author
Clinton W. (Clinton Wallace) Gilbert
1871–1933
A sharp-eyed Washington correspondent, he turned political reporting into lively character sketches of the people behind power. His best-known books capture the mood, rivalries, and personalities of early 20th-century American politics.
2 Audiobooks
The Mirrors of Washington
by Clinton W. (Clinton Wallace) Gilbert, John Kirby
Behind the Mirrors: The Psychology of Disintegration at Washington
by Clinton W. (Clinton Wallace) Gilbert
About the author
Born in 1871 and identified in major library catalogs as Clinton W. (Clinton Wallace) Gilbert, he was an American journalist and political writer whose work focused on national public life. He is best remembered for writing about Washington with a mix of reporting, interpretation, and vivid portraiture.
His most widely known books include The Mirrors of Washington (1921), created with journalist John Kirby and illustrator Oscar Cesare, and Behind the Mirrors (1922). These works look past official titles and speeches to show the habits, ambitions, and personalities shaping politics in the capital.
Gilbert died in 1933. Though not as widely read today as some of his contemporaries, his books remain interesting snapshots of how Washington appeared to an observant insider during a turbulent period in American political history.