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Summary: The Best book on Truman
Review: You fell like a better American to know that a country produced a man and leader like Truman. This should be a required text for all history students at the university level.
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Summary: The character of Truman is a model for all of us today.
Review: The authors command of the english language his ability to carry us to another place brings Truman alive. The character of the man puts our political leaders to shame in comparison, even given his strong political beliefs. This book is a great read for all interested in biographies and history
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Summary: Surprising for a biography, this was a page-turner.
Review: At first the size of this book can seem daunting. However, from the very first page I found it fascinating. For most of the 1,000 or so pages it read like a novel, a real page-turner. Because of the kind of time commitment necessary to read a book of this size, I read it in sections over a couple months, reading other things in between. Having lived through most of the significant events discussed in the book, I found them presented with accuracy. Mr. McCullough showed all sides of every significant conflict. The book gives a fascinating insight into the difficulties of public office and the setting of public policy. It also presents Harry S. Truman as a man of real integrity and one who will, in the long run, undoubtedly go down as one of our great presidents.
Throughout this book I was consistently impressed with Mr. Mccullough's writing style. Anyone who can keep the pages turning for 1,000 pages of biography is an extremely skilled writer!
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in 20th century American history, but also to anyone interested in just plain good writing!
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Summary: The best biography I've ever read!
Review: Our family spent our summer vacation in the midwest, and while going through Independence decided to stop at the Harry S Truman home. While there I saw this book, thumbed through it for 10 minutes, and told my wife I had found my Father's Day present.
It is simply incredible. McCullough's ten years of research comes through on every page. I was only six when Truman died in '72, yet I feel as though I lived through those times. Many have been the nights that I've gotten to bed well after midnight because I was coming up on a big event, and couldn't bear to wait.
The style is powerful and intelligent, and quite objective. McCullough points out the good and the bad together with a very even hand.
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Summary: Warning: Do not start reading this book!
Review: Because once you start, you won't want to stop, and this book is nearly a thousand pages long! "Truman" is the greatest biography I've read, without exception. It traces the life of Harry Truman from well-scrubbed Midwestern boy to war hero, from failed haberdasher to President. Along the way, we come to root for the farmer's son from tiny Independence, Missouri, a man who said, "We can never tell what is in store for us." It is a book of morality, courage, and history. It will teach you more about leadership than a Stephen Covey seminar, and more about personal integrity than ten Sunday sermons. I finished it over six months ago, and it still affects the way I live.
And by the way, this summer my wife and I will spend our vacation visiting Independence, Missouri.
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Summary: The Mother of All Biographies
Review: When it comes to political biographies, David McCullough's Truman is THE best. There aren't any that compare. This is written by a great storyteller about a great and interesting man. When you are done with this book, you will feel as though you know Harry Truman. You'll know the story behind the "Buck Stops Here" sign that was on his desk for a short time and the "Give 'em Hell" slogan. The best part of this book is that it moves Truman out of the shadow of FDR and shines the spotlight directly on him. And Truman wins an Oscar, Tony, and Emmy all at once
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Summary: Inspiring!
Review: One of the best books I have ever read, and one of the greatest biographies. Deserves every bit of praise heaped on it.
Here's the story of a small farmer who grew up poor and ended up the most powerful man on the planet at a time when the world was radically changing. When he left office he retired without any government help (no secret service!) and lived off his army pension in the same house he grew up in. Truman seemed born to be a great leader, failing at everything he ever did -- except helping make America the greatest power of the 20th century.
Read it and it becomes an unforgettable story.
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Summary: A wonderful, serious biography, worthy of praise
Review: I'm normally not one to chat on-line or write reviews like this, but I had to weigh in to defend an unfair comment re McCullough's Truman. An earlier reviewer chastens McCullough for not writing a "balanced" biography. This is a false and unfair charge. In fact, this is why Truman is such a great book. It paints an accurate picture of the mere man, Harry S. Truman --- his frailities, weaknesses and outright blunders as a human being, all presented in light of his remarkable Presidency. A good summary of Truman's blunders (there were many) appears on p. 990 of the hardback edition. More in depth discussion of these and other misguided actions are found throughout the book. Harry T's scathing letter, written to a music critic who dared to tell the truth about Margaret's singing, is an excellent example (p. 829). All in all, this IS a well-balanced, beautifully written, engaging biography. It has all the credentials of serious biographical scholarship, yet it is wrapped in an elegant, warm style. I highly recommend the book to anyone interested in understanding the plain-spoken man from Missouri.
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Summary: Deserving of superlatives!
Review: David McCullough is one of the best biographers I have ever read. This, along with McCullough's more recent book on John Adams, is one of the best books I have ever read. After reading this, you feel as though you truly know Truman. The greatness and the faults of the man come shining through.
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Summary: Buy It and Read It ASAP!!
Review: I first read this book in 1992 when it was released. I've read it over several times since and each time I enjoy it just as much as the first. What a great person and what a remarkable life! This is one book that I can't possibly say enough about. IT'S OUTSTANDING!! Mr. McCullough obviously admires his subject, but he is objective and shows Mr. Truman warts and all. He had very few warts however. BUY IT and READ IT as soon as you can. You won't regret the time spent.
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