Truman State Books

This is a big and detailed book, not for the faint of heart. But, if you love history and/or politics, this is a book for you. Truman was an unlikely president and this book captures the man's personality, humility, and dignity. Carefully researched and described, the book opens the door to one of our nation's most unique and dinstinguished characters. An epic book about an epic man. Delightful.

I couldn't have been more pleased with this book. I love David McCullough and he never ceases to amaze you with this intimate portrayal of Harry Truman's life. He brings the President to the level of an average man who finds himself in an above-average position. I would recommend this to anyone looking for an in-depth look at one of our most interesting Presidents to-date.

I have to agree with a previous reviewer: upon reading this, I have such a desire to meet and converse with HST--that's how interesting and honorable he was.

As always, McCullough's narrative sweep is impressive. Truman as a lonely and bookish boy, Truman as a soldier, Truman as a failed businessman are the most interesting parts. When it comes to Truman's presidency, McCullough turns up little new grounds, however. It's the usual conventional wisdom about a guy who made tough decisions that turned out right. Read Perrett's "Commander in Chief" for a harsher and more surprising evaluation of Truman's decision-making and his monumental blunders.

The book itself was a winner - a gift for my husband. He "devoured" it. The only disappointment was how cheaply and poorly-bound the paperback was. Even with extreme care, it fell apart within the first 70 pages. The replacement nearly made it to the end, but not quite. Buy and read this book, but go for a better-bound version unless you like handling it in pieces.

I have read most of McCullough's books, and so I knew that after reading this I would understand Harry S. Truman more deeply than I ever had. What I didn't know what was that I would learn so much about 20th century American history. McCullough is a great story-teller. His use of historical details to recreate the man and the times is magnificent. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

I found the book compelling. It is a warm, human book, capturing well what seems today as the innocence of an earlier time. With touching humility, Kelly brings to life Truman's humanity and the deep sense of responsibility he felt as president to help create a truly democractic society. Kelly's many personal anecdotes and reflections take the reader back into this simpler world and helps create hope for the future of real democracy.

In all of Frank K. Kelly's books, especially this one, he writes with the objectivity of a seasoned reporter and the heart of a compassionate observer.

Truman's humanity is profoundly related to us in this carefully crafted work. We now know a softer and warmer side of Harry Truman because Kelly has been able to focus attention on a major aspect of a very complex man.

This is a report of the observations of a man who had long-term personal contact with Truman and is uniquely qualified to present a perspective of him in context with the times.

The book itself is a good read because of Kelly's story telling style and his organizational skills with regard to documenting historical information.

A local author known to me has written an engaging book. It is a beautiful testimony to the fact that politics can be about the pursuit of high ideals. Frank captures so well the interdependent dance between people, their leaders and their values. What I love most is how easily people of varying degrees of prominence move in and out of the story Frank weaves. He creates the proof that we are one wonderful human family - flaws and all!

Too often the political process is something that takes place far outside our own lives, which is why voters tend to be either emotional partisans of their celebrity heroes or apathetic or cynical. Frank Kelly's understanding of one very human and accessible man, Harry Truman, made me rethink what the American Presidency is about. By interweaving his own lifestory with the Truman presidency, Kelly creates an absorbing drama into which we are all swept. He sees politics not as a game, but as the means to realizing a nation's highest potential. Yes, he is an idealist, but we have too few of those. Kelly's vision of one president and his world-changing decisions is transferable to every presidency. As we prepare to elect a new man to that office, there's no more appropriate reading for us than Kelly's book.

This book is by an insider in the 1948 campaign that everyone thought that Truman would loose. Mr Kelly gained a lot of respect for Mr. Truman as an honest man in a flawed system. Truman didn't seek the presidency but was thrust into it by the death of Roosevelt. President Truman had a vision for America and America's position in the world. Special interests in Congress blocked many of Truman's dreams. Mr Kelly's later disallusionment with the Washington scene echoes the chaos we see today in Washington.

Mr. Kelly sheds light on Truman's difficult decisions to use the atom bomb, the atmosphere around Jor Mc Carthy,the Berlin Airlift, the occupation of Japan, the Korean War and many less well known actions by President Truman. This was for me the most enjoyable bok on Truman since "Plain Speaking" by Merle Miller.

I used this book with my middle school social studies classes. It was the state testing week,and I wanted to continue the curriculum but not ruffle any feathers with more concepts. We were in the middle of our World War II unit. I selected some of the projects that we did in small groups, individually or with the whole class as an extension of our regular curriculum. We made silly putty, folded origami cranes, made WWII airplanes, and THE BEST was the individual recreations of the Rosie the Riveter propaganda poster. Each student posed as Rosie,and now I have a great set of things to display for our spring open house. The information in the book is entertaining to read, and the projects are simple, doable, and beneficial. I would highly suggest any social studies teacher of any level (elementary-high school) take a look at this book.

The author has synthesized the history of WWII into an informative and fun easy-to-read activity book. I highly recommend this resource for children and adults.

What a great way to spend an afternoon teaching and learning with your child. We enjoyed the historical lessons and thought provoking perspectives. I would highly recommend it. T. Kearney - parent

Loaded with interesting and fun activities. Perfect for budding historian.

What a great book to teach children about WWII while having fun at the same time! I highly recommend this book to parents (and teachers!)who want to involve their children in entertaining, stimulating activities that engage the mind as well as the hands. Extremely well written, with easy to perform projects. Excellent job!
K.S. Barone, teacher and parent

I FOUND THIS TO BE A BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN PIECE OF WESTERN HISTORY BY A FASCINATING AND ACCOMPLISHED MAN, WITH HEAVY EMPHASIS ON "MAN"......BY THE WAY, JOE FUSSELL WAS MY MATERNAL GRANDFATHER!! JOSEPH B. "JOE" JOHNSON

Bob Fussell's treatment of his grandfather J.B. Fussell's autobiography brings to mind a word not often associated with literature: verisimilitude. What makes this account fascinating is that not only is it true, but it rings true. This book should be required reading for every 12-year-old boy and girl in America; boys need to know how to be men and girls need to know what to look for in a man later on in their lives. America could use several million J.B. Fussells about now.

Unbridled Cowboy is the autobiography of author Joseph B. Fussell, a free spirit who sought his own destiny in the wild American Southwest during the late 1800s. At the young age of fourteen, Joe Fussell took to the rails to escape the school and harsh authority that chafed him. He became a roving cowpuncher in Texas territory, rustling cattle, tilling land, working in stables, and hitting the road whenever wanderlust stirred. Unbridled Cowboy is filled cover to cover with riveting true tales of undercover work as a Texas Ranger, life on the railroads, and rough justice. A captivating true life narrative of the wild west.

Unbridled Cowboy, the autobiography of Joe Fussell, is well written and brings the reader a vivid and realistic portrait of the man and his life. His story telling ability paints a vivid and sometimes raw reality. He brings to life a period of American and western history from a personal point of view that was fraught with change and upheaval.

While reading I found myself sitting next to Joe and hearing him telling me his life story. The ease with which he wrote of his life makes this book an enjoyable journey with a fascinating man.

Here's the skinny. I've read thousands of books over the years. I keep a few; the rest I give away to friends or the library. This book is a keeper. Why? I will read this book many times and still be astonished by the history, this amazing man Joe Fussell, and how far this once great country of ours has deteriorated in a century.
The first thought that entered my mind on finishing this book was, "I wish there was more." The second thought was that a man like Joe Fussell would have made an incredible president. In TR's time, when a young man chose to ditch public school at age 14 because he had "itchy feet", he didn't get Ritalin stuffed down his throat--he left home to make his own way. Fussell was a man so full of common sense, intelligence and integrity that the USA would have been privileged to have someone of his ilk as their leader. But alas, with no "education" except life, he was destined to become a laborer. And labor he did.
The chapter on Fussell's adventures in Mexico as a youth are more riveting than anything Hollywood will ever turn out. His depiction of his railroad career reads like you were switching cars alongside him. Fussell is a storyteller akin to Twain. I am still amazed he avoided jail, but then it was a century ago. Different times--a wonderful time in our country. Get this book. Its a keeper.
Norman Woodworth, DVM

Wow! What a story! 666 is one of the best books I have ever read. It had the excitement of a roller coaster ride, a rare insight of human foibles and institutions, and a mystery so deep and unexplainable that it was . . . . Well, I don't want to spoil it for other readers. I was so impressed by this author that I'm ordering another one he's written: THE HERITAGE OF LUKE.

This book, 666, got me in trouble. With a husband, three children, and a part-time job, I don't have much time to read. When I began reading 666 and quickly got hooked on it, old dependable Mom suddenly became unreliable. For the better part of a day, not even the squawks and complaints of my loving family could tear me away from my reading. What can I say? Mr. Godwin is a master story-teller, and 666 should stand the test of time as a major work of fiction. Getting to read it was well worth my trouble.

I liked this book. It had all sorts of twists and things you didn't expect. It made you think of the world and the evil in it. What would happen if godly people did take over the world? It was a very entertaining book, yet made you review yourself and the world and even spiritualism.

The surprise ending of this mystery is everything. The story holds your attention to the point of never realizing the explosion of the end. It truly holds your attention of what will happen next in the life of Johathan and the United States.

Like a Thomas Tryon book, Mr. Godwin's book starts out as a slow read. STICK WITH IT! You need all the information that he provides to appreciate where it's going. The books is a wake up call to everyone. He brings to light the abonminations of our political system - Things that Americans see and feel but are helpless or indifferent to change. The main character, Jonathan, is the catalyst for change. Through a calling from God, he sets out to right the wrongs and bring government back to the people. Mr. Godwin takes you on a journey not only of the government and its official but to all walks of life. Particulary touching are Jonathan's encounters with the homeless. It is truly a battle between good and evil. Without giving away the ending to anyone who might be reading this - be prepared. The ending is not only a "TRUE SURPRISE", but two TRUE SURPRISES. A rarity for any writer. The last surprise opens up another one of life's mysteries that each of us at one time or another has wondered. Have fun! - I did!

This book is a riveting account of the lives of thoughs who changed American politics and foreign policy in the twentieth century. Anyone interested in the rise of America in the world and the roots of her assention to global dominace after World War Two must read this book. Fomkin is a skill writer and historian who takes the tales of significant events and shows how they changed our nation.

This is a wonderfully written book detailing how five exceptional American individuals literally transformed America from a country characterized by isolationism and a narrow, parochial perspective into the major player on the world stage. All five came to age in an America still locked in the self-absorbed issues of the 19th century, yet each grew with the needs of the times to become instruments for monumental change.

The most interesting aspect of this book is the fashion in which the author sets out substantive proof for the "exceptional man" thesis in history. So here we had five such individuals interacting contemporaneously and profoundly changing the world as a result. Of course, this isn't to suggest that they somehow aggressively pounded the world into their chosen image, for nothing is farther from the truth. This was a time when many titans strode the stage, men like Hitler, Churchill, Stalin, Mussolini and Hirohito. Yet the fact that these five succeeded in vanquishing Hitler, Mussolini and Hirohito demonstrates the extent of their accomplishment.

Yet these five men successfully confronted the most urgent and manifest challenges of their time, from FDR's New Deal and transformation of the national government into an active instrument for change. It is no accident that three of the five, Eisenhower, Marshall, and MacArthur, were military professionals, each of whom played an unique and indispensable role in defeating the Axis powers. That each then continued to contribute after the end of the hostilities is more proof of their sense of personal responsibility and need to serve the nation in whatever manner they could. each had a sense of time and place, as well as an appreciation for the unique historical circumstances he found himself in, whether it be MacArthur in Asia, who over decades became a kind of American Centurion, or Harry Truman, thrust onto the national and then world stage most unexpectedly.

In a time like ours, when we are surrounded by public pygmies like Clinton, Gore, the Bushes, Newt Gingrich, and those nine comedians over in Supreme Court land striving to be giants, it's instructive to remember that we weren't always hampered by such venal, self-interested, and morally corrupt leaders. Indeed, it is refreshing, hopeful, and perhaps even a bit nolstalgic to remember that America is not necessarily the eternal land of manipulative mental midgets, and that it once was a place whose titans strode and literally saved the world. Read this book and remember.

I read Fromkin's A Peace to End All Peace in preparation for travelling to the Middle East earlier this summer. This book continues his ability to bring history to life, with details on the diaries, conversations, and interactions of both the known major players in the World Wars, as well as those that were influential but behind the scenes.

I was already fairly conversant in the major events of the time, but even so, Fromkin's retelling is set in a class by itself by his portraits of the leaders of the time: Wilson, FDR, TR, Churchill, MacArthur, Ike. By bringing together painstaking research as well as acectodes, it's amazing to see how much just one man can electrify and fire up a nation -- FDR yanking America out of the Depression, or Churchill stalwartly leading Britain through WWII as notable examples.

This book is sort of an in-between point between Fromkin's almost too-detailed history in A Peace to End All Peace and his recent ultra-summarized history of the world (150 pages, well worth your time) in The Way of The World. I'd recommend them all highly, but in order from most-summarized to least.

In this marvellous book, David Fromkin tells the story of how the United States made the journey from introverted isolationist to global superpower. He begins his account with the Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt, whose accession to office as a result of the assassination of President McKinley must be regarded as one of the most significant accidents in history. The tension between TR's "big stick" internationalism and Woodrow Wilson's more idealistic version is vividly described, and Fromkin does an excellent job of showing how the ideas (and policies) of FDR, Truman and their generation were both indebted to and yet reactions against the ideas of the great scholar-President. America's reluctant path to the centre of the world stage is presented as a mixture of fait accompli, idealism and enlightened self interest. It is a great story, and Mr. Fromkin does it justice. Warmly recommended.

Frompkin pulls all of the major players together and tells a story that fills in the blanks left out of the history books. He also describes why and how these men came together to end, once and forall, European wars. We can truely thank these men for the past 53 years of European peace. We can thank Frompkin for telling the story.

Imagine my suprise to read this account from the very unit, cavalry group,squadron,troop and possibly platoon in which I served. What a revelation to think I may have driven the author's jeep and fought with the men he left behind. An erie feeling since I was a replacement who followed in his footsteps after he was wounded. This is the only account I have read of the special soldiers who were trained as replacements to be inserted into fighting on the line. He recounts the incredible lonliness and feelings of isolation as the teen age replacement moves through training camps, trains, ships, encampments, trains, more camps until making it up to the front. Each move means new strangers and parting with short term friends who are really only aquaintences. The final assignment means an entire new order of friends meeting under fierce combat conditions. The author accurately captures this atmosphere of isolation and dread. I highly recommend this book which balances the reality of the young soldier in war against the usual histories which suggest that the fighting units were fueled by glory and esprit de corps.

I've read many World War II memoirs, and this is one of the best. Few veterans express the terror, dread, and danger of combat as well as Prof. Pagliaro. He faced a difficult situation and handled himself admirably. I recommend this book to everyone. It is on a level with other great World War II classics such as "Those Devils in Baggy Pants", "If You Survive", and "The Other Side of Time." Very moving to read.

I had the opportunity to read a pre-publication draft of this engaging book. When it appeared in print I was delighted to see that the publisher had produced such a handsome volume--in both paperback and hardcover. I immediately placed "Naked Heart" on the reading list for my U.S. History class at Drake University, and in many years of teaching I have never had a book received and reviewed so favorably. It provoked interesting class discussions and prompted many students to visit with their grandparents about World War II experiences. A number of students purchased extra copies to give to members of their families. It is hard to imagine a book that matches this one in cross-generational appeal.

"Saving Private Ryan" will undoubtedly generate reader interest in books about WWII and the individual experiences of combat soldiers. The most dramatic lines in this movie came when actor Tom Hanks says in effect: "I don't know if I can ever tell my wife about today or what I've seen." This struck a chord with me because my father was a WWI combat veteran of the European Theater, but he would never talk about his combat experiences. So prior to the release of "Private Ryan" I had read many books about the individual experiences of combat veterans trying to understand why combat had affected them so.

I recommend Naked Heart above many other excellent books about WWII held in high esteem by professional historians, who prefer to use a broad brush to paint the picture of the stories they tell. Naked Heart is the story of the military service of Harold Pagliaro, retired Professor of English Literature at Swarthmore College, Pa. The story begins with his induction into the Army, ASTP and Infantry training and transfer to a Cavalry unit prior to shipping out. His service in combat takes place in France, and ends in Alsace when he is seriously wounded.

It is the story of only one man but the same reveals the shared experience of thousands like him who faced all the fear, misery, uncertainty,and horrors that combat has to offer. The language, details, and writing style are clear, vivid, and straight-forward. The reader will have little difficulty envisioning or understanding what he is reading.

A medium like any movie as well done as "Private Ryan" is very visually graphic as well as audibly compelling with all the theatrical flair of the actors, the script, the special effects, sound effects, and background music to fill the viewer's senses. A book lacks most of these, but a book as well written as Naked Heart tells a story in a very personal way, much like a father might relate his wartime experiences to his son. I recommend Naked Heart for anyone interested in trying to understand the psyche of our WWII combat veterans.

John R. Walker

While I served in the European Theater during World War II, Professor Pagliaro's experiences and mine were significantly different. He served as a replacement, while I joined my armored field artilelry battalion before the unit went overseas. Infantry and cavalry performed the most difficult and dangerous tasks in combat and replacements served even more difficult roles in these units.

I found this book to be an excellent description of Pagliaro's combat experiences and also an excellent espression of his feelings and reactions to some very difficult combat assignments as well as difficult miltiary leaders. Pagliaro suffered problems similar to many ASTP students, but many of these persons failed to survive their assignments in the infantry and cavalry and few have expressed their feelings so adequately.

I highly recommend this book not only for veterans of World War II, but for all who wish to learn more about the role fo the "little people" in that conflict.

I found this to be a very interesting book and did not want to put it down. Could not wait to see what happened next. Author did a very good job telling Truman's story, and to think he actually knew the character. Wonderful job!

Charlotte

To be able to have befriened a criminal who lived with the worst of worst, and was able to write about him is hard to comprehend. Most authors "dream" up their stories. This is a book that anyone not believing that there is a higher power needs to read and absorb. As an avid reader, I strongly recomment this book.

Hounded is a well-written and very interesting true story of an outlaw whose life was redeemed by the Lord. The story illustrates the great depth, width, and height of God's love for His children. The Lord does not give up on you. He keeps prodding harder and deeper as He strives to bring you to a saving knowledge of His Son. Truman's story is illustrative of this profound truth. Reverend Neal does an outstanding job of conveying the nature of the Hound of Heaven. Nothing can outreach the love of God.

Wow! Very entertaining, interesting and informative book. It is apparent the Mahoney
Brothers would have had more notoriety than Bonnie and Clyde, had all of their
escapades been exposed. The author has an outstanding writing ability, and
adds a christian perspective from his personal relationship with Truman Mahoney.
This book affirms that the Lord desires all of us to come to the knowledge of His
amazing and saving grace.

This is a must read for lovers of true stories. Find out what it is really like to live in prison, to run from the law, to live in hiding.The life of Truman Mahoney runs the gambit -- from a robber and killer to a man who loved and served God. Truman's life was action-packed, humorous, and a life where good triumphs over evil. The author, Clifford Neal, presents this thrilling true life story in an easy to read and unique writing style. Very entertaining. Truman's life showed that God truly "hounded" him. God doesn't give up on HIS plan for your life. This book gives hope to everyone, no matter how impossible their circumstances seem.

This book is a joy to read. George Elsey has told the story of his experiences with clarity and continuity that makes history reading fun. The word serendipity came to mind numerous times while George relates the fortuitous events in his life. He does not belabor the reader with oft-told events that are common knowledge. His narrative style paints a vivid picture of how important and significant world affairs melded together through the 40s, 50s and 60s. Persons who also grew up in this time-frame will immediately relate to the events. George Mckee Elsey still exhibited his sharpness of mind during a recent radio program on NPR called, The Book Guys.

George Elsey was one of the architects of Truman's upset of 1948. Truman even predicted the outcome some weeks before the election to Elsey and Elsey put the prediction in a safe place. Truman was a little optimistic, but he really defied the odds and the bookmakers in Nevada by beating Tom Dewey.
This is a must for any fan of Harry S Truman. Bet they sell lots of this book at the Truman Library in Independence, MO. There were no two people like Bess and Harry Truman.

From National Review Online:
An Unplanned Life, by George M. Elsey. The newly published reminiscences of the author's days as a Naval aide to FDR and speechwriter and advisor to President Truman. Now 87, Mr. Elsey spent many hours with Roosevelt in the White House Map Room, served as the president's personal witness to the invasion of Normandy, and decoded and delivered to Truman the first report of the mission over Hiroshima. The stories are fascinating and engagingly told - the product of careful note-taking, an undimmed memory, and a modest, gentlemanly character. --Matthew Scully

George Elsey was a Harvard graduate student in history who wound up as a 23 year old Naval Aide to FDR in the midst of World War II. Thus began an unplanned career as a key witness, participant, and recorder of one of the most important chapters in our nation's history.

Working in the Map Room, he coded, decoded, read, and transmitted the most top secrets of the war, including:

-Handing Churchill the news that the Allies had sunk three German U-Boats, which Churchill knew meant that we'd broken the top secret German Enigma code. Churchill jumped up and down and shouted "We got them! We got them! We got them!" This was in May, 1943, regarded by many as the turning point of the war.
-Handing FDR the news that Mussolini's government had collapsed in July, 1943.
-Handing Truman the news of the atomic bomb.

But he didn't just pass along news, he made news. He was a key architect of Truman's foreign policy, and also nudged him to proceed with civil rights speeches. And then during the "greatest political upset of the century," George Elsey wrote Truman's speeches during his famous Whistle Stop Campaign, sometimes as many as 15 speeches a day.

He had many more accomplishments in government life as well.

He worked at the Red Cross for over 20 years, 13 as President, and was personally responsible for many of the core tenets that live on to this day.

George Elsey is the kind of man we all want to be, and his story, written with great candor, modesty, and precision, reminds us that giants used to roam the halls of the White House.

While the title of this book could fit most of our lives, most of us do not get to go to Princeton, and then assigned to work in the White House through World War II and beyond.

Mr. Elsey did this and more. He was assigned to the White House early in the war. He was to remain, first with Roosevelt and then with Truman for many years. Later, during the Viet Nam war he worked with Clark Clifford looking for ways to get out of the war. Finally he spent a long career with the Red Cross.

This career placed him near the center of power for many of the critical years of the 20th century. Now at 88 years old, it is clear that his memory is still sharp. And as his attitude towards life comes through it is easy to see how he would have fit into many different assignments.

The photograph section of the book is fascinating as it shows him off to the side or behind the president, but often with people very powerful in their own right.

ALLIES OF THE EARTH: RAILROADS AND THE SOUL OF PRESERVATION comes from an environmentalist and historian whose concurrent exploration of railroad history and environmental preservation efforts draw together in an unusual survey of both. When he realized America's parks had been formed by railroads, he followed the historical connections between environmental efforts and rail history, blending in a first-person travelogue of experience with history, culture, political and social influences, and preservation challenges alike. While difficult to easily categorize, this reaches across categories and collection boundaries and even will appeal into the public library setting as a unique leisure choice.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Runte, who has written extensively about national parks, applies the same reasoning that supports their existence and preservation to the case for passenger trains as common carriers and agents of preservation. A rail-based transportation network, he argues, is a key component to maintaining the American landscape and fostering sustainable development and historic preservation. Written with authority and clarity, as well as a touch of the poetic, Runte shows how the US has failed to learn the lessons of its own past and Europe's present. It is an easy but thought-provoking read that will turn any environmentalist into a passenger rail advocate.

At one time, railroads served as the connective tissue of America, tying its far-flung communities and large cities together with safe, no-hassle travel. All of that changed upon the advent of interstates and cheap gas. Fast-forward to the current day where Alfred Runte, author of many environmental histories, tells of railroad's heyday, its slow decline, and its emerging renaissance.

ALLIES OF THE EARTH is filled with nostalgic photographs and illustrations that whisk readers away to bygone days. In addition to Mr. Runte's arguments for a return to good, affordable passenger service, he carries readers across the decades with stops at Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Parks.

If you have been searching for an attractive tome containing compelling arguments for a return to reasonable American rail service, then ALLIES OF THE EARTH is for you.

I highly recommend it.

This well researched, wrtten and handsomely illustrated book makes the case that the environmental, historic preservation and even the Civil Rights movements of the 1960s, missed the boat in not seeking to preserve the private passenger rail network.