The Years of Lyndon Johnson, the Passage of Power – Robert Caro (2012)

Hands down the best political biography I’ve read. The book gives great insights in the man and the President Lyndon Baines Johnson was, telling the story of a turbulent era in US history through a new lens – ranging from the Cuba Crisis to the Civil Rights Act. In essence it’s a lesson on how to use power. The book also contains great stories – one of my favorites being German Chancellor Erhard visiting Johnson on its Texas ranch, singing German songs over a lavish spareribs meal. It’s as close to literature as non-fiction can get and wets the appetite to read the other three volumes. The author is currently working on a fifth volume, spanning Johnson’s presidency.