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Truman (1993)

Truman (1993)

Book Info

Rating
4.26 of 5 Votes: 3
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ISBN
0671869205 (ISBN13: 9780671869205)
Language
English
Publisher
simon & schuster

About book Truman (1993)

The only thing I knew about Harry Truman before reading this book was a recollection of the famous picture of him holding up a newspaper that read "Dewey Defeats Truman." I am amazed at Truman's hard work, integrity, and love of people. He wasn't perfect, of course, but there is much in this book to inspire. I never fully understood his contributions to the post-WWII world, such as the Marshall Plan, the Truman doctrine, containment of atomic bomb, containment of the Cold War, or his courageous decision to champion civil rights more than any president since Abraham Lincoln (up to Truman's time). He was consistently honest, courageous, loyal, and down-to-earth. He loved the "common guy" and championed labor, medicine, and education for all, even when these things were not popular. He wasn't afraid to be unpopular if it meant doing what was right. He was true to his friends and true to his wife. Most all who really knew him couldn't help but fall in love with his optimism, love of life, and kindness (visited one of his secret service agent's wives in the hospital after she had a baby-- he was kind, interested in all his staff).His early life was interesting-- he had been through many disappointments but never stopped working hard, trying, or being optimistic. Interesting to see how he was raised as well-- with lots of books and love. A real endorsement of the American Dream to watch this farm boy go on to change the world.In his adult life, his work ethic, devotion to family and friends, morality, optimism, courage, and ability to love and work for the common man were exemplary. It was said ego never got in his way, and pride or vanity didn't influence his decisions, but he did what he felt was right.He had his flaws, and these are treated as candidly in the book as Truman treated them in real life. He never seemed to have anything to hide. (One famous flaw was his notoriously colorful language, supposedly picked up serving in WWI)Interesting to see the difference between his personality and Roosevelt's-- whom he replaced. I left with an added respect for Truman and a lessening in my respect for Roosevelt (he had been one of my favorite presidents before reading this book).It made me sad that the press and the country were so hard on him at times, and also that history has largely left him behind in favor of those who did play the political games. Amazing how not playing the games, not being a flashy or wealthy or vain president actually hurt his publicity in the long and short run, yet not, in my estimation, when one knows all the facts, as I now do!I found this book just as inspirational and informative as McCullough's other books, yet this one did bog down in the middle. He still displays the gift for storytelling, yet its not quite as riveting as some of his other books. I found myself wishing he had abridged this a bit (992 pages--whew!), but when one considers the amount of work he put into this book, its length is forgivable. He spent 10 years writing this and delving into the massive amount of information available (1300 letters from Truman to his wife alone in a 30 year stretch). He also interviewed Truman's daughter and others who worked with Truman. Considering the subject and McCullough's work and talents I'd say the Pulitzer he received for his writing is well justified.Inspiring and informative book.

I’m still trying to finish my 52 Books Around the USA Challenge for 2013. With only a handful of books left, I’m eager to get through them and move on to the 2014 challenge. And my Missouri pick, Truman, all 1117 pages of it, kept staring at me from the bookshelf. Okay. I admit I have been putting this off. It’s big. It’s intimidating. And was Harry S. Truman all that interesting of a President? The answer, I soon found out, was yes!I challenged myself to read it next, and I wasn’t disappointed. It took me almost three weeks, but I should have known that David McCullough could not write a book that wouldn’t interest me. Did I mention it won the Pulitzer?From the background of Truman’s family (which the genealogist in me adored), to his early political career, I enjoyed getting to know Harry S. Truman, personable and heroic bookworm. He had old family values – took care of his loved ones, got a good education and gave back to his country and community. And if that’s not interesting enough for you, throw in shady political backers, and now there’s a story!His rise to the Vice Presidency was shocking, and then came the biggest stunner of all – the death of FDR leaving the helm of the United States in his hands. As a World War II buff, this was the part I couldn’t put down. The strategies of war, dealings with Churchill and Stalin - it doesn’t get any better than this. In fact I thought this would be the peak of the book for me. But there were some more areas that fascinated me.As a President used to political support on both sides of the aisle during wartime, Truman seemed shocked and dismayed when his domestic agenda was rejected by both democrats and republicans alike. I was stunned that he assumed he would receive support of a massive spending bill when the US had just taken on billions in wartime debt. In fact, despite his likeability, his job performance on the home front following the war was dismal, according to polls. The man used government as a tool to force the public to behave the way he wanted them to. He used price controls, taxes, and intervention in labor disputes. I laughed when he said he wanted to draft the railroad workers if they continued to strike. Only it wasn’t funny because he was serious.Lucky for us, his handling of foreign affairs was much better. He provided the assistance needed to help rebuild Europe following the war, and recognized the Soviet threat and worked to halt Communist aggression.The politics of running for re-election was interesting, but I also enjoyed his post-Presidential life. McCullough is very thorough, and he knows what to include for an interesting and thoughtful biography. Very impressive!

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Today Harry Truman, unpopular while he served, carries a reputation as one of our strongest presidents. I believe this biography must have contributed to the positive perception we have of him today. As biography I think it very good. Truman is always seen in the context of the times he lived in, so that McCullough writes him as a turn-of-the-century farmer, or a First World War soldier, or a Missouri politician. Biographies, such as this one, written to present the subject as a product and player in the history around him, will always be strong biographies. It seems merely good before Truman became president. Afterwards, because it becomes necessary to explain the dynamic of events, the book becomes impressive in the comprehensive narrations of the great events of the day and Truman's role in them. Here is the decision to use the atomic bomb, the initial confrontations with Stalin, the decision to send American ground units into Korea, and the relief of Douglas MacArthur as commander there. Throughout the book Truman is seen as a courageous and just leader of the free world, friend to almost everyone, the beacon of democracy in the world beginning to be threatened by an expansionist communism, loving husband and father, and a champion of every right for all Americans. This is a very approving biography of Harry Truman. But I wondered if the book wasn't too loaded with the positive. I know that his administration was frustrated in its truce negotiations with the communists in Korea and therefore its efforts to end the war. That phase of his presidency is criticized by many and considered a failure. Yet it doesn't even receive a mention by McCullough, and I wondered if other negatives, those I'm not familiar with, were also passed over. But if you're interested in Truman, this is probably the book you need.
—James Murphy

Oh, yes, I am ambitious. This book must be 1000 pages. It's huge... and interesting so far. And it won a Pulitzer. I'm reading it because McCullough's bio of John Adams made me bawl like a baby when I got near the end. I mean-- how can one not cry upon reading about Adams and Jefferson BOTH living until and dying on July 4th, the same July 4th, out of sheer will? I wish more Americans and people in general knew these stories and of these people rather than just knowing a lot of fiction. And I do love fiction, too... but the stories of real lives matter most, I think. They are the ones that can truly inspire and make me feel that I am human-- or not alone in my foibles and weaknesses.Anyway, I set a goal at the beginning of the year to read six bios per year. This will be my second. ;) I feel like I'm learning so much about whole time periods, not just about individual figures. And it's the little details about a person's life and times that are so interesting, I find. Right now, I'm in the beginning where McCullough discusses Truman's roots in Missouri. As I've read on, I have learned so much about why the south and Missouri and other "border states" as they were called in the Civil War hold the viewpoints they do even to this day. It literally goes back 200+ years.
—Lisa Greer

I was shocked that a presidential biography could be so good. Many readers had praised the Truman book, but I thought they were exaggerating. I was happy to be proven wrong.I think there are several reasons why "Truman" was so compelling. First and most importantly was the man himself. So epic was his odyssey that Truman seemed like a character in a novel. Harry S. Truman was born in a small town in Missouri and he grew up on a farm. He was bookish, played the piano and wore glasses, which prevented him from playing sports. He enlisted in the National Guard and fought during World War I. Then he returned home to run a clothing store, and was asked to run for county judge. Later, he became a U.S. Senator, and then he was picked to be Franklin Roosevelt's vice president in 1944. He became president when FDR died in April 1945.Epic and astounding, yes? Truman comes across as a decent, hardworking, loyal, honest and down-to-earth guy. It's hard not to root for him -- he was so genuine. Another reason the book was so good was the brilliance of the writing. McCullough is a skilled historian and he wove a beautiful narrative. Truman was a prolific writer of letters, and many details and quotes in the book came from those epistles. I loved the stories of Truman's courtship of his wife, Bess, of his dream to be a concert pianist, of his battle experiences during the Great War, of his senator campaign, of his unlikely path to become vice president, of his whistle stop tour. Marvelous, just marvelous stories. Finally, there is the knowledge that Truman was such a key figure in American and world history. He had to take command at the close of World War II, he chose to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, he decided to send American troops to Korea, and he ushered in a new kind of foreign policy for the United States. Each of those events was incredibly significant and had lasting consequences.One aspect that I found especially interesting was how Truman handled the atomic bombs. After he became president, he was briefed on the Manhattan Project -- which had started way back in 1939 -- and was told the nuclear weapon would be ready within a few months. I had assumed there would have been some serious debate over whether to use such a bomb, but it sounded like the project was so far advanced that Truman didn't consider turning back. The goal of dropping it was to shock the Japanese into surrendering and quickly ending the war, but it was still jarring and disturbing to hear about the casualties inflicted. (Having read John Hersey's book "Hiroshima," I was picturing the devastation on the ground, and I had to pause in silence for several minutes.)Speaking of controversial decisions, apparently some historians have criticized McCullough for not being tough enough on Truman. It was clear that the author held the former president in high esteem, but as a reader, McCullough's narrative made it a more enjoyable book. If I wanted to read a harsh polemic on Truman's wartime and foreign policies, I wouldn't have chosen an 1,100-page biography. That's what newspaper columnists are for. I listened to "Truman" on audio that was narrated by McCullough, and he had a fantastic reading voice. The recording included various sound bites from Truman's speeches, which were wonderful to hear. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves history.
—Diane Librarian

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