Time Present, Time Past: A Memoir

During his terms in the U.S. Senate, Bill Bradley won a national reputation for thoughtfulness, decency, and a willingness to take controversial positions on issues ranging from tax reform to the rights of Native Americans. All these qualities inform this best-selling memoir, in which Bradley assesses his political career and the experiences that shaped his convictions, and looks beyond them to consider the state of the American union on the eve of the 21st century. Time Present, Time Past offers an intimate portrait of the day-to-day working of the Senate: how legislation gets passed and sometimes thwarted; how money is raised and at what cost. But Bradley also writes about deeper questions: What does it means to be an American in an ago of dwindling opportunities and increasing inequality? How much can we expect from our public servants? What do we owe our fellow citizens? The result is a genuinely revelatory book, informed by intelligence, compassion, and unprecedented candor. First Edition-Signed By Author.One of the first pro-athlete-turned-politicians, Bill Bradley was also one of the few with bona fide intellectual credentials. A three-time All-American at Princeton, Bradley delayed his professional basketball career to spend two years at Oxford University on a Rhodes scholarship . Upon his return he joined the New York Knicks and played on their 1970 and 1973 championship teams. In 1978 he was elected to the U.S. Senate and served three terms. In January 1999 he announced his intention to run for president, aiming for the nomination from the Democratic Party. He was defeated in the 2000 primary elections by then Vice President Al Gore. The book has been autographed on the title page by Bill Bradley.