All the King’s Men has been called America’s finest political novel. First published in 1946, All the King’s Men is a fictional account based on the life and career of Louisiana Governor Huey Long. The tale of a populist politician who seeks to overthrow a long-established political order and seize unprecedented power may cause us to reflect on current events in the early fall of 2024. But the beauty of All the King’s Men is that it is about much more than politics.

There are two intertwined stories here, and the second takes us into questions of identity, responsibility, time, and the burden of history. It is a poetic book, written by a two-time U.S. Poet Laureate, which is why many readers consider it among America’s finest novels, period. It won a Pulitzer Prize in 1947.

This will be an in-person version of a course first offered through Osher on Zoom several years ago. It will be a discussion course, limited to a seminar size so that everyone who wants to participate will be able to do so. We will take our time with this remarkable book, reading it closely over a period of six weeks. Those who have never read All the King’s Men before are particularly welcome.

This course will consist of discussions between the Study Leader and participants.