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Mayor for a New America Hardcover – October 14, 2014
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"When your career includes delivering twenty straight State of the City addresses in Boston, you’ve got a lot to teach the world about leadership and “getting stuff done.” Mayor for a New America is a fascinating look at how he did it. I worked with Tom Menino for eight years on the challenges facing our cities. I know how much he did for the people of Boston."
—President Bill Clinton
“Mayor Tom Menino led the resurgence of Boston's neighborhoods, expanded parks and livable spaces, and fought for an economy at the frontiers of innovation. He also knitted together a divided city and led the way for a new American revolution, ordering insurance coverage for domestic partners in 1996, performing marriages for same-sex couples in 2004, and sponsoring an annual gay prom at City Hall for Boston’s teenagers. A Mayor for a New America tells his story, from meeting his wife Angela to leading Boston after the Marathon bombings. Menino's Boston truly is a city on a hill, a model for the country and for the world.”
—Senator Elizabeth Warren, author of A Fighting Chance
—President Bill Clinton
“Mayor Tom Menino led the resurgence of Boston's neighborhoods, expanded parks and livable spaces, and fought for an economy at the frontiers of innovation. He also knitted together a divided city and led the way for a new American revolution, ordering insurance coverage for domestic partners in 1996, performing marriages for same-sex couples in 2004, and sponsoring an annual gay prom at City Hall for Boston’s teenagers. A Mayor for a New America tells his story, from meeting his wife Angela to leading Boston after the Marathon bombings. Menino's Boston truly is a city on a hill, a model for the country and for the world.”
—Senator Elizabeth Warren, author of A Fighting Chance
About the Author
Thomas M. Menino used his signature urban mechanics to lead Boston for a record twenty years and to historic economic growth.
Jack Beatty is a news analyst for NPR’s On Point and the author of The Rascal King, a biography of Boston mayor James Michael Curly.
More About the Author
Elected five times as Mayor of Boston and five times as a City Councilor, Thomas M. Menino has spent a lifetime building a better city for residents and businesses. Mayor Menino was known as a mayor of the people and has been widely recognized for meeting more than half of Boston's residents. This people-focused approach defined his tenure, and it produced remarkable results for New England's largest city. He helped to transform the Boston Public Schools from a district that parents and even prospective teachers avoided to one that enjoys incredible popularity among teachers and parents alike. He made Boston's neighborhoods and local Main Streets districts stronger, with millions of dollars of investments. His focus on public health and environmental sustainability initiatives made Boston a healthier and more livable city. The Mayor's drive for technological innovation positioned Boston at the forefront of collaborative government and the collaboration economy. Mayor Menino, as co-chair of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, led a national effort for common sense gun reforms and spearheaded a drastic reduction of crime in Boston. The Mayor made the diversity of Boston a true strength, welcoming immigrants, demanding equality for all, and celebrating the different cultures and traditions that enliven Boston today.
Following his final term, which drew to a close in January of 2014, Mayor Menino joined Boston University where he serves as co-director for the newly founded Initiative on Cities (IoC). At the IoC, Mayor Menino leads an effort to investigate the dynamic nature of our world's cities and bridge the gap between academic research on urban affairs and practical implementation. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts Boston with a degree in community planning, Mayor Menino and his wife, Angela, have two children, Susan and Thomas, Jr. and six grandchildren.
Following his final term, which drew to a close in January of 2014, Mayor Menino joined Boston University where he serves as co-director for the newly founded Initiative on Cities (IoC). At the IoC, Mayor Menino leads an effort to investigate the dynamic nature of our world's cities and bridge the gap between academic research on urban affairs and practical implementation. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts Boston with a degree in community planning, Mayor Menino and his wife, Angela, have two children, Susan and Thomas, Jr. and six grandchildren.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By
Just a guy
TOP 500 REVIEWER on September 2, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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I neither supported nor opposed Menino as mayor. This is a review of the book, not his politics or mayoralty.
I liked the book. The preface was engrossing - a first hand account of the marathon bombing. I wish it kept up that same voice for the rest of the book. It has the requisite personal background and then goes through a few topics of specific issues he faced - such as improving the Boston schools. The first person writing style gives some genuineness to the writing, but also comes off as boastful and self-aggrandizing at times. Several sections are peppered with newspaper clippings or other block quotes from letters he received, etc. That helped break up the first person account and provide some support for the "I am great" mantra the book seems to get hung up on.
That is really my only complaint about the book - it really only addresses the good parts of his time as mayor and dismisses some of the admitted shortcomings.
The book is highly readable and I made it through it over the long Labor Day weekend. It could stand for shorter chapters, or some other way to break up the reading.
It is a story about politics (how to get votes) probably more than leadership or improvement in the city.
I liked the book. The preface was engrossing - a first hand account of the marathon bombing. I wish it kept up that same voice for the rest of the book. It has the requisite personal background and then goes through a few topics of specific issues he faced - such as improving the Boston schools. The first person writing style gives some genuineness to the writing, but also comes off as boastful and self-aggrandizing at times. Several sections are peppered with newspaper clippings or other block quotes from letters he received, etc. That helped break up the first person account and provide some support for the "I am great" mantra the book seems to get hung up on.
That is really my only complaint about the book - it really only addresses the good parts of his time as mayor and dismisses some of the admitted shortcomings.
The book is highly readable and I made it through it over the long Labor Day weekend. It could stand for shorter chapters, or some other way to break up the reading.
It is a story about politics (how to get votes) probably more than leadership or improvement in the city.
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By
drebbles
VINE VOICE on October 12, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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"Mayor for a New America" begins and ends as perhaps the only way it can - with the Boston Marathon bombings. In between, Thomas Menino, five term mayor of Boston, discusses the highlights of his extraordinary career (improved schools, a police force that was a model for other police departments in the nation, the building of a convention center among other things); the low lights (the police raid of the apartment of an innocent man that ultimately led to his death, his fights with the firefighters union, the lack of money to completely overhaul troubled schools); and when he finally known it was time to let someone else be mayor of Boston.
While I live in the Boston area, I don't live in Boston itself and was never able to vote for or against Tom Menino. Consequently, while I was certainly aware of him politically, I never had a vested interest in Boston politics and read "Mayor for a new America" to get a better idea of what makes Menino tick. Truthfully, this book is not an autobiography but a political memoir and readers wanting to know about Tom Menino the man rather than Tom Menino the politician may be a bit disappointed. There are brief mentions of his wife, son daughter, and grandchildren but not a lot of detail. His multiple health issues are also barely mentioned until the end of the book where he lists them all - one gets the feeling they would never have been mentioned at all if they had not influenced his decision not to run for a six term - Menono does not like to show weakness.
While there isn't much of Menino the man in this book, the look at Menino the politician is fascinating. He is unapologetic about his actions (some of which have been controversial) and beliefs.Read more ›
While I live in the Boston area, I don't live in Boston itself and was never able to vote for or against Tom Menino. Consequently, while I was certainly aware of him politically, I never had a vested interest in Boston politics and read "Mayor for a new America" to get a better idea of what makes Menino tick. Truthfully, this book is not an autobiography but a political memoir and readers wanting to know about Tom Menino the man rather than Tom Menino the politician may be a bit disappointed. There are brief mentions of his wife, son daughter, and grandchildren but not a lot of detail. His multiple health issues are also barely mentioned until the end of the book where he lists them all - one gets the feeling they would never have been mentioned at all if they had not influenced his decision not to run for a six term - Menono does not like to show weakness.
While there isn't much of Menino the man in this book, the look at Menino the politician is fascinating. He is unapologetic about his actions (some of which have been controversial) and beliefs.Read more ›
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Wilhelmina Zeitgeist
VINE VOICE on September 24, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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"Mayor for a New America" by Thomas M. Menino with Jack Beatty is a up close and personal, first hand look at Mayor Menino's time served as the longest serving mayor in the USA. What goes into running for office, staying in office, and running a City is an overwhelming and daunting task. Make a city like Boston and the responsibilities and expectations are through the roof. There must be a balance between doing what you feel is right, doing what the public expects you to do, and then actually doing the right thing in spite of what you or the public may want. And then you have situations like the Boston Marathon Bombing where portraying a cool head and being able to step up as a leader to keep things in perspective and see to it that all necessary actions are taken from first aid to counting the dead to seeing to it that a thorough investigation is started to reassuring the public they are safe while expressing sorrow for the dead and injured.
I found this book to be quite intriguing and loved reading Mayor Menino's story. He has many accomplishments behind him that are impressive and he has a right to be proud of. It seems he is the only person in the USA to have held the job of Mayor for so long. A lot of the people in Boston are very tough and wouldn't put up with an ineffective mayor for very long. Just being Mayor of Boston for 25 years speaks volumes for this man's leadership and governing abilities.
A great read for anyone interested in politics. Especially local politics regardless of what City you live in.
I found this book to be quite intriguing and loved reading Mayor Menino's story. He has many accomplishments behind him that are impressive and he has a right to be proud of. It seems he is the only person in the USA to have held the job of Mayor for so long. A lot of the people in Boston are very tough and wouldn't put up with an ineffective mayor for very long. Just being Mayor of Boston for 25 years speaks volumes for this man's leadership and governing abilities.
A great read for anyone interested in politics. Especially local politics regardless of what City you live in.
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