Book Review: A Connecticut Yankee Goes to Washington
I recently finished reading A Connecticut Yankee Goes to Washington: Senator George P. McLean, Birdman of the Senate written by Will McLean Greeley and published by RIT Press in January 2023. I previously watched a talk hosted by the United States Capitol Historical Society where Greeley discussed his new book , and he sent me a digital copy to review. While I have read and reviewed several great history books in the past months — Path Lit by Lightning and Slaves for Peanuts were two favorites — this book generated a wider range of emotional responses, including laughter, sadness, and triumph. A Connecticut Yankee follows the life of underrecognized Senator McLean (R-CT) who survived an underprivileged childhood to become a wealthy lawyer and career politician. He worked during the Progressive Era in the United States from the 1880s after Reconstruction through the early 1920s during World War I. McLean’s proudest achievement was the passing of the Migratory Bird Trea