Power Broker by Robert Caro, Signed (9 results)

Hard Cover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. Reprint. Reprint. Inscribed and signed by author on half-title page ('For Danny from Robert Caro'). An exceptional copy. 1974 Hard Cover. 1246, xxxiv pp. One of the most acclaimed books of our time, winner of both the Pulitzer and the Francis Parkman prizes, The Power Broker tells the hidden story behind the shaping (and mis-shaping) of twentieth-century New York (city and state) and makes public what few have known: that Robert Moses was, for almost half a century, the single most powerful man of our time in New York, the shaper not only of the city's politics but of its physical structure and the problems of urban decline that plague us today.  In revealing how Moses did it--how he developed his public authorities into a political machine that was virtually a fourth branch of government, one that could bring to their knees Governors and Mayors (from La Guardia to Lindsay) by mobilizing banks, contractors, labor unions, insurance firms, even the press and the Church, into an irresistible economic force--Robert Caro reveals how power works in all the cities of the United States. Moses built an empire and lived like an emperor. He personally conceived and completed public works costing 27 billion dollars--the greatest builder America (and probably the world) has ever known. Without ever having been elected to office, he dominated the men who were--even his most bitter enemy, Franklin D. Roosevelt, could not control him--until he finally encountered, in Nelson Rockefeller, the only man whose power (and ruthlessness in wielding it) equalled his own. Signed by author.

Hardcover. Condition: New. Dust Jacket Condition: New. 1st Edition. UNBELIEVABLY SCARCE SIGNED! Book is brand new and unread. Opened only for Mr. Caro to sign. Personally hand signed, in person, by the legendary biographer himself, Robert Caro, directly to the half title page in his customary blue Sharpie. NOT inscribed to anyone. NOT a tip in. NOT a bookplate. Dust jacket hand covered in protective archival grade Mylar for many worry free years of reading/collecting! PULITZER PRIZE WINNER A modern American classic, this huge and galvanizing biography of Robert Moses reveals not only the saga of one man's incredible accumulation of power but the story of his shaping (and mis-shaping) of twentieth-century New York. One of the Modern Library's hundred greatest books of the twentieth century, Robert Caro's monumental book makes public what few outsiders knew: that Robert Moses was the single most powerful man of his time in the City and in the State of New York. And in telling the Moses story, Caro both opens up to an unprecedented degree the way in which politics really happensthe way things really get done in America's City Halls and Statehousesand brings to light a bonanza of vital information about such national figures as Alfred E. Smith and Franklin D. Roosevelt (and the genesis of their blood feud), about Fiorello La Guardia, John V. Lindsay and Nelson Rockefeller. But The Power Broker is first and foremost a brilliant multidimensional portrait of a manan extraordinary man who, denied power within the normal framework of the democratic process, stepped outside that framework to grasp power sufficient to shape a great city and to hold sway over the very texture of millions of lives. We see how Moses began: the handsome, intellectual young heir to the world of Our Crowd, an idealist. How, rebuffed by the entrenched political establishment, he fought for the power to accomplish his ideals. How he first created a miraculous flowering of parks and parkways, playlands and beachesand then ultimately brought down on the city the smog-choked aridity of our urban landscape, the endless miles of (never sufficient) highway, the hopeless sprawl of Long Island, the massive failures of public housing, and countless other barriers to humane living. How, inevitably, the accumulation of power became an end in itself. Moses built an empire and lived like an emperor. He was held in fearhis dossiers could disgorge the dark secret of anyone who opposed him. He was, he claimed, above politics, above deals; and through decade after decade, the newspapers and the public believed. Meanwhile, he was developing his public authorities into a fourth branch of government known as "Triborough"a government whose records were closed to the public, whose policies and plans were decided not by voters or elected officials but solely by Mosesan immense economic force directing pressure on labor unions, on banks, on all the city's political and economic institutions, and on the press, and on the Church. He doled out millions of dollars' worth of legal fees, insurance commissions, lucrative contracts on the basis of who could best pay him back in the only coin he coveted: power. He dominated the politics and politicians of his timewithout ever having been elected to any office. He was, in essence, above our democratic system. Robert Moses held power in the state for 44 years, through the governorships of Smith, Roosevelt, Lehman, Dewey, Harriman and Rockefeller, and in the city for 34 years, through the mayoralties of La Guardia, O'Dwyer, Impellitteri, Wagner and Lindsay, He personally conceived and carried through public works costing 27 billion dollarshe was undoubtedly America's greatest builder. This is how he built and dominated New Yorkbefore, finally, he was stripped of his reputation (by the press) and his power (by Nelson Rockefeller). But his work, and his will, had been done. Signed by Author(s).

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. Nineteenth Printing. 1,246pp. Black Cloth, plus index. map endpapers. , Gold embossed "Robert A. Caro" on front panel. gilt lettering Author has blue sharpie signature on the half-title page. Map endpapers. Photos. As new, bright and unmakred. Unclipped pictorial jacket has $70.00 price on the front flap. Unclipped pictorial Jacket is bright, only a minor crease on the top of the jacket, otherwise like new. Monumental biography of Robert Moses, who, though never elected to public office, wielded tremendous power over New York State and New York City. This book is a 50th anniversary issue of the 1974 orginal printing. Robert Caro signed copies through the New York Historical Society. Size: Thick Octavo. Signed By the Author.

Hard Cover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. Reprint. 2023 17th printing. Signed by author without inscription on half-title page. An exceptional copy. 1974 Hard Cover. 1246, xxxiv pp. One of the most acclaimed books of our time, winner of both the Pulitzer and the Francis Parkman prizes, The Power Broker tells the hidden story behind the shaping (and mis-shaping) of twentieth-century New York (city and state) and makes public what few have known: that Robert Moses was, for almost half a century, the single most powerful man of our time in New York, the shaper not only of the city's politics but of its physical structure and the problems of urban decline that plague us today.  In revealing how Moses did it--how he developed his public authorities into a political machine that was virtually a fourth branch of government, one that could bring to their knees Governors and Mayors (from La Guardia to Lindsay) by mobilizing banks, contractors, labor unions, insurance firms, even the press and the Church, into an irresistible economic force--Robert Caro reveals how power works in all the cities of the United States. Moses built an empire and lived like an emperor. He personally conceived and completed public works costing 27 billion dollars--the greatest builder America (and probably the world) has ever known. Without ever having been elected to office, he dominated the men who were--even his most bitter enemy, Franklin D. Roosevelt, could not control him--until he finally encountered, in Nelson Rockefeller, the only man whose power (and ruthlessness in wielding it) equalled his own. Signed by author.

hardcover. Condition: Fair. First Edition. FIRST EDITION, inscribed: "To Barbara and Fred, Robert A. Caro", on the half-title. Original black cloth stamped in gilt; dust-jacket. Pulitzer prize winner. Water damage along the top edge of the book (some light ruffling). ix, 1246, xxxiv pages : illustrations (some color) ; 25 cm. Signed.

Later printing of the author's Pulitzer-Prize winning work on Robert Moses. Thick octavo, original black cloth, cartographic endpapers. Boldly signed by Robert A. Caro on the half-title page. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Paul Bacon. One of the most acclaimed books of our time, winner of both the Pulitzer and the Francis Parkman prizes, the Power Broker tells the hidden story behind the shaping (and mis-shaping) of twentieth-century New York and makes public what few have known: that Robert Moses was, for almost half a century, the single most powerful man of our time in New York, the shaper not only of the city's politics but of its physical structure and the problems of urban decline that plague us today. "Surely the greatest book ever written about a city" (David Halberstam). Theodore H. White called it "A masterpiece of American reporting. It's more than the story of a tragic figure or the exploration of the unknown politics of our time. It's an elegantly written and enthralling work of art.".

First edition of Caro's Pulitzer-Prize winning work on Robert Moses. Thick octavo, original black cloth, cartographic endpapers, illustrated with numerous photographs and maps, top edge red. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, "To George Labalme - George, I think I've known you for almost as many years as its been since I wrote this book. With affection, Robert A. Caro." The recipient, philanthropist and designer, George Labalme Jr. (1927ā"2016) served as Vice President of the New York Public Library for nine years and was heavily involved with several other cultural and philanthropic organizations, including the Jacob and Valeria Langeloth Foundation and the Renaissance Society of America. His professional design work included collaborations with Gio Ponti and Raymond Loewy, and he notably designed the Grey Poupon mustard jar. Labalme and Caro first connected in the vibrant New York intellectual and cultural scene during the 1950s or early 1960s, a period when Caro was beginning his career as a journalist and writer. Labalme, already well-established as a designer and active in philanthropic and literary circles, took an interest in Caroās work and potential. Recognizing Caroās talent and ambition, Labalme offered both personal encouragement and practical support, helping Caro navigate the challenges of early career development, including access to networks and resources in the publishing world. Their friendship was built on mutual respect and shared commitment to the arts and ideas, and Labalmeās mentorship provided Caro with valuable guidance during crucial stages of his writing career. This support was instrumental in Caroās perseverance as he embarked on his extensive research projects, including his landmark biographies of Robert Moses and Lyndon Johnson. Labalme and Caro both served as trustees of the New York Society Library, Labalme in 1988, and Caro in 1994. With the original transmittal note inscribed by Caro to Labalme laid in on Caro's Century Association letterhead, "George - Yes, Boheme was sensational! It's a pleasure to inscribe books to a friend. Bob Caro." Near fine in a very good price-clipped dust jacket. Jacket design by Paul Bacon. An very nice example of this monumental work with fine provenance. One of the most acclaimed books of our time, winner of both the Pulitzer and the Francis Parkman prizes, the Power Broker tells the hidden story behind the shaping (and mis-shaping) of twentieth-century New York and makes public what few have known: that Robert Moses was, for almost half a century, the single most powerful man of our time in New York, the shaper not only of the city's politics but of its physical structure and the problems of urban decline that plague us today. "Surely the greatest book ever written about a city" (David Halberstam). Theodore H. White called it "A masterpiece of American reporting. It's more than the story of a tragic figure or the exploration of the unknown politics of our time. It's an elegantly written and enthralling work of art.".

First edition of the author's Pulitzer-Prize winning work on Robert Moses. Thick octavo, original black cloth, cartographic endpapers. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, "For Richard from Robert A. Caro." Also laid in is a signed card from Robert A. Caro from the East Rockaway Library Board and the Cultural Arts Council, dated November 7, 1974. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket, name to the front free endpaper. Jacket design by Paul Bacon. An exceptional example. One of the most acclaimed books of our time, winner of both the Pulitzer and the Francis Parkman prizes, the Power Broker tells the hidden story behind the shaping (and mis-shaping) of twentieth-century New York and makes public what few have known: that Robert Moses was, for almost half a century, the single most powerful man of our time in New York, the shaper not only of the city's politics but of its physical structure and the problems of urban decline that plague us today. "Surely the greatest book ever written about a city" (David Halberstam). Theodore H. White called it "A masterpiece of American reporting. It's more than the story of a tragic figure or the exploration of the unknown politics of our time. It's an elegantly written and enthralling work of art.".

First edition of the author's Pulitzer-Prize winning work on Robert Moses. Thick octavo, original black cloth, cartographic endpapers. Association copy, inscribed by the author in the year of publication on the half-title page, "For David Tolmach- For auld lang syne Robert A. Caro November 7, 1974." The recipient and the author were friends in New York. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Paul Bacon. One of the most acclaimed books of our time, winner of both the Pulitzer and the Francis Parkman prizes, the Power Broker tells the hidden story behind the shaping (and mis-shaping) of twentieth-century New York and makes public what few have known: that Robert Moses was, for almost half a century, the single most powerful man of our time in New York, the shaper not only of the city's politics but of its physical structure and the problems of urban decline that plague us today. "Surely the greatest book ever written about a city" (David Halberstam). Theodore H. White called it "A masterpiece of American reporting. It's more than the story of a tragic figure or the exploration of the unknown politics of our time. It's an elegantly written and enthralling work of art.".