Books Set in the United States: Washington, D.C.

A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership, by James Comey (2018)

I don’t generally read books by celebrities or political figures.  I was browsing in the library and A Higher Loyalty, by James Comey was on display.  I decided to give the book a try.

The book is very well written.  Also, Comey has a huge ego, which he acknowledges, and seems to rarely make mistakes.  He did bully a fellow classmate while in college, which he now acknowledges, but still regrets that event.  He also acknowledges that his has a reputation for being sanctimonious, so tries to humanize himself by recounting traumatic events in his life.  His interest in law enforcement began when he was in high school and was a victim of an armed burglary in his home.

A Higher Loyalty outlines Comey’s career in law enforcement from his days as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York.  While there, he worked under Rudy Giuliani, whose leadership style he disagrees.  He was a prosecutor for the Mafia, and learned about how the mob mind worked.  He would later compare President Trump’s leadership to how the mob bosses operated.

After working in the public sector, we went to work in the private sector.  It seems his motive is money, as he bemoans that the salary for a government worker was insufficient to cover costs of his growing family.  This seems somewhat insulting, considering he was in high enough positions to make more money than many Americans.

After Obama became president, Comey returned to government as the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  He was confirmed in that position in 2013, and knowing that the term for FBI Director is for 10 years, expected to last through 2023.

Comey describes the characteristics that make a person a great leader.  He describes steps he took to create a pleasant work environment for his employees despite the often stressful tasks of the job.

The last few chapters of the book describe the FBI’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s email debacle, and the subsequent election of President Trump. He describes his encounters with the new president and the awkwardness he felt in his meetings with the president.

Comey gave a lot of insight into the function of the office of the United States Attorney and the FBI.  It was a fun and quick read.

Read: June 3, 2018

4 Stars