But as I viewed Young’s interview on Oprah, I did think of Thomas Macaulay’s famous words about James Boswell, the biographer of Samuel Johnson.
If he had not been a great fool, he would never have been a great writer. Without all the qualities which made him the jest and torment of those among whom he lived, without the officiousness, the inquisitiveness, the effrontery, the toad-eating, the insensibility to all reproof, he never could have produced so excellent a book. He was a slave, proud of his servitude, a Paul Pry, convinced that his own curiosity and garrulity were virtues, an unsafe companion who never scrupled to replay the most liberal hospitality by the basest violation of confidence, a man without delicacy, without shame, without sense enough to know when he was hurting the feelings of others or when he was exposing himself to derision; and because he was all this, he has, in an important department of literature, immeasurably surpassed such writers as Tacitus, Clarendon, Alfieri, and his own idol, Johnson.
Obviously Young has not produced a Boswell-style enduring masterpiece. But he has produced one of the most interesting campaign books of all time – and like Boswell, almost entirely because of his faults.
GOProud // Feb 25, 2010 at 11:14 pm
Andrew Young, like Jesse Jackson and others, always struck me as a man who happened to be associated with one great man, happened to be nearby when tragedy struck, happened to weave himself into the fabric of a grieving family and made a career out of reminding others of his happenstance.
I did not know, David, that Andrew Young was critical in the rise of trial lawyer and Democrat fatcat John Edwards. I just assumed he oozed up the gutter and presto-changeo, the Breck Boi was born.
Knowing that Andrew Young never met a lie he didn’t learn to like, I can imagine what drew him to Mr 2 Americas. I look forward to reading his book –like I do my first dish of chocolate ice cream after Lent passes.
midwaypete // Feb 26, 2010 at 1:34 am
There’s more than one Andrew Young. The author of the tell-all is Andrew Young, the younger.
GOProud // Feb 26, 2010 at 9:15 am
Thanks midway; still looking forward to reading the book, tho.
Sean Linnane // Feb 27, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Long ago I was taught to consider the long term consequences of your actions.
John Edwards will be able to shake off his transgressions – he has the conscience of a troll – and anyway he’s rich, so he gets a pass; others will pay for what he did. His family, for starters.
Andrew Young on the other hand will live in shame and pay for what he did forever. I wonder how he’ll ever get a decent job? He can’t live on book returns forever, and anyway writing doesn’t pay squat.
Tsk, tsk . . .