Excellent book but super long listen. A quick summary does not do justice to the level of detail and visualization while listening was great. I listened to this while driving back from Phoenix.
Truman by David McCullough: A Comprehensive Biography
David McCullough’s Truman is a meticulously detailed and elegantly written biography of Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of the United States[1][2]. The book, published in 1992, spans Truman’s life from his humble beginnings on a Missouri farm to his presidency, which included pivotal events such as the atomic bombing of Japan, the outbreak of the Cold War, and the Korean War[1][5].
Early Life and Influences
McCullough delves into Truman’s formative years, highlighting the values instilled in him by his rural upbringing and the influential individuals who shaped his character and outlook[5]. Truman’s grandfather, Solomon Young, played a significant role in his early life, teaching him about hard work, leadership, and a love for history[5].
Political Career
The biography explores Truman’s initiation into politics, including his complex dealings with the Pendergast political machine in Kansas City, which both propelled him to the national stage and left a lasting impact on his early political efforts[5]. McCullough examines how Truman navigated the challenges of political life, including his rise to the presidency after Franklin D. Roosevelt’s death[2][5]. It came across with a Lincoln vibe in terms of all the early failures in life and business. The midwest rural mindset felt like it was an innoculation against what happened much later in his ‘full term’ presidency.
Presidency and Legacy
As President, Truman faced numerous challenges, including sustaining the war effort, opposing the spread of Communism, managing the advent of nuclear arms, and grappling with the collapse of Europe[5]. The book highlights Truman’s significant foreign policy decisions, such as the Truman Doctrine, which marked a pivotal shift in the United States’ approach to international relations[5]. The quantity and quality of what was accomplished on his watch inclusive of his angry letter writing his frustrations and putting it in his desk. Remarkably human.
Reception and Awards
Truman has been widely praised for its thorough research, engaging narrative, and insightful portrayal of Truman’s life and times[1][2][4]. The book won McCullough his first Pulitzer Prize in the category of “Best Biography or Autobiography” in 1993[2]. It has been adapted into a television movie by HBO and is considered one of the best biographies ever written[2][4].
It is long, but was extremely interesting farm boy, failed businessman, politician, hopeless romantic, first and only to nuke a country, deal with stalin, china, russia (ussr), scandal(s) and still revered by a world. ‘Give’m Hell Harry’ was worth it.
#keeplistening #keeplearning #keepmoving #historynerd
Sources
[1] Truman | Book by David McCullough | Official Publisher Page https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Truman/David-McCullough/9780671869205
[2] Truman (book) – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truman_%28book%29
[3] Truman: 9780671869205: McCullough, David: Books – Amazon.com https://www.amazon.com/Truman-David-McCullough/dp/0671869205
[4] Book Review: Truman | David McCullough – Steemit https://steemit.com/books/%40terry93d/book-review-truman-or-david-mccullough
[5] Truman Book Summary by David McCullough – Shortform https://www.shortform.com/summary/truman-summary-david-mccullough
[6] Truman | Book by David McCullough | Official Publisher Page https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Truman/David-McCullough/9780671456542
[7] Truman Summary and Study Guide – SuperSummary https://www.supersummary.com/truman/summary/
[8] Truman by David McCullough – Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2279.Truman