This is the 1994 edition of the famous book by Michael Barone and Grant Ujifusa, who team every two years to provide the latest infomation on all the members of the United States Congress and the Senate.

This 1994 edition provides comprehensive information on the Congress which was elected in the 1992 election. Voting records are analyzed which together with information on the each member's district will provide the most accurate political picture of each member possible.

Despite the fact that most researcher/lobbyists or ordinary citizens owning this book will find it necessary to upgrade the book by buying the latest edition every two years, old editions of the book are worth keeping as historic records of how long-term members may have voted on some issue years before.

This is the 1996 edition of the famous book by Michael Barone and Grant Ujifusa who have teamed every two years since 1971 to bring us the very latest of information on all the members of the United States Congress and the Senate.

Voting records and districts of the members are analyzed in this book to provide the very latest political profile of every member of the Congress and Senate.

Additionally, the book provides the latest information on the governors of all 50 states as well as the names of all the constitutional officers and the political makeup of the legislatures of all 50 States.

Even though the researcher/lobbyist or citizen owning this book will want to upgrade the book every two years to stay current, old editions of this book are also valuble as historic records on how a particular long-term member may have voted on a particular issue years before. All with an eye towards predicting how that member will vote on a current issue before Congress.

This is the 1982 edition of the famous book by Michael Barone and Grant Ujifusa. Ever since 1971 the two researchers have teamed to produce this book. (In all previous editions of the book, Douglas Matthews collaborated in this work. This was the first edition without Matthews.)

Many changes were incorporated into this 1982 edition. The book was larger and organized the material on the governors of each state in a more distinct manner. Additionally, the authors formed their own publishing company to publish this book as with all later editions of the book.

As the 1982 editions the book analyzes the members who were elected to Congress in the Reagan presidential election victory over Jimmy Carter in 1980. However, the voting records of each member on the floor of Congress which are analyzed in the book are those compiled during the last two years of the Carter Administration. Therefore the book remains a chronicle of the last half of the Carter Administrration.

Although lobbyists or ordinary citizens who own this book, will find that they need to buy a new edition of the book every year to stay current, the old editions remain valuable as a historic record.

This is the 1990 edition of the famous book by Michael Barone and Grant Ujifusa. Ever since 1971 the two researchers have teamed to produce new editions of this book which contains the very latest and most comprehensive infomation on all the members of Congress and the Senate.

The book is usually in the bookstores in the month of April on every odd-numbered year with information about the members of Congress who were elected the previous November. In this 1990 edition, the members profiled will be those elected in 1988 in the Bush presidential election victory over Michael Dukakis. The voting records of the members on that floor of Congress which are analyzed in this book will be those votes taken during the last two years of the Reagan Administration.

Although most lobbyists or citizens owning this book will feel the need to buy a new edition of the book every two years to stay current, this 1990 edition remains valuable as a good historical record of the last two years of the Reagan Administration.

Barone's history of politics from Roosevelt to Reagan was a very enjoyable read. He included historical polling information throughout the book (presidential popularity, etc.) that really illustrated his theory on political trends. I knocked off one star from my rating because at times I felt the author's own political opinion overshadowed the points he was trying to make.

Definitely worth reading.

Two warnings: First, the book is long. Second, the author is conservative and doesn't make an effort to hide it. If these facts don't disturb you then I can't recommend this book highly enough. It is a wonderful story of twentieth-century American politics, crammed with polls, stats, and insightful commentary. Why has ethnicity been a more important factor in politics than class? How did the political pendulum shift from conservatism to liberalism to conservatism again? Who are some of the most important statesmen in history that you've never heard of? And much, much more. If Michael Barone's "The Almanac of American Politics" is the Holy Bible of politics, then this work is a book of prayer.

Barone knows American political history inside and out. He gives the reader crisp, incisive portraits of individuals from Henry Wallace to Jack Kemp, of legislation from the Taft-Hartley Act to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 -- and he shows the reader how these people and measures fit into and shaped the world as it existed in their time. (The first two chapters, in which he presents brief portraits of Chief Justice William Howard Taft and Tammany Hall politico Charles Murphy, brilliantly illuminate how Republicans and Democrats thought and felt about their country in the early 1920s.) In addition, Barone knows the hard data of politics -- survey results, voting patterns, demographics -- and analyzes them in ways which often produce striking insights. His analysis of the timing and nature of the New Deal realignment, and the patchy and hesitant way in which liberal policies came to be accepted in the three decades or so following 1932, ought to be read by anyone interested in how ideological shifts really take place in American politics. Lastly, Barone (a journalist and former Democratic activist) recognizes and respects the achievements of the United States in the twentieth century -- and doesn't define "achievement" solely as "movement towards the political left" (as many other writers on American history, even sincere admirers like Harold Evans, sometime seem to do.) I cannot recommend this book highly enough to anyone with an interest in twentieth-century political and social change.

This edition is very similar to the 1974, 1976 and 1980 editions of the book. It does continue to give a very brief biography of the governor and good state profiles, but some of the pictures are dated, and, in typical Barone style many of the congressional bios are scarcely edited from the previous editions--this is understandable due to the number of congressmen and the bi-annual nature of the book. The scores are somewhat helpful, but the Congressional Quarterly "Politics in America" includes more party unity and presidential support scores, helpful in analyzing the member's overall voting pattern in relation to others in the member's party. That said, this is another excellent edition by Barone, not marred by his excessive editorialization in recent editions.

This is the 1980 edition of the famous book by Michael Barone, Grant Ujifusa and Douglas Matthews (This was the last edition on which Douglas Matthews collaborated.) Ever since 1971, a new edition of this book has appeared to provide the most comprehensive political picture possible of each member of the United States Congress and Senate.

This 1980 edition analyzes the congressional members elected in the election of 1978, who held office during the last two years of the Carter Administration. This analysis is based on the voting records of the members during the first two years of the Carter Administration.

Even though researchers, lobbyists or ordinary citizens, who own this book will find it necessary to buy a new edition of this book every two years to stay current, old editions of this book are well worth keeping as a historic record of the first two years of the Carter administration and the issues that concerned the American public during that period of time.

My 1996 edition is so dog-eared, highlighted, and noted that you can tell it's one of my most common reference tools. I use it when politicians are on talk shows, to give me an idea of where they are coming from. It usually proves there is a huge media imbalance of views on network television, so I've switched to C-Span. Seeing a voting record clues me in on where a Congressman is likely to stand on an issue, before he opens his mouth. I use it for background information, and to send faxes and letters. I use it to keep track of my own Congressmen and to find others who have voted the way I would vote, to contact, if an important issue is pending for a vote. It's only big handicap is a lack of E-Mail addresses. I could do much more with it, if I had them. I highly recommend this book and am saving for an updated version.

Since 1971, every two years Michael Barone and Grant Ujifusa (in early editions Douglas Matthews also contributed) have teamed to provide a comprehensive study of the latest Congress just elected the previous November.

This book is a staple of research inside the "beltway" of Washington D.C. and is priced by the standards of reference books sold there. The price can cause "sticker shock" for those of us located outside the beltway. Nonetheless, it is an invaluable research tool which belongs close at hand, near the desk of any one who hopes to speak knowledgeably to a member of Congress or a committee of Congress regarding any issue currently being voted on by Congress.

Additionally, the book provides the most up-to-date information on the governors, lists the constitutional officers and provides the political makeup of the legislature of each of the 50 states.

As a reader of this series for many years I can certainly appreciate the breadth of information the Almanac provides for each and every state, Congressional district, Senator and Representative. To have all of this contained in one book is quite impressive.

Unfortunately I have grown tired of the author's personal opinions filtering into the text. Such bias has grown with each edition to the point that it is virtually impossible not to question the figures the books quotes out of concern that they are merely there to further the author's agenda and personal political viewpoints. This is a shame, as it has ruined a good series.

This almanac is an incredible source of information on all 100 senators, 435 congressmen and women, and 50 governors. From detailing their biographies to their rise to power, this almanac is interesting, detailed, and very easy to absorb. If you are looking to learn about politics for the first time, or if you are a political junkie, this is definately for you.

... and her politics than by reading this book. Barone and Ujifusa's Almanac serves not only as "the Bible of American politics," providing a wealth of information on our Senators and representatives, but paints memorable portraits of culture and society in all of America's states and in each of our country's 435 Congressional districts. If you have read Barone's classic, Our Country, you will remember his thesis that culture, ethnicity and geography (rather than economic status) are the driving forces behind Americans' political choices. Barone's detailed sketches of individual American communities illuminate these geographic and cultural rifts. Better than any other work I've seen, the Almanac explains WHY the politics of San Francisco is different than that of rural Kansas or Appalachian Kentucky.

Yes, it's exhaustively comprehensive. Yes, it's district-by-district. And yes, it's over 1200 pages. However, the entire enterprise is in the end unsatisfying because of the constant undercurrent of bias.

Whether it's Barone comparing Bush's "more choice" to Gore's "more government," or his characterization of "observant, tradition-minded, moralistic" Bush voters opposing Gore voters that are "unobservant, liberation-minded, relativist," he continually finds ways to slightly polish conservative views and give a little tarnish to the liberal side of the spectrum.

The clincher for me was in the Presidential Politics segment for Florida when Barone writes of the beyond reproach fact of a Bush victory, while elaborating upon all the apparent shifty, underhanded tactics of the Gore camp. Whether or not the tactics were sinister is up for debate, but it's clear he didn't want to concede any points for the liberals, whether on Florida or on free-market ideology. This slight, but consistent bias isn't dangerous in and of itself; it's objectionable because it's coming from such a supposedly authoritative source.

I was a regular buyer of this series until I got so tired of Michael Barone's biases and editorializing that I ceased purchasing the new editions as I had been every two years. After hearing that the 2002 edition had (finally) toned down the flagrant lack of objectivity I decided to give it another try.

During my absence things have indeed improved. More facts and statistics have been added about states and congressional districts, political analysis Charlie Cook has added brief outlooks for every seat up for election in 2002, more information on redistricting is given, more extensive descriptions of states, districts, and backgrounds on office holders is provided and yes, Barone's editorial comments, while still present, have been drastically toned down and in some cases eliminated.

However, there are still obvious examples of his bias. Many pro NAFTA comments are made mentioning benefits states and districts have received since its passage while no mention is made at all of the jobs lost in those same areas (only to often be replaced by lower paying ones) and Barone regularly writes objectively about "cultural conservatives" while virtually anyone who isn't married, with 2.5 kids while living in the suburbs or a rural area (be it office holders or their constituents) is labeled, in a rather dismissive tone as part of the "feminist left," a term Barone does not seem to use in a neutral manner. Furthermore his recap of the Florida recount clearly takes a pro-Bush side, ignoring all his inconsistencies while maximizing Gore's despite blatant hypocrisy that was strong on both sides.

But overall this is a solid, if somewhat overpriced reference for political junkies elsewhere. If Barone can continue to scale back his editorializing in future editions, this series will has the potential to become one of the most important on the subject.

Michael Barone is clearly a man of immense energy and political insight. His biennial "Almanac of American Politics" has been a Washington tradition for 30 years now; and it keeps getting better.

I first discovered the Almanac in 1992 and have purchased copies every two years since. My '92 edition is dogeared, with pages falling out, yet I still consult it regularly.

Barone's in-depth background information in each state and Congressional district is a feature hard to find anywhere else (certainly not all in one place). His invaluable biographical information on members of congress (and governors) is essential to understand where these people are coming from, when one sees them on CSPAN.

But the statistical information is what I treasure most. The Almanac is a quick and easy reference for finding out how vulnerable an incumbant is, who ran against them before, how their state or district leans at the presidential level, etc. These statistics are really essential for a deep understanding of congressional politics today.

In the last few years, Barone has also been providing more information about state governments. Recently, he's added the names of the leaders of every state legislature and given longer biographies of the governors. In this era of devolution, such information is greatly needed.

Another newer addition is the predictions of Charlie Cook. Cook's analysis is appreciated although I wish he would be a little more creative in his writing ("...belies the competitive nature of the district" over and over).

Barone and Cook have an excellent track record in predicting elections, but naturally they are wrong at times too. For instance, they both considered Gov. Jesse Ventura a good bet for re-election (and Barone even hinted at a Presidential bid in 2004). Of course Ventura is not seeking re-election due to low approval ratings. Since the Alamanc comes out a year before the election its focused on, it is fun to follow along and see how accurate its forecasting ends up

Granted, Barone is a conservative and his bias does occassionally surface. This can be distracting and poorly placed at times (especially for an angry leftist like me). But objective journalism is basically non-existent in this country and Barone should be applauded for staying focused and unbiased more than most.

All said, the "Almanac of American Politics" is absolutely crucial for anyone who wants more than a superficial understanding of national politics today. Read it and you'll watch "Face the Nation" and "Meet the Press" in a whole different light. Buy it; it's more than worth the price.

Every American who wants to understand the hope for our future and the destructive attitudes and policies of our elites toward integration and assimilation needs to read this book. Everyone who wants to understand the difference between Bosnia, Kosovo, Rwanda and America should read this book.

This is a breathtaking tour of how American weaves a pattern of achievement and opportunity and how various ethnic groups have responded and are responding to it. The heart of Barone's thesis is that America has successfully integrated and assimilated people of different backgrounds, and that there are patterns to that assimilation that are working for 21st century new Americans just as they worked for the 19th and 20th century American immigrants. Barone asserts that the modern elite's attitude toward group identity, opposition to middle class society, and assertion of racial grievances actually retards the process of assimilation. He regards most bilingual education as a political spoils system for bilingual teachers, which actually hurts the very people it is designed to help. He notes that patterns of intermarriage and upward mobility in income and education are creating assimilative patterns even as university elites seek to divide young Americans by race and teach them to focus on historic grievances rather than future opportunities.

It is impossible in a short review to do justice to the brilliance of Barone's writing, the depth of his research, or the clarity of his examples. His parallels between Irish and African Americans, Italian and Latino immigrants and Jews and Asians are profound and extraordinarily thought provoking.

Barone writes a good book with a simple thesis: that today's immigrants will assimilate into America as well as immigrants did a century and more ago. He compares and contrasts three pairs; Irish and Blacks - Latinos and Italians - and Jews and Asians. His treatment is a straight forward rendering where he describes the old country from whence they immigrated, the crisis that caused them to uproot and come here, there means of employment once here, their family life, their religious practices, their proclivity toward crime and social disruptiveness, their distinctive traits, their educational aspirations, their impact on sports and entertainment and their political associations. Barone does all this with a facile use of statistics and an economy of verbiage.

Because he's politically from the Right Barone sees the rule of law and private property rights as the magnet attracting those who would better the lives of they and their family. This is due to American exceptionalism and its system for diffusion of power that Balint Vazsonyi describes in his book, "America's 30 Years War: Who's Winning?". It's the chance to build wealth without having the local mafia chief steal it from you. Think Taliban.

These immigrants are often the best that a country has to offer up and the first wave or two are usually the most productive both for themselves and society. Barone's contention is that the differing "habits of mind (worldview)" these people bring with them is usually diffused after two or three generations into American idealism and its capacious opportunities.

Those who view the world through a lens of class struggle and minority grievances will find fault with Barone as he doesn't engage in the typical bleeding heart dogma of Left wing savants. He in fact excoriates those who claim the "Vision of the Anointed", the title of a book by Thomas Sowell depicting the Left in all its fatuousness. Wizened followers of this debate know that the curtain came down on 9-11-01 for the Blame America crowd as it signaled the end of the 1960's New Left, and its poisoness philosophy, as a viable movement.

Barone's book is very informative and a pleasure to read. Don't try to make more of it than what it is which is sufficient in and of itself.

Barone thesis that the "new" groups (blacks, latinos, and asians) pursuit of the american dream runs parallel to earlier groups; (Irish & blacks, Italians & latinos, Jews & asians) is a well argued case. His arguement that blacks (or african americans if you perfer) belong in the "new" group becasue it was only in the 50's and 60' that the death of "Jim Crow" gave them the full rights of Americans everywhere is well made. There are several revelations here for modern americans who decended from these groups (not the least that Italians were not considered "white" and that all three groups were considered different races.) and these revelations should be noted and remembered by those who achieved the American dream thanks to the efforts of their grandfathers and grandmothers. It is an optomistic book about an optomistic future for this country and it argues that the growing pains of assemilation which every past ethnic group went through is the same pain that we their decendants don't recognize in others. He believes it will pass and in the end the genius of the concept of America will prevail for the benefit of all. I like the arguement and despite the time, happily subscribe to it. READ IT