5 comments about A Remarkable Mother.

1. Jimmy Carter has penned an insightful and inspiring book that chronicles the amazing life of Miss Lillian Carter- Peace Corp volunteer at the age of 70, registered nurse, pecan grower, university housemother, early civil rights advocate, and enthusiastic Brooklyn Dodgers fan. "A Remarkable Mother" is an engaging, uplifting read and makes for a terrific Mother's Day gift regardless of the recipient's political persuasion.



2. Anyone who doesn't remember the Carter Presidency will meet in this book a truly extraordinary woman, as salty and outspoken as she was generous, good-hearted and commonsensical--perhaps the only President's mother in recent times (at least prior to the current occupant of the Oval Office) to make a noteworthy impression in public consciousness. For those who do remember her, Jimmy's fond (but not overly or needlessly sentimental) portrait will help clarify the origins of the qualities that were manifest on the surface. Rather than being a clinging or protective parent she was a "do-er," someone who taught by example. In many respects, she bears no small resemblance to the strong Southern black women with whom she had an affinity--a character with the integrity and resilience of Dilsey in Faulkner's "The Sound and the Fury."
   
   The entire Carter family--Miss Lillian, Ruth, and Billy--were utterly unique individuals, and little has been written about the personal grief that Jimmy must have endured upon the passing of his mother and both siblings, even as he continued to direct his attention toward humanitarian causes that would benefit a wider human family. Unfortunately, there is no Brother's or Sister's Day, but some of us hope the enviable energies of the former President do not fail him before he has had a chance to do at least equal justice by these two remaining members of a First Family that, however dissimilar in background and social status, attracted a level of interest not seen since the Kennedy era.



3. I read about one book a week. This book must have been the worst book I have ever read in my life. I loved Jimmy's stuff in the past. What happened?? I'm not sure he even wrote this book. Very slow and pointless content.



4. What a disappointment. I adored Lillian Carter--Miss Lillian--during the Jimmy Carter years in the White House. I also greatly respected his presidency. And I have read all of Jimmy Carter's other books, each of which would earn at least a four-star rating from me. And the anti-Israel one earns a five-plus! But this is sentimental and so atypical of Jimmy Carter. Miss Lillian was a remarkable woman who deserves so much better than this little book that is highly over-rated and definitely over-priced. Sorry, Mr. President, but you didn't do your mother proud on this one. Eric Selby



5. I read this wonderful book with great enjoyment. President Carter does a great job making this bio entertaining as well as inspiring. Lillian was not a saint but a very outspoken "live life to the fullest" woman.
   I was impressed by her respectful treatment of African Americans and the great example she was to her son. She was a great help in meeting foreign dignitaries etc. A great read!

5 comments about Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.

1. With great writing and fabulous storytelling, Goodwin takes us deep into the inner workings of President Abraham Lincoln's cabinet during the Civil War and into the minds and lives of the key players. This is not another Lincoln biography or a history about the Civil War battles or generals, although we do meet and get a greater appreciation of the good and bad generals -- Grant and Sherman vs. McClellan -- and focus on Lincoln's leadership skills and style. In some ways, you could say this extremely engaging read is a biography of a particular institution -- Lincoln's cabinet and its members -- at the key moment when America's peculiar institution of slavery is being fought over. However, I am glad that I read Shelby Foote's three-volume narrative history of the Civil War before Goodwin's book so that I had the biggest picture first.



2. His assassination and coronation at such an early age both preserved the mystique and obscured the mystery that surrounded Abraham Lincoln and made him one of the the best-documented men in history. Lincoln has been mythologized beyond criticism or comparison in the historical lexicon. This book brings him back from mythology and puts him into his proper political realm so that he can be criticized and compared to other mortals, whereupon you realize how far beyond criticism and comparison Lincoln is when it came to his political and personal leadership.
   
   Goodwin's Abraham Lincoln is a political leader and wise human being beyond any other, perhaps even Solomon himself. Of the people whom history has documented thoroughly enough to compare, he may be the greatest human being ever in terms of communicating, understanding, empathizing , and motivating others.
   
   Why does every leader since pale by comparison? Is there never to be another Lincoln? Part of the problem is that in Lincoln's time, one man could still control most of his environment. Lincoln created ways to work, study, and think that allowed him to apply his knowledge and wisdom to the problems he faced and come up with the best solutions. The realm of control is much smaller today.
   
   Part of the problem is the pervasiveness and immediacy of communication (the media), part of it is the complexity of the environments, and part of it is the complexity of the problems.
   
   Even a leader of Lincolnian proportions would not be as successful as Lincoln in today's world. Of leaders since then who approached that power on the world stage: FDR, Reagan, Castro, maybe Papa Doc Duvalier--on a small island scale, a lesser man can loom larger, and without a great ethical compass, accomplish much for the wrong purpose!
   
   One great example of Lincoln's abilities: with conservative cabinet member Seward's resignation on his desk because of accusations from liberal Senators (based on inside information from liberal cabinet member Chase), Lincoln agreed to meet with the Senators alone at the White House. After hearing their complaints in a long meeting and promising to think on it, the next day Lincoln called all the cabinet together except Seward, told them about the meeting and told them to come to the White House that night to meet with the Senators, knowing that as a group the cabinet would defend its own against charges from outsiders.
   
   Chase, who had provided the information to the Senators, especially charges that the cabinet was seriously divided and uninvolved in presidential decision-making, was in a panic throughout the meeting when the cabinet members did indeed defend Seward and Lincoln and present a united front during a long 5-hour session with the Senators.
   
   The next morning, Chase came to the White House to submit his resignation to Lincoln because of his mortification in front of the Senatorial delegation (when the delegation was discussing afterward how Chase could have painted such an incorrect story of the cabinet unity and involvement, one Senator remarked dryly "He lied."). When Chase pulled the paper from his pocket, Lincoln eagerly grabbed it and read it with a smile on his face. "This unties the Gordian knot," he exclaimed, as he recognized that Chase had just given him the answer to his dilemma. He wrote out a letter to both Chase and Seward, rejecting both resignations, thus keeping his cabinet and the warring Republican party united.
   
   This example is multiplied many times by Goodwin throughout the book, highlighted each time by Lincoln's quiet confidence in his ability, his moral authority, and his political authority. His self-assurance was reflected in the way he always accepted other's ideas (and gave credit) when better than his, seldom held grudges, and never paid back ill for ill, a trait that paid off many times in his political career, as those he could have made enemies became valuable compatriots in the war for the Union.
   
   How could a man with such humble beginnings, with so little formal education, who was basically a minimum-wage day laborer until the age of 25, when he learned the law on his own and began a faltering political career--how could this man harbor such ability and confident expectation of success?
   
   It is easy enough to say it stems from his determination, after a bout of suicidal depression in his mid-20s when the first love of his life died, that he did not want to die until he had made a mark on the world. A noble and worthy determination to be sure, and one made--and forgotten--by many of us, as time, ability, and circumstance leave us satisfied with some lower place. But 20 years later in the White House, while talking with his best friend from that earlier time, Lincoln reminded his friend of that pledge and acknowledged his readiness to die now that he had met it. Lincoln had not forgotten his pledge, and had fully intended and expected to meet it as he did! What gave him this ability to satisfy his fully expectant confidence?
   
   One can say it is God's hand of providence working in human history to preserve the United States. That may be the most likely driver, but why through this gangling "great ape" who was mocked and denigrated until met in political or personal arenas where he quietly and gracefully managed every relationship for the best of all parties? Was Abraham Lincoln a committed Christian? Not by most standards of orthodoxy, although he knew the Bible from hours of study, and not in comparison to Chase, whose studied religiosity was belied by his shady financial dealings and unethical manipulation of others.
   
   Regardless, with war in Iraq and economic gloom descending over most of the world, God's providence in the placement of a humble servant leader like Lincoln would surely be welcome.



3. There is no other word for it, this book is brilliant. Coming into it, I thought I knew a fair amount about Lincoln and workings of the war. However, the way the author depicts Lincoln and his cabinet is incredible. There is such depth, honesty, and intricacy to it. Although there is not a lot of background info on the war itself, that, for the most part, is not missed. The book focuses on Lincoln and his cabinet, and how he, in his own political genius, pulled together varying factions of the new Republian party to solve the crises facing the country. It's a fascinating insight into one of the great political and moral minds of history. It is not to be missed.



4. This is one of those books that, when you are finished, you need a few minutes to sit and let it all sink in. It is a powerful, wonderful, insightful book that I was almost sorry to finish, for multiple reasons -- it was engrossing, and of course it didn't end well.
   
   Goodwin does an excellent job of bringing Lincoln to life and showing his incredible talents for managing people. I had some knowledge about Lincoln, but when I finished this book, I was left with a feeling of sadness, not only for him and his friends and family, but for the country, because we were deprived of four years of Lincoln's leadership. And who knows how things would have turned out in the South and the country as a whole had he been able to preside over the infant stages of Reconstruction.
   
   The relationship between Lincoln and Seward was a pleasure to learn about, as well as the way Lincoln dealt with the various personalities around him without creating personal enemies. Reading about his interactions with Frederick Douglass was also a special part of the book.
   
   While this book may be long (about 750 pages) for those with only a casual interest in history, I would still recommend it to anyone. It is a remarkable book about a remarkable man.



5. This book was a page-turner. There is not a false note or a deficient section or arrangement in it. The author does an excellent job in telling Lincoln's story from cradle to grave, with the emphasis of course on his political years, but with enough background to inform and enlighten the discussion of the political years. Even more amazing, the book weaves in substantial biographies of major figures like Seward, Bates, Chase, Stanton, and the Lincoln family. This complex effort could have collapsed under its own weight, become plodding, or become confusing. Nothing of the sort happens. Instead, the pieces fit together very nicely and you feel yourself learning and sinking into the era as you make your way to the tragic ending. The detailed research is impressive, as is Goodwin's ability to relay it in an engaging and clear style. Abraham Lincoln came to life like never before. I finished the book on April 15, the day he died, and found myself sad for his ending and grateful for the skill and dedication with which he led this country through a terrible trial. I highly commend this book, and a visit to Springfield, to tour Lincoln's home and visit his tomb, to those wishing to learn about, and honor, a great man.

5 comments about John Adams.

1. David McCullough is to history was John Grisham is to literature: he's lite fare, easily digestable but not particulary nourishing. To me, the book seemed like a watered-down and streamlined portrayal of an important historical figure. It's reasonable well-written and moves along at a good clip; it just seems superficial. I guess that's o.k. if your target audience is people who don't normally read history. If you fall into that category, the JA is probably the book for you. Personally, however, I usually like to read "serious" works of history. History-lite just doesn't seem worth my time....
   
   Not terrible but not recommended.



2. There are many more erudite descriptions of John Adams. I decided to write a review because it is my favorite non-fiction book and I felt that the HBO series took the wind out of Adams' sails in so many ways. The HBO miniseries, which I long awaited, bored me to tears. There was none of the excitement in the series that I read in the book. Paul Giamatti's Adams could not speak above a whisper and did not convey, at least to me, the spirit of John Adams, which I read in 2001 and still remember vividly. John Adams had such an interesting and varied life, that to distill it as it was done in the HBO series leaves the viewer questioning how this complex man was anything more than a bombastic autocrat.
   
   David McCullough's use of primary sites and his use of the many letters written to his wife Abigail makes this book one of the most memorable and romantic of all the founding fathers. He clearly writes about his personal life - his treatment of his children, the favoritism of John Quincy, his life-long love affair with his wife and their juxtaposition with his duty to his fledgling country as well as his interest in his own epitaph. He brings to life a human who was so multi-faceted and brings most of those facets to life.
   
   I am not an historian, so I realize there are many things missing knowledge of John Adams. However, that which was included was readable, interesting and kept me turning those many pages with ease.



3. Of course it is only a metaphorical question, but if there were more politicians around who adored their wife and their country, America would be a pretty different place. He said what he thought and he thought deeply. He had a strict moral obligation to his God, country and his family and would never consider going against any of these things. This book reveals all these things about a complicated man. It is not a dry academic novel but a fascinating story. You cannot find too many of these out there and I have had to read many of those to get through bachelors degree and halfway through my masters. One of the things that impressed me the most was the level with which he treated his wife. In the time that he lived this was phenomenal.



4. I can't put the book down. It's a well written story, very entertaining and educational. I'm learning so much about our founding fathers and the birth of this nation that I didn't learn in school.



5. This is an excellent book about a man that I previously knew very little about. Very interesting and flows well. It gave me a new perspective on some other historical figures as well, including Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. I highly recommend this book.

5 comments about Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation.

1. I made the dreadful mistake of trying to read this book. Are we honestly to be expected to take a work of history by Cokie Roberts seriously? I don't know why anyone would take her political commentary seriously, much less whatever she tries to pass off as history. There are plenty of serious studies of women in early America that do not feature this books flaw's. I suggest you turn to any of those. This book is poorly written. It seems to have no major theme or argument. It has absolutely no documentation, meaning that it is impossible to tell where the information actually came from. Give me a break!



2. Great ability to make these stories fascinating. Much info this Revolutionary Era buff did not know. The Women were great! I still do not understand why men were so fearful of giving Women the vote and the right to own property of their own. The book relates their stories effectively and with humor.



3. "Founding Mothers" tells the story of women, famous, not so famous and obscure, who contributed to the founding of the United States. In this, as in her other works, Cokie Roberts has told an excellent story.
   
   Some of the women, such as Martha Washington and Abigail Adams, we know well. Others, including Mercy Otis Warren and Eliza Pinckney, are mothers and wives of lesser known men, who influenced the crucial roles their sons and husbands played in the early Acts of the American Pageant. Some, such as Molly Pitcher, are so obscure that their actual identity is not known with certainty.
   
   This book is divided into sections pertaining to the Revolution, the writing and adoption of the Constitution and the establishment of the National Government. Some of the subjects, such as Martha Washington, play roles in more than one section.
   
   This book is well written and presents its stories so as to hold the reader's interest, regardless of whether the story is familiar or not, and central or peripheral to the development of the nation. I am always suspicious of books in which the author tries to make the subjects into something that they are not. I do not think that Ms. Roberts tries to do that in this book. Her renderings of the activities of the Founding Mothers are very believable. She seems to keep their involvement and influence, as significant as it is, within plausible limits. As readers of my reviews are aware, I have read several books about this era of our history. (See my Listmania Lists, "The Story of the American Revolution" and "Founding Presidents.") "Founding Mothers" presents, in an enchanting fashion, a perspective of the history largely absent from other books.



4. In general, I've found Cokie Roberts' book, "Founding Mothers" to be an interesting if not fascinating work: she has done an excellent job of digging into the frequently ignored role of women in the development of the American Republic during the revolutionary era; and has presented her findings in an easy to read and thought provoking narrative, structured as a series of mini-biographies of each of her subjects - most (but not all) of whom were prominent in the society of the time: women like Martha Washington, wife of George Washington; Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams; Peggy Shippen, wife of the traitor Benedict Arnold; and Kitty Green, wife of General Nathaniel Greene.
   
   Building mainly upon the correspondence each of her subjects exchanged with their husbands, families and friends, you get a real sense of what life was like at the time: the challenges these people faced as war ravaged their homes, and the homes of those they loved; how frustrated they were with the complete lack of consideration that the political system and society of the time had for women; their hopes that this new country would turn a new page and allow women a voice in the political arena; and how they sought to influence the men they knew and loved, most of whom had major roles in the revolutionary effort.
   
   While I find this book to be a very informative and interesting read, I get the impression from time to time that Ms. Roberts is stretching a bit to present the points she wishes to make. Some of the evidence she presents is a bit thin, and the arguments she makes based on that evidence sometimes goes beyond what I feel is reasonable. On the other hand, as Ms. Roberts herself says: women and their contrbutions to the cause simply were not valued, and so often were not preserved at all, or are very hard to track-down. So, I cannot fault her on this point, and feel that even when individual statements might go beyond the evidence, the central themes of the book are definitely clear, and compelling.
   
   These women were strong, intelligent, creative, interesting people. Cokie Roberts does a great job of helping us learn who they were, what their lives were like, and how contributed to the building of the American Dream. Great book!



5. This book had to have been written while Cokie was doing Coke. It is all over the place. The chapters are misaligned with the text, ie: Abigail Adams personal tidbits preceded the chapter bearing her name. Here and there scattered throughout the book were interesting facts, however, the book rambled so much I am shocked it was published by a journalist!

1 comments about Franklin and Lucy: President Roosevelt, Mrs. Rutherfurd, and the Other Remarkable Women in His Life.

1. This biography of Franklin D. Roosevelt was thoroughly engaging. I'm no historian, and have no idea if Joseph Persico has broken new ground in historical scholarship with this book. He has produced an eminently readable biography of one of our great leaders, viewed from the perspective of his relationships with several remarkable women.
   
   FDR was the over-protected only son of a dominating mother, born into wealth and privilege. The handsome young Franklin surprised almost everyone by choosing to marry his plain and awkward cousin Eleanor. He served the Wilson Administration as Undersecretary of the Navy during WWI, when the 36 year old husband and father of five fell in love with the beautiful Miss Lucy Mercer, his wife's social secretary.
   
   Eleanor discovered the affair and it changed her world forever, although the marriage survived. Despite his promises to Eleanor FDR did not cut off all communications with Lucy, who married a wealthy widower and by all accounts was a devoted and loving wife, stepmother, and mother.
   
   I think that in some ways the title is less accurate than the subtitle, because Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd remains a more shadowy figure in this book than most of the other remarkable women in FDR's closest circle. Persico portrays Lucy as possessing from first to last a nearly mystical aura, an ability to quietly charm everyone she met, and a depth of character. There was clearly a deep and lifelong connection between Lucy and FDR.
   
   Persico brings compassion and respect to all the characters here: the complex FDR, his equally complex wife Eleanor, his beautiful and dominant mother Sara, and the other women who moved in and out of his orbit including Lucy, FDR's devoted aide Missy LeHand, his daughter Anna, and his cousins Daisy and Polly. When I reached the end of this book I felt I not only knew more about FDR and Eleanor, but had come to know a handful of other women who shared FDR's journey through this world.

5 comments about My Dearest Friend: Letters of Abigail and John Adams.

1. I must shamefully admit that prior to the renewed interest in John Adams with the recent miniseries, I really had only a general knowledge of his role and importance in the founding of our country. This book gives a private, personal and wonderful view of the strength,deep,abiding love of this first family. I could not put it down & would highly recommend it to anyone.



2. The newly released TEACHING LIFE: LETTERS FROM A LIFE IN LITERATURE impresses me as a welcome companion to collected letters of John and Abigail Adams.
   
   In 1978 one of the author's students died tragically in an automobile accident on her way to his office to talk over her career plans. It was the suddenness of her death, along with the utter loss of so much potential, which left him wondering whether anything he had said in class had made a difference in her too-short life or, for that matter, in the lives of any of his students.
   
   Her death was not only a great misfortune but also a defining moment for the author. For the first time in his life as a teacher, and he had been at it for only five years, he realized in the weeks that followed that he wasn't in the classroom for myself. He was and remains there for the students, all of whom are giving him three hours a week of their most precious possession -- their time. What he says and do should make a difference in their lives. The worst thief is a bad teacher.
   
   In a recent interview with Samantha Bravo he answers some pointed questions about the book:
   
   1) Each letter to Kelly addresses a different aspect of
   education, literature and life. How did you decide
   which topics to address? How do you think the book's
   organization of these topics affects the reader?
   
   The topics suggested themselves to me as I moved ever deeper into the project. I knew I had to write "When a Parent Dies," for example, because the day after my father's funeral I returned to my class to discuss Hamlet and saw my father sitting in the back of the room. The chapter on "Marriage" suggested itself because I was struck by how many of my colleagues across the country wrestle with balancing the academics with family life. Many questions emerged over the years from discussions with my parents, both educators, as well as from my students. Overall I answer questions that many teachers (and students) ask of themselves and that I continue to ask of myself.
   
   2) Why did you choose to format the book as a series of
   letters?
   
   To avoid the risk of coming across as "preachy" or dogmatic. That's not my style. Writing letters "to" a former student was an indirect way of reaching my potential reader. Also, this format helped me to establish a warm, personal tone that is the voice I try to maintain in the classroom. I am speaking to teachers, yes, but I am also speaking to students as well as to the general public - and I don't want to alienate them.
   
   3) In the book's summary it says that "'Teaching Life"
   is an effort to impart lessons to the next generation
   of teachers." Would you also agree that these lessons
   are equally benefiting to students who read this
   book? What sort of insight should a student expect to
   gain in contrast to a teacher?
   
   Yes, most definitely. Letters as personal as these permit the student to slip away from present concerns, open the door, and step inside the secret life of a teacher. Happiness is a gift, not a right, and most of us as teachers have been so gifted. Perhaps some students themselves will carry from the book the thought of entering this noble and personally rewarding profession. At the very least I hope they will find here some useful suggestions for getting all they can from their educational experiences.
   
   4) You say that Kelly has become a metaphor for all your
   students. Could you explain this in more depth?
   
   Every semester my classrooms are filled with Kelly's - bright, eager-to-learn men and women who are giving me three hours a week of their most precious possession - their time. What I say "to" Kelly in the letters I say to all of my students: make the most of your allotted time, seek the best in everything you do, and keep growing. My challenge is to find a way to connect with them, to encourage them to care about the material, to think about some of the deep issues of life, and to have a good time while doing so. That's part of what keeps me coming back day after day, month after month, semester after semester. Though Kelly didn't live to realize her potential as a teacher, my experience of knowing her and thousands of students like her continues to inspire me every day.
   
   5) Thirty years after Kelly's death, why did you believe
   that this was the right time in your career to publish
   "Teaching Life?"
   
   There were many months, even years when I didn't know when (or even IF) I would complete the book. Coincidentally I did so while approaching my 35th year of teaching. To borrow from Samuel Johnson, I believe that into every teacher's life there comes a "time to be in earnest." This is such a time for me.



3. If you are a history buff or just a little interested in the history of our nation you will love this book. The letters exchanged between John and Abigail Adams are wonderful. Abigail was definitely John's rock. She kept him focused and steady. John was a very passionate man in his beliefs and at times would become a tyrant trying to convince people that his way of thnking was the only way to think. Thank goodness he had Abigail as he ran everything by her to see how she thought the people would react to his perception. Abigail would let him know when he needed to press an issue or just be quiet and let it happen on its own. Besides being lovers as husband and wife they were truly best friends. An inspirational read.



4. I started reading this while watching the John Adams HBO mini series. I didn't finish the book until after I had seen all 7 episodes. It was interesting to read their correspondence and realize how much of an asset Abigail was to John. If you enjoy reading letters, you will enjoy this book. The author inserts commentary prior to a particular time frame of letters in order for you to understand the tenor and specifics of the letters that follow. I enjoyed it.



5. This book is a wonderful adjunct to the HBO series and David Mc Cullough's brilliant book.."John Adams". I have never been devoted to our American history, preferring instead Ancient cultures. I see what I have missed and vow to read more about the brave and devoted men and women who, indeed ,created our country. The love affair between John and Abigail seemed to provide the great man, as well as Thomas Jefferson, with the strength and comfort that spurred them on. Bravo!!

5 comments about The Adams-Jefferson Letters: The Complete Correspondence Between Thomas Jefferson and Abigail and John Adams.

1. What an incredible feeling reading the words of two of our country's founding fathers. To feel the respect and affection , as well as irritation, of these men is astounding. I am grateful that they have been made available to us to have and hold in our own hands and libraries and to pass on to our children.



2. Have you ever wanted to be a fly on the wall and to be able to share in the thoughts and happenings of important places and people? Well, if your desires in that regard include the office of the Presidency of the United States and the early days following the American Revolution, that is exactly what this book provides.
   
   As was typical of statesmen of that day, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams maintained a lengthy personal and professional correspondance the subjects of which were both mundane and highly intellectual. This book takes that correspondance, chronologically arranges it and then groups it according the characteristics of the time and the themes of their correspondance. As an additional bonus, John's wife Abigail Adams is included as well.
   
   My attraction to this volume was to seek clarity and focus on several questions that are quite relevant to today. What was meant and intended by the concept of Separation of Church and State and what was the philisophic and religious thinking of there two important figures? There's no shortage of resources out there to tell you what these men thought, the context of their society and usually as an added bonus how these matters in one way or another support the agenda or perspective of the one putting the source together.
   
   At some point however, if you really want to grapple with these issues or just understand the times and importance of these two men, there is no substitute for simply reading and allowing them to speak for themselves.
   
   The added benefit of reading it through in its entirity is that you are not subjected to the judgement of another as to what is significant, what isn't and you aren't relying upon snippets and quotes that may or may not be in context and may or may not be representative of all that either man had to say upon a certain matter.
   
   Certainly, this is just a small cross-section of all that these two men wrote and by itself there is much more that should be added. However, more than any other correspondance preserved from that day that these men engaged in, this was an exchange between men who considered the other his equal and for whom, with exceptions in time periods that are noted, mutual respect and a desire to explain themselves to one another motivated a candor and depth of intimacy that is difficult to find in other sectors.
   
   Certainly, any student of American History needs this resource as a reference and as such it affords a ready means to add information and topically flip through the pages to see what each man had to say on a particular subject.
   
   Every such student though, in my opinion, owes it to themselves, at least once, to just sit down and read the entire volume. Do this, and you'll have a handle upon the style of communication of the day, a feeling for many of the issues of the day and how they were viewed by the participants who did not have the advantage of knowing at the time how something would resolve. Idiosyncrasies in language and social custom will become more self-evident and the chances of being mislead by a quote isolated from its context will diminish considerably.
   
   In short, for anyone who loves History, this is an experience not to be missed.
   
   The footnotes and introductory passages to the different sections in my opinion do a remarkably good job of providing the reader with just enough context and outside information so that the letters themselves make sense and are not misunderstood. The reader is not told what to think about the letters per se, but rather equipped to make a better informed evaluation and come to their own conclusions. Those elements make the book valuable as well.
   
   5 stars if ever there was a book worthy of 5 stars; again, this IS history.
   
   Bart Breen



3. Out second and third presidents began their political career as friends, fell out, and then fortunately became friends again. In this wonderful collection of personal letters we see not only the men but the times until their deaths July 4, 1826. One of our most beloved presidents and most mis-understood are brought into reality by this collection. They were after all both remarkable men and human beings.



4. Throw Away the texbooks. As others have said this is our Real History and Heritage. There is more to be found here on Ethics and Intergrity than in any of the pogressively vaporous decriptions of these men and their times. Imagine the chief architects of the Great Experiment in Representstve Democracy. Adversaries at the Constitutional Congress; ememies over the the transition from Adam's Presidency to Jefferson's. And then THESE! Conciliation and repect and eventually true affection - The founding fathers in thier own words - asessing what they had wrought - the good, the bad, the ugly - all passsed through that wondeful 18-19th Century Prose. Throw away the text books. Integrity was the founding principle of Taoism; Ethics the founding princple of Socratic/Platonic discouse. Adams and Jefferson knew this. Many Americans are waking up astounded by the lack of these two foundational elements in our modern system of governance. There is more to be learn of governance,literature and critical thinking on any page than there is in an entire high-school(and most college) curricula. Jefferson and Adams are stirring, stirring - and this can only be a Good Thing.



5. This collection of historic dialogue is just what I was looking for. The simply and powerfully reprints the letters between Adams, the older more conservative thought leader for a nation, and Jefferson, the quiet country Gentleman who gave voice to that nation. This chronilogical collection of letters bring to life the common bond that brought together and then sustained these two giants; the love of well formed thoughts and learning. The addition of the Abigal to Jefferson letters adds a deeply spiritual and personal tough. A great tool for understanding the thoughts and arguments behind the norming and forming of the United States.

5 comments about Truman.

1. An absolutely fantastic biography. McCullough not only gives us an incredibly in-depth account of Truman's role in such momentous events as the decision to drop the Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Potsdam Conference (Truman's only face-to-face meeting with Stalin or Uncle Joe as he called him), the Truman Doctrine, The Marshall Plan, the Berlin Airlift, the Korean War, the firing of General MacArthur and so on, but he also succeeds wonderfully in injecting joviality into this rather thick tome through his unsurpassed ability to recount the human side of Truman, the quirkiness, the common trials and errors of a human being and the like.
   
   I am not an American, but I always tell my friends that if I were Truman would be my favorite president. This book only serves to reinforce my view. Overall, one of the best biographies I've read. If I ever became famous one day, I'd really love someone of McCullough's caliber to write my biography. Highly recommended.



2. 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.



3. 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.



4. 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.



5. 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.

5 comments about Benjamin Franklin: An American Life.

1. Walter Isaacson has penned an enjoyable, informative and well-paced biography on the incredible life and historic times of Benjamin Franklin.
   
   With crisp overviews of personalities like John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and Edward Bancroft - to name but a few - Isaacson brings a wonderful dimension to describing a complete picture of many issues.
   
   Though the chapter - Bon Vivant: Paris, 1778-1785 - briefly slows the pace of the nearly 500 pages, this is an entertaining read which shows how history can come to life through the energetic research of an author.



2. A very entertaining and highly informative bio. It seems as though Mr.Franklin gets slighted in other subjects bio's, mainly for being away from America for so long during the Revolutionary years. But you'll find in this enjoyable bio that he was hardly sitting around doing nothing during his time in France. His strength was in diplomacy and knowing how to manipulate France and Britain to our benefit, and was a major influence in the outcome of our quest for freedom. Also, take a good look around you, chances are that he had something to do with the invention or idea that brought whatever it is you're looking at to fruition.



3. When I took US History in College, the various instructors took pot shots at Benjamin Franklin, not really giving the poor old guy a chance. This book give a more balanced look at Ben's whole life and the events that changed his outlook on life. I still take to heart his creed to never speak sharply or argue in anger with anyone, speak softly and use reason to convince your fellow man (woman). This advice alone has allowed my to make headway in places that I would have never been able to before. This book also gives the reader the sense of sadness regarding Franklin's family, especially the very long time periods that he was away from his wife. Tragically, his wife died without him while he was in France. Franklin gave much to this country, I appreciate his contributions to this day and I read this book years ago.



4. This is exactly what I look for in a biography -- it's about one of the most important people in the history of our country, and after I was about a chapter into the book, I could not put it down. I found myself reading it every time I had a free moment. It is easy to read and loaded with useful and interesting information about a fascinating man. I would recommend this to anyone, whether it be a history buff or just someone who enjoys a good read. On a side note, it's funny to me how differently the Franklin-John Adams relationship is portrayed by Isaacson compared to how David McCullough described it in his Adams book.



5. Isaacson persuasively portrays Franklin as the cultural father of his country. Washington may have been more important from a political perspective, but culturally he was part of an aristocratic, noblesse oblige, and chilvaric tradition that is more European than American. Franklin was the champion of middle class values -- the protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism and the virtues of the common man.
   
   Presidents starting with Jackson ran as the embodiment of Franklin, not of Washington. No one wants to be portrayed as elitist, and Franklin's promotion of social mobility and middle class virtues became the standard.
   
   Isaacson's book is readable and interesting. He certainly makes a persuasive case for Franklin's seminal importance in American history.

5 comments about Alexander Hamilton.

1. Anyone interested in U. S. history will enjoy reading this fascinating biography of Alexander Hamilton. don't miss it!



2. My interest in Hamilton originated when first seeing his portrait on the front of the ten dollar bill made an indelible impression on me as a young child. As Chernow describes in his book, Hamilton's portraits generally exude confidence, self-assurance, as well as omniscience, and these were the qualities that triggered my curiosity in this founding father.
   
   Reading Chernow's biography, I find that Hamilton's talents were unparalleled even among the most distinguished of the founder fathers and superbly well regarded and admired by those who shared his views and judged him objectively, most notably George Washington. Hamilton's courage during the Revolution, unshakable honor and integrity, unrelenting effort to advance the republican government, and sheer brilliance in both ideas and managerial superiority make him a man with few matched peers. As the author notes in the book, Hamilton's footprints in the formation of the US government qualify him uniquely as one of the most influential figures in US history and arguably make him the founder of the US government.
   
   However, for all his brilliance and unmatched fervor for the new republic, Hamilton was not without fatal flaws. His lapses of judgment gave those who sought to discredit him plenty of ammunition and marred his accomplishments and undoubtedly helped to procure Hamilton's relative obscurity in US history.
   
   As is often the case, judgments rendered on historical figures are not constant and change with time, renewed interests, and additional narrative accounts (i.e. this biography.) For me, Hamilton's exemplary devotion to the nascent republican government was so pure and rare that he was a true servant to the public in every way. I wish that through new reviews of Hamilton's life such as this biography by Chernow, more people will come to learn about the life of an extraordinary human being whose prodigious talents and assiduousness propelled him to personal heights and triumphs and whose personal insecurities, fueled by a dogged conviction to uphold his honor as all costs, also brought his nadir.



3. This is a FULL length biography of Alexander Hamilton. It is over 700 pages. A friend of mine dismissed it, saying who cares about the full details of the guy's childhood. If you do not have my friend's attitude, if you want the very full story of a very important man, this is a very, very good book. Indeed, I think there is an old-fashioned, rich pleasure -- very contrary to our You Tube age-- in reading a long, slow book like this that really gives you all of the details.
   
   Some have said that this book is hagiography. I did not find it to be so at all. I thought it gave a very full, and sympathetic, treatment of Hamilton, but it is definitely a portrait of him, warts and all. You see the young and incredibly intelligent aide to General Washington and the masterful first Secretary of the Treasury, who set the foundation for the security of the American financial system. You also see the self-destructive idiocy of the affair with Maria Reynolds, the arrogant damage of the quarrel with John Adams and the other extraordinary lapses in judgment of this brillant man.
   
   Two aspects of Hamilton's life are given prominence by this book, which I think merit comment. First, his relationship with Washington was of central importance to his life, and was of incredible importance to the nation. Hamilton was so brillant as Secretary of the Treasury, and as author of the Federalist Papers, that he tends to fill the modern eye, more than the quieter and less dramatic Washington. But, as you see the whole relationship between the two, you see how much Hamilton needed Washington and gained from him. Not just in the sense of being promoted from nothing to great power by Washington's support, but in a character sense. Hamilton was brillant, but lacking in balanced judgment. Washington lacked any kind of showy intelligence, but had an extraordinarily sound sense of judgment. You really see this here, when the Washington Administration is contrasted -- where arch-enemies Jefferson and Hamilton can serve together in the Cabinet to the great benefit of the nation-- with the Adams Administration -- where even members of the same party can not get along.
   
   Second, Chernow rescues Eliza Hamilton from an undeserved historical neglect. She was a grand women, in her own right, and Chernow both begins and ends the book with a very poignant and dramatic portrait of her.
   
   A wonderful performance.



4. It's probably impossible to write a biography of Hamilton that ISN'T interesting, but what I really appreciated was the degree to which Chernow puts Hamilton's views and actions in cultural context. I learned a lot about a variety of topics: the nature and role of the press, the practice and significance of duels, controversies about commerce and armed forces, etc. etc.
   
   To those who accuse Chernow of being biased in favor of his subject or of "distorting" history, all I have to say is: "duh". It's a biography! By it's very nature, it's partial and a distortion.
   
   What makes it a GOOD biography, and a useful and rewarding work of history, is the great extent to which Chernow uses his subject to illustrate and cast light on the period in question.



5. I finished David McCullough's biography of John Adams shortly before reading this book. McCullough's book was one of the finest biographies that I have ever read, but in my opinion this book is even better. To be fair to David McCullough, Ron Chernow had much more to work with, as Alexander Hamilton was a much more interesting character than John Adams.
   
   Ron Chernow has produced a well-documented biography and an immensely rewarding book. In his hands, Hamilton's life reads as it was a work of fiction created by Charles Dickens, Horatio Alger and Joan Collins, as written by Samuel Elliot Morrison. Few men have started so low on the social ladder, with so many impediments to success but rose so far as Alexander Hamilton. While I knew the outline of Hamilton's early life, I did not realize the degree to which it was truly Dickensian and the degree to which he was a truly self-made man, in the mold of a character from a Horation Alger story. His life was plagued by scandal (mostly self inflicted) of the sort created by Jackie Collins.
   
   I knew he was on George Washington's staff during the Revolutionary War, but I did not realize that he was in effect Washington's chief of staff. I knew that he was the first Secretary of the Treasury, but I did not realize the extent to which he created the financial structure of the United States. I knew of his involvement with the Federalist Party, but not that he was a driving force behind the party and that to some he was the Federalist Party. I knew that he experienced difficulties with Jefferson and John Adams (as well as with many others), but I did not understand the depths of these conflicts or their origins until I read this book.
   
   While highly readable and immensely entertaining, the book is nonetheless a work of great scholarship. I expected a well-written book, but one that was based primarily on previous works, but the book is much more. It is rich in interpretation and analysis as well as interesting details. Also, as the lengthy acknowledgement section points out, Chernow did original research in the West Indies, Scotland and in various American archives, unearthing a considerable amount or original material.
   
   I have one caveat, although a very minor one. This is a partisan biography (as are most) and some scholars may disagree with Chernow on some points. Chernow, does not, however, shy away from exposing Hamilton's faults and strives to paint a balanced although admittedly partisan picture.