Thomas Brackett Reed: The Gilded Age Speaker Who Made the Rules for American Politics

"Born in Portland, Maine in 1839, Thomas Brackett Reed-the man who gave us "Reed's Rules"-was one of the most consequential figures in the history of American politics. Reed served as Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1889 to 1891 and again from 1895 to 1899. During this time he exercised a legendary leadership role that transformed parliamentary procedure in the United States and dramatically increased the power of the Speaker. Reed established a new system of rules designed to curtail obstruction and allow the majority party to govern, thereby setting the terms for subsequent congressional politics. As a sensational politician he has inspired sensational responses, often resulting in one-sided perspectives. Drawing on extensive archival sources, Thomas Brackett Reed is the first scholarly and balanced portrait of this transcendent Speaker of the House, who has had an enduring legacy in congressional leadership and the American political system"--