Between Worlds

Between Worlds: The Making of an American Life, by Bill Richardson (2005)

The current governor of New Mexico has only recently announced his intention to run for president but when he wrote this book with journalist Michael Ruby he was preparing for his second gubernatorial bid. He would go on to win the following year by a wide margin, having garnered praise from voters across the political spectrum for his conservative fiscal stance and his education proposals.

Born in California to an American father and a Mexican mother, Richardson never completely fit in with white kids or with the Mexicans with whom he grew up in Mexico City, but his is hardly a fish out of water story. In fact, the man seems to have excelled at most everything he’s tried save academics.

As late as his college days, the man who would go on to become Ambassador to the United Nations was a largely apolitical creature, preferring instead the thrill of the baseball diamond. He had become a star prospect until injuries to his pitching arm sidelined him. Though he wasn’t a terribly motivated student he did well enough to get to graduate school. After his schooling he made a calculated move to New Mexico, where he launched his political career.

The bulk of the book concerns Richardson’s trips abroad during his service in the U.S. House. The congressman faced tough negotiations with some of the world’s most notorious leaders, including Saddam Hussein and Fidel Castro. President Bill Clinton nominated him for ambassador and Richardson was later given the challenging assignment of Secretary of the Department of Energy.

The governor’s ego is evident in every chapter and he comes off as something of a braggart at times. He recounts butting heads with a number of figures, often fellow Democrats. He describes his often-public dustup with Democratic National Committee chair Terry McAuliffe as Richardson seems determined to keep himself and his state in the limelight, even though it ruffles some feathers. Through it all, he seems to enjoy the political game as much as the end result.

Richardson’s description of state politics hardly matches the excitement of the first half of the book and this makes for a somewhat anti-climactic reading experience. Even so, this gifted and determined politician has written a tale that many followers of politics will find very interesting. Recommended.