CCB: The Life and Century of Charles C. Burlingham, New York's First Citizen, 1858-1959

By George Whitney Martin and George W. Martin

The exemplary life of an extraordinary politician and reformer. Though he held no elected or appointed office, the New York City lawyer Charles C. Burlingham had great influence with those who did, and used it in unusual ways. George Martin's surprising biography shows how one citizen, working quietly behind the scenes, became a power broker who transformed his country's civic life. Growing up after the Civil War, CCB - as everyone called him - was enthralled by America's dynamism of his city but shocked by the social costs of modernization, and he deplored the endemic corruption of city politics; eventually he let his law practice take a backseat to civil reform work. His second career in "meddling," as he called it, helped to put great judges on the bench (among them Benjamin Cardozo) and climaxed when he arranged the Fusion reform ticket on which Fiorello La Guardia swept to victory in 1933. Nor does Martin neglect Burlingham's private life - his eccentric wife, tragically afflicted son, and daughter-in-law Dorothy Tiffany Burlingham, who took CCB's grandchildren off to Vienna to be analyzed, as she was, by Sigmund and Anna Freud. This adroit, engaging account of a high-spirited, good-hearted, talented man, chronicling his witty, effective commitment to social betterment, vividly documents a century of change in the ways Americans lived, their cities were governed, and their nation fought wars.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 080907317X
• ISBN13: 9780809073177
• Release Date: April 2005
• Publisher: Hill & Wang
• Length: 690 Pages
• Weight: 2.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 6.3" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

New York, and one of the men who made it

This extraordinary book, at once scholarly and a good read, not only delights and informs its readers, but links them with the century of Burlingham's life and the people who made it what it was. Its author's careful research, wide sympathies, and grasp of what makes people and societies act the way they do illuminates the history of the man, the city, and the times.

A Must-Read Biography for Political History Buffs

I began reading this long political biography because the author is a personal friend. At first, I thought I would skim the book but by page 200 it had become a real page-turner. It was so well-written and researched and dealt with such fascinating subjects--including the downfall of Tammany Hall and the rise of Fiorello Laguardia. Burlingham was influential in both events and his long (101-year!) life overlapped with those of many other historical figures whom he influenced and whose influence, like his, continues to be felt today. A great feast for the mind!

Disovered Treasure

Mr. Burlingham deserves the serious and engaging review of his contributions to American society so adroitly recounted by George Martin. This book is absolutely terrific. And the question we must ask is are there any CCB's to be found in the future of America? We need them.