Having read these books I think there are two ways to look at it. On one hand, in Means of Ascent you see how LBJ became a congressman against terrific odds by

Having read these books I think there are two ways to look at it. On one hand, in Means of Ascent you see how LBJ became a congressman against terrific odds by sheer force of will, brains, and excellent advisors / supporters. On the other hand, you see that later in life he either takes fewer risks or is more complacent by the time of the 1960 presidential campaign. The democratic nomination was his to lose, and if he had pushed for it he would have gotten it, not Kennedy. So if LBJ had lost that Senate race in 1948, which aspect of his character would dominate? What is so great about those books is how they reveal the complexity of an individual's character.