Robert Caro’s fourth volume of his biography of US President Lyndon Johnson was borrowed 11 times. US critic Erik Nelson noted that “in some wonky circles” the release of a new Caro biography “is heralded like the Summer of Love release of Sgt Peppers.” His work is a favourite of George Osborne, William Hague and Michael Gove, the latter reading the entire third volume while waiting for his wife to give birth.