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| Author: David Mccullough
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Category: Book
List Price: $22.00
Buy New: $10.89
You Save: $11.11 (50%)
New (11) Used (14) from $8.94
Avg. Customer Rating:  275 reviews
Sales Rank: 224265
Format: Bargain Price
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 1120
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.6
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.1 x 2.1
Dewey Decimal Number: 973.918092
ASIN: B0013L8B6A
Publication Date: June 14, 1993
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: no remainder marks, pages and cover clean
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| Customer Reviews:
 Harry Truman April 19, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Truman dropped two atomic bombs on Japan to end World War II. He did what he had to do and what had to be done to end the worst war in the history of the planet. He was essentially carrying out the policies of Roosevelt, who died in office. Truman passed the buck when he sent troops to Korea to contain Communism. He fired General Douglas MacArthur, who wanted to nuke the Chinese. Limited war as policy set a precedent for Vietnam. Korea is still a problem. Peaceful reunification is the only solution.
Excellent, if incomplete April 16, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
You might think it odd that I would call a nearly 1,000 page biography incomplete- particularly after giving it a five-star review- but for all the detail McCullough supplies about Truman's life, he misses some very important details. More about that in a minute.
I very nearly did not read this book, as my previous experience with David McCullough's biographyies was his book on John Adams- another very detailed, very well written work that is obvously the work of a man who fell so in love with his subject that it not only blinded McCullough to Adams' flaws, it led him to depict such great men as Franklin and Jefferson as Adams saw them- a vew quite at odds with the portraits painted by other historians.
Nonetheless, I went ahead and plunged into this work, and found it far superior to the Adams biography. The picture McCullough paints of Truman clearly shows the admiration McCullough holds his subject in, yet it also includes many of Truman's flaws- his temper, at times, his lack of education in many areas, his poor judgment and downright naiitivity in his dealings with Stalin, and some of his appointments. At the same time it does a great job of showing how Truman's family and business background and his experience in local Missouri politics shaped his later career as president.
What's lacking, first and foremost, is any discussion of post-WWI economics, and Truman's roll, and the role of Congress, in shaping the postwar economic system. An ecomist friend, noting that I was reading the book, asked me if there was any discussion of James Byrnes in the book. There is a great deal, but none of it regarding Brynes' role in setting policy, either as FDR's Director of Economic Stabilization or later under Truman. Another important player- Henry Walllace- gets short shrift as well. There is much discussion of the political machincations behind replacing Henry Wallace with Truman in FDR's third run at the presidency, but not enough on exactly what made Walllace both an object of admiration to his supporters and a dangerously
naiive successor to FDR to his enemies. Also lacking is a real discussion of how Truman, like FDR before him, had no problem in using, and some would argue abusing, the executive powers of his office to threaten both unions and businesses into compliance with his aims.
But what McCullough does provide is a superbly constructed narrative that is, I think, more complete, more accurate, and more interesting than any of the previous popular biographies of Truman. It's a first-rate read and an excelllent education for both Truman fans and critics.
Great Book, very engagging March 31, 2008
I really enjoyed this book. The book gets better as you get further into the book (that is not to say the start of the book is lacking anything). It does a great job staying focused on the man and not events of the time. WWII, The Atom bomb and other big events could have easily taken over this story and while the man of course had a big role to play in these things the book does great job staying focused on Truman and his life.
A Great Read March 16, 2008
For anyone who has ever cheered for an underdog or bet on a longshot, this is a great read. HST had no money, no family position and no formal higher education--but he did great things for America. McCullough gives us his best story yet, with all the rich detail and factual substance we have come to expect from today's greatest political biographer. If I could read only one political biography again-this would be it.
Right man at the right time in history February 26, 2008
I never really got Truman until I read this book. He was a man driven by principles who sought integrity from all he dealt with. The rise to Presidency was by chance. He was given the VP slot because of his popularity from recent Senate inquiries into overbilling from US contractors in WWII.
He was the right person at the right time. He was not liked by others in the adminstration when he came to power, but be won them over with his style of leadership. Would another had the guts to use the BOMB to end WWII? As hard as the decision was for Truman, he made it and stood behind it.
I have a deeper appreciation for the man after reading the book. I always love McCullough's work - it reads in a linear fashion.
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