Fighting Son: A Biography of Philip F. La Follette

by Jonathan Kasparek

Overview

Former Wisconsin governor Philip F. La Follette forged a political path characterized by his progressive, innovative vision. Growing up in the shadow of revered senator "Fighting Bob" La Follette made for a politically charged childhood and laid the groundwork for Phil's emergence as a powerful figure in Wisconsin politics. A gregarious and fiery politician, Phil's efforts led to the passage of the country's first unemployment compensation act, aid programs for workers and farmers, and the reorganization of state government.

This approachable, comprehensive book traces La Follette's journey through public office as well as his life after the waning of the Progressive era. Phil La Follette’s is a history of continuing progressivism, of innovative solutions to social problems, and of loyalty to a political ethos that goes far beyond love of country. Kasparek's treatment of this Fighting Son is a monument not only to La Follette but to progressive politics in Wisconsin.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780870205309
Publisher:	Wisconsin Historical Society
Publication date:	07/15/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	350
File size:	10 MB

About the Author

A native of Taylor County, Wisconsin, Jonathan Kasparek received his Ph.D. in history from UW–Madison in 2003. Jonathan has published several articles on the history of the state and is the coauthor of Voices and Votes: How Democracy Works in Wisconsin and Wisconsin History Highlights: Delving into the Past, both published by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press. He has spoken on Depression-era Wisconsin as part of the Voices of the Progressive Tradition program at Taliesin and the state capitol, and currently teaches history at UW–Waukesha. He lives in Madison with his wife and two children.

Table of Contents

[Contents] Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter One: A Very Political Beginning Chapter Two: Apprenticeship Chapter Three: The Ghost at the Banquet Chapter Four: Republican Victory Chapter Five: The Progressive Party Chapter Six: A Stolen Utopia Chapter Seven: Third Term Controversies Chapter Eight: Strange Bedfellows and Failed Crusades Epilogue: The Legacy of the Great Experiment Notes Bibliography Index

Editorial Reviews

"[T]his lively and nuanced political biography . . . will attract attention far beyond Wisconsin as it explores the strengths and limits of the progressive tradition and the value of innovative leadership. The questions it raises about the most effective ways to combat economic and social injustice offer valuable insight into our own time as well as the past." (Nancy Unger, author of Fighting Bob La Follette: The Righteous Reformer)
 
"La Follette is not merely a piece of Wisconsin history — he's a model of what's needed in American politics today. He didn't glibly love his country, he fought to implement the values of our country, to bring the great egalitarian idea of America into being in the life of each person. This was his progressive mission, and it must be ours today." (Jim Hightower, best-selling author, nationally syndicated columnist, and radio commentator)
 

"[B]reathes flesh and blood in the life and times of our state's twenty-seventh and twenty-ninth governor. . . . Anyone interested in the La Follette-Progressive movement in Wisconsin's history must read this book." (The Honorable Lee Sherman Dreyfus, former Wisconsin governor)
 
"[R]eaders who are serious students of the conditions, issues, and political relationships among Wisconsin's movers and shakers during the 1930s should consider this book a must." (The Honorable Patrick J. Lucey, former Wisconsin governor)
 
"Fighting Son. . . . will rank with the most important books on Wisconsin political history." (Dave Zweifel, Editor, The Capital Times)

2006 First in the Political Science Category from Midwest Independent Publishers Association Book Awards

From the Publisher