Rating: 
Summary: Bill Clinton: An American Journey to the Top
Review: Bill Clinton: An American Journey, a biography of 745 pages, by Nigel Hamilton covers Clinton's life up until the time he was elected President. Random House published this book, and a second volume has been written but not yet published on Clinton's life after ascending to the presidency. The author seeks to explain how Clinton, born August 8, 1946, rises from being born 30 yards from the Missouri Pacific lines where up to one hundred trains a day passed, to a widowed working class mother living in her parents depression era home and of uncertain parentage to become president in forty six years.The author analyzes Clintons life in the context of the cultural, social an political changes that occurred to the post World War II generation. This biography is an insightful look at Clinton's life as the first baby boomer to reach the Presidency. I found it to be a serious work and very enjoyable reading. Hamilton is a gifted intellectual biographer and not just an academic assembling a long line of indigestible chronological facts. Before I read this book I had already read David Mariniss' biography of Clinton, Joyce Milton's biography of Hillary, Joe Klein's books on Clinton, the books on Whitewater and other aspects of Clinton's life and friends and of course the many articles and stories in the press. The author has covered the written work available and also interviewed many of the Clintons friends, associates and observers but not the Clinton's themselves who had and have their own books to write. Many fascinating people were not interviewed because they were either dead or I assume otherwise unavailable or maybe the author thought their views were already on record and to quote what was already in writing would be enough. Those are the roadblocks and decisions of a biographer that make or break his work. I would have liked to hear from someone on the staff in Fulbright's office, his Professors at Yale and Georgetown and other mentors on his way up. This book has extensive interviews from student contemporaries, both male and female and some of his girlfriends and lovers. One aspect that seems to be a very strong thread throughout the book is Clinton's sex life. In fact it is a predominant thread, which, is coupled with the changes in moral priorities seen in the baby boom generation. Also the author recites the social theory that Alpha males are predestined by evolution to spread their sperm to as many females of the species as possible and Clinton certainly falls in the Alpha category. In addition the author points out that since his birth on August 19, 1946 we have had the development of the Pill, the Drug Culture, the Draft and the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement and the vast economic development of the United States that changed the stratification of society, made class change from one generation to another easier and opened up huge opportunities for those able to perceive and take advantage of these changes in society. Bill Clinton with his near genius or perhaps genius intelligence and his social personality traits was able to do this. One thing the reader should not forget is that despite all the cultural, social and psychological ideas advanced in this book, that Bill Clinton is a self made man, who with the help of the gifted woman he married, reached his goal of political power and hung onto it through eight years of attacks from right wing political zealots and fundamentalist religious persons such as Kenneth Starr a millionaire lawyer who represented tobacco interests, Pat Robertson, a senator's son who became a multimillionaire religious broadcaster, Jerry Farwell a minister who preached the antichrist is among us and that he is most probably Jewish, Richard Mellon Scaife the heir to the Mellon fortune who financed numerous right wing tirades against the Clintons based on unfounded facts and spurious thinking and to other sour grapes politicians and fortune seekers of all stripes who attacked his character for personal or political gain. This book stops at the point where he wins the presidency however the author points out the Arkansas politics was just as divisive as politics on the national scene. The author advances the idea that Clinton is the product of his times and environment and underplays the fact that Clinton's determination, willingness to play the game and ability sidestep calamity and comeback from devastating losses such as his failure to be reelected to a second term as Arkansas Governor, a defeat form which no prior Arkansas governor had ever been able to overcome, are what made him. Clinton had the gifts and character traits that would have made him a successful politician at any time in American history. Hamilton doesn't seem to recognize this. He is English and a product of the English public school system with all its class concisenesses. This is perhaps his blind spot. England has seen very few politicians rise from humble beginnings to leadership while America has many. Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Lyndon Johnson and Jimmy Carter is to name just a few. Despite this I look forward to the second volume which I expect to be a unique look at Clinton from another point of view.
Rating: 
Summary: Surprisingly shoddy work for a legitimate biographer
Review: Clinton has always fascinated me, the same way Reagan has. How can one person who is deified by so many also be despised by so many? And how can a man like Clinton, who is universally acknowledged as brilliant, make so many horrendously stupid mistakes? Given the overwhelming number of outrageously biased biographies out there, I hoped Hamilton would provide a more objective and honest look at Bill Clinton. Unfortunately, Hamilton has read all the other biographies and was unable to determine which ones were legitimate and which ones were unsophisicated, invalid screeds. As a result, he frequently documents as facts statements that are either certainly untrue or, at best, deserve more support than he provides. Not that any of his outrageous claims are new--not only did he inhale, he was heavily into cocaine; he had people murdered for political objectives--but none of the supposed research backing these more damning claims are documented in the endnotes. He also includes some of Gennifer Flower's more peculiar claims--such as their fantasy games, or the fact that she put makeup on him--and accepts them as true without considering whether she possibly had an ulterior motive for making these claims (e.g., to sell more books?). Before conservatives start thinking Hamilton is their man, they should be aware that Hamilton is greatly intrigued by the evolutionary theory of sex, which he thinks explains Clinton's propensity for adultery. Hamilton's repeated explanations of this theory, which he clearly supports, are unnecessary and explain nothing (even if you accept that men are biologically/evolutionally wired to cheat, why did Clinton do so at such an incredible rate, and why do many/most men contain themselves?). In fact, Hamilton humiliates and discredits himself by including some of the most ridiculous references available to support his theories, including numerous titles that seem like bizarre sex manuals. Hamilton's attempts to place Clinton in context are sporadic and uneven--for example, he goes into great detail describing the church sex scandals of the late 80s and early 90s, though they have little to do with understanding Clinton. He occasionally sets the tone of the times, but these attempts are rare and often half-hearted. Hamilton has done little apparent additional work to understand the man he attempts to describe. There are few interviews noted and most interviews are quoted extensively, resulting in the impression that he wanted to make the most of the little actual leg-work he did. In short, Hamilton has developed a portrait of Clinton based almost solely on other people's research, and he has made no effort in determining whether the other works were legitimate, valid, or useful. He adds nothing to understanding Clinton as a politician, a husband, a father, or a man that is not readily available elsewhere. An understanding of Clinton and all his contradictions, as far as I can tell, has not been developed.
Rating: 
Summary: Hardly a biography
Review: Considering that Hamilton is a respected biogragher, I cannot imagine what was in his mind when he wrote this ridiculous piece. Aesthetically, the book reads like an adolescent book report. There is an awkwardness to the writing that is distracting. A case in point is his peculiar choice of diction. In writing about a neighborhood, he refers to its "oldness" when "antiquity" screams in the reader's mind. He speaks of one of Mrs. Clinton's biographers as "egregious', and then quotes the biographer in full. He makes long, unnecessary digressions about human sexuality that are so generally known there is little need to summarize them. And his persistant obsession with President Clinton's sexuality grows old fast. ...Hamilton continually stresses that women are biologically monogamous while men are not. At times it seems that he is making a case for sexual freedom while at the same time criticizing President Clinton for his extramarital activity. There is also an element of distain in the writing. I have never used as many eclamation marks in my entire writing life as Hamilton uses on each page. It makes Hamilton seem snide!! It diminishes his quotations! One might get the impression that Hamilton finds Southerners stupid! Even more serious discussions seem mere amusements!! Not a single page is footnoted. Perhaps I am too conservative regarding scholarship, but there are times one wishes to know exactly what source supports Hamilton's rather sweeping conclusions about the choices and concommitant motivations fueling the Clintons rise to power. His habit of referring to the Clintons as the MacBeths is childishly supercilious. This is not a serious work.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Awful
Review: Did Kitty Kelley write this book? Hamilton writes more about Clinton's penis than his politics. Pages of psycho-babble, rumors and quotes from an all-time Clinton enemies list.
I cannot believe this author is on the faculty of the University of Massachusetts. This book should be avoided by anyone, both Clinton haters and Clinton admirers, who is looking for a good biography of Bill Clinton.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Awful
Review: Did Kitty Kelley write this book? Hamilton writes more about Clinton's penis than his politics. Pages of psycho-babble, rumors and quotes from an all-time Clinton enemies list.
I cannot believe this author is on the faculty of the University of Massachusetts. This book should be avoided by anyone, both Clinton haters and Clinton admirers, who is looking for a good biography of Bill Clinton.
Rating: 
Summary: Engaging but flawed
Review: Engaging but flawed--something one could say with equal confidence about this book and about its subject. Bill Clinton is a fascinating, appealing, brilliant, larger-than-life character with tremendous gifts and profound weaknesses. Nigel Hamilton's new biography--the first of two parts (like his earlier, much-acclaimed JFK: Reckless Youth, the sequel to which has yet to appear)--is full of fascinating information and suggestive analysis, but, like Bill Clinton, it is imperfect. To begin with the obvious: this is a thoughtfully written, carefully researched examination of Bill Clinton's first forty-six years (it ends with the 1992 election). It helps the reader understand not only Clinton but also his times: Hamilton's subtitle, An American Journey, points to the book's focus. It depicts Clinton as a representative American of his generation, a man whose individual career mirrors the collective career of the Baby Boomers he so ably represented--in the minds of enthusiasts and detractors alike. As an Englishman, Hamilton brings an outsider's perspective to bear on American culture, politics, and history. He helps us get to know Bill Clinton and the many fascinating people who have surrounded him, from Arkansas senator William Fulbright (pictured in a memorably testy moment on the campaign trail) to Hillary Rodham (equally testy) to Gennifer Flowers. Hamilton enriches our understanding of issues and personalities alike. It's a must-read for anyone interested in Bill Clinton, in American politics, or in the Baby Boom generation and the cultural transformation American has undergone during its ascendancy. The book is flawed, though, in at least three ways. First, Hamilton's usually invaluable outsider perspective sometimes gets him in trouble, as when he confuses liberal stalwart Eugene McCarthy with anti-communist witch-hunger Joe McCarthy (126) or characterizes "Whittier [home of Richard Nixon] and the Pedernales [stomping ground of Lyndon Johnson]" as among Clinton's (and Cliff Jackson's) "law school texts" (254). Second, the book may have been written too early. By Hamilton's own admission, he has had to rely to a significant extent on published sources. Others might prove more available in a few years (and will, we can only hope, help to inform the second volume of this two-volume biography). Third, Hamilton seems to be on a mission to justify Clinton's sexual behavior as an outcome of an irresistible evolutionary logic. He returns repeatedly to flaccid sociobiological explanations of the sexual choices of Clinton and men like him (e.g., "Feminists in particular deplored and rejected patriarchal libertinism, however much it might still be part of man's ancient, evolutionary makeup. Nonfeminist women, emboldened by changing attitudes toward equality between the sexes, also failed to take account of men's genetically determined promiscuity" [322-3]). Those readers skeptical of sociobiology will find this refrain tiring--a distraction from a generally first-rate book.
Rating:
Summary: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly
Review: First the good. Despite approaching 700 pages, this book is a relatively quick read. Insightful,well-researched and mostly dispassionate, it provides revelations that may come as a surprise to even the most knowledgeable Clinton observer. Hamilton gives perhaps the most compelling case for the "real" paternal history of little Billy Blythe. Also, the book is very persuasive in detailing some of the reasons for the polarizing nature of the former president. On the personal level, it's his charm, intellect, talent, good looks, and compassion, but also his lack of discipline, looseness with the truth, and apparent immaturity. On a larger scale, it stems from the generation gap, culture war, and changes in the way the media operates. Hamilton is most strong when he supports these convincing arguments with facts and well-thought out analysis. Where he struggles is when he digresses into psych-babble and testimonials from less than reputable or fair-minded sources, such as Dick Morris, Paula Jones and Paul Greenberg. That's the bad...Also, though the book is very long, that doesn't excuse Hamilton for his factual mistakes, such as misnaming the rap artist Clinton sharply criticized in the early 90's. All in all... I would recommend this book. It provides a (mostly) balanced account of the life of President Clinton, his education and political career, and the motivations of the subject and his admirers and detractors alike.
Rating: 
Summary: TERRIFIC READ!!!!!!!!
Review: I have read the critical reviews of this book. I cannot disagree with them more. To understand this man Bill Clinton, you need to analyze his psyche. You have to understand what drives him and motivates him. In this book Nigel Hamilton allows us the special opportunity to really understand Bill Clinton and how his mind works. Sex, is it a big part of this book?? YES. Is it a big part of Bill Clinton's life?? YES. It is appropriate. I also found the brevity with which Nigel wrote each chapter relieving and really left me wanting more. Bill Clinton is an amazing man and we learn that in this book. I am a huge fan of his and was waiting for an author to write a book that really tried to explain Bill Clinton's mind and how he managed to be so successful. This book does that. Thank you Nigel. CLINTON 04!!!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Great Book about a Complex Man
Review: I tried very hard to like President Clinton's Memoirs. But instead I found myself frustrated at the way his autobiography blames everyone else for Clinton's problems except himself. That being said, while his memoirs frustrated me it causes me to read further about Clinton and fill in the many gaps between the truth and what was presented in My Life by Clinton.
An American Journey is a highly readable, truthfull, and ultimately sympathetic look at Clinton's rise to presidency. The author does not sugarcoat anything and you see the real Bill Clinton: his many strengths and his many weaknesses. I also enjoyed how the author put the situations Clinton was in into the Context of the times and place. I really could not stop reading this book. It is very good and should be read rather than Clinton's memoirs.
Rating:
Summary: Bill Clinton--The National Enquirer Version
Review: Love him or hate him, Bill Clinton is a fascinating character. (Full disclosure: I grew up 4 years after and 35 miles south of Clinton in Arkansas. I've never met him, but I know lots of people who have. I was in school at the University of Arkansas when he was a law professor there, and I remember seeing him around town when he ran for Congress in 1974.) How could someone with such outstanding political and personal talents, someone so obviously intelligent-how could a person like that be so stupid? What is it about his background as the child of a single mom, and then of an alcoholic and abusive stepfather, that explains his personal behavior? Inasmuch as we are ever going to get an answer to that question, we are probably not going to get it from Clinton himself. The ability to see himself honestly is not one of his many talents, so we will have to rely on testimony from others, and on the biographers who collect that testimony for us. The relevant question then becomes: how reliable is the biographer in filtering the material for us, at making sense of what can often be contradictory evidence? In the case of Nigel Hamilton, I can't say that I completely trust his judgment. He must have read every tell-all tale ever written by anyone who ever spoke to Clinton, and accepts every tale as equally credible. There is no doubt that Clinton's personal life is a mess, but some of the allegations made against him are questionable, at least. In Hamilton's book, you would think that rape and murder allegations are as well-attested as the infamous blue dress. And then there is his pop-psychologist take on American culture from the '60s to the '90s. Over and over, we are given his version of evolutionary psychology (basically women want one sexual partner while men are driven to spread their seed around-It's not my fault! Evolution made me do it!), and the word "postmodern" is used to describe everything from Jimmy Swaggart to Lorena Bobbitt. Yes, every sleazy press story of the last two decades is in here, with Mr. Hamilton explaining to us what it all means and how it all relates to Bill and Hill. So is this book worthless? No, not at all. He has interviewed dozens of friends and foes of the Clintons, and quotes extensively from those interviews. And they are fascinating. These interviews are what make the book worth reading. It is as though you got to ask a whole range of people who knew him at all different stages of his life, "What was (or is) he really like?" and then got an earful! Still, THE book to read is still First In His Class, by Dave Maraniss. Read that first. Then, if you're still curious, read this book. Just keep in mind that you may periodically feel the need to take a shower.
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