Robert Caro‘s The Power Broker is a legit masterpiece.

A 1200 page biography of a brilliant, sociopath bureaucrat, sure, but also:

• a deep dive into how modern NYC was made, and why a lot of it functions (or fails) as it does
• An epic character study on par with any classic gangster story (or Shakespeare for that matter)
• A users manual for how democracy works and is subverted
• A crash course in urban planning

…and a lot more.

I couldn’t stop with this book. Caro put seven years of work into this book, and it shows. This is as well-researched and as anything you’ll read.

Also as well-written. Every significant player (literally dozens, over more than half a century) is so clearly drawn that even when they disappear for hundreds of pages, you don’t need a refresher when they show up again.

His writing style morphs throughout the book, adopting different narrative styles depending on the content, which keeps the book feeling fresh and prevents it from turning into a slog. Just as you’re getting overwhelmed with geography and dollars and political machinations, he shifts into the story of Moses and his siblings, which reads like a Victorian-era family drama.

Absolutely flawless. After a full month with this book, I still wish there was more.

I don’t think there’s anyone I wouldn’t recommend this to.

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