First in His Class: A Biography of Bill Clinton [Audio Cassette]

David Maraniss (Author), Jeff Riggenbach (Narrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1996

A portrait of President Clinton scrutinizes his character, draws on hundreds of documents and interviews, traces his rise through the Georgetown-Oxford-Yale years, and recognizes his ability to attract the best and the brightest of his generation. 50,000 first printing. $25,000 ad/promo. Tour.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this incisive, richly textured, fair-minded biography of Bill Clinton, which ends on the night he announced his presidential candidacy, Washington Post reporter Maraniss limns a quintessential politician, "sincere and deceptive at the same time." Drawing on interviews with nearly 400 people, including Clinton's closest friends, colleagues and relatives, Maraniss taps two sides of Clinton?one intelligent, empathetic, indefatigable, another petulant, tantrum-prone, indecisive, misleading, too eager to please?and declares that these components of the man are inseparable. There are revealing glimpses of Clinton the semi-bohemian Oxford antiwar activist; the casual, disorganized University of Arkansas law professor; and the Arkansas governor soliciting large contributions from corporate leaders for the public relations arm of his permanent political campaign. Maraniss, whose articles on Clinton's presidential candidacy won a Pulitzer Prize, also illuminates Clinton's pragmatic partnership with Hillary Rodham and their dependence on each other during their long haul from Arkansas to the White House. Photos. 50,000 first printing; author tour.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Clinton books have been as ubiquitous as photos of the president in jogging shorts and ill-fitting suits. Maraniss's biography similarly suffers more from overexposure than content. Most of the book examines Clinton's educational roots?from high school, where he graduated fourth, not first, in his class through Georgetown, Oxford, and Yale universities. Washington Post reporter Maraniss is at his best portraying Clinton as a product of the 1960s, when his life experiences and views were tempered by liberalism. He was tormented, as were so many of his peers, by the possibility of being drafted to serve in Vietnam; his actions were buffeted by wanting to avoid service without becoming involved in protests that could haunt his political career. This sympathetic portrait concludes with Clinton's decision to seek the 1992 Democratic presidential nomination. Maraniss's book complements John Brummett's Highwire (LJ 9/15/94), which also sees Clinton as a product of either his educational or geographical roots. The large number of existing Clinton titles and his declining popularity may make this book a tough sell. For public libraries.?Karl Helicher, Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, Pa.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Blackstone Audiobooks (January 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786109157
• ISBN-13: 978-0786109159
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.8 x 2.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,751,787 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David Maraniss is an associate editor at The Washington Post. He is the winner of the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting and has been a Pulitzer finalist two other times for his journalism and again for They Marched Into Sunlight, a book about Vietnam and the sixties. The author also of bestselling works on Bill Clinton, Vince Lombardi, and Roberto Clemente, Maraniss is a fellow of the Society of American Historians. He and his wife, Linda, live in Washington, DC, and Madison, Wisconsin.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FIRST among Clinton Bios, August 15, 2007

By 

Lynn Foxx "llmkitty" (los angeles, ca United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: FIRST IN HIS CLASS: A Biography Of Bill Clinton (Hardcover)

As a Clinton fan, I read all of the bios and his autobiography. "First" remains my favorite because it details Clinton's evolution from a boy born into less than ideal circumstances with only 3 assets---an adoring mother, scholastic achievement and a singleminded goal to become president---to making the american dream come true. I recently purchased another copy for my nephew, who is shopping colleges. This is a must read for all who doubt the power of education to change your life not just for the better, but for the best.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not a celebrity bio. Excellent work. Must Read For '96., February 6, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: FIRST IN HIS CLASS: A Biography Of Bill Clinton (Hardcover)

NOT your standard political biography. Excellent example of the craft of biography, regardless of the subject. This reads reads like fiction and author David Maraniss clearly deserved his Pulitzer for his balanced reporting on the Clinton '92 campaign. The 400+ page book ends with Clinton's announcement for president. This goes a long way to explain why Clinton is the way he is. Love or hate him you can't be indifferent. A must read before the electiion

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A candid look at Bill Clinton the man and political animal., October 8, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: FIRST IN HIS CLASS: A Biography Of Bill Clinton (Hardcover)

The intoxicating power of politics gives meaning to a young man's world. The book presents an interesting insight into Clinton's thirst for political and personal acceptance