Book Review

The book that I had the pleasure of reading in order to help prepare for my

Senior Project is entitled Local Politics: A Practical Guide to Governing at the

Grassroots by Terry Christensen and Tom Hogan-Esch. It was styled like a textbook

one might read in a government class, however it certainly never read like a boring old

textbook! It was decently important in helping me to ready myself for my experience in

working at City Hall, as it helped to layout all important aspects of local government. I,

for example, didnt know much about City Council, or how it worked, or what at-large

councilmembers are, however after reading that book, I felt much more confident with

my knowledge heading into my project. I learned about the various positions associated

with local government, so that whenever someone passed by and my mentor informed

me of their position, I would in fact understand the significance of their job. Another

important area in which reading the book came especially handy was when listening to

discussions about political races, particularly concerning the victory of Larry Krasner for

District Attorney. During my second day in City Hall, I sat between the Councilwoman

and my mentor as they discussed Krasners win, and how it may affect the various

balances of power within the government. I was able to understand the ramifications of

his win within the scope of the discussion that the Councilwoman and my mentor

engaged in, and the reasons that it will induce change in the Citys power structure,

because I read that book. Something that the book stressed that I saw play out during

my project was how careful politicians are regarding optics. My mentor confirmed what

the book had stated -that image is everything- and I saw firsthand how careful all
politicians, not just Councilwoman Sanchez, are to both cultivate and preserve their

pristine images. I am happy that I read this book, as it certainly helped me prepare for

journey into the bowels of Philadelphia Government.