Barney Frank - Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage

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Angelico Hall, Dominican University
Tickets: $35 (includes signed book)

In Conversation with Dr. Mary Marcy

How did a disheveled, intellectually combative gay Jew with a thick New Jersey–Massachusetts accent become one of the most effective politicians of his time?

In Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage, a candid and witty political memoir, Barney Frank relates his journey from the outskirts of New York City to Boston’s city hall and the Massachusetts legislature, and then to the U.S. Congress, where he played a vital role in the struggle for personal freedom and economic fairness for more than four decades. With his trademark directness and insight, Frank explores the emotional toll of living in the closet and how he became the first member of Congress to voluntarily disclose his homosexuality. And he chronicles his lifelong struggle against inequality, which culminated in cowriting the most significant Wall Street regulations since the Great Depression. He also demonstrates how he used his rhetorical skills to expose his opponents' hypocrisies and delusions, and details the endless favors, grudges, and fears that compose a legislator’s career. From the Clinton impeachment to the economic meltdown of 2008 to the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Frank’s words and deeds mattered, and Frank shows why. Here is a guide to how political change really happens—composed by a master of the art—and a testament to how Democrats, if they reject purism and passivity, can rebuild trust in an active government.

Barney Frank represented the Fourth Congressional District of Massachusetts for nearly five decades, and chaired the House Financial Services Committee from 2007 to 2013. He is the first member of congress to enter a same-sex marriage while serving in office. He is a regular commentator on MSNBC and lives near Portland, Maine, with his husband.

A political scientist, President Mary Marcy earned her Doctorate of Philosophy and Master of Philosophy from the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on women in American politics, and she has published extensively on issues of diversity, leadership, and strategy in higher education. Born and raised in western Nebraska, President Marcy received her Bachelor of Arts with honors from the University of Nebraska. She became Dominican University of California’s ninth President on July 1, 2011.

Location: 

Angelico Hall, Dominican University
50 Acacia Avenue
San Rafael, CA 94941