October 2008 Barn Burning. Barn Building. Tales of a Political Life from LBJ to George W. Bush and Beyond by Ben Barnes and Karen Dickey. This was a thoroughly enjoyable book from cover to cover. The writing style is just like Ben was talking to you. We were fortunate to actually get that experience since Ben Barnes attended our discussion on October 9. The book focusses on Ben's experiences in Texas government from his election to the House in 1961, through his tenure as the youngest ever Speaker of the House and Lieutenant Governor , and finally his unsuccessful bid for the governor's office in 1972. Along the way, we get intimate partraits and personal anecdotes on such personalities as Lyndon Johnson, John Connally and JFK. The book gives insight into how Texas shifted from a a stronghold for the Democratic Party in the 1960's to the GOP "red state" we have today. He talks about two pivotal events in this shift. First, the scandals in the Texas

Statehouse, some real and some (according to Barnes) engineered by the Nixon Whitehouse, which led to the "throw the bums out" mentality of the 1972 elections in Texas. Secondly, LBJ's successful pushing through of the Civil Right Legislation led to a flood of Southern Democrats over to the Republican party. Barnes also describes his first hand observations of the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago and the planning of JFK's motorcade through Dallas in November 1963. He talked about the day JFK was assassinated during his visit to our book club. It was obvious that it still effects him today. Meeting Ben and getting to hear him tell us some of the same stories that we read in the book was

a really unique and wonderful experience. Ben told a few more stories that were not included in the book. My 12 year old daughter, Lucy, was particularly taken by the story he told of meeting JFK in 1963 in the Oval Office with John Connally. The story that sticks in my mind was Ben telling how LJB cornered him at the White House shortly after the passing of the Civil Rights Legislation to tell him the mark his words, that what they had done would lead someday to the electing of an African American president. Read this book.