As the subtitle implies, this book collects about a dozen portraits of the DC elite. Good stuff.

About half of the profiles seemed (to me) kind of unremarkable; they provide capable, workmanlike confirmations of the subjects’ already-established personas, with extra insight and detail at the margins. The Atwater profile, for instance, doesn’t really offer any fresh perspective on the man’s essential traits: he’s intense, amoral, bored with policy—and delighted by his own dark reputation. Still, there are plenty of illuminating tidbits—Atwater apparently possessed a “nervous electricity of gesture”—and the writing is a genuine delight; at one point, Williams refers to her subject’s “funky white-trash wickedness.”

Actually, maybe I’m being a little unfair. Most of these profiles come from the (H. W.) Bush and Clinton eras, which were both before my time. It’s possible that the now-conventional wisdom about Williams’ subjects was strongly shaped by these very articles; in that case, their instant familiarity is really just a testament to the author’s skill. Maybe no one fully captured Atwater until Williams decided to write about him.

Anyway, even the least revelatory profiles are worth reading simply for the enjoyment that they provide. What really makes the book, though, are the handful of standouts—the four or five (or six) chapters in which Williams challenges or modifies or simply breaks down the conventional wisdom; by the end of each profile, she always comes up with some piercing, new, and fundamental insight. It’s always brilliantly reasoned and thoroughly supported, too; I read the whole book with a very critical eye, and I never once felt that the author was out on a limb. The pieces on James Baker, Terry McAuliffe, and Anna Quindlen are all masterful; by the end, each has emerged as a complete and intelligible character. If you imagine a situation, you can just about guess how they’d behave.

Additionally, I want to emphasize that Williams understands politics every bit as well as she understands people. These aren’t just miniature biographies or character studies; they’re also, as the title suggests, shrewd analyses of the subjects’ reputations. If you’ve ever wondered why people like Colin Powell, well, Williams has the answer. It’s brilliant, it’s utterly convincing, and I think it’s held up really well in light of subsequent events.

If you’re at all interested in politics or public image—or even if you just want to see what people look like in the eyes of a really canny observer—read this book! ( )

I'm not sure I've read any of Marjorie Williams' political profiles until now. I found the profiles incredibly interesting and enlightening, although a bit dated. Her husband who compiled these essays does a nice job of filling in some of the details but there are some figures whose current story isn't fleshed out as well as that contained in the essay. The Colin Powell essay is a prime example. There are some who really don't seem to be on the political stage any longer but the name rings a bell, such as Lee Atwater. It was nice to learn more of his history and influence on American politics. In spite of all this, I think it is a worthwhile read on the study of reputation building, and most importantly, maintaining. A person can spend all their life building a reputation only to have it dashed upon the rocks of the media by one wrong decision or even a deceitful, dualistic life - not walking the walk they talk. ( )

Marjorie Williams wrote these pieces for the Washington Post and Vanity Fair in the 1980's and 1990's and it is a testament to her own reputation that she had insider access without really seeming like a typical inside-the-beltway writer. She captures the humanity and personalities of people who are more like figureheads to most people, and she has compassion for them while also finding humor in their lives and circumstances. Her portrayals were very interesting even to me, a former Washingtonian who at some point lost interest in many of these movers and shakers because many have big egos and an unnatural need for attention. I have to admit her portraits changed this view a bit. I would have loved to have her take on current politics. Her other book of essays, A Woman at the Washington Zoo is excellent as well. ( )

I recommend this book for several reasons. Marjorie Williams has a journalistic style that is thorough,candid and approachable. This collection of essays, released posthumously, remain timely and relevant in today's political climate. The subjects she chose were important not only in their heyday, but remain so because the groundwork they laid remains relevant, politically and culturally, for women and men. Her close scrutiny of the lives of political figures of the 80's and 90's provides the reader with detail and drama. Instead of a dry sampling of powerful individuals, Williams provides us with relevant details, revealing anecdotes and witty personal observations.

Of Larry King, often maligned for his callous disregard for the sanctity of marriage,Williams describes him as "...a man whose best friend has observed that he marries so often he has rice scars." Still Williams uncovers the less obvious aspects of King's life, finding him "unexpectedly pink" and allowing the reader a more sensitive view of the man who sees marriage as a carnival ride.

Most of her "portraits" though, are of political figures. Those that are not reveal some of the more powerful voices of the 80's and the 90's, not unlike herself. Much of Williams' writing seems to contain information that is less well-known and therefore observations and conclusions that are uniquely hers.

While Williams' approaches each profile as a journalist, providing well-researched, thorough background information, it is her sense of humor that gives each subject the honest appeal of a memoir. In fact, I look forward to finding a copy of her memoir, "The Woman At the Washington Zoo" and suggest LT readers pick up a copy , too. ( )

Marjorie Williams has given us an album of elegant snapshots of Washington power players from an era that seems somehow both distant and close at hand. When historians chronicle that time, they'll be grateful a writer whose perception was so discerning and whose prose was so exquisite was there to observe it. ( )