A Long Time Coming

I’ll admit, I approached *A Long Time Coming* skeptical of yet another ‘inside baseball’ election book, but Thomas’s focus on the *physical and psychological* grind of campaigning makes it feel fresh—almost like a survival manual. The chapter on primary-season sleep deprivation (candidates averaging 4-5 hours a night for *months*) had me wincing; Erdody’s delivery here is particularly effective, his voice dropping into a exhausted rasp that mirrors the subject matter. The audiobook excels in its granular details: the way a candidate’s handshake changes after the 500th event, the quiet panic when a joke bombs in Iowa, the staffers who cry in supply closets. It’s these moments—not the poll numbers—that stick with you. That said, the book’s laser focus on the *process* over the *people* can feel limiting. Thomas name-drops plenty of candidates, but we rarely get deep into their personal lives or what drove them to run in the first place. And while Erdody’s narration is mostly excellent, his cadence occasionally flattens during data-heavy sections (like fundraising breakdowns), making my attention wander. Still, the production is clean—no distracting edits or volume spikes—and the runtime is ideal for a weekend listen. If you’re fascinated by the *machine* of American politics more than the ideologies, this is a masterclass. Just don’t expect to feel inspired—only exhausted, and weirdly respectful of anyone who survives the gauntlet.