Book Description

Reviews (5)

A Controversial Election; a Moderate Reign
Most U.S. presidents seeking a second term look upon their re-election as an affirmation of their first-term administration. Rutherford B. Hayes had to take a vicarious pleasure in the election of his successor, fellow Republican James Garfield. Four years earlier, when engaged in a tough fight to succeed President Grant, Hayes promised the voters he would serve only one term if elected. One gets the sense from reading this biography, however, that if he had sought re-election in 1880, voters would have awarded him with another term based on the distinguished and moderate agenda he accomplished during his first term, and in spite of the controversy surrounding his 1876 election.

Trefousse quickly runs through the pre-political life of Hayes from his first-rate education to his distinguished military career, showing that Hayes was one of the most intellectually minded of American presidents and that his war record was very impressive. In the Civil War, Hayes was an officer of solid character, who earned the respect of his men by his faithful service to them. Hayes's character is also shown in the warm relationship he had with his wife Lucy for over forty years.

Trefousse's recounting of Hayes's pre-presidential political life and the election of 1876 is finely done, but it is the chapters on Hayes's presidency that most pleasantly surprise. Before this book -- the first biography of Hayes I have read -- I primarily knew of Hayes as the president who ended Reconstruction after a controversial election. But there was far more to Hayes's administration. Once in office, Hayes sought civil service reform (much to the horror of many in his own party), toned down the nastier elements of America's Indian policy, and pushed hard for a moderate solution to the anti-immigrant sentiment towards the Chinese flaring out on the West Coast. He also fought to prevent silver from being used as coinage, fearing the inflated currency would ruin the nation's credit.

In my opinion, the greatest value of The American President Series is what it has done for neglected U.S. presidents like Rutherford Hayes. By presenting a series of short volumes on all the American presidents, it makes the lives of those chief executives, who are generally considered less important in U.S. history, more accessible to the reading public. Few people, even among serious readers, would probably want to sit down with a 300- to 400-page book on the lives of Rutherford Hayes or Gerald Ford with the same anticipation they would a similar-size book on the lives of Theodore Roosevelt or Ronald Reagan. This wonderfully written series ensures that those readers will never again have to make the choice between a long biography on some neglected president or no biography at all.

Solid if brief biography of a lesser known president
This brief biography of Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th president of the United States both benefits and suffers from being part of a series. The series is, of course, The American Presidents, under the editorship of Arthur M Schlesinger Jr. The aim of the series is to provide a brief biography of the presidents of the United States. Personally, I am finding this series to be very helpful on the lesser presidents like Hayes, but less helpful for presidents like Teddy Roosevelt, who has been written about quite extensively.

Rutherford B. Hayes is a perfect subject for one of these brief biographies. Unless for some reason one wants to delve especially deep into Hayes's life, he is not one of the foremost presidents, and therefore not someone a great number of people want to spend a great deal of time studying. As Trefousse shows, he had some substantive achievements in his administration, including ending Reconstruction and the beginning of civil service reform. Moreover, he emerges as a likeable and admirable individual, as a person who did the office of president a great service. The book also is somewhat guilty of minimizing Hayes weaknesses as a president. However, Trefousse was not able to convince me that he is one of the pivotal figures in American history, and while I can't rule out going on to read another biography of Hayes at some point, I feel that 150 pages on Hayes was just about right.

One thing that bothered me a bit in the book was Trefousse's attempt to stress parallels between Hayes's election and that of 2000. In both instances, the election was extremely close, with the loser winning more of the popular vote but losing on the electoral votes, with Florida playing a key role each time. The instances, however, are nonparallel in a number of other ways. In 1876 Hayes, the winner, was deprived of a vast number of black votes by Southerners harassing blacks as they attempted to vote, so that he probably would have won the popular vote as well as the electoral. In 2000, tens of thousands of black voters were illegally (in the strict since, for the Ashcroft Justice Department later ruled that the Civil Rights of black voters had been interfered with in the voter purge, not that it will reverse the outcome of the election) from the list of registered voters, depriving Gore of tens of thousands of votes. Also, although both Hayes and Bush became president of a deeply divided nation, Hayes worked very hard to unify the nation, while Bush has increased the division since being named president by the Supreme Court.

Still, I do recommend this biography. It is likely to be all that one would need on Hayes. I do not think it is as strong as some of the other books I have read in the same series, for instance Garry Wills's superb little book on Madison or Remini's surprisingly good biography of John Quincy Adams (surprising because Remini is the foremost biographer of Jackson, and he and Adams were bitter political rivals).

Excellent in the abridged audiotape format
Recently I had a sixteen hour drive to see my daughter in Kansas, and I was fortunate enough to have RUTHERFORD B. HAYES: AMERICAN PRESIDENTS SERIES along for the trip. While Hayes might not be a particularly notable president, like Washington or Lincoln; or a racy one, like Warren G. Harding; or an interesting one, like JFK--Trefousse does a fine job of portraying a thwarted genius, a man between a rock and a hard place, a man for whom greatness was a possibility unfulfilled. Anyone can write an interesting bio of Lincoln--but Rutherford B. Hayes is a challenge and a half, and I commend Mr. Trefousse for depicting him with such character and nobility. One warning, however: the tape is not likely to keep you awake during the long hours of a drive, and I did, once or twice, wake up in a cornfield, having missed his Ohio governorship and most of the reconstruction. I would listen to it again, but my grandson has taken the audiocassette now and used it for some sort of DJ mix. Other than those minor mishaps--nothing compared to Hayes's mishap of withdrawing troops from the South--the tape was a solid five stars!

He sounds too good to be true
It seems that every Presidential biographer strives to make his subject out to be the next Washington of Lincoln, implicitly or explicitly. The same is true for this book about Hayes. While Hayes has usually fallen well short of that lofty mark in many assessments, he seems almost to acheive greatness in Trefousse's book. I found myself repeatedly asking if this man could be this good and insightful why isn't he considered one of our best leaders. In short, Hayes seems too good to be true in this slim volume. I was particularly disappointed in the chapter on the 1876 election. The book is a good overview of the issues Hayes faced but it has little depth or analysis. It also has piqued my curiosity to read more and determine if Hayes was, in fact, this good.

More, Please
A quick read, "Rutherford B. Hayes" touches all the highlights of Hayes's interesting and varied career. The book draws from the usual sources: Ari Hoogenboom's and Harry Barnard's 20th century biographies, Watt Marchman's work and Hayes's own extensive diaries and correspondence. It draws to a lesser extent from newspaper accounts and editorials of Hayes's day, particularly those concerning his political campaigns.
What the book doesn't do is provide new insight into Hayes himself: arguably the best-educated man ever elected to the presidency, someone who successfully navigated the treacherous political seas of the four decades that began just before the Civil War and ended with the election of McKinley a few years after Hayes's death in 1893. Hayes's interests in civil-service reform, literacy, equal rights for blacks, education, technology, penal reform and the establishment of facilities for the insane are all mentioned, but we get little more. His Civil War career (Hayes was in the thick of several battles, was wounded and eventually received a battlefield commission as a major general) merits somewhat more attention, but even that tends to go by in the writer's apparent rush to finish his story.
Hayes's post-White House service to the Slater Fund, a 19th century foundation that did much to advance the education of freed slaves, merits a only few lines.
At two points in his narrative the author points out the similarities between Hayes's situation in the disputed 1877 election and the election of 2000, but he does so in such brief fashion as to suggest he added them at the last minute, perhaps at the urging of an editor. Again, what we don't get at these points is any insight into the significance of these elections and their outcome, either constitutionally or in terms of the workings of the political system.
Repeatedly, I found myself thinking I was reading a term paper, based on secondary sources. It's not in a class with three other biographies I've read recently: David McCulloch's "John Adams," David Michaelis's "N.C. Wyeth," and Edmund Morris's "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt." Interestingly, each of these books chronicles the life of a compulsive diarist and letter-writer who became prominent in his own lifetime. Hayes had a similar compulsion, keeping a diary from his college days at Kenyon in the late 1830s until his death in 1893. Thousands of published and un-published letters he wrote are still in existence as well. They are available to scholars and could provide the basis for a thorough examination of Hayes's life. ... Read more

Book Description

Filled with humor, wisdom and loving detail, the powerful story of Peter Marshall's life has touched the hearts and minds of millions of people. It is a book about love‹the love between a dynamic man and his God, and the tender love between a man and the woman he married. It is also the gripping adventure of a poor Scottish immigrant who became chaplain of the United States Senate and one of the most revered men in America.

A Man Called Peter became the number-one best-seller when it was published in 1951, and around the world lives were changed by reading of the chaplain's remarkable faith. In the foreword to this book, Peter's son writes, "Even when [Dad's] words were preached 'secondhand'. . . in the movie version of A Man Called Peter, they had an amazing effect on people." Through Peter¹s story and the compelling sermons and prayers included in A Man Called Peter, you will discover insight into God, man, and life on earth and hereafter. You will also be encouraged by the realization that "if God can do so much for a man called Peter, he can do as much for you." ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The Tale of a Modern Apostle
As someone related to those who have served in the clergy, I found Catherine Marshall's ardent tribute to her late husband, Senate Chaplain Peter Marshall particularly heartwarming and inspiring.
As her husband (who became affectinately known as "Twittering-Birds Marshall" because of the flowery phrasing he gave to his wonderful sermons) painted vivid imagery with the parables he told, she paints a vivid image of his all-too-brief life.
Through her words, we see the winsome Scottish lad who suffers the tragic loss of his father at age four, whose hardscrabble experiences and humble beginnings would lead him to have great compassion for others in similar circumstances, the spiritual depth he developed on the occassions when his Inner Voice saved him from accidental death, the inspiration he received from fellow Scottish churchman Eric Liddell, his Scottish wit, and fun-loving style. He was a man I feel I would have liked, as did many, and had he lived a few more years, he might have been highly instrumental in the struggle for Civil Rights, judging from the deferrence he gave to the writings of African American men of faith, James Weldon Johnson, and George Washington Carver, and his expressed concern for underpriviledged minorities. His sermon, "The American Dream", is still very timely in the modern world.
Readers follow him through his immigration to the United States, his entrance into the clergy, his meeting of Catherine, the difficulty of finding time to spend with her due to mounting ministerial duties, his marriage, his camaraderie with other ministers, the high emotion of embracing U.S. Citizenship, the use of his sharp sense of humor to win people over to Christ, his enthusiasm for board games, sports, life itself, and also his great love for his family and humanity in general.
I can hear the melodic trill of his brogue when his quotes appear in the story as his wife recaptures the rhythm of his speech patterns, and each chapter is headed with appropriate Biblical verses that summarize their contents.
Dr. Marshall was nonimated as Senate Chaplain while serving in the church where Abraham Lincoln once worshipped, and upon his election became a much-loved confidant of Senators on both sides of the aisle. Michigan Senator, Arthur Vandenberg (who himself passed away around the time of this book's publication in 1951), affectionately called him, "Dominie", the Dutch word for "Parson".
We share the couple's delight at the birth of their son, "Wee Peter" in the years prior to Dr. Marshall's rise to the Chaplaincy of the Senate, the challenges to their faith brought on by Catherine's bout with tuberculosis, and Peter's heart trouble, and see how much prayer meant in their lives at such time. We also see how Peter's illness inspired others to pray. But we are also made aware that not everyone admired the Marshalls and that the Good Reverend was subjected to anti-immigrant backlash as well as misinterpretations of the meaning of his sermons. He had his moments of self-doubt, as does everyone.
Dr. Marshall's instinctiveness in changing his sermon for the graduating class of the Annapolis Naval Academy, which he gave just hours before the announcement of the attack on Pearl Harbor is formidable, and through his warm, consoling mannerisms, Christ became warm and alive in the hearts and minds of many. Through Marshall's example, many lives were changed for the better.
We also see how this spiritually attuned couple helped produce some of Peter's best sermons in joint ventures that made their life's pilgrimage a real partnership.
Five days after his attendance of President Truman's second inaguration, this fine representative of Christ on Earth was lost to the world. But his sweetness, and love for his wife were evident until the very end. As he passed from this life, the Holy Spirit gave Catherine the strenghth to carry on with her life, and to console others. As she worked on her late husband's story, he appeared to her in a dream, providing encouragement, but still letting that sparkling Scottish wit shine through, perhaps more eminently, in the afterlife.
The last words he spoke to her, "See you in the morning", would carry her through the years.--Through the acclaim of this biography, the 1955 film of the same name in which Richard Todd gave an adorable performance as Peter, an eventual second marriage, the entrance of her son into the Presbyterian ministry, her own success with the "Christy" novels and other religious literature, and eventually, her own undoubtably happy reunion with Peter in March, 1983.
Her son honors the rich spiritual legacy of his parents by continuing the family tradition. As did his own father, Peter John Marshall lost his father in childhood, and perhaps strives to know him by following in his footsteps. Perhaps he knows the Senate Chaplain who was his father better than the elder Dr. Marshall knew his father through the availability of the Senate Chaplain's recorded sermons and writings.
Christ said"...Whosover liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"--John 11:25, 26
As the life of Dr. Marshall continues to inspire many all these years later, I'll say that I do.

Inspiring Biography
The works of both Peter and Catherine Marshall live on even though they are no longer among us. Fortunate for us that their legacy is still available, as we're richer for it.
Peter was Chaplain of the U.S. Senate, a position he had not sought. He was a Scottish immigrant to this country. This book describes how God orchestrated the circumstances that led to a life of accomplishment from an eternally significant perspective.
On page 15 she tells us, "Peter Marshall did not grow up wanting to be a minister. That was God's idea--not his." She says often God has to shut a door in order for us to go through the door he wants us to go through.
Eric Liddell was a significant influence in Peter's younger years. He was the Scottish olympian who was more committed to Jesus than to winning international acclaim.
I underlined what was said about dreams in the part of the book on Peter's early years. "I learned that just because God loves us so much, often He guides us by planting His own lovely dream in the barren soil of a human heart," she notes. Later on she adds that if the dreams are really of God, even though they may be carried a long time, they often suddenly become reality.
I also love what the way she describes the book-lined place Peter inhabited. "Books lined one wall--good books--inspiring and instructive--good books--good friends."
One of several idiosyncrasies I share with Peter Marshall is that we're both "night owls." She says he was usually his best and brightest around midnight.
Throughout this book on her late husband, Catherine puts her thoughts into a reflective framework. She talks about Jesus and living life with the long view in mind. Along those lines she talks about Jesus, noting that he never refused anyone who came to Him for help. She says even if we lack faith, we can ask Him for it because faith is a gift of God.
She modifies the phrase which is so commonly cited, "God helps those who help themselves," by writing that actually, "God helps those who trust Him to solve their problems."
This is a well-researched, well-written, inspiring, faith-building, positive book that will make you a better person from having read it.

Insightful...
Catherine Marshall writes an interesting and insightful biography of her late husband, Peter Marshall. Peter Marshall was a poor Scottish immigrant who came to the United States, worked at odd jobs to put himself through the seminary, and eventually became such a prominent minister that he was appointed Chaplain of the United States Senate. The book also tells the story of Peter and Catherine, and how their relationship blossoms and grows, and is severely tested over the years.

A Man Called Peter...
The story of Peter Marshall, his life and work, this record of unequaled love and faith has brought inspiration to thousands, "A glowingly Christian book."

One of the outstanding spiritual biographies. . .
. . .of the 20th century!

In this volume, lovingly penned by his wife, the late Catherine Marshall, the greater Christian world is introduced to one of the foremost Protestant ministers of the 20th century.

Peter Marshall was an immigrant from Scotland who, at a young age, felt the call of God on his life. From this call, he never wavered. This biography details his life, his struggles as a young pastor, and his eventual triumphs as the pastor of New York Avenune Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC and his appointment as Chaplain to the United States Senate.

Throughout we're given glimpses of Dr. Marshall's wit, his humor, his zest for life -- and his devotion to his God. His untimely death at 46 was a great loss to the Christian community.

As an additional bonus, several of Dr. Marshall's prayers and sermons can be found in this book as well.

A wonderful, inspirational read.

Five stars. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (5)

"Teddy" McKinley?
The previous reviewer is correct that Phillips has written an extended argument more than he has a traditional biography. But the argument is so cleverly advanced, and covers so much of McKinley's political life and presidency, that I found the book of compelling interest -- the best of the more than half-dozen biographies I've read in this wonderful The American Presidents series so far.

The core of Phillips's argument is that much of the credit given to Theodore Roosevelt properly belongs to his predecessor McKinley. In establishing a political realignment in 1896 based on both labor and urban-dweller votes, in greatly expanding America's world role, and in beginning the reforms to tilt the balance of economic power from capital to labor, McKinley either preceded Roosevelt, setting the pace for the latter's presidency, or outdid TR altogether.

Phillips's argument holds up fairly well, although some parts are better than others. He is very convincing in describing how McKinley created a political realignment in 1896 (and solidified it in 1900), but less so when discussing the importance of McKinley's rather circuitous route to protect labor against big capital.

Some of the most interesting parts of this book are its sidebars. Phillips should be commended for including short write-ups on the importance of Ohio to late-nineteenth century and early-twentieth century politics, as well as the importance of silver in that era. I even enjoyed the sections on McKinley and the tariff. This is not your typical biography, but its unusual approach is a strength, not a weakness.

An argument, not a biography or history
Phillips is a political commentator, not a historian or biographer. His goal with this book isn't to sketch in McKinley's life but to argue a thesis. His thesis is that McKinley was a important president, and the thing that makes him important is that he illustrates Phillips' career-making mega-theory about realignment politics. It's a campaign strategist's view of history.

Phillips doesn't seem to have consulted any primary sources at all. We get a lot of "he must have reflected" stuff, and assertions that McKinley deliberately wore a mask of conventionality, and that his blandness was a conscious strategy, etc., with no attempt to demonstrate the historical validity of any of it.

Still, there is some good stuff about Ohio's political centrality in the post-Civil War era, and a very good summary of the gold-silver debate, which was a matter of passionate interest in the 1880s and 1890s but is so baffling to modern Americans.

The author falls well short of his goal.
I have become a major fan of the short biographies presented in the American Presidents, and the Penguin Lives series. They are a means to provide both scholars and casual readers with insight into historical figures in a purposefully confined presentation.

Most of these figures come with an abundance of published biographies, and one measure of success for these short presentations is whether the reader is left wanting to read more extensive treatises. Unfortunately, this 200 page biography of William McKinley left me anxious to finish, and no desire to read more.

The author, Kevin Phillips, stated goal was to show how McKinley was more than just Teddy Roosevelt's predecessor, and deserved a ranking of much higher esteem. He contests the historical view that McKinley's importance is solely his expertise in tariffs. Oddly, the author then proceeds to include in each chapter significant discussion on tariffs. This made for very dry, and sometimes mind numbing reading. It also defeated his purpose of highlighting McKinley's other achievements.

As to these other accomplishments, what he provided were mostly anecdotal claims of superior skills, and simple conjectures of what he may have accomplished if not assassinated. As to the circumstances involving the assassination, the author seems to presume that the reader is too well acquainted with the story to bother providing any details. He also states that the president was more concerned with others while he lay dying, than of his own self. This is a heartening claim, but he failed to give any example of what he meant.

Furthermore, the author chose to not give any comparisons between how the Republican McKinley coped with national problems and with the current Republican president. This was an unfortunate choice by the author since it seemed like fertile ground, and would have gone far to make his subject more relevant to modern and future readers. I read the book thinking that the author was encumbered by his professional position as a Republican strategist. I now realize that he seems to have written this biography in conjunction with another book, published a few months later, faulting the Bush family's unprincipled influence on national politics.

It appears, therefore, that the author had much more to say, but chose to not do it with McKinley's help. Perhaps he was correct, and my suggestions may not have made a difference, but the resulting book gives us little to dispute the historical portrait of this president. McKinley does appear to have been a genuinely good person with many scruples not often visible in current politicians, but still not one who deserves much elevation in historical importance.

Historically, Theodore Roosevelt is tough act to precede.
There is so much more to President McKinley than we know. Kevin Phillips presents his biography in an interesting & informative way. This is a postive work to be sure & Mr. Phillps argues that McKinley is a near great or, maybe a better term would be highly sucessful president.
He learned well from his service in the Civil War & and close associations with political allies & mentors Presidents Garfield, Hayes & Harrison.
Given TR's bombastic personality & energy McKinkey comes off in comparison as dull, boring & self effacing. He spent most of his time away from the job caring for his sickly wife.
However, it appears that much of TR's success can be traced to the McKinley administration. Although lackluster, he was well liked by both sides & worked well behind the scenes allowing others to take credit for his accomplishments. He didn't need the ego gratification of TR, Taft or Wilson who preceeded him. In temperment & integrity he was much like his predecessor, Grover Cleveland, although they were political opponents.
As the 20th century drew near America was at a crossroads. McKinely guided the U.S. through those historic times with skill & wisdom.
When he took office, The U.S. was just recovering from the worst depression in history. He protected markets & wages rose.
He redeveloped kinship with England that continues today. Then there was his "Splendid little War" with Spain. It propelled the United States into a new position of economic & military significance. The United States then entered upon it own era of overseas expansion (Imperialism). This was all a percursor to what became America's Century.

A lively, bold apologia for a possibly underrated president
I have tremendously enjoyed the volumes that have appeared so far in Arthur Schlesinger Jr.'s The American Presidents, but this is the first volume to have appeared so far that managed to transcend the limitations inherent in a series such as this. Most of the other volumes consist of a chronological recounting of the relevant president's life and career, with some assessment of his significance and achievements. Kevin Phillips, in a comparable number of pages, manages to present a case for a complete revision of the popular understanding of William McKinley, our 25th President. Although many of McKinley's biographers have argued some of the same things that Phillips does here, he does so in a much more vigorous fashion.

The stereotype of McKinley is that he was a somewhat dimwitted puppet under the control of Big Business, a man of little imagination, no culture, and a nonprogressive who was eclipsed by the ascendance of Teddy Roosevelt following his assassination. Phillips, on the other hand, wants to argue that he was a self-confident reformer who masked his goals under a congenial exterior, possessed a highly cultivated knack for maneuvering others to his own position, was vastly more concerned with protecting laborers and wages than the desires of business, and laid the foundations for progressive reforms that he himself would have begun had his life not ended so suddenly. Phillips shows that McKinley's obsession with tariffs had little to do with a desire to reward the rich, but with a desire to increase the wages of American workers.

Though but lightly stated, much of Phillips's book is intended as a polemic against contemporary misuses of McKinley, such as Karl Rove, George W. Bush's chief aide. Many conservatives envision turning government back to a time before the unquestionably Progressive Roosevelt, to a mythical William McKinley who is assumed to share many of the values of contemporary supporters of Bush. Phillips shows over and over, however, that McKinley in fact shared almost no basic political goals or values with contemporary conservatives. Continually throughout the book, Phillips shows that McKinley had deep ties to labor, and was concerned with the needs of business primarily to the degree that healthy business meant higher wages for workers. He was quite sympathetic to organized labor, to a degree unusual in his time, and even the right of workers to strike. On the other hand, he, like all 19th century American presidents, found the accumulation of excessive amounts of wealth to be repugnant and a little obscene, hardly a quality he holds with contemporary conservatives. Even further destroying the parallels between current conservativism and McKinley, Phillips refers to McKinley's concerns with tax fairness, which did not mean lessening the tax burden on the wealthy and business, but the demand for a progressive tax structure that required those best off paying more than those less well off. McKinley's progressivism in the book comes out also in his strong support for women being given the right to vote, for blacks to be allow to vote unimpeded, and for senators to be voted by direct vote by the people, and not by selection by state legislatures.

Phillips notes that many give McKinley more credit for achievements in foreign policy, but brings the credit he deserves into sharper focus, noting that during the crisis with Spain he essentially took on the jobs of Secretary of State (due to the unexpected rapid aging of John Sherman) and Secretary of War.

Lest one imagine that these are all creative rereadings of McKinley's career based on playing lose with the facts, Phillips shows that the essential assessment he makes was borne out by the evaluations of the illustrious individuals who served in his cabinet. He also displays the causes for the unflattering portrait of McKinley that grew up after the onset of the New Deal.

One could easily disagree with much in the book, and nonetheless celebrate it for being a significant and spirited reevaluation of a significant American president. Nearly all the writers in this series have attempted to validate the claim that their subjects were underrated presidents (except Robert Remini, who though maintaining that John Quincy Adams is one of the great American public servants, concedes that he was a pretty dismal president), but Phillips wants to do more than that. In Schlesinger terminology, he wants to argue that he is a near great president, but on top of that has been horribly misunderstood in profound and important ways. Whether one agrees with his reassessment, this book performs a great service by dismantling a persistent but untenable stereotype. Of all the books in this series (I have read all but Garry Wills book on Madison), this one is by far the most invigorating one that I have read. The other volumes have deepened my knowledge of several of our presidents, but this one has actually changed my mind. ... Read more

Book Description

Napoleon's youngest brother, Jerome, has over the centuries been portrayed as a military commander who was completely incompetent and unimportant to his famous sibling. This first biography of Jerome by an American author utilizes many firsthand accounts of Jerome's abilities that have never before been available to readers in English, as well as archival material that has never been published in any language, to challenge this view. Focussing on the lesser-known theaters of operation from 1800 to the Russian campaign in 1812, this study completes the gaps in the military history of the Napoleonic Wars. As Lamar demonstrates, Jerome was not responsible for the failure of Napoleon's early maneuvers during the invasion of Russia, nor did he lose the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Family Affair
Professor Glenn Lamar has provided a fast-pace, scholarly, yet interesting account of the career, experiences, and loves of Napoleon Bonaparte's youngest brother, Jerome. Professor Lamar sets the record straight regarding many controversies that surround the young Bonaparte, such as his role at the infamous battle of Waterloo in June of 1815, which brought his great brother to his knees. Lamar's research is impecable; he has drawn information from all of the major French archives, including the French military archives: the Archives de la guerre, and the French state archives: the Archives Nationales. Lamar, a graduate of the prestigious Institute on Napoleon and the French Revolution at Florida State University, has published numerous essays on French history, as well as specific aspects of the career of Jerome Bonaparte. This book, Lamar's inaugural work, not only provides a model for historical scholarship, but is highly entertaining for the scholar, novice, and buff. Readers learn how the young Jerome, laboring in the shadow of his famous brother, strove to make a name for himself in the French navy; how he became stranded in Baltimore and not only won over that city's high society, but also took Elizabeth Patterson as his American wife. Read the sad story of this ill-fated marriage as Napoleon--Jerome's only father figure--had political plans for his young ward and thus destroyed the marriage before Elizabeth ever stepped foot on French soil. Like the rest of his siblings, Jerome received his reward for doing as his brother wished when Napoleon appointed him to be King of the German state of Westphalia. Other chapters include Jerome's controversial role in the disastrous 1812 invasion of Russia in which Napoleon lost almost 500,000 men. One of the real merits of Lamar's book, however, is to illustrate the inner workings of the Bonaparte family. Napoleon awarded his siblings crowns all over Europe; Joseph became King of Spain, Louis was King of Holland, Jerome, the flamboyant playboy King of Westphalia, and Caroline took the throne of Naples. He demanded strict obedience from his siblings, and Lamar's book offers a fresh insight into Napoleon's relations with his family. This book will be highly satisfying to a broad array of readers. ... Read more

Book Description

"Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves." Rather than the dour soul he sometimes appeared to be, Abraham Lincoln enjoyed a fine, often barbed sense of humor as this lively collection of his salty stories, anecdotes, quotes and speech excerpts proves.Also included in this treasury are his famous addresses, a Lincoln time-line, and sections on Lincoln Lore, Gettysburg Gems and Assassination Secrets. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Lincoln said:
Abraham Lincoln showed a talent for sensing the future in the course of economic policy way back in 1863. Lincoln said then: "The money power preys upon the nation in times of peace and conspires against it in times of adversity. It is more despotic than monarchy, more insolent than autocracy, more selfish than bureaucracy."

"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. Corporations have been enthroned, an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until the wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed," Lincoln said.

Wonderful
Lincoln is one of our most loved Presidents and with good reason. He is almost always recognised for his morality and honesty. Too often his intellect is overlooked. Reading this work will definitly provide the reader with a good idea of just how bright he was.

I read this work straight through but it would also be a great "subway read". Each of the stories are short too the point and usually very funny. ... Read more

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While the American Civil War formally ended slavery, it did not end segregation or racial discrimination. It took nearly 15 years of activism, led by the nonviolent movement organized by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to complete the transformation. The final result was the elimination of federal and state-sanctioned segregation and discrimination. This book chronicles the tenets of leadership that Dr. King practiced during the American Civil Rights Movement. From mastering the art of public speaking to persuading through love and nonviolence, from encouraging imaginative new solutions in changing times to preaching hope, optimism and the power of dreams, this study of Dr. King's leadership offers a definitive and inspiring modern-day example of leadership at its best. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Exceptional narrative of a great leader
Donald T. Phillips does an exceptional job at narrating the life of the late great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He does an incredible job in tying in the aspects of Dr. King's life as a man, and activist together with the principals of Leadership.

He breaks down the book into 4 sections, that each details the start and end of the American Civil Rights movement. Phillips does an amazing job at chronicling the events that most shaped the philosophy of Dr. King.

I truly enjoyed this book because it helped me realize that it is possible for me to achieve my goals using the same techniques that Dr. King used. The book does a great job at outlining how a normal person can create change the way Dr. King did. Whether you live in turbulent times like those in which the Civil Rights took place or not.

I recommend this book to anyone in a leadership position to those who aspire to be leaders, but mostly to those with a goal to succeed. The knowledge you will acquire with this book is invaluable to future successes.

The book targets all, but I think it specifically aims to inspire African- Americans especially those who wish to be in leadership positions. The book in general is a great read for businesses and for groups in general. It informs the audience about the dynamics of groups and how to work through the problems that groups face.

It helps inform leaders as to the advantages and disadvantages of being a leader. Overall the book is a great read. And you will truly enjoy it.

A must read for aspiring leaders
Donald Phillips did a wonderful job of telling the story of Martin Luther King Jr. from his childhood to his death, and connecting it all to a marvelous leadership style. Being a student of leadership studies and a fan of Martin Luther King Jr., I chose this book as a study of both subjects. Having read it, I have to say I learned more about leadership from this book than any other I have read. However, I am no longer a fan of MLK......... he is now a hero of mine.

As Donald Phillips points out, for every major turning point in American history, creative leaders - right for the times and uniquely suited to the task - assume the mantle of leadership. Donald Phillips not only describes how MLK ended up at the mantle, but how and why he was the right person for the job.

MLK's movement is not the same civil rights movement being pushed by the self-serving, so-called, activists today. Read this book, you will learn about a true leader and what a true leader is. It is easy reading and inspiring. Highly recommended.

Insightful!
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech was voted the most electrifying public address of the twentieth century. It takes some kind of a leader to give that kind of a speech. Donald T. Phillips presents the ideals of leadership that Martin Luther King Jr. followed in an overview of the history of the civil rights struggle. Phillips describes the techniques King used at various stages of the civil rights battle. He also shares King's comments on leadership. Many of the principles will be quite familiar: listen to learn, lead by being led, awaken direct action, encourage creativity and involve the people. However, the book is especially interesting when it demonstrates how King put these principles into practice. This well-organized, well-written book is clear, direct, and easy to read. While it is written for the general public (especially for African-Americans and those interested in civil rights), we [...] find this book interesting for all managers and executives, particularly those who like to learn the lessons of history.

An awesome book!
I am a student and a teacher of leadership skills, and I have found no better example than Martin Luther King Jr. This book combines the history of King's movement, but also chronicles the qualities which made King great. The text is easy to read, and fascinating. Martin Luther King, Jr. On Leadership should be required reading for anyone who hopes to impact their world. The famed Harvard psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg, who studied moral development, named King as one of the greatest moral thinkers in history. Read this book, and you will understand why.

inspiring book on leadership
I picked up this book simply thinking it would be a great story about leadership, but the underlying history of Martin Luther King is riveting as well. The leadership stories translate well to business and personal leadership--they speak to (all) people wanting to be part of a higher, unifying mission. If you like to "mark-up" the margins with thoughts keep a pen handy for this one. Its a book I talked about with colleagues and family more than any other I've read. ... Read more

Book Description

For three surreal weeks in the spring of 2000, Rudy Giuliani held the nation in suspense as he agonized over whether to continue in the race for the U.S. Senate against Hillary Clinton.He'd been diagnosed with cancer; his marriage was crumbling amid reports of an extramarital affair; his wife tearfully lashed out at him in public.It was an excruciating private crisis played out before a national audience, and by the time Giuliani finally announced his decision in an extraordinary public performance, the world was again captivated by the drama centering around this unusual man.

This is the story of Rudy Giuliani's rise to power, from the moment he and a small squad of ex-prosecutors set out to capture New York City's mayoralty in 1989 to the dramatic turning point in his race against the First Lady of the United States.

When Giuliani took over as mayor in 1994, New York was slowly sinking into an abyss of deteriorating living conditions:It was the crime capital of the country, described by Time magazine as "The Rotting Apple"; it was filthy and dangerous, its streets and terminals overtaken by armies of homeless people.The city was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy again.Polls showed most New Yorkers wanted out.

The public would soon get a taste of Giuliani's style.Each week brought a new brawl, with the new mayor egging his adversaries on.He threw Yasir Arafat out of Lincoln Center and sparked an international incident; he tried to evict the Brooklyn Museum after its directors staged an exhibition he deemed sacrilegious; he battled the Mafia, liberals, and leaders of his own party.The mayor snarled at the very mention of his critics -- and their numbers seemed to grow by the hour.

Some viewed him as a savior; others called him a tyrant.But by the force of his will and little more, this man with no experience in municipal government ended up changing the face of his city.

In this riveting portrait of his mayoralty, Andrew Kirtzman tells the story of Giuliani's zealous crusade to clean up, control, and shape New York City.Based on interviews with more than two hundred of the mayor's closest aides and fiercest adversaries -- and the author's own experience covering him for eight years -- Rudy Giuliani:Emperor of the City tells the behind-the-scenes story of his reign.

Is Rudy Giuliani a hero, a danger, or both?What's it worth to be led by a strong man?How much power are we willing to give one person?Rudy Giuliani: Emperor of the City offers some answers as it tells the tale of one man's historic rise -- in all its dramatic, outrageous, and ultimately poignant detail.

Reviews (17)

Balanced Portrait of America's Mayor : Ugly and Beauty
This is not a traditional biography, which was what I expected when I picked up the book.If you wish to know about Rudy's life before 1989, his first marriage, childhood, days as U.S. attorney, this is not the right book for you.The first 100 pages or so this book are a bit slow--too much campaign stuff and not enough on governing.However, the narrative picks up quickly over the last 200 pages.We learn about Rudy's mistakes and triumphs--of which there are many.You learn a ton about Rudy's controversial policies.The personal scandals are discussed, but not in a malicious way.We never learn about the details of his mysterious marriage to Donna Hanover--or anything much about Hanover.So, yes, things are left out.However, Al Sharpton is a fascinating character here.You learn about Rudy's day on Sept. 11, when the author was actually running around the city with the Mayor. The narrative ends in 2001.I would have loved to hear more about Bloomberg, but who can change the publication date now?It isn't perfect, but Rudy remains one of the fascinating--and successful--Mayors of our time.

Solid and Condensed Biography
This biography was excellently written in a mostly unbiased way. Kirtzman has an excellent understanding of NYC politics and this served to his advantage in chronicling Giulianis life. For a more comprehensive biography pick up "Rudy" by Wayne Barrett.

read in one sitting
I picked this book up to read on a flight from Providence to Phoenix.I never put it down and read the whole book by arrival.It is an incredibly readable book.As far as I understand it was oringinally published before sept 11th so most of the book is unbiased by the great acts the mayor performed on that day and afterword.This being siad the author is great at detailing the intricacies of New York politics.A worthwhile read for anyone who didnt experience the Guliani era first hand(in NY).As another reviewer siad it does lack detail and certainly is in no way a biography of the man.The book is a political biography the starts in 1988 and ends in 2001.

america's mayor? hero-mayor? hardly
Consider that even before Sept 11, this "hero" was publically questioning whether there should be mayoral elections at all, (term limits meant he had to go) and after the tragic events he wanted them cancelled so that he could stay on, since in his words he was already "experienced and doing a good job". His contempt for democracy is matched by his endless conceit.
His public order record is bound to be reviewed considering the positions he took over repeated police shootings/savagery of civilians/bystanders (Dialo and Louima being only two of the most publicized).
As for the "hero" part, a hero is one who risks his life to save or help others. It is not clear what risk Mr Juliani undertook either as mayor or as soon-to-be-ex-mayor during the aftermath of Sept 11, other than attempt to monopolize the publicity of a profound tragedy for personal aggrandizement. There is clearly an effort by the Royalist (former Republican) party to place him in the front running for high national office. Don't go for it.

if only rudy was as easy a read as this book is...It's great
Having lived through those turbulent years and having to begrudginly give my approval to many of the things that he did,I find that the balance in this superbly written and easy to read study make me more comfortable with my feelings. Kirtzman doesn't take sides as much as he presents both sides allowing the reader to get a better feel for this complex and often forbidding and not forgiving mayor without sacrificing your basic reactions to the man. A must read. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (13)

What was Littell waiting for!
What a fun read. I cried the last two chapters. Littell seems to have avoided John's public side for 20 years, and thank goodness, he's now come out to stand up for John and his wife. I only wish he had done it earlier. Where have the Kennedy's been? I wonder how come Carloine has never spoken out for he brother? regardless, she must be grateful that John's old friend has done as much in this hearfelt, humorous and beutifully written book.

A wonderful memoir of male bonding
I'm not exactly sure what the negative reviewers here are so bitter about compared to the really awful memoirs by people that barely knew John.

Above all else, this is a testament to a loving friendship. As a man the same age as these two friends I could completely relate to the overriding theme of Rob's writing. Friendship and a very close one at that. Which other family would consistently serve burned hamburgers (Rob's favorite) to a grown man because he's a picky eater?

Aside from tasteful and measured insights into the Kennedy family's homes and personal tastes and marriages, one is left
saddened by Rob's loss. The book is summed up in the line offered by Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg after John's memorial service when Rob tells her how much John loved her, to which she replied "Thank you Rob. John loved you too."

Rob, you could not have written this book as easily as writing it. Thanks from "a guy" for writing it.

hilarious!
I read The Men We Became in two nights. What fun! And I must thank Rob Littell for defending his freind. It must have been hard to watch his reputation get dragged thorugh the mud for so long. Most of America loved John Jr., and I now feel that he loved us back. I laughed out loud and cried and felt like I knew the man I had always admired. I figured this book to be another tell all, but to my happy surprise it's not. It's a great story about a favorite American Son. One that I'm sure Carolyn Bessette's mother must be grateful for the effort.

sophomoric.....
despite the author's fascination with John's mother, "Mrs. O" he obviously chose to ignore the discretion she would have preferred....although i had met John twice, once at a party he threw and once at a club to which I belonged, I found him gracious and charming...I personally think the author has many unresolved issues of his own ...it was too bad he didnt write more about his own professional career because that would have shed even more light on his perspective....the book does however shed light on who john really was at least in the eyes of his peers...i feel badly for john's sister caroline that this book was written.

sophomoric.....
I am a contemporary of these men and I met John on two ocassions--once at a large party he hosted and once at club to which I belonged. He was everything one would expect as protrayed here...warm, gracious and charming...almost as sad as the tragic ending to his life, are some of the tidbits thrown out by the author about his close friend....although I don't doubt their friendship was accurately protrayed, ..despite Littell's rapport with Mrs. Onasis, he failed to learn discretion from her...and in my opinion he does a tremendous disservice to the memory of his late friend...I feel most badly for John's sister Caroline (who does not seem to be a fan of Littell)...to whom privacy is so important. The Men they became seem overly self indulgent and sophomoric and some things should have been left unsaid...i also wondered what the author was doing professionally when not on weekends at the vineyard, more should have been said of that because that would have provided another interesting dimension to the story... ... Read more

Book Description

The great politician, agriculturalist, economist, author, and businessman—loved and reviled, and finally now revealed. The first full biography of Henry A. Wallace, a visionary intellectual and one of this century's most important and controversial figures. Henry Agard Wallace was a geneticist of international renown, a prolific author, a groundbreaking economist, and a businessman whose company paved the way for a worldwide agricultural revolution. He also held two cabinet posts, served four tumultuous years as America's wartime vice president under FDR, and waged a quixotic campaign for president in 1948. Wallace was a figure of Sphinx-like paradox: a shy man, uncomfortable in the world of politics, who only narrowly missed becoming president of the United States; the scion of prominent Midwestern Republicans and the philosophical voice of New Deal liberalism; loved by millions as the Prophet of the Common Man, and reviled by millions more as a dangerous, misguided radical. John C. Culver and John Hyde have combed through thousands of document pages and family papers, from Wallace's letters and diaries to previously unavailable files sealed within the archives of the Soviet Union. Here is the remarkable story of an authentic American dreamer. A Washington Post Best Book of the Year. 32 pages of b/w photographs. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Mr. Smith goes to Wasington ... and wins
I enjoyed this detailed account of the life of Henry Wallace. The book does read like a work by David McCullough, but is enhanced by a deep understanding of the culture of Washington. The book gives valuable insights into the practical political forces that shaped the New Deal and the beginning of the Cold War.

The underlying premise of this book as that an idealistic dreamer can make a huge difference in the creating and shaping policy in the United States. The co-author of this work is a former Senator from Iowa named John C. Culver. He served one-term in the 1970's. Through Henry Wallace, the authors mount a formidable defense of the ideals of American liberalism.

Yes...but
I enjoyed this book as a well-written biography and a tale of Americana and issues still relevant. I was amazed, though in re-reading McCullough's Truman, following reading Culver and Hude's
Wallace, how much they had simply picked up and reprinted from McCullough. Most of the Democratic convention in Chicago of 1944 is right out of the Truman biography - not that there was a great deal more to report, but word choices and whole phrases seem cribbed. Too bad, for most of the rest of the Wallace book is highly original and worth reading. Wallace is by now (2002) largely forgotten; too bad. He had a lot to offer and his life is both encouraing and is a cautionary tale. Let's just thank our lucky stars Harry Truman came along at the right time - Wallce as President would have been an idealist in a shark tank
and it would have been a disaster!

Facinating Account of the Man Who Was Almost President
This exceptionally well done biography of Henry Wallace tells the story of an unusual man who nearly became president of the US. As Vice-president during FDR's third term, Wallace could easily have become president as Roosevelt's health steadily worsened. Back-room dealings at the Democratic convention in '44, were all that prevented Wallace being VP during FDR's final term.

Wallace was a brilliant complex man. Early in his life he developed and promoted hybrid corn that improved the productivity of American (and subsequently world) farmers. He was the real drivers of the recovery of American agriculture during the Depression. Wallace made difficult, often unpopular choices, that had the long term effect of improving the country's agrarian strength.

As a politician he was simultaneously naive and crafty. His ability to move controversial New Deal legislation through Congress showed how skilled he could be. His run as a third party candidate for president in 52 demonstrated both his naivte and vanity (a quality he developed late in his life).

My only quibble with this book is that it tells very little about what happened to Wallace following his quixotic presidential run. While the remaining 17 years of his life were hardly as eventful as what came before, it certainly merited greater coverage. Don't let this small matter detract from reading this otherwise excellent biography.

After reading this biography, one reaches two conclusions: 1) it's probably best that Wallace never became president; as an idealist, he was too often unable to settle for the "good" instead of his view of the "perfect;" 2) despite his flaws, Wallace's brilliance and dedication make him seem much greater than anyone on the current political scene regardless of party.

Exceptionally well-done
This book does an excellent job of telling of a an amazing life. Henry Wallace was born in a farm house near Orient, Adair County, Iowa, without benefit of doctor or midwife. He went on to a life extremely beneficial to the American farmer, especially the corn farmer. When he was picked to become FDR's Secretary of Agriculture, many American farmers were encouraged, and he went on to be the greatest Agriculture Secretary ever. His career became much more controversial when he became Vice-President. This book's account of the 1940 and 1944 Democratic Conventions is extremely informative, and no one who lived through those times, or who has an interest in those momentous events, will fail to be appreciative of the good work the authors of this book have done in telling the story of those amazing political events. The account of Wallace's aberational seeking of the Presidency in 1948 is full of interest, and one is relieved that by 1950 Wallace's political insight was restored. This is a great book to read, full of insight into a complicated but amazing man. ... Read more

Book Description

An autobiography of a young Chinese man whose childhood and adolescence were spent in Mao's China during the Cultural Revolution. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Simply told, poignant memoir of enormous events
Son of the Revolution is a spare book, the sort of small biography you might pick up and read in a couple of days some weekend. It packs an enormous punch, though. Liang Heng, its author, experienced essentially every side of the cultural revolution in China, and his graceful, somewhat understated prose only acts as a sort of smooth surface to the roiling undercurrent of those huge events.

This book often gets assigned as a college-level textbook for History courses, and it's easy to see why. Liang Heng literally experienced almost everything about the cultural revolution first hand. In the course of the book, he lives both sides of almost any set of events you can think of. For example, as a young boy he's involved in a revolutionary group that's excitedly denouncing capitalist influences at its school. In a fit of enthusiasm, he draws a scathing poster of a favorite teacher. Almost immediately he feels tremendously guilty over the drawing. His father and he talk about the teacher's reaction, and Liang Heng goes to apologize. Then, just when the teacher's benevolence and the father's wisdom seem to have smoothed over this pang of overzealousness in the student, Liang Heng discovers that his father, too, has been denounced in a poster, and that he himself has been shut out of his revolutionary group -- as the son of an intellectual. Within a single day he's gone from revolutionary youth to excluded son of a reactionary. He goes home that night to find his sisters threatening to move away to live at school, so as to distance themselves from his supposedly traitorous father. His father sits whispering, almost to himself, that the children should sincerely believe in the party and Mao, and that things will turn out right if they do so.

This book is filled with tumultuous turns like that. Just when you've seen the sharp edge of one dilemma, it changes shape and presents another side. Throughout all those twists, Liang Heng keeps a sympathy for those around him that brings you through the book. He can understand why people caught in these events acted like they did, and he doesn't seem to really hate anyone for it despite all he's been through. His father and mother, who divorced early during the revolution because of his mother's political background, become very different objects of sympathy, but neither one is regarded with disdain. (His father, in particular, becomes the sort of quietly tragic figure you'd find in some sprawling Russian historical novel.)

Other English language memoirs from these years in China don't approach the startling emotional clarity of this book. Life and Death in Shanghai, in particular, comes across as both shallower and more bitter. Son of the Revolution tells the entire story, first hand, with a sort of forgiveness, a sort of understanding, that I haven't forgotten in the six years since I first read it.

This is worth a rare (for me) five stars.

The Lost Generation--A Personal Narrative
In recent years, a plethora of books have been written on the Cultural Revolution and the folks who had to live through it. This book is interesting, because the author begins with a description of his mother's detention as a result of the "anti-rightist" campaign, which preceded the Cultural Revolution by almost a decade. In some respects, there is nothing particularly unique about this, because every book I have read on the Cultural Revolution eventually becomes a repudiation of the system that produced it, or, at least, of Mao as a leader. But it is still helpful, because it puts the Cultural Revolution in context. The Cultural Revolution happened mainly because of too much power and or influence being given to one person.

Liang Heng came from a "bad" family. Over and over again he mentions the influence that this superficial categorization has on his life. He is beaten and harassed as a child, and hounded throughout his life by the shadow of his past. This book is fascinating as a study of how a regime which claimed to be building a classless society, actually created one that was exponentially more segmented than what had preceded it.

It may take us a long time to fully understand the meaning of the Communist Revolution in 1949, and the Cultural Revolution of 1966-1977, or, for that matter, the revolution of 1911, which was really a pseudo revolution, because Sun Yat Sen was in power for only three months, and he was replaced by Yuan Shikai, who was one of the Empress Dowager's henchmen. What are we to conclude about the past century of China's history? Will it be viewed historically as a unique dynasty of its own, or an interlude between dynasties? And what of the new China that is currently developing? Are not the current developments in China in some ways more revolutionary than the political changes of the past century that bear that name? I'm just thinking out loud now--this book is not philosophy. I mention some of these questions, not because the book specifically raises them but because I think this book has brought me a little closer to understanding them.

I was interested in this book primarily because of my interest in the developments which shaped the history of China during the last half of the twentieth century. I would not recommend building your entire knowledge of its history only from the personal narratives of those who have left China behind them. But books like this one are most definitely an essential part of understanding what went wrong-what kinds of forces came together to produce the Cultural Revolution. The Chinese government is understandably sensitive about material which seems to discredit the current government as a legitimate authority. But disdain for the Cultural Revolution is now established orthodoxy in the People's Republic, and books like this have a role to play in developing a better understanding of that tragic period in the history of modern China, of the "lost generation" that it produced, and especially, of the extent to which the current atmosphere in China is perhaps, in part, a reaction to the excesses of the Cultural Revolution.

Monumental Book
I have read many books concerning people whose lives were destroyed by the Cultural Revolution in China, but none can compare to "Son of the Revolution." Liang Heng paints a very vivid and clear picture of life from an enthusiastic Mao Youth to a cynical, knowledge-starved young man. If there is any book out there that records the folly of both the Cultural Revolution and Communism in general, it would be this masterpiece.
I have read this book many times, and each time I go over it I discover something new. If you are truly interested in a first-hand account of the brutality of the Communist Chinese regime or is in interested in a great read, you must get this book.

INTERESTING BOOK ABOUT A MAN WHO EXPERIENCED MUCH PAIN
I THOUGHT THIS BOOK WAS RATHER INSIGHTFUL. YOU COULD ACTUALLY FEEL THE PAIN THAT COAUTHOR HENG MUST HAVE EXPERIENCED AS A CHINESE CITIZEN. IT MUST HAVE BEEN HARD FOR HIM TO FIRST SEE HIS PARENTS' MARRIAGE CRUMBLE ALL BECAUSE OF POLITICAL PRESSURE, AND THEN FOR HIM TO SEEK ESCAPE (ANYWAY HE COULD) FROM WHAT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN AN UNHAPPY EXISTENCE. I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK FOR PEOPLE SEEKING TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE ABOUT CHINA.

Angela's Ashes in Red China
When consolidating their rule over the most populous nation on Earth, the Red Chinese sought to create a modern industrialized state in place of a feudal and disorganized one. Requiring more than rapid industrialization to realize their goals, the communists also sought to suffuse every sector of Chinese society with rigid political mentality requiring not only strict party loyalty, but a state of constant revolution, in which individuals and communities constantly sought to prove their mastery of "revolutionary discipline". Various miniature revolutions shake China - turning friends and relatives against each other - with fearful consequences for those who couldn't convince the more politically reliable of their strongly "revolutionary" desires. Because the meaning of the revolution itself is vague, even those who would have thought their backgrounds free of "black marks", find themselves under the gun - whether because of views an individual no longer professes, or association with others having displayed a lack of revolutionary discipline or simply because one may comply with a dictate only to find the Party changed direction completely.

Liang Heng, whose birth coincided with Ho Chi Minh's epic victory over the French in 1954, suffered for all the above reasons. Never a "rightist" himself, Heng suffered horribly during China's ten year political unrest of the 1960's and 70's. Heng's mother, a loyal party member in the late 1950's, reluctantly obeys the party's order to criticize superiors during the "Hundred Flowers" movement. Heng, like many, is never sure if the follow-up to the "Flowers" (in which those who faithfully criticized their elders were then rounded up for their insuboridination) was a knee jerk reaction to the unexpected ferocity the earlier campaign engendered, or whether the earlier movement was intended to weed out those critics to begin with. Only the consequences - in which Heng's mother must wear the feared "rightist cap", forever soilng her revolutionary record and that of her family - is considered. When Heng's father, who writes for the Hunan daily, becomes suspect for his admitted youthful infatuation with the nationalistic Koumintang, the family's political reputation suffers even more. Though loyal communists, Heng finds his father's name listed as an enemy on the many revolutioanry placards around their home city of Changsha. The Party maxim's - stressing tolerance for those whose backgrounds evince youthful mistakes - does little for Heng, since the revolution is guided by fervor and not nuance. And, though Maosim meant that party loyalty superceded family loyalty (sorry Confucious), it didn't prevent family members from suffering for political sins of family members.

Through the turmoil - which evolves from parades to open warfare in the street using everything from sticks and stones to missiles - Heng avoids sanctimony. Heng suffered much of the chaos as a child, and isn't above admitting that he too wrote some revolutionary placards himself. He works hard to rehabilitate his father whose first major action is to cast out Heng's mother for her "rightist cap". Experience proved the decision, for its pain, proved correct, if insufficient, to protect the family. "Old Liang" himself suffered mightily for the cause, never once complaining. As a middle-aged exile, forced to bring the revolution to the peasants by joing them, Heng's father survived the indiginities of a country-bound city-types, never pausing to warm the lives of the peasants with Marxist fervor. Heng's private revolution, unlike the larger one surrounding him, is about nuance, and the narrative never attempts to surpass the perspective of a child of Heng's age during the cultural revolution. Like the more recent "Angela's Ashes", Heng knows that the more credible narrator is the one who feels and experiences rather than faithfully records. And the experience, rather than one of victimization is of survival. The revolution's true enemies are long gone by the time the cultural revolution degenerates into civil war, and only Heng's clear and non-judgmental narrative can spot that the war's victims and instigators are one and the same. ... Read more

Book Description

"So this is it. This is how the big guys talk to each other. I'd been behind my share of closed doors on Capitol Hill, but this was different -- more self-conscious, almost cinematic, as if everyone was aware of playing a part in a drama that was being written as they spoke. This was the classic smoke-filled room, minus the smoke. I watched and listened and tried to look cool, too dumbstruck to say a sensible word and half-convinced that somebody would look up any minute and say, 'Hey, what are you doing here?"For four years in the White House and one year of campaigning before that, George Stephanopoulos was rarely more than a few steps from Bill Clinton. As the President's Senior Adviser, he saw it all - the endless arguments, the back hall scheming, the protracted decisions, the last minute flip flops that somehow produced real accomplishments, but also set in motion an almost tragic series of events that placed the fate of the President in the hands of the Senate. Now, with the natural ease of a born storyteller and the sensitive eye for fine detail of a novelist, Stephanopoulos tells an extraordinarily gripping story of human foible and frailty in high places that is destined to be one of the great political memoirs of our times.When Stephanopoulos first met Bill Clinton in September of 1991, he was 30, and like so many others before and since, he was dazzled by the brilliance, charisma, lofty ambitions and astonishing empathy of this remarkably gifted man. Here was the perfect star for an ambitious young man to hitch himself to, yet little did he anticipate what an amazing roller coaster ride it would be - both for the administration and for Stephanopoulos. Throughout the chaos and camaraderie, the breathtaking triumphs and disasters, Stephanopoulos clung to the vision of what a Clinton Presidency could be, even as he began to see the hidden, dark compartments in the man that would bring him and the nation to such grief.In addition to the complex portrait of the President, here are brilliant, nuanced sketches of all the key players, including Al Gore, Dick Morris, and Hillary Clinton, whose combative, litigator instincts were, sadly, behind many of her husband's missteps. Here too is a candid, sometimes merciless, self-portrait of the author, whose drives, vanities, and insecurities, along with everyone else's, peppered the playing field of the biggest game in town. All Too Human is a book for the ages. ... Read more

Reviews (272)

Its the biography, stupid!
I've noted in a number of other reviews a common complaint with the book; where is the detail on Clinton, or Hilary, Gore or other aides? This is a biography of Stephanopoulos, not a story of Clinton. It's George's perspective about the whole experience, not just about Clinton. You will learn what George thought about Clinton, what impressed him, and what disappointed him about his boss. This book gives you a great feel for what George lived through during the 2 election campaigns and Clinton's first term. He is honest about his vying for position with the President against other advisors, about things he did well, and times that he blew it. You come away feeling what it might really be like to work on the inside of the greatest office in the world, the glamour, the ad hoc scrambling to push positions through Congress, the constant damage control sessions, the full-time job to spin facts into the desired public perception (George is the Rumplestiltskin of the White House in that regard).

It confirmed what I'd felt reading newspapers about the Clinton administration during the first term; the White House and Congress are not all working together in the best interests of the US. Rather, each faction, whether Repub, Demo, Special Interest, etc. is only trying to maximize their own interests at the expense of anyone else's. (Sounds like a good application for Nash's game theory). Sure, this account is not an objective overview of anything; this is what George saw, felt, did, how he failed and succeeded. Anyone wanting to work in politics will find it interesting. Anyone affected by politics (that's all of us citizens) will cringe at realizing it's all on the job training each time a new administration comes in to office. I really enjoyed the read.

A comfortable, conversational look at White Hous