Customer Reviews

Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure: The True Story of a Great American Road Trip

5 star:		(53)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is so uniquely fascinating it is in a class by itself! It combines historical political content and world news... it includes world events that President Harry Truman effected in an expertly sequenced presentation... it gives an unabashed look at the way *WE-THE-PEOPLE-OF-THE-UNITED-STATES* really were in the 1950's which was probably the last decade of true innocence. It gives an intimate look at the private being of one of the twentieth century's most influential characters... and it is *ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS*... in a humor that doesn't really revolve around any jokes. The humor is actually the unadulterated absurdity of a trip that not only is completely impossible to happen today... but probably impossible to ever take place in the rest of recorded time.

Former President Harry S. Truman... a mere few months after leaving office... decides to take a "road-trip" with his loving wife Bess in their new 1953 Chrysler New Yorker from Missouri to Washington D.C... to Philadelphia for his first post-Presidential speech... and then to New York for some sightseeing... and then back to Missouri. The reader will be made aware of some shocking doses of reality... which is what makes this so darn funny. At that point in time former Presidents were *NOT* provided with any secret service protection... and former Presidents got absolutely *NO* pensions. When Harry left the White House he had to get a loan in order to survive. "A chain of clothing stores offered him a job for a hundred thousand dollars a year as a "sales manager". The author chronicles the Truman's road trip in exquisite detail and you will chuckle out loud when the former Commander-In-Chief stops in small coffee shops and less than elegant hotels... and the response of everyday people... when after multiple double-takes... recognize the former President. Harry consistently shows why he was a President of the people. He shook hands with everyone... signed autographs... took his morning walks with reporters walking with him... and taxi drivers beeping at every corner yelling... "HI HARRY!" And of course Harry waved back. He would stop and pose for pictures with everyone once they were able to close their gaping mouths that had dropped open in shock. Here is a man walking down the street who had made the decision to drop "the bomb" during the war... desegregate the military... fire MacArthur... helped form the United Nations... and more... having a meal in a booth at the Princess Diner in Frostburg, Maryland. In addition... during the time encompassed by his trip... landmark news continues to occur that were ripple effects of his Presidency... such as the execution of convicted spies Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. Along with the folksy human side of Harry... the reader will be educated with Harry's true personal and political opinions regarding household names such as his feelings toward JFK then a young senator. "KENNEDY EMBODIED THE KIND OF ELITIST SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT THAT TRUMAN DESPISED. FURTHERMORE, TRUMAN NEVER CARED FOR KENNEDY'S FATHER, THE HAUGHTY AND OVERBEARING JOE KENNEDY, WHOM TRUMAN HAD ONCE THREATENED TO THROW OUT A HOTEL WINDOW FOR BELITTLING FDR." Harry also truly hated Richard Nixon.

The way Harry's former staff felt about him was eloquently displayed in a toast made in his honor by Dean Acheson who among other things said about his former boss: "AND WHAT WE ALL KNEW WAS THAT, HOWEVER HOT THE FIRE WAS IN FRONT, THERE WOULD NEVER BE A SHOT IN THE BACK. QUITE THE CONTRARY! HE STOOD BY US THROUGH THICK AND THIN, ALWAYS EAGER TO ATTRIBUTE SUCCESSES TO US AND ACCEPT FOR HIMSELF THE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR FAILURE..."

Truman's favorite author was Mark Twain and he "kept a framed copy of his favorite Twain quote on his desk in the oval office: "ALWAYS DO RIGHT! THIS WILL GRATIFY SOME PEOPLE AND ASTONISH THE REST."

You will definitely be astonished by this book!

In the age of paparazzi and the 24-hour news cycle, the thought of a U.S. president traveling sans security and often going unrecognized is simply astonishing. Matthew Algeo's account of the Trumans' trip is astonishing in its own right.

Constantly entertaining, frequently laugh-out-loud funny, HARRY TRUMAN'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE is an extraordinary book. Equal parts history and travelogue, Algeo beautifully paints a picture not just of the famously in love Harry and Bess, but of a rapidly changing America in the mid-20th Century. And by recreating the Trumans' journey himself, Algeo shows us just how much things have changed in the last half-century.

For a fascinating, truly unique read, I highly recommend this book.

If you've ever doubted that a decent book can be written about anything at all, give a chance to Matthew Algeo's book, Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure: The True Story of a Great American Road Trip. Algeo describes a 1953 road trip that Harry and Bess Truman took from Independence, Missouri to Washington, on to New York, and back to Independence after Eisenhower became president. Harry did all the driving in a vehicle that's almost a character in the book: a black 1953 Chrysler New Yorker. Algeo retraced the Truman's route, and added a quirky dimension to the book by inserting his own experiences at some of the stops along the way, and what happened to some places in the intervening decades. This book presents a great image of 1953, with a decent dose of nostalgia, and personalization by the insertion of Algeo's current experience of this route. The pictures helped, mostly because every time I saw a photo Harry Truman's wide smile, especially when behind the wheel of the New Yorker, I found myself leaning into a grin of my own.

Rating: Three-star (Recommended)

I was 11 years old when this trip took place, and yes, people actually did drive for "the fun of it" back then. The story was a nice mixture of life in the '50s and a look at Harry Truman's unique personality. Lots of Presidential and other trivia (from turnpikes to tailfins) await the reader, as well.

When Harry Truman left the White House in 1953 he returned to what he anticipated would be normal life in Independence, Missouri. That summer, however, he and his wife returned to Washington for a speech and decided to make it a road trip and drive themselves in his new Chrysler - no secret service, no reporters, no fanfare. Even though Truman left office with an abysmal 22% approval rating he was recognized and enthusiastically greeted at almost every stop. Police chiefs and sheriffs sometimes assigned protection while the Trumans were in their county and Harry was pulled over a few times. They stayed in motels and were hounded for autographs and photos by diners in restaurants, gas station attendants, and the press. Harry graciously obliged.

This is a fun little book (230 pages) that retraces Truman's route with numerous detours to explain the politics, geography, and social conditions of the time. Author Matthew Algeo also recounts his own adventure following the route - what restaurants and hotels are still there and what they're like now, what's replaced them, and his experiences visiting some of the same people who greeted Harry along the way (some even invited him to eat and spend the night in their homes). This isn't serious or heavy history - it's a light-hearted and short diversion - but it ought to be perfect summer or vacation reading. It's amusing and insightful and offers a window into a more quaint and friendly era.

Not in the same league as McCullough's definitive biography, but perhaps not meant to be. Rather, a small but interesting slice of life in Truman's post-presidential years that will definitely make you smile. Can't help but picturing this grinning expansive man waving to the crowd in his white suit and Panamma hat. And the multitudes yelling, "Give 'em Hell Harry." Probably the last "Down to Earth" President we'll ever see again. And don't forget, "The Boss"-- Harry's wife Bess. According to Harry, she kept her eye peeled on the speedometer during the entire trip. So he started calling her "The Governor."

This review is written at the request of my father-in-law, Col. E.F. Smith, USAF (Ret.). Col. Smith was one of the first two presidential pilots, and was present for all presidential flights on the Sacred Cow and the Independence - as well as for flights ferrying dozens of other VIPs. At 92, he is alive and well and has an extraordinarily sharp memory for events that occurred over 60 years ago. In addition, he retained his Flight Logs and is able to refer to written records where necessary. He noted the following errors in the book:

1. Page 186: FDR traveled to the Casablanca Conference in two aircraft. The first was a Pan Am Clipper Ship, as described in the book. The second leg of the flight was on an Air Force C-54, operated with TWA flight crews. The return trip used the same two aircraft.

2. Page 186: The first presidential aircraft was a C-87, modified with an airline interior. This a/c was dubbed the Guess Where II (although the "II" confusedly implied "to" as in, "Where will we be sent next?"). Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau was flown to the Cairo Conference in this a/c. The second presidential a/c was the Sacred Cow, a C-54 modified with an airline interior and an elevator for FDR's use. The name "Sacred Cow" was a creation of the Press Corps, which was amused by the attention given the a/c in its National Airport hanger.

3. Page 187: The story re dumping waste over Ohio at the direction of President Truman is not true. Neither the Sacred Cow nor the Independence were capable of dumping waste overboard in flight. This story is frequently repeated in books and articles about Truman, but is entirely fictional. The description of the stateroom flight instruments and onboard teletype on the Independence suggests that they were new features first used on that a/c. The Sacred Cow was equipped in the same manner.

4. Page 188: The story regarding reversing engines on the return flight from Rio as a practical joke on Bess Truman is also not true. The pilots of the Sacred Cow and the Independence were no more prone to play in-flight practical jokes than are today's presidential pilots. In any event, the President and First Lady returned from Rio on the battleship Missouri.

This is an entertaining glimpse of both the personality of Harry Truman as well as the era. It's worth reading for that alone. However, the book felt "padded" with digressive content that seemed superfluous. It's a short book as it is so my guess is that the author was trying to make it more substantial. If you're fan of Truman, you'll enjoy this book.

This telling of Harry Truman's journey from his hometown of Independence, Missouri, to Washington, DC, after he left the White House is far more than just the account of America's last citizen-President taking a free-wheeling road trip. It is a fascinating recap of American motoring, a collection of enjoyable anecdotes about Truman's overall life, and a superbly readable survey of the national mood during a far more innocent era (at least if you were fortunate enough to be part of white America).

Matthew Algeo weaves these strands into the otherwise-simple facts of Truman's trip with affection, accuracy, and exquisite attention to detail. Anyone who idealizes the post-war 1940s as much as I do will find this book a delightful journey down a forgotten road of that era. Mr. Algeo has a gift for bringing history to life, and we will be fortunate indeed if he continues to produce historical fare of such high caliber.

Touching, insightful, endearing and funny...this book is a pleasure to read, and I marvel at the fact that Harry and Bess were able to do what they did, which in a way reads like some sort of avuncular fairytale. I can't help but be saddened, also, by the fact that it all happened in another country, far away and long ago. To say that America has changed since those days is a real understatement and goes without saying, and its changes, to a large degree, make for melancholy reading. Overall, a splendidly entertaining book.