In just eight days (seven and a half, really) one of the most highly anticipated books of the Fall season hits shelves: Let the People in: The Life and Times of Ann Richards. Many of us here have read this in-depth, all encompassing new biography (blurbed by none other than President Bill Clinton) of one of the most famous figures in Texas – and national – politics, and we can’t wait to share it with you. Author Jan Reid dug into his own personal history with Richards, stories from her family and close friends and colleagues, unpublished correspondence, and much more to present this thorough and extensive biography.
In celebration of Let the People In, we’ll be remembering Ann Richards here on the blog with stories, quotes from booksellers, photos – and you bet we’ll be digging up that video from the 1988 Democratic National Convention. To start, here’s what some of our indie bookselling colleagues have been saying about Let the People In:
“Exactly what the subtitle claims to be: a very personal chronicle of a woman who fell into the vortex of Texas politics in the 1970s and 1980s. With a journalist’s attention to sniffing out all the details, Reid has captured one of the more fascinating times in Texas history, when the old Republican applecart was upset by Ann Richards, a feminist and inclusionist, who found that being a good wife and mother “just bored the living hell out of me.” The personal and professional battles of the woman who became governor are balanced with an eye-opening (at least for this non-native Texan) account of how politics worked — and works — in Texas. It’s fascinating reading.”
– Alice Meloy – Blue Willow Books Houston, TX
“Let the People In is a rich, engaging look at one of the most exciting political figures of the last forty years. Jan Reid’s biography captures the way Ann Richards thrilled, frustrated, and surprised people across the country again and again. In addition to divulging some of the inner workings of politics in Texas and Washington, Reid provides an in-depth look at Austin in its most formative decades. A great history, a great story, and a great read.”
– Sam Ramos – The Book Cellar Knoxville, TN
“Let the People In is a fascinating look at one of the great political figures of our time. Jan Reid uses interviews, correspondence, and solid research to give us an honest, intimate portrait of former Texas governor Ann Richards. She wasn’t perfect by any means but she broke a lot of glass ceilings, fought for social justice and mentored a new generation of female leaders. Her story is an important one and I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in politics (right or left) but also more generally to anyone just interested in reading a really compelling biography.”
– Cody Morrison – Square Books Oxford MS
“You don’t have to be a Texan, a political junkie, or a feminist to be fascinated by Ann Richards, the colorful one-time Texas governor. Reid, her biographer, knew his subject and had access to her unpublished letters and other documents, and he brings Richards vividly to life with help from her many lively remarks about the people and events of the day. She was active on both local and national fronts, kept up with a family and a career, and struggled successfully against alcoholism. She was a fighter and a survivor, and in Reid’s compelling portrait she will remain an inspiring figure for some time to come.”
– Laurie Greer – Politics & Prose Washington, D. C.
Join us here on the blog as we take a look at Let the People In and the life of Ann Richards, and join us here at the store on Wednesday, October 17 when author Jan Reid is here to share stories with us in person. Have a favorite Ann Richards story or quote? Share it with us. This blog is fixin’ to turn itself into one straight-up Texas party in honor of Governor Richards, join us!
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