In 'Working,' Writer Robert Caro Explains His Process — And What Drives Him

Conan O'Brien once memorably described Robert Caro's sweeping series of biographies about Lyndon Baines Johnson as Harry Potter for adults. But perhaps the better comparison is the nonfiction version of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice And Fire.

Both series are epic narratives that tell the tale of political power grabs, court intrigue, and the surprising ways that petty jealousies and other personal feelings can influence the course of nations. Anyone who read about King Joffrey's reign in Martin's novels would nod appreciatively at Caro's often-repeated maxim that power doesn't necessarily corrupt, but that "power always reveals."

But let's not mince words. The main parallel between and is this: Fans get sucked into the story and then wait impatiently for years — decades! — for the next installment of the series to be written and published. Martin has repeatedly enraged his fans by writing sidebar projectscould open him up to the same type of barrages that Martin has regularly invited. It is, after all, the final installment covering the bulk of LBJ's White House years.