how he found love with his husband, Jim Ready, becoming the first sitting member of Congress to enter a same-sex marriage.
Frank is the story of an extraordinary political life, and a guide to how political change really happensācomposed by a master of the art.
" Frank makes fascinating political history. It helps that it's funny." ? The Wall Street Journal
"The early 21st century's answer to Mark Twain . . . one of the most idiosyncratic, influential and entertaining people to serve [in Congress]." ? The Washington Post
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Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- Copyright Notice
- Dedication
- 1. From Bayonne to Boston
- 2. City Hall
- 3. Beacon Hill
- 4. The Congressman
- 5. Coming Out
- 6. The True Story of Donāt Ask, Donāt Tell
- 7. Welcome to an Earmark
- 8. Defending Clinton
- 9. The Unnecessary Crisis
- 10. Reforming Wall Street
- 11. Triumphs, Setbacks, and Love
- Appendix 1: Who Did What on Subprime Lending and Regulating Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
- Appendix 2: Conservative Support for Subprime Loans to Minority and Very Low-Income People Before the Economic Crisis
- Acknowledgments
- Index
- Photographs
- A Note About the Author
- Also by Barney Frank
- Newsletter Sign-up
- Contents
- Copyright