Book Description
For decades, books about John or Robert Kennedy have woven either a shimmering tale of Camelot gallantry or a tawdry story of runaway ambition and reckless personal behavior. But the real story of the Kennedys in the 1960s has long been submerged -- until now. In Brothers: The Hidden History of the Kennedy Years, David Talbot sheds a dramatic new light on the tumultuous inner life of the Kennedy presidency and its stunning aftermath. Talbot, the founder of Salon.com, has written a gripping political history that is sure to be one of the most talked-about books of the year.
Brothers begins on the shattering afternoon of November 22, 1963, as a grief-stricken Robert Kennedy urgently demands answers about the assassination of his brother. Bobby's suspicions immediately focus on the nest of CIA spies, gangsters, and Cuban exiles that had long been plotting a violent regime change in Cuba. The Kennedys had struggled to control this swamp of anti-Castro intrigue based in southern Florida, but with little success.
Brothers then shifts back in time, revealing the shadowy conflicts that tore apart the Kennedy administration, pitting the young president and his even younger brother against their own national security apparatus. The Kennedy brothers and a small circle of their most trusted advisors -- men like Theodore Sorensen, Robert McNamara, and Kenneth O'Donnell, who were so close the Kennedys regarded them as family -- repeatedly thwarted Washington's warrior caste. These hard-line generals and spymasters were hell-bent on a showdown with the Communist foe -- in Berlin, Laos, Vietnam, and especially Cuba. But the Kennedys continually frustrated their militaristic ambitions, pushing instead for a peaceful resolution to the Cold War. The tensions within the Kennedy administration were heading for an explosive climax, when a burst of gunfire in a sunny Dallas plaza terminated John F. Kennedy's presidency.
Based on interviews with more than one hundred fifty people -- including many of the Kennedys' aging "band of brothers," whose testimony here might be their final word on this epic political story -- as well as newly released government documents, Brothers reveals the compelling, untold story of the Kennedy years, including JFK's heroic efforts to keep the country out of a cataclysmic war and Bobby Kennedy's secret quest to solve his beloved brother's murder. Bobby's subterranean search was a dangerous one and led, in part, to his own quest for power in 1968, in a passion-filled campaign that ended with his own murder. As Talbot reveals here, RFK might have been the victim of the same plotters he suspected of killing his brother. This is historical storytelling at its riveting best -- meticulously researched and movingly told.
Brothers is a sprawling narrative about the clash of powerful men and the darker side of the Cold War -- a tale of tragic grandeur that is certain to change our understanding of the relentlessly fascinating Kennedy saga.
Customer Reviews:
We Knew Ye, We Thought.......2007-10-19
Now, over four decades later, history can begin to give context to what really might have happened in Dallas and Los Angeles. This thoughtful and unhysterical volume does just that. By carefully assembling the credible elements of the work done before him and vetting what still can be corroborated, Talbot is able to piece together a mosaic of the 1960s that is very different from what most of us alive during that period remember. Those of us who admired and took pride in the Kennedys never truly have come to grips with the extent to which the brothers were reviled by many -- including among others the Cold Warriors within the government that Jack Kennedy was elected to lead, the criminal elements the family both dealt with and relentlessly prosecuted, and the fringe "assets" of an uncontrolled spy apparatus -- who very well may have coalesced to stage and conceal an American coup d'etat.
Particularly pointed is Talbot's criticism of the self-fulfilling statement, often adopted by the media, that "we'll never really know what happened in Dallas." The failure of people of goodwill to use their investigative resources to find the truth is chilling, as is the ability of those in the shadowy alleys of power in the so-called "intelligence community" to erect a stone wall around the greatest crime of the 20th Century.
This book provides timely reading. Once you accept that your government will lie to you for reasons both noble and ignoble, the world never looks the same.
Credibility.......2007-10-17
There are so many crazy books written about this event in time. For some reason this one is credible, and puts things in perspective for me. It answered a lot of questions and the answers seem to ring true.
Capital!.......2007-09-22
Along with Richard Mahoney's Sons And Brothers, you won't find a better rendering of the shadows playing around the Kennedy brothers than in this very well-researched and well-written study. One fact stands out: the JFK assassination will be debated from now until doomsday, pending conclusive proof of this theory or that. I say "theory" because for all the millions of words spoken and written it basically remains an unsolved crime. Media efforts, with all the subtlety of an exploding frangible bullet, to drive home the Lone-Nut theory into our collective consciousness will destructively collide with Mr Talbot's sane and bold
approach, leaving only a few dust-like fragments.
Thought Provoking Tale of the Kennedy Years.......2007-09-11
This book is an enjoyable read. It is heavily footnoted with the footnotes conveniently separated from the main text at the back of the book. Documentation is critical for credibility given the nature of arguing one way or another concerning a conspiracy to murder the president.
After reading this book, I felt well supplied with a good historical knowledge of the period: the Bay of Pigs, the October Missile Crises, the CIA, Cuban Exiles, the Mafia, Jimmy Hoffa, the McClellan Commission, the Warren Commission, Conspiracy Theories, Bobby's reaction to the assassination, the Church Committee, and the House Select Committee on Assassinations.
It's difficult to summarize what I think is the core of this book in a few lines but here goes: The CIA and Cuban exiles expected Kennedy to supply air cover for the Bay of Pigs invasion, Kennedy did not. The mission failed. This set the hostile relationship between the CIA/Cubans/Joint Chiefs toward Kennedy for the rest of the Kennedy Administration. The settlement of the Cuban Missile Crises shut the door to the CIA's and Cuban exile's expectation that the US Government would support an invasion to topple Castro. The mob was angry at Kennedy because of Bobby's active effort as Attorney General to bust the mafia - even though the mob helped JFK win a close election (the Chicago Machine). It appears the author believes the CIA, Cuban exiles, and the Mob conspired to put a hit out on the president; then Bobby's assassination ended any hope of the Kennedy circle to unravel the conspiracy once Bobby had the power to investigate the murder.
By reading this book, one cannot unequivocally conclude there was or was not a conspiracy; but it is fun to speculate. There are so many tantalizing facts, such as all the people who mysteriously died who could have shed light on the assassination, some of those named include: Dorothy Kilgallen, David Morales, Lee Harvey Oswald, Jack Ruby, Sam Giancana, Johnny Roselli, and RFK (wins CA primary, thus odds higher to become president, so taken out?). Add to this the two failed plots in Miami and Chicago, both just before the Nov. 22, 1963 assassination, and both plots similar to the successful Oswald shooting; thus it is no surprise people still have questions concerning the official Warren Report.
A few notes: 1.The book points out that Curtis Le May urged Kennedy to go nuclear but it did not note that Fidel Castro urged Khrushchev to fire tactical nuclear missiles at the U.S. during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. 2. Kennedy and Khrushchev deserve our everlasting thanks for not going nuclear in 1962 despite great pressure to do so. 3. Should we believe the private or public RFK? When anyone holds at least two different versions of any subject, it is then obvious to question the truth of either. The author tells us that Robert Kennedy privately believed there was a powerful group of conspirators (i.e. the CIA in conjunction with the Mob and Cuban exiles) that plotted and carried out his brother's murder (this might be some of the "hidden history" in the subtitle) despite the fact that Bobby did publicly endorse the Warren Commission Report. 4. Abraham Zapruder (famous Zapruder film), David Powers and Kenneth O'Donnell (car behind JFK's) all say they heard shots fired from the grassy knoll but the Warren Commission only wanted to hear from David Powers when he changed his story and they didn't want to hear from Ken O'Donnell because he would not change his view that he heard shots from the grassy knoll. Instead the Warren Commission adopted Arlen Specter's "Magic Bullet Theory." The Warren Commission, Hoover, and much of the political establishment wanted to get over with the investigation as quickly as possible (and to have a simple explanation the country could easily understand) so that the country could move on. Also, Allen Dulles (who the book says had a disproportionate influence on the Warren Commission) may have been biased in search of the truth.
A very moving reminder of the Kennedys.......2007-09-05
David Talbot has written a very important book. It is very well researched and thoughtfully expresses the saga of the nation's inadequate search for truth around the killing of the Kennedy's. With so much at stake in national politics, it is a grim reminder that Americans, for all our patriotic bluster about standing for truth, liberty and freedom for all, cannot seem to look into the dark forces that often overrule our governments higher calling. And until we do, there is little hope that we can overcome those forces and avoid further debacles like Vietnam, Iraq and the killing of leaders that try to expose the deeper underpinnings of our country. The result being that we constantly lurch from one poorly thought out policy to another.
The young Kennedys, for all their faults and failings, were a powerful force for justice, and this nation has sorely missed their passion - and David Talbot has reminded us of what we lost and what little we did to find out why.
Book Description
In October 1964, Ronald Reagan gave a televised speech in support of Republican presidential nominee Barry Goldwater. "The Speech," as it has come to be known, helped launch Ronald Reagan as a leading force in the American conservative movement. However, less than twenty years earlier, Reagan was a prominent Hollywood liberal, the president of the Screen Actors Guild, and a fervent supporter of FDR and Harry Truman. While many agree that Reagan's anticommunism grew out of his experiences with the Hollywood communists of the late 1940s, the origins of his conservative ideology have remained obscure.
Based on a newly discovered collection of private papers as well as interviews and corporate documents, The Education of Ronald Reagan offers new insights into Reagan's ideological development and his political ascendancy. Thomas W. Evans links the eight years (1954-1962) in which Reagan worked for General Electric& mdash;acting as host of its television program, GE Theater, and traveling the country as the company's public-relations envoy-to his conversion to conservatism.
In particular, Evans reveals the profound influence of GE executive Lemuel Boulware, who would become Reagan's political and ideological mentor. Boulware, known for his tough stance against union officials and his innovative corporate strategies to win over workers, championed the core tenets of modern American conservatism-free-market fundamentalism, anticommunism, lower taxes, and limited government. Building on the ideas and influence of Boulware, Reagan would soon begin his rise as a national political figure and an icon of the American conservative movement.
Customer Reviews:
A 'must' for any college-level collection .......2007-08-09
The Education of Ronald Reagan: The General Electric Years and the Untold Story of His Conversion to Conservatism is a far different portrait of Reagan than typical biographies have covered. For one thing, the focus is much narrower and more specific: for another, it's based on a newly discovered collection of private papers, interviews and corporate documents, and provides fresh revelations on Reagan's ideological development. From mentors and influences on his development to the ideals of modern American conservatism, THE EDUCATION OF RONALD REAGAN is a 'must' for any college-level collection strong in not only Presidential analysis or Reagan in particular, but for those strong in American political debates.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Watching a President Develop.......2007-03-15
We have a tendency in this country to assume that when a president is thinking your way he is a genius. When he is presenting a position opposed to you; first he is an idiot, and second all his thoughts are really those of his handlers. Then the presidential advisors start leaving and writing books about how brilliant they are and the president just doesn't listen.
It's only when the books come out much later that we really begin to learn what was going on. In this book, the author concentrates on the magical speech that Reagan made in 1964 in support of Barry Goldwater at the Republican National Convention. 'The Speech' was a turning point in American politics. And of course the sarcastic will say that Reagan didn't write it but his handlers ....
This book goes back many, many years and reviews speeches that Reagan gave. From them comes a line here, a line there and in the end we get 'The Speech.' It's an interesting way to look at how Reagan changed from union president heading the Democrats for Truman to fundamentally changing the country's direction. Along the way we learn, Reagan was no dummy. And I think that as history continues to develop, his reputation will continue to go up.
Why Ronald Reagan was the Great Communicator.......2007-03-10
An excellent book and well written. In addition to showing how GE gave Ronald Reagan the opportunity to become a conservative and a great communicator it also provides a fascinating perspective on the battle between business and labor from 1950-1970. This book shows the journey that Reagan takes from being a confirmed New Dealer to a Goldwater conservative.
Book Description
The presidential election of 1920 was one of the most dramatic ever. For the only time in the nation’s history, six once-and-future presidents hoped to end up in the White House: Woodrow Wilson, Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, and Theodore Roosevelt. It was an election that saw unprecedented levels of publicity — the Republicans outspent the Democrats by 4 to 1 — and it was the first to garner extensive newspaper and newsreel coverage. It was also the first election in which women could vote. Meanwhile, the 1920 census showed that America had become an urban nation — automobiles, mass production, chain stores, and easy credit were transforming the economy and America was limbering up for the most spectacular decade of its history, the roaring ’20s. Award-winning historian David Pietrusza’s riveting new work presents a dazzling panorama of presidential personalities, ambitions, plots, and counterplots — a picture of modern America at the crossroads.
Customer Reviews:
Entertaining and Insightful.......2007-09-03
Pietrusza's volume brings the vivid history of the 1920 election to life. Both entertaining and insightful, it provides exceptionally well crafted "mini" biographies of the Six Presidents and how their careers intersected that year. The narrative is rich and compelling as it peeks into the backrooms and describes the national mood. Pietrusza's handling of the personalities, issues, trends and techniques that went on to define American politics in the first half of the 20th century is to be recommended to anyone with an interest in presidential biography or U.S. political history.
Lively Account.......2007-08-31
I really enjoyed this engaging account of the 1920 election. Mr. Pietrusza's portraits of the main players in this drama were especially colorful, while successfully avoiding caricature. This reader was prompted to reflect on the fact that human nature really doesn't change, even though times and circumstances certainly do.
The narrative moves at a brisk pace, even while interspersed with the personal profiles. Pietrusza tells a fine story, and his turns of phrase display both a fine wit and a keen power of perception.
I highly recommend this book to any non-specialist as an unbiased, yet entertaining and highly readable work of popular history.
Insightful and fascinating.......2007-08-29
Gets to the heart of what history is about - the interplay of persons, the motives that drive them, and the consequences (intended and otherwise) of their choices.
The writing style is engaging; sounding more like story-telling than like a textbook. But don't let that fool you into thinking this is history-lite; it is obviously well researched (and well cited) and sets forth facts, not judgements.
In preparation of the 2008 elections, read this book. It will remind you that the quality of the person is as least as important as the the politics of the party.
Not for the serious reader of history.......2007-08-27
A fascinating subject ... laid out in simplistic terms, skipping over huge sections of important history, utilizing unexplained leaps of logic and so jerkily written that the reader has to keep flipping back to find the one brief reference already made to a person on Page 9 who is suddenly in the thick of the action on Page 31.
And I stopped reading after I hit the raving, homophobic chapter on FDR.
Two stars are for an interesting premise. Zero stars for execution.
Gripping and -- remarkably -- unbiased popular history.......2007-07-22
Though Pietrusza, the author of a number of works of juvenile history and a well-respected biography of the notorious gambler and World Series fixer Arnold Rothstein, never really does explain why the year 1920 "witnessed the birth of modern America," his clear and captivating narrative succeeds in convincing the reader that this was one heck of an event-filled twelve-month period. The six presidents referenced in the title - Woodrow Wilson (the sick, declining, and bitter incumbent), Warren Harding (the unlikely Republican nominee and election winner), Calvin Coolidge (Harding's running mate and eventual successor upon the former's death), Herbert Hoover (the ill-fated but then-revered "Great Engineer" and "Great Humanitarian"), Theodore Roosevelt (the former President and likely 1920 Republican nominee had he not died in 1919), and Franklin Roosevelt (the energetic and ambitious vice-presidential candidate of what turned out to be a doomed Democratic ticket) - did indeed all play significant roles in public affairs that year, though T.R.'s was more indirect, more in the nature of a long shadow cast over the 1920 Presidential campaign. (William Howard Taft gets mentioned numerous times, but he was more of a judicial sideline watcher by this point.) Critical opinions of these men wander all over the map and tend to be strongly colored by ideological biases, but it is to Pietrusza's credit that he doesn't play favorites, though one can detect a slight tilt towards Coolidge (not surprising, given that the author had some role in the Coolidge Memorial Foundation) and a certain amount of disdain for Wilson's arrogance and bullheadedness. Such touchy subjects as women's suffrage, the Sacco and Vanzetti case, Socialism, civil rights, and the Ku Klux Klan are presented in the same straightforward manner. Pietrusza goes against the grain by arguing that the supposedly "bossed" Republican convention was more prone to be swayed by delegates' enthusiasm than the Democratic conclave, though his argument rests rather strongly on the Republican delegates' overwhelming endorsement of Coolidge for vice-president over several better-fancied candidates. It is refreshing to read a popular historical tome that does not pay much attention to drawing conclusions that are politically correct, but instead presents a multi-faceted - and somewhat tragic, given the ultimate fates of Wilson, Harding, and Hoover - view of a stormy epoch in 20th century American history. Very highly recommended.
Book Description
By the end of the 1980s, the "malaise" that had once pervaded American society was replaced by a renewed sense of confidence and national purpose. However, beneath this veneer of optimism was a nation confronting the effects of massive federal deficits, a reckless foreign policy, AIDS, homelessness, and a growing "cultural war."
In Transforming America, renowned historian Robert Collins examines the decade's critical and controversial developments and the unmistakable influence of Ronald Reagan. Moving beyond conventional depictions that either demonize or sanctify Reagan, Collins offers fresh insights into his thought and influence. He portrays Reagan as a complex political figure who combined ideological conservatism with political pragmatism to achieve many of his policy aims. Collins demonstrates how Reagan's policies helped to limit the scope of government, control inflation, reduce the threat of nuclear war, and defeat communism. Collins also shows how the simultaneous ascendancy of the right in politics and the left in culture created a divisive legacy.
The 1980s witnessed other changes, including the advent of the personal computer, a revolution in information technology, a more globalized national economy, and a restructuring of the American corporation. In the realm of culture, the creation of MTV, the popularity of self-help gurus, and the rise of postmodernism in American universities were the realization of the cultural shifts of the postwar era. These developments, Collins suggests, created a conflict in American society that continues today, pitting cultural conservatism against a secular and multicultural view of the world.
Entertaining and erudite, Transforming America explores the events, movements, and ideas that defined a turbulent decade and profoundly changed the shape and direction of American culture and politics.
Customer Reviews:
Neither Saint Nor Demon.......2007-01-10
Depending upon to whom you are speaking Ronald Reagan was either the closest thing we've had to a saint, or perhaps the Devil incarnate. I have long held that you don't really begin to understand a time or a presidency until the history books get written. And this book is an excellent example.
As the author says in his introduction, he has sought to take seriously the historian's obligation to rise out of [his own views] to see what all sides thought they were up to. Those whose view matches that of Tom Clancy, who dedicated one of his books to Reagan as 'the man who won the war,' will find plenty to support his view. Those who prefer to look at Iran-Contra or the lack of funding for AIDS research will likewise find points to justify their view.
It seemed to me that Reagan was the first president to be considered inconsequential, a tool of the people around him. Instead Dr. Collins finds Reagan one of the most consequential and successful presidents of the modern era. I believe he is correct. For better or worse, the Reagan years accompanied masive changes in the political and cultural structure of our country. Dr. Collins has written an excellent chronicle of those years.
Average customer rating:
- Jackie's White House Years
- The Posh in Washington before Watergate
- MOST EXCELLENT
- Quality, Youth, Beauty, Style and Culture in the White House
- An elegant blast from the past!
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Jacqueline Kennedy : The White House Years: Selections from the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum
The (NY) Metropolitan Museum of Art ,
Hamish Bowles ,
Arthur M. Schlesinger , and
Rachael Lambert Mellon
Manufacturer: Bulfinch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0821227459 |
Amazon.com
Did the clothes make Jackie, or did Jackie make the clothes? Decide for yourself: Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years is a stunning catalog of some of Jacqueline Kennedy's most important dresses as worn during her years as first lady of the United States. As visually sleek and elegant as Mrs. Kennedy herself, the book offers a beautiful analysis of the stunning, simple outfits that typified the Jackie style and brought a breath of sleek modernity to the White House after the somewhat frumpy fussiness of previous first lady Bess Truman. Released to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Kennedy's "emergence" as a style icon, the book presents an eclectic selection of suits, evening dresses, daywear, and accessories from the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum collection. Divided into cities where each item was first worn, the gowns, suits, and dresses are first presented alone in a full-page color photo. Each is then accompanied by various photos of Jackie wearing the item and detailed design notes, history, and anecdotes behind the outfit.
These photos give a wonderful context to the clothes, and it's clear that Jackie's carriage and persona injected life into these garments--which sometimes appear markedly different from what one might deduce as each item's "personality" when simply viewing it alone. For example, a pale cream embroidered silk Givenchy evening gown looks dull and somewhat dowdy when seen alone, but the accompanying photograph of Jackie wearing it while cuddling a newborn John Kennedy Jr. transforms the dress into something feminine and timeless. Or a very simple, innocently pretty pink shantung evening gown by Guy Douvier becomes arrestingly sexy when she wears it with nothing but white gloves and a Palm Beach tan. Contextualizing and interpreting Kennedy's style is an important part of this book. Featured are essays on Jackie and her effect on the world of style by Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., Kennedy friend Rachel Lambert Mellon, and the book's author and Vogue editor at large, Hamish Bowles. Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years accompanies an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. --Marisa Lencioni, Amazon.co.uk
Book Description
Did the clothes make Jackie, or did Jackie make the clothes? Decide for yourself: Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years is a stunning catalog of some of Jacqueline Kennedy's most important dresses as worn during her years as first lady of the United States. As visually sleek and elegant as Mrs. Kennedy herself, the book offers a beautiful analysis of the stunning, simple outfits that typified the Jackie style and brought a breath of sleek modernity to the White House after the somewhat frumpy fussiness of previous first lady Bess Truman. Released to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Kennedy's "emergence" as a style icon, the book presents an eclectic selection of suits, evening dresses, daywear, and accessories from the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum collection. Divided into cities where each item was first worn, the gowns, suits, and dresses are first presented alone in a full-page color photo. Each is then accompanied by various photos of Jackie wearing the item and detailed design notes, history, and anecdotes behind the outfit. These photos give a wonderful context to the clothes, and it's clear that Jackie's carriage and persona injected life into these garments--which sometimes appear markedly different from what one might deduce as each item's "personality" when simply viewing it alone. For example, a pale cream embroidered silk Givenchy evening gown looks dull and somewhat dowdy when seen alone, but the accompanying photograph of Jackie wearing it while cuddling a newborn John Kennedy Jr. transforms the dress into something feminine and timeless. Or a very simple, innocently pretty pink shantung evening gown by Guy Douvier becomes arrestingly sexy when she wears it with nothing but white gloves and a Palm Beach tan. Contextualizing and interpreting Kennedy's style is an important part of this book. Featured are essays on Jackie and her effect on the world of style by Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., Kennedy friend Rachel Lambert Mellon, and the book's author and Vogue editor at large, Hamish Bowles. Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years accompanies an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. --Marisa Lencioni, Amazon.co.uk
Customer Reviews:
Jackie's White House Years.......2007-03-16
Presented as a fashion journal, this book is surprisingly insightful of Jackie's personality, charisma and intelligence. It is a presentation of her poise and strength as an influence on the nation (and the world,) both politically and artistically. Personally, looking back on those years, I am able to see and understand the changes within our society based on the Kennedys aesthetic. I highly recommend this book as a review of the times when we as a nation were in Camelot.
The Posh in Washington before Watergate.......2006-06-27
A refreshing look at Jackie Kennedy through the White House years when her unique style mesmerized a nation. Oleg Cassini may have helped create the distinctive looks but Jackie did have a knack of making herself her very own style masterpiece. A collage of images that celebrate the colors and clothes of Camelot.
MOST EXCELLENT.......2002-05-01
Excellent EVERYTHING!!!
A must for jackie AND caroline fans...i figure she did a lot for this and chose some GREAT photos...esp. the last one, in my humble opinion.
THE BEST PHOTOGRAPHY!!!
I LOVE IT!!! and was shocked when i actually saw it after the few not-so appreciative reviews.
TOP SHELF BOOK/TOMB.
THANKS to everyone who was behind putting this out. As my grandmother would say about such a great book, "It lifts you up." (she said that about the Sotheby's Auction catalog of JBKO's Estate.
THANKS and LOVE TO ALL!!!
Quality, Youth, Beauty, Style and Culture in the White House.......2001-12-10
Caution: If you like looking at lots of photographs of early 1960s designer dresses, you will probably like this book. Otherwise, this is probably not the right book for you.
During the presidential election of 1960, Ms. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy made an immense impression on American society. At 31, she was a dramatic contrast with the vice president's wife, Ms. Patricia Nixon, and recent first ladies (Ms. Mame Eisenhower, Ms. Bess Truman, and Ms. Eleanor Roosevelt). She was much younger than these women, was pregnant with her son, John, and seemed like someone who came from another world. Ms. Kennedy was highly cultured, interested in the fine arts, attractive in a way that showed up well in photographs and on television, and wore gorgeous clothes of the sort usually only seen in the best fashion magazines.
Once in the White House, her differences from other first ladies became more apparent. A major effort to redecorate the White House with authentic pieces ensued, Lafayette Square's appearance was conserved, entertaining began to feature people from the world of fine arts, the Rose Garden was redesigned, and the clothes she wore became even more magnificent. A great deal of the sense of Camelot certainly came from Ms. Kennedy.
I was disappointed in the book. For someone who had such a wide and important influence on America, the book barely seemed to scratch the surface. It is almost as though a decision had been made to create a book about her dresses on state occasions, and to mention and show all of the other influences she had as little as possible.
This book minimally and partially captures the impact she had on our national consciousness. The best essay is found in the foreword by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. who provides a good overview of the influence of Ms. Kennedy (as described above) and her husband, the president, more broadly on the arts (including efforts that helped lead to the National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and providing a temple from Egypt to the Metropolitan Museum in New York). Most of the book is visually devoted to her clothing during state occasions, with notes about those who created the clothes. A typical section has color photographs of the clothing on mannequins, Ms. Kennedy wearing the clothes at an event, and a black-and-white image of how she appeared in the context of the whole event.
The clothing captures what was called at the time, the Jackie look. Most of the dresses are by Oleg Cassini, Givenchy, Chez Ninon, and Gustave Tassell. There are also lots of examples of her hats (often pillboxes by Halston). The outfits are usually as simple and conservative as possible in solid colors, made special by perhaps one elegant bow or sash. Unfortunately, these sections have little material about Ms. Kennedy's views on these apparel, designs for the clothing, or thoughts about how to coordinate them with shoes and accessories.
What was most impressive to me was the success with which she selected outfits that fit in with the nations she was visiting. In France, the elegance of Givenchy enveloped her. In India, bright pastel shades made her look like part of the jungle flora. I'm sure the host nations were delighted to see their specialness magnified in her efforts to be an attractively dressed guest.
But these clothes are unremarkable without Ms. Kennedy. Like a well-known fashion model, she enhanced the clothes enormously with her youth, vitality, personality, and trim figure. So, for me, the book's real value was in seeing the many photographs of Ms. Kennedy. I especially liked the candid photographs, either talking with guests or playing with her children.
How can we recapture a sense of uniquely American style and good taste in ways that will bring approval?
What are the ways that the president and first spouse should set a good example for the rest of us?
An elegant blast from the past!.......2001-06-27
When I took this tome out of its mailer & began to turn its pages, I suddenly remembered my own set of formal white cotton gloves - long since discarded - so reverential was the aura emanating from this glossy artbook.
Jacqueline Kennedy kept it simple - most of her clothes were in solid colors with only huge buttons, cockades or discreet stylized bows, scarves, shawls or frogs for detail. In the Travel Chapter we see the simplicity of her wardrobe & her passion for colors.
Combining original & new photographs, this volume presents images we have rarely seen, as well as photos that have become a part of our national consciouness. The final one of the President & First Lady together in the open touring auto needs no words - we all know what happened next.
Certainly a treasure of memories - where we were, what we wore, what we wished we could wear. I never realized how Mrs. Kennedy acquired her wardrobe assuming, incorrectly, that she always wore top-of-the-line haute couture - when in actuality she wore "knock-offs", sometimes chosen by her mother-in-law.
For anyone who cannot make the pilgrimage to the 40th Anniversary Exhibition at the John F. Kennedy Library & Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York & who craves visions of those much-mimicked fashions of yesteryear.
Average customer rating:
- Absolutely Fabulous, Funny, and Terrifying
- Great read!
- A must have for any American!
- One Small Critique
- When Clinton Lied, Nobody Died
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The Bush - Haters Handbook: A Guide to the Most Appalling Presidency of the Past 100 Years
Jack Huberman
Manufacturer: Nation Books
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ASIN: 1560255692 |
Book Description
The Bush-Haters Handbook is a godsend to those looking for a concise, mordantly entertaining overview of the Bush record from a liberal perspective, or those who want to arm themselves with talking points, facts, and figures for debates with conservatives, and at those seeking the perfect holiday gift book for that certain, special Bush-hater in their lives—or for a Bush-lover they hope to rescue from the outer darkness. Summarizing, detailing, and bewailing all of the more important Bush administration outrages, and some of the more trivial ones, this book is the brainchild of Jack Huberman, a former Canadian who took up U.S. citizenship just so he could vote against Dubya in 2000. Topics range from abortion, AIDS, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and Ashcroft, to women and workplace safety. Other major topics include budget and taxes, civil liberties, death penalty, defense spending, education, environment, gun control, health care, homeland security, Iraq, judicial nominations, “nucular” weapons, patients’ rights, privacy, public land, September 11 and the war on terror, and social security. In between are a variety of smaller topics, such as Bush’s language abilities (featuring a selection of priceless Bushisms). The pages are also enlivened by sidebars, “boxed” lists, and political cartoons.
Customer Reviews:
Absolutely Fabulous, Funny, and Terrifying.......2007-03-09
I had a whole plethora of emotions when I read this book. I laughed hysterically when I realized how stupid our President really is, I was astounded by the investigative journalism and the their findings, all of which should never happen in the office of the President of the United States. The reporting on the war and the real reasons we went there are sadly shocking. Everyday, you read about the deaths of the young men and women from 18 to 24, just babies really. None of them have been alive long enough to learn how beautiful life can really be, and it is just heartbreaking. Jack Huberman has done a fantastic job of documenting the lies and scare tactics used by this administration to terrify the population, and the member's of Congress into voting for Bush's blank check into Iraq. The author needs to update the book since it was originally published in 2003. The book would double or triple in size by the time the author starts digging into all the alleged crimes committed by Paul Bremer in Iraq, the illegal contracts with American companies that should have gone to the Iraqi's, and the missing billions in cash. What would they find if they really looked at what that arrogant, ignorant liar, our Commander in Chief (the decider), has done to this country. Why for example, do we have over 100,000 American businessman and workers who are earning billions, when 75% of Iraqi men can't find a job to feed their families? Our country is going broke, we have become a severly fractured society and we no longer have any "good standing" left anywhere in the world. "The Decider" has destroyed our great nation and his foolish decisions are directly responsible for the thousands of dead troops and another 30,000 severly disabled men and women. It is almost too much to believe the true axis of evil, (Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld), could do so much damage to such a proud nation, in such a short period of time. Our ecomomy is in ruins, and they have stripped our Armed Services down to its bare bones. They have cut the funding on every program they possibly could, including VA hospital benefits to pay for this fiasco. It will take generations for this country to recover. George Bush will walk into retirement admiring himself for this hideous mess, and he will dump it on the next President to clean up. It took "The Decider" less than six years to turn the United States into a gigantic bull's eye. Terror is already walking on our soil, just patiently waiting.
Great read!.......2006-11-27
I found this to be a great book full of facts and statistics necessary to back up the feelings that anyone who picks this up to read must already have.
I especially enjoyed the history of the administration officials that was offered and the specific information on the Iraq "situation."
A quick read, which had me both shocked and in awe at some points. :)
A must have for any American!.......2006-11-04
I can't get over how great this book is! It is well organized (all social/political issues are in alphabetical order). It covers all aspects of the presidents mistakes from the environment, appointment of jugdes, the war on terror, etc. Its presented in a concise manner so that its interesting but still information packed. This book is a must have for anyone who disagrees with Bush or anyone who is blind enough to think he is a good president.
One Small Critique.......2006-05-13
I enjoyed the book very much, but there was one thing he said that I disagree with, and was totally unnecessary and perhaps a little damaging to his case, and that was his comment that we really should have 100% inheritance tax, with the argument that people who inherit have already been given the best educational and other opportunities, etc.. The irony I found in that statement was that when my parents died and I inherited probably more than some I grew up with did, part of the reason for this was that we scrimped and saved and had to do without some of the things the neighbors kids got, because my parents lived through the depression and never got it out of their skin. I earned my inheritance in part by doing without things to allow my parents to be able to save and invest for the future, a future that unforunately for them was cut shorter than it was planned to be by a tragic accident. Okay, there were plenty who had it worse than us, whose parents didn't earn enough to save even if they had wanted to, but even if I can't convince the author that I deserved to not have my whole inheritance taken away from me, there was a missed opportunity here.
I am precisely the sort of person Bush was probably trying to pretend his relief in inheritance was supposed to help, protecting the honest middle class family that wants to pass on their hard earned savings to their children..we all know the line. But in actuallity long before Bush the law already provided quite adequately for people like me. Even back in 1994 when I inherited, the first $600,000 of an estate was tax exempt at least when passed on to the children, and I suspect that has gone up in adjustment for inflation. Now there's a funny quirk in the inheritance law that allowed us twice the exclusion in effect, because my parents died in a car accident at the same time, which allowed them each to pass on $600,000 untaxed. If they had not died at the same time we would have had to pay some inheritance tax, but even with only the first $600,000 untaxed it would not have been oppressive. With the already in existence back in 1994 $600,000 exclusion a family with 2 children could pass on $300,000 to each without anyone needing to pay inheritance tax at all. In our case there were 3 of us, so only our first $200,000 would have been untaxed if one or our parents had died before the other, still not exactly hardship, though.
In other words, the point about inheritance tax relief being tax relief for the rich could have been made much better without clouding things by making it seem like an argument about whether inheritance should exist at all. By saying that kind of thing he is unnecessarily playing right into the hands of Bush supporters that will be all too eager to say, that he (and by association all Bushhaters) wants to steal the family home away from the children before they have even had the chance to properly grieve.
When Clinton Lied, Nobody Died.......2006-04-25
For the reviewer below mine who has begged for a review of the book and not how much they hate Bush, I will attempt to grant his wish.
This book is somewhat strident in its tone, which, considering the title, is understandable. It does provide a ton of facts for those who may feel verbally combative with the neighborhood neocon. It is a compilation of Bush's lies, deals, swindles, contradictions, etc. It is broken down into topics such as economy, veterans, etc.
What is important about these facts is that a lot of people are not familiar with them, and the people who like the president don't want to become familiar with them. Keep in mind, this book was written before the start of his second term, and his popularity has dropped to the freezing mark as of this writing i.e. 32%--not degrees.
I believe this book had one bit of conjecture I didn't like, and that was the uncomfirmable assertion that he impregnated a woman who later had an abortion with the help of one of Bush's friends. (Rove, perhaps?) Supposedly, this woman is now married, and not talking or admitting, therefore it should not have been mentioned.
The facts of the book are otherwise unassailable especially for a president who implied that he would do almost anything for our soldiers and veterans, and then didn't. In fact, the book brings out all the things that Bush did to hurt our veterans by closing VA hospitals, freezing pay hikes, balking at raising the death benefit for GI insurance, trying to cut combat pay, and housing allowance pay, to name a few.
Anyone who looks at Bush's business dealings, the way he attacked McCain during the 2000 primary in Carolina, could easily see what kind of man this country would be getting. They wouldn't have had to buy this book to find out that he was a divider, a nation-builder, a man without principle or integrity, nor one who could take responsibility for anything.
If you want to catalogue this man's impeachable offenses, this book is a good start. Beware. It is a little like the writing of Michael Savage. It will anger liberal and neocon alike. That's the drawback to a fine litany of mistakes and character flaws.
Download Description
"
The early years of the twenty-first century were a tumultuous time in America. During this time the man beside the President was Ari Fleischer, his press secretary and one of his most trusted confidants. In this role, Fleisher was present for every decision and became an eyewitness to history. In this riveting account, Fleischer goes behind the scenes as he recalls his experiences in the West Wing, including such momentous events as the 2000 election, September 11, 2001 and its aftermath, the anthrax scare, the war in Afghanistan, the pressure-filled buildup to the war in Iraq, and the President's thoughts as the war began. Through the ups and downs of this time, he took the heat, fielded the questions, and brought the President's message into living rooms around the world.
The early years of the twenty-first century were a tumultuous time in America. The country faced a hotly contested presidential election, the largest terrorist attack in the nation's history, and the early stages of war. Through it all, President George W. Bush surrounded himself with a handful of close advisers. During this time the man beside the President was Ari Fleischer, his press secretary and one of his most trusted confidants. In this role, Fleisher was present for every decision and became an eyewitness to history.
In this riveting account, Fleischer goes behind the scenes as he recalls his experiences in the West Wing. Through the ups and downs of this time, he took the heat, fielded the questions, and brought the President's message into living rooms around the world.
In
Taking Heat, Fleischer, for the first time, gives his perspective on:
- The 2000 election, from the recounts to the transition to power
- September 11, 2001, its aftermath, and the anthrax scare
- The pressure-filled buildup to the war in Iraq and the President's thoughts as the war began
- Life in the White House, from learning to adjust to the pace of the West Wing and his early briefings to his relationship with the press
- The White House press corps, who they are, and how they report the news
- The factors that led to his decision to leave Washington behind.
This is the story of the men and women of the White House press corps and the cornerstones of democracy: freedom of speech and the freedom of the press. Fleischer presents an in-depth, insider's view on the Washington political arena from a perspective few have seen.
Fleischer writes of his belief that the press has a bias in Washington. It's not a question of partisanship or press-driven ideology. Instead, it's a focus on conflict, particularly if it's a conflict they can attach to the President. It's the nature of the White House press corps, regardless of who's in power. The members of the White House press corps are masters at being devil's advocate, able to take with passion the opposite side of whatever issue the President supports. Fleischer's job was to calmly field their questions, no matter how pointed.
Taking Heat is an introspective exploration of the top political events in the first half of the Bush administration, as well as the candid observations of a professional who stood in the bright lights of the world stage.
"
Customer Reviews:
I got to be honest here...........2007-08-05
When I found this book (on CD) in the sale rack I thought maybe I'd found a rare jewel. Figuring the early Bush years were old news and this book was sent to the sale rack been because of that.
First off Ari should have never read his own book. He came off as a real complainer. A man who had written a book to continue to make excuses for his decisions. Notice I didn't say mistakes. He rarely stated a move of his without showing us how he was forced to do so. It was very sad. Even at one point the old Clinton administration pushes him around.
The few moments he gives us of true inside action where wonderful. There may have only been three in the whole book. The Colin Powell condom story was one of them. Ari that's what the reader wanted in the book.
What scared me was that Ari came off as extremely angry at the press. There is one woman reporter who he mocks endlessly in his vocal impersonation of her. I hope she doesn't hear the CD version or she is going to be super mad. Ari spends a very long chapter expaining how the press is unfair and bias. He uses graduation numbers instead of true stories. We all saw the press eat Bill Clinton alive...so it was hard to believe they were nicer to Bill then they were to George. That chapter should have met the shreader.
Ari did show some spots of careless reporting but his use of "you should have believed the White House" was a weak response. After past White House administrations trying to "out sly" the press Ari should have known the press would not simply take him at his word. He came off sounding like a naive high school student.
Several of the world stituations that happened while Ari was in office where handled with amazing skill in real life but Ari made it sound like he was rolled over. The moment where Bush took the megaphone in NYC was the most powerful moment in his presidency. Luckily I saw it because Ari barely mentioned it.
Ari ducked and dodged the press for years. He's mad that he did it. He's still mad at them. The amazing strategies the Bush administration used to keep the American people informed are not mentioned in this book. I wanted to learn something. Instead I see Ari scolding a press member for a inaccurate story that hurt the White House then giving the same guy a hot breaking story in the next breath by accident AND letting the guy run it. What was his reasoning? It sounded weak and also like bad management.
Was Ari out of his league? The book makes it appear so. Luckily I watch all this on television as an American citizen. I know the book paints the wrong picture. To the public Ari did a stand up job and he worked well to keep the American people informed. So next time you write a book Ari stick to your guns and be proud of what you did. It would make for a much better read.
Very fine comedy!.......2007-05-13
Absolutely rip-roaring hilarious!! It appears that he is actually not trying to be comedic but when one reads "I will always admire the President's calm and self control" (pg. 140, referring to Bush listening to "My Pet Goat" after being informed that his contry is under attack), it should be obvious that we are in the presence of a comedic master or an idiot who manages to be very funny. Either way, one of the funniest books I have read! Minus one star for some tedious passages trying to show himself in a good light without being funny.
The dialogues of george bush that are presented are totally unrealistic and seemed to be calculated to put him in a good light. For eg., he says Bush was a superb military commander as he left all the major decisions to the generals but then conveniently ignores Shinseki. In fact, most of the Iraq war dialogue is very funny now that we know more about what actually happened.
The Rating Depends on Your Point of View.......2006-04-24
Did my opinion of the president change after reading this book? Not really. I read the book with a somewhat-open mind, in that the book is written from the personal perspective of someone who was there. Fleischer wrote from his perspective; gave his testimoy; in that respect, the books is very well written. We're also talking about someone who trusts the President implicitly, so he's going to defend him. So I can't consider this a totally "objective" account of what was going on in the White House during the time the war was being debated.
I don't particuarly appreciate President Bush's policies and his way of thinking, but I do appeciate the fact that he doesn't change his mind once he makes a decision. (Most might say he won't admit he's made a mistake - that's a risk that's run with standing your ground.)
What I did appreciate about the book was the insight into President Bush's character. It explains to me why he thinks the way he does, and helps me understand why he says what he does. Doesn't mean I appreciate what he says, but understanding a person goes a long way in formulating an opinion.
I also appreciated the behind-the-scenes view into what was going on in the White House during the tense fall of '01.
I loved the insight into the media. Do I think they're biased? Absolutely! The book explains the media as much as it does the White House. Being interested in journalism, I was wrapped up in that part of the book. Doesn't excuse their recent behaviors....but the atmosphere of pressure to get the news out as it happens makes people take corners. I can understand that too.
Bottom line: if you're a Bush supporter, you'll love the book. If you a Bush loather, I don't see this book changing your mind. I wish, however, that you might be able to read it to understand why he is how he is...
Like some people still watch TV: what do they know?.......2005-10-17
The author, Ari Fleischer, of TAKING HEAT / THE PRESIDENT, THE PRESS, AND MY YEARS IN THE WHITE HOUSE, having been close to events that may yet produce an indictment of presidential adviser Karl Rove, has a point of view which is in need of a form of analysis made possible in modern society by a heady mix of Freud's books on Thomas Woodrow Wilson and WIT AND ITS RELATION TO THE UNCONSCIOUS. People who appreciate this book are likely to be applying the synthesis at the center of the latter, on "The Pleasure Mechanism and the Psychogenesis of Wit" and "The Motives of Wit and Wit as a Social Process." A little old lady named Helen Thomas is so good at filling the role which clowns reserve for representatives of virtue that Chapter 13 (pages 246-258) gives her a platform capable of illustrating section 64 of Nietzsche's THE GAY SCIENCE on "Sceptics. -- I am afraid that old women in their most secret heart of hearts are more sceptical than all men:" only to have her observations about "turmoil in the Arab world, obviously, from all the things we've been doing" answered at the end of the chapter by:
ARI: I think there's a lot of silent rejoicing in the Arab world that Saddam Hussein is gone.
The silent majority was also used by Nixon to justify his policies, which took years and a Congressional action ending American bombing in Southeast Asia instead of the timetable that "Peace is at hand" usually implies. Fortunately for Karl Rove, people tend to allow advisers near the top to expect to get away with a variety of secret circus stunts, justified by ideals worthy of THOMAS WOODROW WILSON, as when George W. Bush stated in March, 2003, "The best thing we have going for us is that our values will unleash that freedom." (p. 335).
Now is hardly the time to use Carl Schmitt's book, THE CONCEPT OF THE POLITICAL, to illustrate what war signifies in modern society:
Hegel has also advanced a definition of the enemy which in general has been evaded by modern philosophers. The enemy is a negated otherness. But this negation is mutual and this mutuality of negations has its own concrete existence, as a relation between enemies; this relation of two nothingnesses on both sides bears the danger of war. ([Schmitt's Note], p. 63).
It was in answering a question about the cost of such danger, based on an estimate by the Congressional Budget Office of between $9 and $13 billion, that Ari Fleischer made a famous remark, on October 1, 2002, "The cost of one bullet if the Iraqi people take it upon themselves is substantially less than that." (p. 286). The form of apology demonstrates techniques Freud associated with wit: "I had only one bullet to give my country, and I used it to shoot myself in the foot." (p. 286). Back on May 1, 2002, Helen Thomas was told that regime change in Iraq had already been approved in a law, "passed by the House and Senate, signed into law by President Clinton. Regime change, in whatever form it takes, is the policy of the United States government, under President Clinton, continued under President Bush. . . . Helen, if you were the President, you could have vetoed the law. (Laughter) President Clinton signed it, and the President will keep it enforced." (p. 252).
Politics in America has become so Schmittian that it is not surprising to find that Ari's gratitude to his editor, Claire Wachtel, in the Preface, is primarily about their political differences:
I had the help of many people writing and editing this book. Thank you to my editor at William Morrow, Claire Wachtel. A self-described "knee-jerk liberal," Claire helped me--sometimes forced me--to carefully think through my arguments and back them up. She challenged my assumptions and helped me to move from assertions to reasoned statements supported by evidence. What may seem self-evident to a Republican wasn't good enough for Claire. One of the most helpful and effective "prods" I ever met, I couldn't have written this without her. Thank you for your wisdom. (p. xiii).
To rock and rollers, this might sound too much like the chorus of the song `got my own thing' on Liz Phair's recent `somebody's miracle' (2005) CD. "They say that we would get along. So let's just get along. Oooh boy, I'd love to help. Give you enough rope to hang yourself. And watch the silly things you do." The court of public opinion is not as narrow in its scope as the laws which are likely to come to the attention of a special prosecutor who investigates how secret information is used by those who saw a bit more intelligence than the President saw before he claimed that Congress saw the same intelligence he saw. "And I hope you're swinging this way too. Boy I do." Liz sounds like part of a war between sexes that becomes "freed from all particular personality" (Schmitt, p. 63), as Hegel put it in "This war is not a war of families against families, but between peoples, and hatred becomes thereby undifferentiated and freed from all particular personality." People at the top like to pretend that they have a frame of reference which is above Hegel's complicated formulation, but then we get a book like TAKING HEAT.
disappointing.......2005-09-21
I'm guessing that at least one-half of this book's nearly 400 pages are transcripts -- either of excerpts from the President's remarks or speeches and of the give-and-take at Ari's press briefings. Since Fleischer maintains that his job was never to make news, the transcripts typically illustrate his ability calmly to provide platitudinous non-answers to nearly every question. There are so many of these illustrations that it becomes as tedious and aggravating to the reader as it must have been for the news-hungry journalists. The many excerpts from GWB's remarks serve to reconfirm that -- whatever his other strengths -- it is undeniable (even by his strong supporters) that Bush's rhetorical skills are weak. On the other hand, Fleisher does ably document the naked pro-liberal, anti-conservative bias by so many reporters from the mainstream media; he also demonstrates very convincingly an overwhelming press agenda to create news by finding or exaggerating conflicts between government officials where none exist, i.e. to sensationalize at all costs rather than to inform readers of the real facts. He does a good job, too, of compiling many examples of blatant factual errors by major media, reminding us that, unlike newspapers, broadcast news never troubles to issue corrections. Although my impression of Fleischer from his TV appearances is that he is an interesting, witty, engaging personality, his book is very dry, revealing very little of his personal side and virtually none of the President in whose company he spent so much time. The book contains very few memorable behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and adds astonishingly little to the below-the-surface portrait of Bush (or Fleischer) as a person. The book could have been shortened by half and we would have learned no less about W or Ari.
Average customer rating:
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Encyclopedia of the Reagan-Bush Years
Peter B. Levy
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This is the first and only ready-reference source on the Reagan-Bush years, 1980-1992. No other single volume provides readily available and concise information on the key developments and figures of this period. Organized A-Z, it features over 250 entries on key personalities, issues, events, political and governmental developments, foreign and domestic concerns, laws, terms and catchphrases, and social and cultural trends of the era. Entries are 100-1,000 words in length and conclude with a list of suggested readings. The work also features a chronology of events, statistical charts and tables, and photographs and is thoroughly cross-referenced in boldface for ease of use. The organizing principle of the work is a focus on individuals and events that directly relate to Presidents Reagan and Bush and their administrations. In addition there are entries on social trends, world events, and popular culture. The book presents a balanced account of the Reagan-Bush years. Entries favor description over judgment while at the same time offering a sense of the controversy that surrounded and in some cases still surrounds the events and actions of the Reagan-Bush presidencies. Biographies of key figures in their administrations, Supreme Court appointments, related players on the national and world stage, summaries of significant pieces of legislation, and balanced analyses of their domestic and foreign policies are featured. Entries also include many terms and catchphrases such as Reaganomics, "No New Taxes," and "A Thousand Points of Light." This is the perfect first-stop for information on all aspects of this important period in American history and will fill a gap in public and high school library reference collections.
Amazon.com
Michael Deaver, a longtime political advisor who served as deputy chief of staff in the Reagan White House, offers an approving, affectionate, and well-written portrait of the former president--but one that, for an insider's account, is surprisingly short on news.
The Ronald Reagan who emerges from Deaver's pages is far different from the popularly held view, fueled by the media, of the president as an amiable but limited man who napped, golfed, and left the business of running the government to his lieutenants. Far from it, Deaver insists: Reagan read widely, kept up with the issues, and "firmly believed that it was his job to set the priorities of his administrations and to make the big decisions." Thoughtful and utterly courteous, if sometimes distant, Deaver's Reagan is a man of unbending conservative principle; careful to cross party lines to secure support for his policy and to judge his opponents by character, not doctrine; stalwart in his devotion to country; and certain, in Deaver's words, "that he was the right guy at the right time." This Reagan can do no wrong, and when controversy arises in Deaver's account it is almost always because someone else has flubbed the play. Unlike Alexander Haig, David Stockman, and other former administration officials who have written about their time in the Reagan White House, Deaver is quick to fall on the sword whenever he must. He takes responsibility, for instance, for the president's controversial decision to lay a wreath at a German cemetery that contained the graves of fallen SS soldiers, and for Reagan's difficulties in convincing voters of the wisdom of an expensive military buildup in the closing years of the cold war. About the Iran-Contra affair, which blackened Reagan's second term, Deaver has little to say, and about his own departure from the administration and subsequent investigation by federal prosecutors he is even more close-mouthed.
Those seeking to learn more about Ronald Reagan as president may come away from Deaver's book disappointed. His admirers, however, will enjoy the anecdotes about "the traits that made him so successful as a leader and so peculiar--and wonderful--as a person." --Gregory McNamee
Book Description
"I had come to adore and respect the president like a second father. Reagan was once asked if he thought of me as another son. He thought a minute and said, 'Son, no. Brother, maybe.'"
A warm, personal portrait of Ronald Reagan, A Different Drummer brims with recollections from a relationship that has spanned more than three decades. Former aide and longtime family friend, Michael Deaver first met Ronald Reagan during his 1966 campaign for governor of California and later served him in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., as the president's deputy chief of staff. Whether it was traveling with Reagan on endless campaign flights, discussing the day-to-day issues in the Oval Office, or surviving the harrowing assassination attempt, Deaver worked with the former chief executive for twenty consecutive years. Now he offers his memories of Ronald Reagan as governor, president, and friend.
In 1964, after Barry Goldwater's unsuccessful bid for the presidency, the Republican Party found itself in disarray, and Michael Deaver, a young party operative, a "red meat conservative," was looking for a new party leader he could believe in. He threw his hat in with a former actor and General Electric spokesperson, a man who would later prove himself capable of joining the disparate elements of the Party and securing the nomination. In what would be the first of many underestimations, the Democratic Party eagerly takes on Reagan. He would not only go on to win the governorship of California, but he would serve two terms. In 1976 he was unable to unseat President Gerald Ford for the presidential nomination but, undeterred, he returned in 1980 and won a landslide victory, leading America to remarkable heights of prosperity and confidence.
Yet as one of the most successful and popular presidents in American history, Reagan remains a mystery even to biographers with total access. In A Different Drummer, Deaver writes of the Reagan he has known: a man who was shy and deplored talking about himself, who would rather spend a party talking to a laborer than policy wonks; a man whose convictions remained unchanged over the course of his life, who never used pollsters to decide his position on issues; a man whose idea of relaxation was riding a horse, fixing fence posts, and chopping wood until his muscles ached and his hands blistered. Reagan emerges in this impressionistic portrait as charismatic and unwaveringly optimistic, a devoted husband and dedicated leader, disciplined and tough. As Deaver points out in his introduction, "He worked eight years doing the toughest job on earth; crisscrossed the world; and survived an assassin's bullet, a devastating riding accident, cancer, and brain surgery all after he turned seventy."
Writing not only of their dizzying highs, Deaver also shares the lows, including the tough times that would test the strength of their friendship. Finally, he shares a poignant look at Reagan today as he battles Alzheimer's disease. It is Nancy Reagan's "finest hour," Deaver writes, a validation of the greatest love story he has ever known.
With anecdotes that are insightful, entertaining, intimate, and surprising, A Different Drummer sheds remarkable new light on an American icon admired by many and understood by few.
Customer Reviews:
Let Reagan Be Reagan.......2007-08-10
Long-time Reagan aide Michael Deaver has written a very good book on his thirty years with the man who changed the world. Deaver tells of meeting Reagan in the mid-60's when Deaver was an junior political operative and Reagan was considering a gubernatorial run. Deaver then took a ring-side seat for the greatest political run of our time, from Sacramento to Washington, including near-fatal encounters with John Hinckley Jr. and Matthew Ridgeway in Bitburg.
Deaver also tells the story of the end-game, his last two meetings with the Gipper. By 1995, the President did not know him, and by 1998, the President had lost his social skills and grace. Fortunately Ron had Nancy, and she took care of him for better or worse. Deaver played a key role in the Reagan administrations as Nancy-handler and became a key allie and friend of the Fist Lady.
Deaver makes this book light-reading, it is reminiscences of his boss and friend. He leaves the unpleasant stuff to others. There is a brief mention of Iran-Contra; it is explained away as what happened when the Californians were not there. Also Deaver leaves out most of the story of his indictment, although he deals at length with the demons of his alcoholism.
Warm, credible, insightful.......2007-06-10
People close to great men for a long time--aides, valets, advisors--tend either to write hagiographys or they turn on their former employer with a "tell all" intended to cut the great man down to size. This book, refreshingly, is neither. Michael Deaver, in addition to being Ronald Reagan's longtime political advisor, was also Reagan's friend. And a friend tells it like it is, which is what Deaver has done.
Deaver lets us know of Reagan's mistakes and shortcomings--he had a volcanic temper (despite others' testimony that he didn't), he had a hard time apologizing even when he knew he was in the wrong, he trusted people to a fault. At the same time, Deaver credibly tells us where the media and political pundits went wrong in their assessments of Reagan. Most of the book, however, is a thematic presentation of Reagan's character. It was a joy to read, and I highly recommend it.
A friend's homage to his hero, and a great way to get rare insight into Reagan........2007-05-07
It is wonderful for history that Michael Deaver has put together this collection of his thoughts and recollections of Ronald Reagan. As you read about Reagan, one theme keeps coming through; he was nearly impossible to know well or truly understand. The President that so many strangers felt like they knew proved to be much more of a puzzle to those who were close to him. For this reason, it is great that Michael Deaver, one of Reagan's closest advisers, has shared his insights on Reagan with anyone who wants to understand the man better.
What he has given us is a deeply personal tribute to his friend and his hero, but also a lens through which we can view Reagan that helps us to understand what kind of man he is.
So who was Reagan? I highly recommend you read this book to find out, but in the end Deaver introduces you to a principled optimist and a very shy man. I was deeply touched by the obviousness of Deaver's affection for Reagan and for the role Nancy Reagan played in the President's life.
I highly recommend this book for anyone trying to get a full perspective of who Ronald Reagan was and what made him the President he was. Excellent book by that can truly add something unique to anyone's study of Ronald Reagan.
A well written book- enjoyable without being pure political.......2007-01-03
I liked how this was a personal story of the Reagans. You got to understand where they were coming from, and why they acted the way they did. Not being a huge political freak, I wanted to know about the man, and this book gave good insight into the Reagans. There were a couple of really good quotes that I will always remember.
A Unique Perspective On The Gipper.......2005-10-11
In "A Different Drummer", Michael Deaver follows the theme of other authors, including Dinesh D'Souza, who hold that Ronald Reagan had sufficient confidence in his own beliefs to allow him to follow his own instincts regardless of the opinions of others.
Deaver has the unique perspective of thirty years of intimate association with Ronald Reagan. Through the first campaign in California to the second term in the White House, Deaver advanced from campaign staffer to the office adjacent to the Oval Office.
Deaver introduces the reader to the private Reagan. We see Reagan as he lives with Nancy, works with his staff and deals with his adversaries. Deaver portrays Reagan as knowing his core values and adhering to them. Even in controversy, such as the Bitburg decision, Reagan's loyalty to his friends remained unshaken.
A self identified member of the family, Deaver provides an insight into Nancy's role in protecting and leading Reagan through his life.
In the story of his own return to the Reagans after Deaver's downfall, Deaver presents a loyal, concerned Reagan, unlike some others who portray Reagan as dumping cohorts who are no longer useful to him. Finally, through Michael Deaver, we see the declining Reagan in the early stages of Alzheimer's.
"A Different Drummer" is a sympathetic portrayal of a confident, steady leader by one of his closest associates. It is a valuable tool with which to uncover the real Ronald Reagan.
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