Philip Hoff:  How Red Turned Blue in the Green Mountain State, Samuel B. Hand, Anthony Marro, and Stephen C. Terry, 2011 

A fascinating portrait of Vermont’s Governor from 1962-1968, the first Democrat elected in over 100 years and the first three term governor of VT ever.  Hoff grew up in Turners Falls, MA and after public high school attended Williams where his four years were interrupted by military service in the Navy in WWII.  He went to Cornell Law School after marrying and then joined a practice in Burlington, VT. After 10 years there he was elected to the Board of Selectmen and then the State House in 1960, joining a group of well educated, young, progressive Young Turks.  His governorships were characterized by a huge shift in VT’s politics and government as the 250 member House (one town/one member) moved to a one man/one vote model and the Democratic Party was reborn.  Major changes in VT’s demographics, transportation, dairy farming, tourism and education led or followed Hoff’s initiatives to reform and remake government for the 20th C.  A drinking problem and his tendency to speak honestly led to a failed Senate race in 1970.  Hoff, still alive and alert at 90, was to have had lunch with Jeff, Shep, Perez and me last week, but Jeff’s health led to a cancellation.  Would be great to meet the man.