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A review by jenniferstringer
Truman by David McCullough
5.0
Phew. That was an undertaking. I understand why this got the Pulitzer. I've read several other of his books, and I believe this is McCullough's masterpiece. And, after visiting the Truman Museum/Library and seeing the rooms of documents that McCullough would have had to read through, assess, organize and explain, I am thoroughly impressed.
Nearly every time I read a biography of a president, that president becomes my new favorite. What I am coming to learn is that each faced unique challenges and were men of their time. Truman had dire choices to make, after being thrown into circumstances not of his own creating. He stood by and lived with them, but always remembered the consequences. What I think I most appreciated about him, especially in our hyper-political times, is how he simply asked himself, " is this the best we can do for the American people?" rather than "what will this do to my party?" My favorite quote was "It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit."
Nearly every time I read a biography of a president, that president becomes my new favorite. What I am coming to learn is that each faced unique challenges and were men of their time. Truman had dire choices to make, after being thrown into circumstances not of his own creating. He stood by and lived with them, but always remembered the consequences. What I think I most appreciated about him, especially in our hyper-political times, is how he simply asked himself, " is this the best we can do for the American people?" rather than "what will this do to my party?" My favorite quote was "It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit."