Personal History

Rating:
Summary: Would recommend with reservations
Review: While this was a quick (even though 600+ pages) and enjoyable read, as a feminist it was often very aggravating that Ms. Graham portrayed herself as utterly lacking in self-confidence, self-esteem and sometimes totally dependent upon the advice of the prominent men in her life. That said what did come shining through were the incredibly strong values and integrity instilled by her family and the way in which she acted upon them. While this was purported to be a personal history, it was clear that Ms. Graham made some choices which had negative ramifications on her children. Unfortunately, the author would only allude to the problems those choices caused. While I understand the desire to protect her family's privacy, it provides a less than complete personal history if one cannot acknowledge both professional and personal mistakes.

Rating:
Summary: Stunning Record of a Life Lived to the Fullest
Review: Despite the reviews I read criticizing this book for lacking an editor who was willing to slash and burn at the apparent wordiness of the autobiography, I found this book to be touching and funny, even a little exciting. Katherine Graham led a life that involved both wealth and hard work, both joy and agony. She presents an image of strength through adversity that can only be admired. The book is long, yes, but Katherine Graham has led a life that consists of 79 very full years (and counting). These are the memories of a remarkable woman told the way she remembers them. Surely, she could have just given us the facts, but, without the humour and the emotion, the book would not have its soul. Afterall, is that not why we all read?

Rating:
Summary: A captivating story about publishing business
Review: Katharine Graham came to the helm of Washington Post through a tragic route. But she learned quickly and succeeded in her role as the Chief Executive of the Washington Post. In her book we get to know not only the trials and tribulations of her personal life, but also the inner workings of the publishing industry. She is also a pioneer as a woman CEO. The book is extremely well written and it whets the appetite to read more!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book for Intellectuals
Review: Unfortunately, Ms. Graham's book has been critizied for being too detailed. The details are interesting and give a complete picture of the events surrounding her life. I do agree that she kept the reader at a distance, but that is due to her classiness and desire to keep some aspects of her life, namely the emtional ones, private. She shared the events of her life which are facinating and historical - she does not need to pour emotion into every event to convey the story. This book was well written, engrossing, and 100% worthy of a Pulitzer. I agree that is was long but was up for the challenge. I am sure editors suggested portions to be removed, and am glad Katharine Grahm told her entire personal history rather than cutting it down to a 300 page book so the masses might pick it up and be able to finish it. A very worth while read and now one of my favorite books.

Rating:
Summary: Not deserving of the Pulitzer
Review: Pulitzer Prize? You've got to be kidding. This book is screaming for a good editor. She could have told her incredibly compelling story in half the words. I was looking forward to reading about a woman who overcame her blue-blooded background to become one of the most influential publishers of the 20th century. Instead I trudged through too many details that just didn't matter. I wished she would have spent far more time on Watergate and the Pentagon Papers. In those instances she showed real guts. I was disappointed that she gave too much credit to those around her. Though I'm sure they had much to do with it, ultimately she was responsible for making difficult decisions. I wanted her to just once say "Look what I did!"

Rating:
Summary: Historically interesting, too detail oriented and drawn out
Review: I was really looking forward to reading this book and even recommended it to my book club. However, I was really dissappointed when it finally dawned on me on page 217 that I was in for more of the same. Details...details...details! If the book was about 1/4 of the length, it might of been compelling. But it was so "DC esque" in that it focused on name dropping and the insinuation that what goes on in DC is the focus of everyone's lives. The characters did not come alive but seemed to drone on obsorbed in the endless details, social gatherings, and buisiness deals consuming their life and erroding thier mental and physical health. Does anyone outside the DC metropolitan area really want such an onslaught of minutia. Ms. Grahm should stick to news reporting - or learn how to write with her heart and not her head!

Rating:
Summary: Pulitzer Richly Deserved by K. Graham for Personal History
Review: I so thoroughly enjoyed Personal History by Katharine Graham and was delighted for her when she won the Pulitzer Prize in this category. This book was a "page turner," one of those stories you turbo read in bed until 4:00 am and go to work exhausted, then can't wait to get home and pick up where you left off. This is no ordinary biography and Kay Graham is no ordinary woman.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting Story; Badly Edited
Review: While I enjoyed the details of Katherine Graham's life and work history, I regularly was reminded of the nearly absent editorial assistance that is cried out for in the text. However, even though the cliches and flawed writing intruded objectionably, the narrative is still engrossing at times, especially Watergate and the newspaper strike. Recommended (but should NOT have been given the Pulizer Prize).

Rating:
Summary: fascinating woman
Review: I was truly fascinated by Kay and the story of her life. She is a woman of a previous generation where a woman's place was to stand back and support her husband's goals and ideas. What an incredible burden was thrust on her when her husband committed suicide and she felt that she had to hold the paper together until her children (sons) could take over. Although she was a woman who had had a priviledged upbringing she had as much pluck as a woman, becoming a widow on the prairie in the 1800's, whose primary concern was holding together the family farm until it could be handed down to the children. I loved the antidotes she told of LBJ and saw him in a completely different light. He emerged as a likable, human figure. I'd like to read more about him now. Kay's life spans a long, diverse period of history and I wish my life included as many interesting people.

Rating:
Summary: The truth is always better than fiction!
Review: This is one of the best books I've read in my lifetime. Katherine Graham touched me as an extraordinary woman not as much because of what she has done in her life but more by her willingness to share her stories honestly and to tell of her mistakes and accomplishments with apparent candor. In the end, I felt grateful to her for sharing her stories of the extraordinary people she has known and the history she has lived.