book tv recent visit to providence rhode island author and to the surprise when a journalist michael stanton talks about his book the prince of providence the rise and fall of america's most nefarious -- notorious mayor. >> it's the story of the body anthony, the longest serving mayor in rhode island history. he was lovable and had transformed the city in providence through a city that was rated in the publications and he also presided over the breathtaking corruption over three different decades that ultimately landed in the present and he's a very colorful character. i called him america's longest act because he would be in the city in the limousine he would have a cup of hot cut in one hand and a cigarette in the other and the key to the city when i set out to write a book about him he was the embodiment of american politics and he reflected providence as one of the oldest cities to embody the political story. then he grew up in kind of a privileged background brough and he grew up in a private school in the university and became a lawyer, she became a prosecutor in the democratic irish c

. >> from booktv's recent visit to providence, rhode island, michael stanton talks about his book, "theprince of providence." >> it is the story of the longest-serving mayor. one of the more colorful mayors that you will ever find in the country. he was the lovable rogue who helped city out. he is a very colorful character. i called him a [inaudible] , you'd have a cup of vodka in one hand and a cigarette and another hand. he would have the keys to the city and another hand. he was the embodiment of american politics. providence and the story of buddy cianci embodies the american story. he had a privileged american italian background. he grew up in an italian enclave in the city and he had a private school education near brown university. he became a lawyer, he became a prosecutor. he was in a democratic irish city and then he ran for mayor in the 1970s. and he basically upset the democratic machine and became this italian-american republican mayor in the 70s. he saw him as a way both democratic and republican. he had a special way about him. he was the guy that was seen as going places

booktv's recent visit to providence, rhode island, often approach a prize-winning journalist michael stantontalks about his book, "the prince of providence: the rise and fall of buddy cianci, america's most notorious mayor." >> the prince of providence as a store of trying to was our longest serving mayor in rhode island history and one of the most colorful does you'll find anywhere in the country. he was part huey long, part tony soprano. he was this lovable rogue who helped transform the dying city of providence into the city that was rated one of america's most livable by number of publications. and he also presided over corruption over three different decades that ultimate landed him in federal prison. and he's a very colorful character. i call him america's longest -- he would be flying about the city in a chauffeur driven limousine with a check -- he would have a cup of vodka in one hand and a cigarette in the other hand, and the keys to the city in the top of the car. he was really to me when i set out to write a book about him, he was very to me the embodiment of american politics. a