After 16 years in the Utah State Legislature, two of those as its speaker, and 18 years serving in Congress, Rob Bishop speaks with authority. When he says there are things he learned in Congress that weren’t taught in school, we should all sit up and pay attention. A veteran of 28 years in the classroom, Rob Bishop is still a master teacher, and all Americans could benefit by reading what he has written.  

Like the rest of us, my colleague Rob Bishop came to Washington with an academic understanding of government, but soon found reality differs from the textbooks. Written with Rob’s dry sense of humor, his book includes entertaining and fascinating details on what the Founders intended and contrasts that with how we have strayed away from the ideal. This book describes what Congress was supposed to be and what it could still become.

I arrived in the House just as Rob Bishop was departing, a mentor whose playbook I wish I’d had earlier. Rob’s insights into Federalism, both ‘vertical’ and ‘horizontal,’ are essential reading for any constitutional steward. His teachings serve as a guiding light, clarifying how Federalism protects our God-given freedoms and preserves our pursuit of happiness. Rob’s wisdom is an invaluable asset to those of us dedicated to upholding America’s founding principles.

As a homeschooler of four children for the past nine years, I believe Congressman Bishop’s book is an excellent book for homeschooling families to study as part of their curriculum for an in-depth understanding of Congress. It’s a great tool for parents, especially home schoolers to help our children understand the Constitution.  It’s a fun read!

Kudos to Rob for having the courage to “tell it like it is” with his usual scholarship and humor.  We should make it our mission to take him from being “the Best Congressman You’ve Never Heard Of” to the “most studied Congressman of our era.” It is an invaluable tool for teachers and parents to share with the up-and-coming generation.

I had the pleasure of shepherding Utah’s Congressional delegation to and from Washington D.C. for several years while with Delta Airlines, so I am well acquainted with them all. After reading Rep. Bishop’s memoir, I’m even more impressed with his grasp of the issues and the workings of our government – he would have been my favorite civics teacher!

Rob Bishop’s new book is an absolute delight. It is much more than a mere memoir of his years as a beloved teacher, state legislator and congressman. Bishop interlaces the vital importance of the constitutional principles that have made our country great. Through his entertaining anecdotes, Bishop teaches, clearly and persuasively, how our national government went off the rails and how it can get back on track.  

As governor, I saw firsthand how states rights and the power of the Federal government are out of balance. I served when Rob was in Congress. His memoir, outlines several examples of how this balance has undermined the authority of the state, especially in regards to public lands. Rob’s book is an eye-opening education for everybody to read. 

Having served with Rob in Congress, I know him to be not only wickedly smart, but also collaborative, jocular and a strategic thinker. He’s personally modest but an idealist, a well grounded, deep constitutional scholar Each contrasting characteristic is worth volumes and is why John Fund called him the BEST Congressman you NEVER HEARD of. This is a book well worth reading.