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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
A fascinating memoir, a look back at a long life and an often underrated presidency. Worth reading, even if just for a personal perspective on nearly a century of American history.
In this book, former president Carter looks back at his childhood, time in the Navy, and his political career. The last third or so of the book is dedicated to various national and international issues that he worked on during his administration and through the Carter Center, and his assessment of their progress and how subsequent presidents have dealt with them. Throughout the book are reproductions of President Carter's paintings and poems he has written over the course of his life.
President Carter has written many books, most on more specific topics. This one ranges widely and some chapters have the understandable vagueness of a 90 year old man looking backwards many decades. He's at his best here when writing about his White House years, no doubt improved by having access to his presidential diaries and, therefore, details. Towards the end of the book, the sections become quite short, with 2 paragraphs on abortion, three on North and South Korea, 4 on his opinion regarding the efficacy of economic embargoes, and so on. It has the feel of the writer wanting to be sure that all his thoughts on every topic get handed down before time runs out. Most of them are interesting and informed by so much experience; so very worth reading, even if I don't agree with every word.
It's a revelation to read histories and memoirs written about times one has lived through. Jimmy Carter was president when I was in elementary school. His daughter, Amy, was roughly my age. Everything I knew about the Carter presidency came via snippets of tv news and what I heard from the adults around me. In our eyes, he was a good guy who was dedicated to peace and energy conservation. He was a dad who wore sweaters. To us as New Yorkers, he was a peanut farmer and maybe a yokel. (Interesting to learn that the press carefully cultivated this view of Carter as a hayseed.) Did you know that, when he was running for president, the fact that he was religious was widely held against him. Now, candidates fall all over themselves trying to prove just how pious they are. Did you know Carter was an avid reader and classical music aficionado who served in a leadership position on one of the U.S.'s earliest nuclear subs? Did you know Carter had three adult sons when elected, two of whom lived in the White House during his presidency? And that the oft-told tale of Carter installing solar panels on the White House roof is true? (As is the one about Reagan taking them down.)
Also interesting in this book is his recognition of shortcomings - Alliances he failed to make, as with Ted Kennedy, resulting in some major losses such as when Kennedy withdrew support for Carter's proposals for free and universal pre-natal care. And in his relationship with his wife, in which he repeatedly made major decisions without informing her until afterwards.
I don't understand when people say Carter's was a failed presidency. So many of the things he stood for are still regarded as important: peace, land conservation, alternative energy, diplomacy. And, in his career post-presidency: free and fair elections, disease prevention, affordable housing, equitable food distribution. All good stuff, and hard to argue with.
President Carter has written many books, most on more specific topics. This one ranges widely and some chapters have the understandable vagueness of a 90 year old man looking backwards many decades. He's at his best here when writing about his White House years, no doubt improved by having access to his presidential diaries and, therefore, details. Towards the end of the book, the sections become quite short, with 2 paragraphs on abortion, three on North and South Korea, 4 on his opinion regarding the efficacy of economic embargoes, and so on. It has the feel of the writer wanting to be sure that all his thoughts on every topic get handed down before time runs out. Most of them are interesting and informed by so much experience; so very worth reading, even if I don't agree with every word.
It's a revelation to read histories and memoirs written about times one has lived through. Jimmy Carter was president when I was in elementary school. His daughter, Amy, was roughly my age. Everything I knew about the Carter presidency came via snippets of tv news and what I heard from the adults around me. In our eyes, he was a good guy who was dedicated to peace and energy conservation. He was a dad who wore sweaters. To us as New Yorkers, he was a peanut farmer and maybe a yokel. (Interesting to learn that the press carefully cultivated this view of Carter as a hayseed.) Did you know that, when he was running for president, the fact that he was religious was widely held against him. Now, candidates fall all over themselves trying to prove just how pious they are. Did you know Carter was an avid reader and classical music aficionado who served in a leadership position on one of the U.S.'s earliest nuclear subs? Did you know Carter had three adult sons when elected, two of whom lived in the White House during his presidency? And that the oft-told tale of Carter installing solar panels on the White House roof is true? (As is the one about Reagan taking them down.)
Also interesting in this book is his recognition of shortcomings - Alliances he failed to make, as with Ted Kennedy, resulting in some major losses such as when Kennedy withdrew support for Carter's proposals for free and universal pre-natal care. And in his relationship with his wife, in which he repeatedly made major decisions without informing her until afterwards.
I don't understand when people say Carter's was a failed presidency. So many of the things he stood for are still regarded as important: peace, land conservation, alternative energy, diplomacy. And, in his career post-presidency: free and fair elections, disease prevention, affordable housing, equitable food distribution. All good stuff, and hard to argue with.
Great book! I knew President Carter lived his values bit the scope of his life is still amazingly large and full of more duty, honor, honesty, compassion, and giving than almost any 3 other lives. I loved his vision for the future of America hopefully we can get back on that road.
President Jimmy Carter has written 30 books -- and as a fan I have read a few. If you can only read one, make it this one. "A Full Life" was written when Carter was 90 years old. He reflects on his life - from his childhood, his time at the Naval Academy, growing up in the South,his life after his father died at age 56, his early political life, the presidency and after. That's a lot in this slim volume of 238 pages. The 39th president surely has his detractors, but to me he is a great man. Just saying...
You need to REALLY want to know about Jimmy Carter as a person in order to enjoy this. Although he obviously talks about politics a lot, but it's written from his personal perspective, sharing his own views on his political performance, rather than a proper political analysis that can be found in some of his other books.
Jimmy Carter seems like an extremely intelligent, talented, dedicated, all-American man. The world has benefited hugely from his presence, and it was very interesting to learn more about him in this book.
I was listening to the audiobook, read by him. He was a little difficult to understand at times, and to be frank, his voice could get a little dull and difficult to listen to. But on the whole, it was an enjoyable listen, and I always prefer to hear biographies from the person themselves, regardless of quality.
Jimmy Carter seems like an extremely intelligent, talented, dedicated, all-American man. The world has benefited hugely from his presence, and it was very interesting to learn more about him in this book.
I was listening to the audiobook, read by him. He was a little difficult to understand at times, and to be frank, his voice could get a little dull and difficult to listen to. But on the whole, it was an enjoyable listen, and I always prefer to hear biographies from the person themselves, regardless of quality.
Imagine being invited by President Carter to come sit on the porch with a beverage and be an audience as he recounts his whole life. This book reads very much like a long conversation, not deep on details but a full overview of his 90 years. I learned a lot about him that I didn't know, and the book confirms my thought that his intelligence and hard work make him a magnificent man.
I loved his last book so I was excited to read this one. It's a straight up biography though, starting with his life on the farm, in the navy, as the president, all the way up to present day. It's mundane at times, but it's a nice little look into the life of a man I've really come to admire. He's 91 and still so with it!
Carter gives a flowing history of his life. I enjoyed learning so much about this president from his own words.
This was fascinating. Well read by President Carter, it is a great audiobook if you're interested in history. There is a lot of behind the scenes information and personal detail about events from Carter's long life. This includes events I remembered, and some I had forgotten, but it is a unique look at each of those events. President Carter also talks about his family, his faith, and his relationship with other former Presidents.
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced