This
is far and away the best Presidential biography I've ever had the
pleasure of reading. The subject, Harry S. Truman is a likable man
who rose to the office of President in an unlikely manner and is the
last common man to earn that office. The Biographer is a fabulous
storyteller who creates a tapestry of Truman's life that is complex
in detail but simply explains his rise and the choices he made along
the way.
Reaching back to the earliest white Missouri settlers, McCullough mixes together the elements that formed the family into which Truman was born – poor, hardworking farmers whose luck was never good, misfortune piling upon misfortune. From this Truman grew and became self-made time and time again. It always seems that Truman's about to thwarted in life, but instead he's just propelled in a new direction.
Things I really like about Truman – he was loyal. He was loyal to his friends to a fault. He was loyal to his country and his family. To his wife whom he adored he was completely faithful. He was humble, wondering always at his good fortune even when his business was crumbling, the farm worthless, and his mother-in-law (who thought he was never good enough for her daughter, even when he was president of the United States of America). He took responsibility. When was the last time we heard the Chief Executive say, “I made the decision and I stand by it.” Truman stood by his decisions and took responsibility for those under him. The Buck Stopped There.
How did he come to prominence? - He joined the army late in life despite horrible eyesight, but he quickly found that men liked him and he could lead them. As an artillery officer he commanded respect from large groups of men. After World War I, he went back to Missouri and attempted to be a businessman, but failed. During that time he caught the attention of local party bosses because of his ability to lead men and influence their decisions, and he earned a spot as a county judge. From there he rose through the corrupt party organization of local boss, Tom Pendergast.
He wasn't a wealthy man – ever. He was always worried about paying the bills and even when he was in the White House, he and his wife stuck to a strict budget to make ends meet. Despite his humble circumstances he never sold out his principles for money. He stayed true to himself.
Truman was the most progressive president we've had. He proposed universal health care in the 40's. He pushed civil rights legislation, despite his own racism and antisemitism. Under Truman the G.I. Bill came to be, which arguably created the modern middle class in America by improving and not abandoning the veterans.
He dropped the bomb. Yes he did. He did it and he took responsibility for it and he believed that it was the right thing to do. That's a point that can be argued ad infinitum. But what he did do is keep the control of nuclear weapons in the hands of civilian authorities. Why? Because it's not a military decision to kill hundreds of thousands of civilians, it's a political one. He was right about that.
I could go on, but I won't. It's a startling work of nonfiction and I can't recommend it highly enough.
- CV Rick, February 2008
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