Lying Down with the Lions: A Public Life from the Streets of Oakland to the Halls of Power

Forget your ideology, reader; this is a terrific book. Written by the most left-wing member of Congress, Lying Down takes you on an exciting journey that was Ron Dellums' career. Whether opposing Reagan's military buildup or denouncing apartheid and the Gulf War, Dellums stays true to his principles. As a political science junkie, I especially enjoyed the chapters on Dellums' congressional career. Though an ultraliberal, Dellums is pragmatic enough to form coalitions with conservatives of both parties to advance his agenda. What was impressive is Dellums' willingness to admit when he failed, or atleast only partly succeeded. This is a wonderful book that I highly recommend.

Dellum is a humanist and intellectual, who has lived through extremely unjust treatment while leading African Americans to political equality. All intellectuals, and every conscientous person in general, have a lot to learn from his dignified and persistent struggle, through his witty and humorous story-telling.