Last Minute Holiday Gifts For The Politically Inclined

Last year, Capitol Annex published several installments in a Holiday Gift Guide. This year, time got away from us and we weren’t able to do a series of posts as we had previously. However, we didn’t want to leave those of you who might need last-minute holiday gifts for the politically inclined Texans on your lists, so we’ve compiled quite a list for you this year.

Of course, since we’re a bit late in publishing, you might not get them in time for Christmas or Chanukah, but at minimum you can stick the Amazon.com receipt in an envelope and blame it on us.

So, without further ado, Capitol Annex’s Holiday Gift Guide for the Politically Inclined, 2008 Edition.

Netroots Rising: How a Citizen Army of Bloggers and Online Activists Is Changing American Politics. This book by Lowell Feld and Texan Nate Wilcox is a must for any blogger or aspiring politico on your list. We reviewed the book earlier this year and did a lengthy interview with co-author Nate Wilcox. Even for someone who may not be “Netroots inclined,” the book makes a great gift because it tells the inside story of how some important political battles were shaped and influenced by the Netroots. And, if the recipient is a lover of Texas politics, that is an added plus because the text is peppered with great information and stories from campaigns past.

Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America. We read this book earlier this year and highly recommend Rick Perlstein’s text. Not only does it provide an especially enlightened view of Richard Nixon, it chronicles the social history of the times in which Nixon’s fortunes rose and fell.

Richard M. Nixon: A Life in Full. Rare is the year when we read not one but two books chronicling the life and times of a Republican president, but this was one of those years. This book, by Conrad Black (who happens to be in federal prison), is one of the better and more detailed accounts of Nixon’s earliest years than we’ve seen. It is a good read although in places more sympathetic to Nixon than most biographers.

Dolph Briscoe: My Life in Texas Ranching and Politics. This is an interesting autobiograpical portrait of Briscoe’s life and rise to power in Texas. Of special note is the detail with which Briscoe describes some of the major landmarks of his time in office, including the evolution of Farm-to-Market Roads and the notorious Chicken Ranch saga (which was immortalized in The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas).

Barn Burning Barn Building: Tales of a Political Life, From LBJ to George W. Bush and Beyond. We read Ben Barnes’ autobiography back when it came out, and would recommend it to anyone who fancies themselves a student of Texas politics. It is an interesting read and helps one learn about many of the challenges Texas has faced in the past–all of which lead to a greater understanding of how those challenges are handled in the modern era.

Barbara Jordan: American Hero. Mary Beth Rogers’ book remains the difinitive biography on one of Texas’ most famous daughters and African Ameican citizens (although some would argue Getting Things holds that title). It is an especially timely read (or re-read if you’ve read it before) in a year when the United States elected its first black president (who many once thought might be the esteemed Ms. Jordan). A great companion is Barbara Jordan: Speaking the Truth with Eloquent Thunder compiled by former LBJ School Dean Max Sherman, which is a volume of many of her greatest speeches (complete with a DVD).

For those more inclined to watch rather than read, American Experience: LBJ, is a great gift. The American Experience portrait of Johnson is great for any fan of Johnson or Texas history.

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