Perseverance: A Memoir

An entertaining, insightful, and revealing account of a man born into social prominence who dedicated his life to public service. A candid look behind the curtain at contemporary politics in the state and the nation. The scion of a legendary department store family, Mark Dayton could have chosen any profession. He grew up in an environment of business savvy and social largesse, inspired by the belief that great privilege demands social responsibility and community commitment—a belief that led him to a life in public service. In his own words, Perseverance tells Dayton’s life story, from his childhood in a dysfunctional household to his political awakening, his early life in politics, and his friendship with Senator Paul Wellstone, whose call, “We all do better when we all do better,” served as a lodestar for Dayton’s ongoing work. Readers follow Dayton from his first elected state office, to his time in the U.S. Senate, to his two terms as Minnesota’s governor. As pointed in his assessments of himself as in those of his colleagues, Dayton discusses mistakes as well as achievements.