Earl K. Long: The Saga of Uncle Earl and Louisiana Politics (Southern Biography Series) - Softcover

Kurtz, Michael L.; Peoples, Morgan D.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 080711765X ISBN 13: 9780807117651

Publisher: LSU Press, 1991

Synopsis

In a region famous for its flamboyant politicians, Earl K. Long was one of the most flamboyant of them all. This first full-scale biography of the former Louisiana governor explores his controversial life-style and his strong family ties, his raw humor and his political savvy, his abuse of power and his accomplishments in the areas of civil rights and public services. Michael L. Kurtz and Morgan D. Peoples provide new information from recently declassified FBI files concerning Earl's ties with organized crime figures, give the first comprehensive account of his stays in mental institutions in 1959, and offer factual information about his notorious relationship with the stripper Blaze Star. Based on more than two decades of research in a variety of sources, this important biography fills a serious gap in the history of modern Louisiana politics.

About this title

About the Author:

Michel L. Kurtz is professor of history at Southeastern Louisiana University. His previous books include Crime of the Century: The Kennedy Assassination from a Historian's Perspective. Morgan D. Peoples is retired professor of history at Louisiana Tech University.

Michel L. Kurtz is professor of history at Southeastern Louisiana University. His previous books include Crime of the Century: The Kennedy Assassination from a Historian's Perspective.
Morgan D. Peoples is retired professor of history at Louisiana Tech University.

From Library Journal:

Huey Long's flamboyant career in Louisiana and national politics has been examined by numerous scholars, most notably by T. Harry Williams in his Pulitzer Prize-winning biography Huey Long ( LJ 9/15/69). But Long's brother, three-time Louisiana governor Earl Long, has not received the same attention, although Earl was the dominant figure in the state's politics for almost 25 years. Historians Kurtz and Peoples have partially corrected this deficiency with the first comprehensive biography of Earl by academicians. Its primary (and controversial) contributions to current knowledge about Long are material on Long's ties with organized crime taken from FBI files; an analysis of Long's efforts to protect black voting rights; and evidence that Long suffered from manic depression. This is a necessary book for all libraries with collections on Southern politics, and the recent movie Blaze may also generate interest for this book among general readers.
- Thomas H. Ferrell, Univ. of Southwestern Louisiana, Lafayette
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: LSU Press
• Publication date: 1991
• ISBN 10: 080711765X
• ISBN 13: 9780807117651
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 332