Customer Reviews

Harry S. Truman: His Life and Times

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Brian Burnes new book on Harry Truman is a pleasure, impeccably researched and extremely well written. Rather than piling detail upon detail, Burnes opts for well-chosen anecdotes that add up to Truman's full story: his Kansas City boyhood, World War I service, political rise, presidency , and later years back in Kansas City. Truman is remembered for his momentous decision to drop the atomic bomb, but this book also delves into less-known aspects of his presidency. For example, Burnes recounts a wonderful episode involving an old poker buddy named Eddie Jacobson who, in 1948, helped convice Truman that the U.S. should recognize the brand new state of Israel.

Throughout, Burnes does a masterful job of interweaving the story of Truman, the politician, with humanizing details about Truman, the man. While attending the Potsdam conference in 1945, for example, Truman purchased a luncheon set of Belgian lace for Bess. The first lady, in turn, thought the gift a bit extravagant. This book also has wonderful photographs and illustrations, including a Thomas Hart Benton portrait of Truman so closely observed and revelatory that it's worth a thousand words, easily.