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Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining. Informative. Thought-provoking.
Review: This books presents a "personality study" of Wilson. I ordered it as a political scientist interested in individual-level analyses of international relations. I came to it with little or no particular interest in Wilson or House (who?) or American politics during the Wilson administration. I knew nothing of the authors. I read the book in 2 days because I could not put it down. It well deserves the status of "classic." Although the psychological disposition and development of Wilson provide a motif throughout, the authors state their case in moderate terms and are kind enough to limit jargon-filled discussions to very few pages. Some readers will sense contradictions in the analysis, but they are not too distracting. Meanwhile, an impressive tale is told. The reader goes from the singing of hymns in church as a child to a bizarre last speech on a balcony (before Wilson dies). Wilson emerges as a perfectionist, an idealist, one full of self-doubt, and yet one unwilling to compromise EVER ! He also emerges as someone who had low self-esteem and a giant, hyper-sensitive ego which allowed him about 3 friends (his 2 wives and Colonel House). House was valued by Wilson because he knew how (and was willing)to flatter and say "yes" a lot to Wilson (to his face anyway). Personal diaries and letters add color to the discussion of the relationship. Wilson's complex make-up interestingly resulted in all too predictable dispositions and behavior. Participants at the Paris Peace Conference and Senator Henry Cabot Lodge understood this and played him like a cheap deck of cards. Thus, this great read teaches lessons about politics, personality and life!
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining. Informative. Thought-provoking.
Review: This books presents a "personality study" of Wilson. I ordered it as a political scientist interested in individual-level analyses of international relations. I came to it with little or no particular interest in Wilson or House (who?) or American politics during the Wilson administration. I knew nothing of the authors. I read the book in 2 days because I could not put it down. It well deserves the status of "classic." Although the psychological disposition and development of Wilson provide a motif throughout, the authors state their case in moderate terms and are kind enough to limit jargon-filled discussions to very few pages. Some readers will sense contradictions in the analysis, but they are not too distracting. Meanwhile, an impressive tale is told. The reader goes from the singing of hymns in church as a child to a bizarre last speech on a balcony (before Wilson dies). Wilson emerges as a perfectionist, an idealist, one full of self-doubt, and yet one unwilling to compromise EVER ! He also emerges as someone who had low self-esteem and a giant, hyper-sensitive ego which allowed him about 3 friends (his 2 wives and Colonel House). House was valued by Wilson because he knew how (and was willing)to flatter and say "yes" a lot to Wilson (to his face anyway). Personal diaries and letters add color to the discussion of the relationship. Wilson's complex make-up interestingly resulted in all too predictable dispositions and behavior. Participants at the Paris Peace Conference and Senator Henry Cabot Lodge understood this and played him like a cheap deck of cards. Thus, this great read teaches lessons about politics, personality and life!
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