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alex_ellermann 's review for:
Leadership: In Turbulent Times
by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Think of this book as the literary equivalent of that greatest of television tropes, the clip show. Doris Kearns Goodwin has written, and written well, on Lincoln (Team of Rivals), Teddy Roosevelt (The Bully Pulpit), FDR (No Ordinary Time), and LBJ (Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream). Thus, she's already done the legwork for 'Leadership: In Turbulent Times,' a book comparing the presidencies of Lincoln, TR, FDR, and LBJ. As with a clip show, there's nothing new here. As with a clip show from a particularly beloved series, that's fine: we're happy to revisit the greatest hits.
Why? Because Goodwin is a gifted writer and extraordinary popular historian, able to make the past and its personalities come alive, in all its vibrant relevance, for her audience. If you've read Goodwin's earlier work, you probably won't learn much from 'Leadership: In Turbulent Times.' If you've read Goodwin's earlier work, you probably won't mind. Reading Goodwin is its own reward.
Why? Because Goodwin is a gifted writer and extraordinary popular historian, able to make the past and its personalities come alive, in all its vibrant relevance, for her audience. If you've read Goodwin's earlier work, you probably won't learn much from 'Leadership: In Turbulent Times.' If you've read Goodwin's earlier work, you probably won't mind. Reading Goodwin is its own reward.