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Life And Career Of Fiorello La Guardia By H. Paul Jeffers

984 Words4 Pages

H. Paul Jeffers, an author whose notable works include comprehensive accounts of American historical figures such as An Honest President: The Life and Presidencies of Grover Cleveland and Colonel Roosevelt: Theodore Roosevelt Goes to War, 1897-1898, focused on the illustrious life and career of Fiorello La Guardia. Jeffers essentially describes the life of the important New York historical figure chronologically, while also continuously peppering each account with his own writing style. He makes a case for La Guardia being an integral figure in politics, social issues, and New York City in general by citing his achievements, as well as providing La Guardia’s background to explain his personality and character later on in his career. Jeffers …show more content…

He played to his strengths by encompassing many aspects of La Guardia’s time growing up, especially his personality. Jeffers’ captures La Guardia’s personality earlier in the book by utilizing quotes from other people to describe him. For example, writer Fannie Hurst remembered La Guardia’s “magnificent unrest coupled with a desire to be a leader on his own terms” (pg. 38). Jeffers’ also made sure to include La Guardia’s formative influences as a youth; in this way, it would be clear why the tenacious little man acted the way he did. Jeffers engages in little “biographies” of people like Bucky O’Neill and Theodore Roosevelt and described their efforts that led to a young Fiorello to look on in awe. Jeffers also provides background for La Guardia’s desire to be a public servant against social and racial discrimination with his time served as an interpreter on Ellis Island. This was also fueled by his very apparent hatred of Tammany Hall’s political corruption, as he aimed to better the “little man” as much as he could. This is shown during his time as the “people’s lawyer,” aiming to better the situations of lower class citizens and workers, as well as his time as mayor when he implemented numerous public works projects, projected by his Fifteen Points and numerous public works projects in conjunction with Robert Moses, to better city living for all

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