Against the Grain is the political and spiritual memoir of Sen. Mark O. Hatfield, the most progressive politician in the Republican Party since Abraham Lincoln. Against the Grain details his opposition to the Vietnam war, successful drafting of the Soviet-American nuclear freeze legislation with Democrat Sen. Ted Kennedy, and his strong stands of conscience on health reform, the death penalty, and the balanced budget amendment that typically ran counter to the Republican mainstream. This eloquent memoir also lays out Hatfield's spirituality, the source of his stands of conscience, as well as reflections on creating a new revolution in American politics and society.

In this informative . . . autobiography, former five-term U.S. Senator Hatfield traces the origins of his political and religious beliefs, and the various tests of these faiths encountered in a remarkably long political career. Raised in Depression-era Oregon, Hatfield learned early the Populist values of that peculiarly progressive state and came to view poverty as "arguably the most prevalent violence in our society." . . . In his political career, Hatfield . . . became a determined defender of the powerless and an ardent opponent of military folly, especially that of the Vietnam war. Much of the book deals with his early and persistent opposition to that war and the pressures he faced from constituents, colleagues, and presidents because of this stance. Hatfield also writes, in a direct yet quiet way, of the strong religious faith that has served him throughout his life, and allowed him to view political opponents not as enemies but as friends with whom he simply disagreed. Not surprisingly, then, he is also critical of the current political culture of "partisanship, misuse of power, and the marketing of politics." . . . [I]t is . . . refreshing and instructive, in this jaded political era, to read the memoirs of an elder statesman who put principle above party, and the well-being of the community above that of his career.
Publishers Weekly

Hatfield's memoir . . . is first and foremost a love letter to the state of Oregon. For Hatfield, the Oregon spirit means an independence of mind and a love for the pioneer spirit he discovered in his own parents. . . . The message of Against the Grain is that Hatfield's convictions are strong and that they guided him thorugh the many policy debates in his years of office. Whether it was his pro-life stance on abortion, his opposition to the balanced budget amendment in 1995, or his leadership in the nucleear-freeze movement of the early 1980s, Hatfield consulted his ethical compass and stood fast. . . AGAINST THE GRAIN is a wonderful book for those wanting to better know the longest-serving U.S. senator in Oregon history. The chapters are written like separate classroom lectures or sermons; they stand on their own, and they sho how Hatfield reasoned his way through many important
issues.
The Oregonian

AGAINST THE GRAIN is an unusual book for a politician. The reader never gets the idea that the author is spinning information or attempting to put himself in a good light. On the contrary. The book is pointedly honest. Still, it might disappoint those who are looking for sensationalism. There are no stories of enemies, no political dirt. The book sets out to help the reader understand the man.
The Statesman Journal

AGAINST THE GRAIN is among this season's more notable political books. It is an unusually candid memoir that reminds us tht the politics of honor are still alive in this country.
The Chicago Sun Times

Distinguished Praise for Sen. Mark Hatfield: "No matter whether you agree with him or not, everyone who has had the pleasure of serving with him knows that Mark Hatfield is a man of integrity and that his word is his bond." Sen. Bob Dole

"He has lived his convictions as well as anyone I have ever known in public life. Because he has always tried to love his enemies, he has no enemies. This town is the poorer for his leaving but the richer for his legacy." President Bill Clinton

Memoir/Politics
6 X 9, 256 pages

$25.95 Cloth Sale price: $22.06
(Autographed Leather Bound Limited Edition: $60)

ISBN
1-883991-36-6

* Reflections on politics and life from one of the country's most distinguished and respected political figures