Rating: 
Summary: A fine, honest and moving memoir
Review: This is one of the most astute and inspiring memoirs to have come from Washington in recent years. Mrs Graham recounts with an understatement that makes them all the more dignified and poignant the family tragedies in her life, and gives a riveting account of the decisions she took to maintain the integrity of a free press. Most obvious among these were her decisions as publisher of the Washington Post to run the Pentagon Papers and Watergate. The American press has frequently been attacked by partisans of the far Left and the far Right for supposedly being in the pay of the conspiracies that these paranoids claim to detect; Mrs Graham's building the Post into a fearless journal of record demonstrates how bizarre those prejudices are. What is most obvious from this memoir, however, is not the shifting sands of politics and journalism, but the strength of character of Mrs Graham. At a time when it was far less common to find professional women in the higher reaches of the professions than it is now, she withstood prejudice and condescension, and displayed an eminently practical answer to her critics: ability and determination. Her life and career are a credit to American public life, and this book is testament to her qualities.
Rating: 
Summary: Extraordinary Insights and A Case of Wealthy Blindness
Review: Katherine Graham has given us an excellent profile of a family as media power brokers. At no time does one find this book a tedious recital of facts that refect only glory on herself and her family. But, more importantly, Mrs. Graham affords us an insider's seat to the accumulation and exercise of power; to the support and nurturing that takes place as the gatherings of power brokers -- from Warren Buffet to Robert McNamara; and to the pain and suffering that befall even the wealthiest among us. However, there are flaws that seem to derive from her very privileged life. She states that her mother was anti-Catholic but, Mrs. Graham does not distance herself from her mother's attacks; but, rather she goes into a list of reasons why parochial schools should not be supported. When the Newspaper Guild and other unions went on strike at The Post, she had to handled some of the classified ad calls. She made the point of how exhausting was her work which covered only a few days. She did not stop to voice a passing compliment to the women and men who routinely handle such calls 8 hours a day, five days a week, year in and year out.
Rating:
Summary: Uplifting & life affirming
Review: Anyone wanting any more insights into Watergate or the Pentagon Papers will probably be disappointed by this book (if you want that read Ben Bradlee's autobiography). This book is very aptly titled - it is indeed a personal history and what comes out in the end is the story of a woman who via her upbringing and marriage was afflicted by a crushing lack of confidence, deeply insecure, troubled by some of her closest relationships (in particular her own mother) and in her own words little more than a housewife. This same person upon the death of her husband was thrust into a world which she was totally unsuited for and against all odds flourished as the first CEO of a Fortune 500 company.What comes out in the end is that people in general and women in particular are capable of taking grievous blows and overcoming far greater challenges than they ever realise. A friend of mine lost her partner in similar circumstances to Katharine Graham many years ago and I wish I could have bought her this book then. Without wanting to sound patronising, this is a good book for men but a great book women. I don't know whether she is a feminist icon but she certainly should be !!
Rating:
Summary: Katie, We Hardly Knew Ye...
Review: Few passings have effected me in the manner in which Ms. Graham's did and I went back to my audiotape of her book to revisit the life of the most powerful woman in American journalism. There are so many reviews, it seemed silly to add another, but loyalty drove me to add my two cents. Born to wealth, shy and reserved by choice, controlled by marriage and the societal pressures of the day, this woman broke out of the preset mold after the long mental illness and eventual suicide of her husband to take the Washington Post to the people and to the Fortune 500 list. She gave the order to run with the Watergate story, to publish the Pentagon Papers, and lived through the pressman's strike. I reveled in her story as read by the woman herself. I cried when her voice broke as she retold the death of her life partner and her regrets about her sometimes limited parenting skills. Katharine Graham crows about her successes and openly admits her failings. Not the usual celebrity self worship and well worth hearing. I'll miss you, Katie.
Rating:
Summary: She gives lessons in modesty
Review: There are bizillions of books under the category "Inspirational". This one is certainly not filed under that heading, yet it is one of the most inspiring stories i have ever found. In the days of my long commute to and from work, i listened to a lot of books on tape. This was one, albeit abridged. After the recent death of Katharine Graham, i decided to read the book (unabridged). In my opinion, this is one of the all-time greatest memoirs ever written. The Pulitzer judges should receive a prize themselves for awarding the honor to this book. The TV series "Dallas" was a smashing success right off the bat. Why? I remember the first soap opera to be shown on Spain's public TV: "The Rich Also Cry". That title explains it all! Yes, the rich and famous have their share of problems and heartaches like the average Joe. Part of the incredible success Personal History has had is due to this very fact. Katharine Graham was born in a privileged family, pampered and wealthy, yet she grew up miserable. She tells about her cold mother and her indifferent father, and does it in a very matter-of-fact way, not asking for sympathy. One thing leads to another, so dull Katharine had to marry flamboyant (and manic-depressive) Phil Graham. I was very moved when listening to the audio version, because forty years after the fact, she cries when narrating the suicide of her husband. Even though he was difficult and treated her very badly, she is still in love with him. From being a "doormat wife", in her own words, she was thrown by circumstances into managing one of the most important newspapers in the world. Of course, that is today. When she came aboard The Washington Post, it was an irrelevant paper that very few people cared for. Katharine did something very important: she surrounded herself of very talented people who advised her in all aspects of the job. Thanks to that, The Washington post then reached the levels of respect and admiration that it enjoys today. Nonetheless, she was alone at the top, making the tough calls nobody else had to make. What i find most amazing about these memoirs is how she went from being a doormat to being the most powerful human being in the world. She did not have extraordinary skills. In fact, throughout the book it becomes apparent that she was shy, lacked confidence, and that's even after her successes. All those shortcomings did not prevent her from making crucial, unpopular choices. It was her decision to go ahead with the Watergate articles that brought down the presidency of the US. She knocked down the most powerful man on Earth. That takes some balls! Pretty good for a "sissy girl". In summary, poignant, very well written memoirs. Get the audio book just to enjoy her beautiful voice. Read the book for awesome insight in the world of politics and the media.
Rating:
Summary: Extraordinary life, wonderful story
Review: Katharine Graham's life story is virtually a history of American journalism and politics in the 20th century. For that alone it would be worth reading, but her own account is beautifully written and absorbing. She was very privileged - financially and socially - and could have lived a perfectly comfortable, useless life. She was also a nice well brought up, old fashioned girl and could have lived like that too. But she didn't do either, instead she became one of the most influential and interesting women of her century. Personal History is exemplary autobiography and an un-put-downable read. What a life! What a book!
Rating:
Summary: A story of will, determination, and perserverence.
Review: Katherine Graham will always leave a legacy that will be an indelible mark upon the publishing/writing world. Her dedication and perserverence in making the Washington Post and its enterprises into what they are today is a testimonial to the willpower and dtermination of this wonderful woman who shall be sorely missed in the literary and journalism world. Katherine Graham was thrust upon the scene in a time when the United States was in the process of undergoing one of the worst upheavels in our history. Fate would have it that two reporters on her staff would make the key discoveries that would lead to the downfall of a president. However, what is often overlooked in that story is that while the threat of collapse was upon her, Katherine Graham stood by her staff and doggedly pushed them on, even when faced with the downfall of her growing enterprise, should the story have been not what it seemed. This was typical Katherine Graham. A woman who knew what she wanted out of her life and strode to get it. The life of this great woman should be viewed as an example of perserverence. Most times remarks like that are made about ficticious characters. True, as the author of Strike Hard I found that when creating fictional characters, we all have a sense of success and achievement. However, this story is not fiction, yet shines as a beacon to any and all who have a dream, desire, or goal in their life. Katherine Graham had a determination to make something out of her life and out of the Post, and she did both with elegance, pride, and an unwaiverable determination that allowed her success.
Rating:
Summary: Surprising, unexpected, revealing, and comforting.
Review: I did not know that I would find out about how Jews coming from Europe became a part of this country. I did not expect to read about antisemitism and its evolution during the 20th century. Then, the description of her childhood and her becoming-a-woman years, it is so real,like the lack of awareness of her own strengths and worth. Later, her transformation into a wife, so different from what we live now that some people (see other reviews) think it never existed. And finally, the ugly duckling became a swan. She lived, she loved, she worked, she made mistakes and recovered, she had friends and she was a mother. A good, full life. If she could, we can.
Rating:
Summary: An extraordinary American story.
Review: Survives a wealthy childhood with major problems. Survives and outlives a marriage that goes disastrously wrong. Survives to take over a family business that directly influences American history. This woman is a survivor. Mrs. Graham provides an inside look at key events of the last few decades and offers insightful firsthand portraits of dozens of prominent figures. A remarkably honest and generous book by one of America's most famous and admired women. Mrs. Graham's wonderful book is composed of both personal memoirs and history. This is nothing less than an extraordinary American story by one of the most powerful women of her time. FinancialNeeds.com
Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly Personal
Review: one of the most personal histories I have ever ran my eyes across... I read this book with the lights on. Too scary to read in the dark. But, I do recommened it to those who like books. I have to admit that is surprised me from time to time. Not a Steven King surprise, but more like a "oh, that's helena bohnam carter under thet latex in planet of the apes" kind of surprise. Finally, there is no doubt that this book tells the story of a remarkable, personal lady. If you read it you will know that too.
|
