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99 reviews for:
The Accidental President: Harry S. Truman and the Four Months That Changed the World
A.J. Baime
4.37 AVERAGE
99 reviews for:
The Accidental President: Harry S. Truman and the Four Months That Changed the World
A.J. Baime
4.37 AVERAGE
Fascinating account. Mostly about the time when Truman became President upon FDR’s death through the end of WW II. Highly recommend.
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
This book chronicles what Truman was able to accomplish in the four months between Roosevelt’s death and the surrender of Japan.
I’m not aware of another President who had a more consequential or effective 120 days. The death or Roosevelt, the death of Hitler, the surrender of Germany, the Soviet grasping in Poland and Eastern Europe, the formation of the US, the Potsdam Conference, the atomic bomb test, the atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the Surrender of Japan.
Truman worked hard to live up to the job of President. The book is a great history of that summer.
I’m not aware of another President who had a more consequential or effective 120 days. The death or Roosevelt, the death of Hitler, the surrender of Germany, the Soviet grasping in Poland and Eastern Europe, the formation of the US, the Potsdam Conference, the atomic bomb test, the atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the Surrender of Japan.
Truman worked hard to live up to the job of President. The book is a great history of that summer.
adventurous
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
informative
slow-paced
9/10. I very rarely read biographies, but A.J. Baime's The Accidental President is top-notch narrative history, and a deeply endearing biographical snapshot. I had heard great buzz about this book and figured it would be a good election season read, especially given that the 2024 election marks the first time in my lifetime that a sitting vice president has had to rise to the occasions and take the reins on short notice. That said, Kamala Harris's four-month sprint as the 2024 Democratic nominee will not come anywhere near as close to rivaling the immense responsibility and gravely consequential decisions Harry Truman had to make in his first four months as president. From Franklin Roosevelt's death in April 1945 to the Japanese surrender that August, Truman had to juggle bringing the war in Europe to a close; facilitating the creation and ratification of the United Nations Charter; chairing and negotiating alongside Churchill and Stalin at the Potsdam Conference; deciding whether to use atomic weapons against Japan; and determining America's role in building a post-war Europe and global order. As Baime explains, these are some of the most consequential decisions any world leader has ever had to make. The fact that they were made by an "ordinary" man from Missouri who had been vice president (reluctantly) for fewer than four months, had almost no insider knowledge or foreign policy experience, and had no desire to assume the presidency at all makes these decisions even more fascinating.
This book is not a complete biography of Harry Truman, but the chapters Baime devotes to describing Truman's childhood and family life, his unlikely rise in Missouri politics despite his introverted disposition and multiple failed enterprises, and his pre-White House lifestyle as a senator and vice president does a lot to endear readers to Truman and give context to the style and substance of his decisions as president. While Truman himself was not the most dynamic human being, he was a perfect "every man" and he surrounded himself with remarkable figures. His family, particularly the women (especially his mother, his wife, and his daughter) each clearly influenced him strongly, and it's pretty refreshing to read about a world leader who was a genuine "momma's boy," "wife guy," and "girl dad" when we're so used to hearing about powerful men being users and abusers. While Truman and Roosevelt barely had any relationship to speak of, he certainly held his own with the Washington big wigs and far more established world leaders.
Baime's writing also really elevates this book. The pacing is excellent and the seamless use of primary sources including Truman's letters and diary entries, eye-witness quotes, and historical documents really brought this world to life. As a Washington, DC resident I greatly enjoyed the level of detail Baime devoted to naming parts of the city where key events happened rather than just focusing entirely on what happened inside the Capitol and the White House. Maybe the only historical figure who comes out of this book looking pretty bad is poor Bess Truman. I can't vouch for its accuracy, but Baime portrays the first lady as being so reluctant to assume the role that she comes across as appalled, scornful, and resentful of the position her husband has assumed and everyone associated with it (including him!).
I strongly recommend this book to readers looking for a manageable dose of presidential history, biography, World War II and early Cold War history, or U.S. foreign policy and international relations.
This book is not a complete biography of Harry Truman, but the chapters Baime devotes to describing Truman's childhood and family life, his unlikely rise in Missouri politics despite his introverted disposition and multiple failed enterprises, and his pre-White House lifestyle as a senator and vice president does a lot to endear readers to Truman and give context to the style and substance of his decisions as president. While Truman himself was not the most dynamic human being, he was a perfect "every man" and he surrounded himself with remarkable figures. His family, particularly the women (especially his mother, his wife, and his daughter) each clearly influenced him strongly, and it's pretty refreshing to read about a world leader who was a genuine "momma's boy," "wife guy," and "girl dad" when we're so used to hearing about powerful men being users and abusers. While Truman and Roosevelt barely had any relationship to speak of, he certainly held his own with the Washington big wigs and far more established world leaders.
Baime's writing also really elevates this book. The pacing is excellent and the seamless use of primary sources including Truman's letters and diary entries, eye-witness quotes, and historical documents really brought this world to life. As a Washington, DC resident I greatly enjoyed the level of detail Baime devoted to naming parts of the city where key events happened rather than just focusing entirely on what happened inside the Capitol and the White House. Maybe the only historical figure who comes out of this book looking pretty bad is poor Bess Truman. I can't vouch for its accuracy, but Baime portrays the first lady as being so reluctant to assume the role that she comes across as appalled, scornful, and resentful of the position her husband has assumed and everyone associated with it (including him!).
I strongly recommend this book to readers looking for a manageable dose of presidential history, biography, World War II and early Cold War history, or U.S. foreign policy and international relations.
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
The problem with some history books is that they include too many paragraph-long quotes that just slow down the flow of the historical narrative. No such problem here. I thought this book was a smooth, coherent, easy read.
About the first 20% of the book covered Truman’s life leading up to the moment he became President. It was interesting (and necessary) background material for the rest of the book, which was devoted exclusively to Truman’s just first four months in office. That means the book was focused on:
- Truman’s getting up to speed on essentially everything (given his zero contact with Roosevelt while serving as VP)
- The transitioning of Presidential leadership from an Eastern Elite (Roosevelt) to a “plain-spoken” Common Man
- The end of the war in Europe (and the resulting Iron Curtain falling down across Eastern Europe)
- Truman’s communications & interactions with Churchill and Stalin (including the Potsdam meeting – the final meeting between these 3 leaders).
- The plans for the continuing war with Japan
- The development, testing and deployment of the atomic bomb.
Basically, President Truman was suddenly faced with a myriad of important, high-stakes challenges with no prior opportunity (while Vice President) to be involved in any of the decision making concerning those challenges. Ultimately, though, it turned out to be a case of the right man rising to the challenges that suddenly faced him.
Due to keeping the focus on Truman’s first 4 months, there is little discussion on:
- The Korean War
- Rebuilding Europe (and the Marshall Plan)
- Truman’s 1948 election turnaround.
About the first 20% of the book covered Truman’s life leading up to the moment he became President. It was interesting (and necessary) background material for the rest of the book, which was devoted exclusively to Truman’s just first four months in office. That means the book was focused on:
- Truman’s getting up to speed on essentially everything (given his zero contact with Roosevelt while serving as VP)
- The transitioning of Presidential leadership from an Eastern Elite (Roosevelt) to a “plain-spoken” Common Man
- The end of the war in Europe (and the resulting Iron Curtain falling down across Eastern Europe)
- Truman’s communications & interactions with Churchill and Stalin (including the Potsdam meeting – the final meeting between these 3 leaders).
- The plans for the continuing war with Japan
- The development, testing and deployment of the atomic bomb.
Basically, President Truman was suddenly faced with a myriad of important, high-stakes challenges with no prior opportunity (while Vice President) to be involved in any of the decision making concerning those challenges. Ultimately, though, it turned out to be a case of the right man rising to the challenges that suddenly faced him.
Due to keeping the focus on Truman’s first 4 months, there is little discussion on:
- The Korean War
- Rebuilding Europe (and the Marshall Plan)
- Truman’s 1948 election turnaround.
Very well written. Unbiased presentation of facts with a story-like quality. The author did a great job displaying the political intricacies of the WWII Era and the depths of Truman's personality.
informative
reflective
medium-paced