Overview

For decades, Richard Ravitch has been a major presence in pivotal aspects of New York's politics and business life. In this fascinating memoir he brings together the stories of what he did and saw, explains the lessons he learned, and makes us see why so many of them are relevant to the serious fiscal problems facing cities and states across the nation.

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9781610390910

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Wall Street Journal Mr. Ravitch's recommended solutions to the fiscal problems of America's cities--government transparency and public education--are elusive. But the rest of the country would doubtless benefit from having more scrupulous civic leaders like Mr. Ravitch. New York Times So Much to Do gracefully synthesizes a serendipitous memoir illustrating the education of a public man; an enlightening, prescriptive citizen's manual into making government work; and a passionate 'ode to democracy' (as Mr. Ravitch's friend Paul A. Volcker calls it in his blurb on the back cover) into a remarkably accessible book. Weekly Standard Richard Ravitch is an extraordinary man. He's an intelligent, indefatigable, honest, honorable, accessible, and personable fellow who, for 45 years, has played a key role in rescuing New York's jerrybuilt fiscal structure from its own failings. Yes, that's my personal opinion of the man who has just written this autobiography, aptly titled So Much to Do; but it's an opinion broadly shared by New Yorkers caught up in the political life of the city and state over nearly half of a century. Detriot Free Press For hints and striking parallels to the current drama in Detroit...So Much to Do: A Full Life of Business, Politics, and Confronting Fiscal Crises-- is chock-full of insider tales of the wrangling among politicians, powerful Wall Street financiers and labor unions in New York. The Bond Buyer In So Much to Do, his narrative includes the thrill of experiencing first-hand the I've Got a Dream speech by Martin Luther King speech in August 1963 and the chill of New York's banking leaders telling him point-blank in May 1975 that they would no longer underwrite the city's bonds and notes...The book also shines a light on major New York players, political and otherwise, Ravitch worked with over 35 years, including Mayor Ed Koch, governors Hugh Carey and Mario Cuomo, and even Yankees owner George Steinbrenner...Ravitch to this day relishes life as an independent thinker. --Paul Volcker So Much to Do--an apt description of Dick Ravitch's life. It's been a New York life, filled with personal, business, and most of all energetic response to civic challenges. But the book is much more than that. It's a call for action to a nation consumed by discord, doubting its capacity to act, failing to provide trusted leadership at home or abroad. The Ravitch saga tells a different story--the ability of our political leaders to reconcile their differences in the face of crises, to act together with imagination, to accept financial discipline, and to build for a flourishing future. So Much to Do is truly an ode to democracy in action, with a spirited affirmation of the personal satisfaction that can be found in public service.

Wall Street Journal Mr. Ravitch's recommended solutions to the fiscal problems of America's cities--government transparency and public education--are elusive. But the rest of the country would doubtless benefit from having more scrupulous civic leaders like Mr. Ravitch. Weekly Standard Richard Ravitch is an extraordinary man. He's an intelligent, indefatigable, honest, honorable, accessible, and personable fellow who, for 45 years, has played a key role in rescuing New York's jerrybuilt fiscal structure from its own failings. Yes, that's my personal opinion of the man who has just written this autobiography, aptly titled So Much to Do; but it's an opinion broadly shared by New Yorkers caught up in the political life of the city and state over nearly half of a century. --Paul Volcker So Much to Do--an apt description of Dick Ravitch's life. It's been a New York life, filled with personal, business, and most of all energetic response to civic challenges. But the book is much more than that. It's a call for action to a nation consumed by discord, doubting its capacity to act, failing to provide trusted leadership at home or abroad. The Ravitch saga tells a different story--the ability of our political leaders to reconcile their differences in the face of crises, to act together with imagination, to accept financial discipline, and to build for a flourishing future. So Much to Do is truly an ode to democracy in action, with a spirited affirmation of the personal satisfaction that can be found in public service.

So Much to Do--an apt description of Dick Ravitch's life. It's been a New York life, filled with personal, business, and most of all energetic response to civic challenges. But the book is much more than that. It's a call for action to a nation consumed by discord, doubting its capacity to act, failing to provide trusted leadership at home or abroad. The Ravitch saga tells a different story--the ability of our political leaders to reconcile their differences in the face of crises, to act together with imagination, to accept financial discipline, and to build for a flourishing future. So Much to Do is truly an ode to democracy in action, with a spirited affirmation of the personal satisfaction that can be found in public service. --Paul Volcker

Author Information

Richard Ravitch has been chairman of the New York State Urban Development Corporation, chairman of HRH Construction Corporation, chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, chairman of the Bowery Savings Bank, lieutenant governor of the State of New York, and co-chair, with Paul Volcker, of the task force on the state budget crisis. He lives in New York City.

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