First published 1992
Harold Ickes arrives in Washington during the depths of the Great Depression, tasked with cleaning up one of the federal government's most corrupt agencies. The Department of the Interior has become a playground for special interests and political cronies, its mission to protect America's natural resources buried under layers of scandal and mismanagement. Ickes faces resistance from entrenched bureaucrats, powerful lobbyists, and even members of his own administration who prefer the status quo. As he works to root out corruption and redirect the department toward genuine conservation, Ickes discovers that reforming government requires not just political skill but personal sacrifice. His crusade to preserve public lands for future generations puts him at odds with those who see natural resources as commodities to be exploited. The story reveals how one man's refusal to compromise his principles transformed a scandal-plagued agency into an effective guardian of America's wilderness.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, political-science, politics, biography-memoir, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: crusade, reform, sacrifice
Setting: Department of the Interior, Washington
Period: Great Depression
1010 pages · Paperback · Henry Holt Company