Huey Long

Summary

A definitive biography of the Louisiana governor and senator whose "Share Our Wealth" program and command of state machinery made him both a folk hero and a feared demagogue in the 1930s. Williams draws on hundreds of oral history interviews with Long's allies and enemies to render the man at full scale, from backcountry stump speaker to potential challenger to Franklin Roosevelt. The book is celebrated for its narrative momentum and its even-handed assessment of Long's populism and authoritarianism.