The Pulitzer Prize winning novel Advise and Consent begins when the president of the United States nominates a controversial and well-known liberal, and possible communist sympathizer, to be the new Secretary of State before the Senate can advise and consent to this nomination.

Before we start our conversation, let me tell you a little bit about Advise and Consent published by Allen Drury in 1959.

Glad to be here.įrank: And now onto our show. This week's novel conversations is about the novel Advise and Consent by Allen Drury and I’m joined by our Novel Conversations readers, Katie Smith and Peter Toomey. So, if you love hearing a good story, you’re in the right place. We introduce you to the characters, we tell you what happens to them, and we read from the book along the way. For each episode of Novel Conversations, I talk to two readers about one book and together, we summarize the story for you. I’m Frank Lavallo and this is Novel Conversations, a podcast about the world’s greatest stories. Forty years on, Advise and Consent is the only book of this genre that a literary-minded person really ought to read.' The novel was adapted into the 1962 film Advise and Consent, directed by Otto Preminger and starring Walter Pidgeon and Henry Fonda.Frank: Hello and welcome. The use of a racy intrigue, if possible involving both sex and foreign policy, is what characterizes the contemporary form. The Saturday Review said of Advise and Consent in August 1959 that 'It may be a long time before a better one comes along.' Roger Kaplan of Policy Review wrote in 1999 that the novel 'in many ways invented a genre in fiction. A very nice association, uncommon in the first edition and signed. Good in a good price-clipped dust jacket. Byrd is also the only West Virginian to have served in both chambers of the state legislature and both chambers of Congress. Senate to have served during the presidency ofÂDwight Eisenhower and he was the last remaining member of Congress to have served during the presidency ofÂHarry S. SenatorÂin history he was theÂlongest-serving memberÂin the history of theÂUnited States CongressÂuntil surpassed by RepresentativeÂJohn DingellÂofÂMichigan Âhe was the last remaining member of the U.S. RepresentativeÂfor six years, from 1953 until 1959. A member of theÂDemocratic Party, Byrd also served as aÂU.S. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, 'For Senator Byrd with friendship and best regards Allen Drury.' The recipient, Richard Byrd was an American politician who served as aÂUnited States SenatorÂfromÂWest VirginiaÂfor over 51 years, from 1959 until his death in 2010. First edition of the author's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.