In 192 pages and with no footnotes, this is not a book which will tell you all you may want to know about Al Smith. But it tells his story well, and shows that up thru 1928 Al Smith was a progressive and able statesman. After 1932 the author admits that he appeared to have lost his empathy for the people he had done so much for. There are poignant passages in the book, including the account of the funeral in 1944, according to this book attended by 200,000 people--which seems hard to believe. If you want a more thorough study of the subject, I recommend Empire Statesman: The Rise and Redemption of Al Smith, by Robert A. Slayton.