In praise of … political almanacs

The appearance of the latest Almanac of American Politics is a moment of true joy for all political anoraks

- Editorial
- The Guardian, Wednesday 25 September 2013 17.45 EDT
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Michael Barone first published his Almanac of American Politics in 1972. It has appeared every two years since then, and Mr Barone is still at the helm 40 years on. The 2014 edition, which has just been published, is of the usual satisfying length (more than 1,880 pages in paperback) and erudition (pen pictures and political histories of every congressional district) that make the almanac the indispensable reference tool for anyone interested in US politics, even in the digital age. A British political almanac, edited by Robert Waller and inspired by Mr Barone, existed from 1983 to 2007; sadly it seems to have been discontinued. But like Wisden for cricket enthusiasts, the appearance of Mr Barone's latest almanac is a moment of true joy for all political anoraks. As the NBC political analyst Chuck Todd points out, real political junkies always get two copies of the almanac, one for the home and one for the office. What a sensible idea.