At a reception for a visiting Japanese prime minister held at the White House in 1981, Alexander Haig, recently confirmed as secretary of state, greeted Hawaii Sen. Sparky Matsunaga in the receiving line. Thinking that Matsunaga was a member of the Japanese delegation, Haig asked if he spoke English. Sparky replied, "Yes, Mr. Secretary, I do -- and I had the honor of voting for your confirmation the other day."
The anecdote is classic Matsunaga. It shows his confidence, his quiet sense of humor, his understated presence and his ability to put himself at the center of Washington politics. Those traits are on display on virtually every page of "Sparky: Warrior, Peacemaker, Poet, Patriot," a biography by Richard Halloran, veteran Asia hand who served as a correspondent for the New York Times (among others) and who now contributes to The Japan Times.
Matsunaga's life is an engrossing tale. To tell it properly, Halloran must be a biographer, historian, political analyst and sociologist. Fortunately, he delivers on all counts.
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