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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Fascinating and Carter is definitely one of the least appreciated presidents the US has had.
While I have respect for the work Jimmy Carter has done since his presidency, I can't say I am a fan of his presidency or this book. The book jumped around from topic to topic, without fully explaining anything- especially as it came to politics. He came across as politically naive.
Mr. Carter is an extraordinary man who has lived a fascinating life! I would be very interested in reading his memoir about his childhood and even his poetry book. I thoroughly enjoyed his descriptions of life before and after politics, but I wasn’t so interested in his political life. His tone seemed defensive much of the time, and though I don’t know much about his political career or values, I gathered from this book that I probably wouldn’t be a big fan. That said, Mr. Carter is a good writer with a lot of things to say!
This is my first memoir/firsthand account from a US president and it might be my last, at least for my current goal of reading biographies of the presidents in order. I didn’t know much about Jimmy Carter going into this, except that he was a Georgia peanut farmer and is often considered one of the worst presidents due to issues that happened during his administration, like the Iran hostage crisis. I have also heard a poll placed him as the nicest man to hold the office, and that’s easy to see through this book, where he shares endearing stories, reflects on things he would do differently, and expresses a genuine desire to make the world a better place (I was particularly impressed with the work of The Carter Center). He did some infuriating things, though, like deciding to leave the Navy and later to run for office, both without talking to his wife first. And he seems to get his feelings hurt easily by the press and other presidents. This book was a decent overview of his life, but it was occasionally confusing because I didn’t know the context of some of the national events he vaguely references. So while I appreciate hearing firsthand why the president did this or that, I think I’ll stick to scholarly books for the rest of the presidents.
“Our government should be known to be opposed to war, dedicated to the resolution of disputes by peaceful means, and, whenever possible, eager to accomplish this goal. We should be seen as the unswerving champion of human rights, both among our own citizens and within the global community. America should be the focal point around which other nationals can rally against threats to the quality of our common environment. We should be willing to lead by example in sharing our great wealth with those in need. Our own society should provide equal opportunity for all citizens and assure that they are provided the basic necessities of life.”
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This was the second book of President Carter’s that I’ve read, and it didn’t disappoint. It was a quick synopsis of his entire life, and it demonstrates how hard-working and morally driven Carter has always been. We are lucky to still benefit from the knowledge and level-headedness he and his wife Rosalynn have through The Carter Center’s work.
➖➖➖
This was the second book of President Carter’s that I’ve read, and it didn’t disappoint. It was a quick synopsis of his entire life, and it demonstrates how hard-working and morally driven Carter has always been. We are lucky to still benefit from the knowledge and level-headedness he and his wife Rosalynn have through The Carter Center’s work.
I was hoping to learn more of President Carter's personal reflections on his full life, about what has made his life fulfilling, and about his advice for our future. However, even though he only spent four years of his century on Earth in the White House, nearly half of this book talks about his presidency and political achievements.
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Listening to his voice recounting his life as a drove to the Carter center to say goodbye was an unparalleled experience
4.25 stars…I enjoyed this book and thought it was a good way to learn more about Carter’s background and his perspective of his life. I like how he focused more about his life outside of his tenure as President as it shows how much he’s viewed his life beyond his four years in office. To think that he left the White House at age 56 and accomplished so much in his life after those years is a testament to his character. I’ll probably try to read another book about him from a biographer to learn more about his presidency to gather a more objective view of him. I will also read some more books written by Carter as they are insightful and not too long.
This was a really nice read. There are other books out there with far more detailed accounts of Carter's life (written by the man himself), but his reflections at the life of 90 absolutely deserve to be given a look. I learned quite a bit more about Carter's family's attitudes towards race relations than I thought I would, and can see how it drove many of his approaches throughout his young life and subsequent careers.
The only negative for me in the book was the author's desire to intersperse his own poetry throughout, particularly in his reflections on his earlier life. That didn't work for me at all.
Overall, I'm quite glad to have read this.
The only negative for me in the book was the author's desire to intersperse his own poetry throughout, particularly in his reflections on his earlier life. That didn't work for me at all.
Overall, I'm quite glad to have read this.
informative
reflective
medium-paced