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The title says it all – or most of it anyway. Stuart Weisberg's new book, "Barney Frank, The Story of America's Only Left-Handed, Gay, Jewish Congressman," captures Frank's unique identity in the title and illustrates his well-known wit throughout its pages.

Weisberg, a Bethesda resident, first met Frank in the summer of 1971 when both were working for Michael J. Harrington, then a congressman from Massachusetts. Frank was Harrington's chief of staff and Weisberg was an intern.

Weisberg fondly remembers Frank showing up the first day on the job wearing a suit and sneakers with bright green laces. Frank explained that he had packed all his belongings in his car for the drive from Boston to Washington, and could not find his dress shoes.

The two have since maintained a friendship, and Weisberg worked for Frank in the mid-1980s as staff director and chief counsel for the Government Operations Subcommittee on Employment and Housing.

The book not only covers Frank's political career, but also his childhood, his path to political power, his decision to come out of the closet and his public sex scandal involving a male prostitute.

"Although this book is an admiring biography of Barney Frank, it shows warts and everything," Weisberg writes in the preface. "It does not skirt any issue or controversy and there is no airbrushing of events.

"The story is not always told as Barney might like it."

Indeed, Frank made a comment to that effect at a recent book signing, where he appeared alongside Weisberg. Asked about his reaction to the book, Weisberg recalls Frank answering, "If I had written the book, I'd have been a little nicer to me."

Weisberg says Frank has indicated that he has no plans to write a memoir, so in a way, this is that memoir. That, the author concludes, is perhaps why Frank was so open with him about the ups and downs of his life and career.

"I think that's his nature," he says of Frank's candor.

According to Weisberg, Frank's sharp mind and quick wit not only make what he says more memorable, but also tend to disarm people. Frank's biting humor effectively points out hypocrisy in any given situation as well.

His wit, however, is only one of Frank's obvious personal traits.

"Barney," writes Weisberg, "has a well-deserved reputation for being abrupt, impatient, rude, and sometimes infuriating."

Frank is not one to engage in pleasantries; instead , he is hell bent on getting his daily agenda accomplished, writes Weisberg. In a particularly funny anecdote, Weisberg recalls one of Frank's more memorable social missteps.

"In May, 2007," Weisberg writes, "Barney ruptured a tendon in his left arm using a curling machine in the gym and had to have it surgically repaired. As a result, his arm was in a sling for a few weeks. Growing impatient at having to explain to colleagues why his arm was in a sling and wasting time by having to repeat the same conversation, he sent out a ‘Dear Colleague' letter (a communication that is distributed to every member of the House) explaining what happened. He ended the letter with ‘Thank you for not asking.'"

Weisberg believes Frank is driven by a commitment to improving the world with a focus on fighting poverty and discrimination.

"He's a very complex person," says Weisberg. "It's a very colorful life and career that he's had in Congress."

Frank has broken down a lot of barriers, Weisberg says, and he is certainly a gay icon.

"His political career has really paralleled the rise of the gay rights movement," Weisberg says.

Weisberg spent six years on the book, during which time he interviewed more than 150 people. Writing a biography is not like writing fiction; it is far more time consuming, he says. Not only did he set up interviews, prepare for, conduct, tape and transcribe them, he also spent more than 30 hours interviewing Frank. He did all of this while working his day job as a labor relations attorney for Montgomery County.

"Sleep is vastly overrated," he says with a laugh.

The original manuscript was some 900 pages, which Weisberg says he had to cut nearly in half to get it to its published length of just over 500 pages.

Many a Saturday was spent poring over Congressional transcripts at the Library of Congress. He often found himself laughing out loud at something Frank had said during a session.

This book, says Weisberg, is written to appeal to a broad audience and isn't just for political junkies, Democrats, or gay or Jewish people.

"Because it's so entertaining, it has an appeal to most people who want to be entertained," he explains.

Although the project was a lot of work, Weisberg says it was inspiring to write about such a dynamic and tireless subject.

"On the whole, it was a great adventure and I enjoyed every moment of the ride," Weisberg says.

Still, he has no plans to write another book.

"I'd be quite pleased and happy to be a one-hit wonder."

"Barney Frank, The Story of America's Only Left-Handed, Gay, Jewish Congressman" is available for purchase at Barnes & Noble, Borders and at Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, D.C.