Jonathan Brown

I have known Jonathan Brown, professionally and personally, for more than thirty years, first in Washington DC and then when he moved to Sacramento and worked in the legislative/state policy arena and in the private university world. He is without question one of the smartest and most interesting people I have ever had the good luck to call a friend. When he told me he was writing a memoir I was eager to see the results and read it. I am pleased to report that it’s an interesting and arresting book. And if the title itself doesn’t catch your eye, then I can’t help you.

There’s a bit of everything in it. It begins with an ancestor for whom he was named, who came west for the gold rush, like so many other young men. Other forbears are also mentioned, and their exploits chronicled. I wish that I had the detail on my great and great great grandparents that Jonathon has excavated and included in the book.

The second part is a more modern focus, this time on his life in Washington and mostly California. Jonathan did not do things in a small way. Years ago, when running became fashionable, although not by nature a skilled athlete he took up the sport. He quickly progressed from neighborhood 10K races to 50-mile ones. This is not an achievement available without a significant time and mental fiber commitment, but he did well in this highly challenging subset of the running world. In so doing, he also contributed to keeping Nike going as a profitable concern.

Finally, he draws on his life in politics and, well, in life to offer some interesting conclusions about our society and its traits, trends, values, and peculiarities. His conclusions about the wisdom of markets vs bureaucrats seem especially on point to me, as I have been both. He also cleverly notes that the “glass half full or glass half empty” question is not the appropriate interrogatory to ask. Given his belief in the adaptability of humans, he argues persuasively that the glass is refillable. Darn, I wish I had thought to say that.

I recommend this book strongly, as it is well written, thoughtful, and funny. You will learn things that you never thought would interest you, but in Jonathan’s capable hands they do indeed..