The Education of a Senator

“For decades, Lamar Alexander was not just an astute observer of some of the most important moments in our nation’s history, but an important participant in them. In this revealing and highly entertaining memoir, he takes inside those vital times. Historians will long rely on his insights to understand these critical years for America.” – Karl Rove, Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff to President George W. Bush“To read Lamar Alexander’s vivid and surprising memoir is to be in conversation with a man who knows how to tell a great story—and who has given his life to a country that needs to hear what he has to say.” – Jon Meacham, Author of Destiny and Power“For eighteen years, there has been Lamar Alexander, and there’s been the rest of us…[he is] hands-down one of the most brilliant, most thoughtful, and most effective legislators any of us have ever seen.” – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch MConnell, December 2, 2020“What a wonderful and refreshing memoir! It reminds us of the not-too-distant past when people got to know opposing politicians and their views, searched for ways to compromise, and never forgot the profound responsibility of citizenship in a democratic society. Lamar Alexander has been that gift to us—a dedicated, civil servant more interested in getting things done and improving the lives of others than in grabbing the headlines, bashing an opponent, or participating in the partisanship that seems to suffocate today’s politics. This is a reminder of what a great man, committed to virtue and reason, can accomplish. Bravo! – Ken Burns, Filmmaker“Self-effacing, often humorous, but in the end a valuable operating manual for a politics that once worked.” – Kirkus Reviews

Lamar Alexander is recognized as a principled and effective statesman. During his tenure as a US Senator, he played a key role in enacting significant legislation impacting K–12 education, medical innovation, and the preservation of national parks.

As governor of Tennessee, Alexander was instrumental in attracting the auto industry to the state and pioneered a system to reward teachers for effective instruction. He also held leadership positions as chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, chairman of the nation’s governors, and chairman of President Reagan’s “Commission on Americans Outdoors.” His public service also includes roles as US Education Secretary and university president.

Known for his distinctive campaign style in a plaid shirt, Alexander also showcased his musical talent by performing on the piano with twenty-seven symphonies and at the Grand Ole Opry. He is an alumnus of Vanderbilt University and New York University Law School.

Alexander and his late wife, Honey, were married for fifty-four years and had four children and nine grandchildren. He is the son of teachers and a seventh-generation Tennessean. He currently resides in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains near Maryville, where he grew up. This is his tenth book, all authored by himself.