I like reading historical novels. So, perhaps it’s not much of a stretch to
have wanted to read Al Simpson’s book, Shooting From the Lip, the Life of
Senator Al Simpson. I met him once
when I was a sponsor for a Close-Up trip with our high school senior class; he
talked to us on the steps of the Capital in Washington D.C. The experience left quite an impression on
me.
My neighbor has loaned me her copy of the book, and I’m
getting close to finishing it. It is a
delightful read. Senator Simpson always
has been a “no-nonsense” kind of guy.
And he’s got a great sense of humor.
The book was written by Donald Loren Hardy, his longtime chief of
staff. Simpson told him to tell all the
truth. “Leave teeth, hair, and eyeballs
on the floor, if that results from telling the truth.” Hardy tells the story
from Simpson’s journals. It is an
interesting telling of his life from the time he was a teen right through his
entrance into the ups and downs of political life. I’m enjoying every page…and will soon close
the cover.
Simpson is quite a character, but he is an intelligent man and well respected in Washington D.C. I've had the opportunity to meet him twice - once on a Close Up trip to DC and once at a gathering in Riverton. It's too bad that more politicians aren't like him.
ReplyDelete