Katharine Graham's Washington [Hardcover]

Katharine Graham (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 22, 2002

A final legacy from Katharine Graham: an all-embracing, highly personal collection of writ-ings (more than one hundred articles, essays, and excerpts from books) about Washington, D.C. -- covering the period from 1917, the year of her birth, to early 2001, just before she died.

Here are the president-watchers (including Will Rogers on Calvin Coolidge) . . . high points from insider memoirs (among them Dog Days at the White House by the presidential kennel keeper) . . . Washington moments vividly recalled -- by Henry Kissin-ger (on the end of the Nixon presidency), by FDR’s secretary (on Mrs. FDR), by Joseph W. Alsop, Ben Bradlee, David Brinkley, Dean Acheson, Harry Truman, Rosalynn Carter, and Nancy Reagan.

Here is humor by Art Buchwald, P. J. O’Rourke, Russell Baker . . . social Washington, from royal visits to rival hostesses . . . traumatic moments in the city’s history -- including the news of Pearl Harbor and the deaths of Presidents Roosevelt and Kennedy . . . a loving appreciation of the city by David McCullough. Here, also, are charming period pieces, astute appraisals of how Washington works, and stimulating considerations of the not-always-happy realities of life in a place that during Mrs. Graham’s lifetime evolved from a provincial southern city to the capital of the world.

Katharine Graham’s comments have the same acuity, humor, and candor that so charmed and moved the hundreds of thousands of readers of her Pulitzer Prize -- winning autobiography.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The late Graham's posthumous legacy is a delightful and insightful anthology of writings on the city that formed so much of her personality and her professional life. Drawing on her personal collection of writings, Graham offers a broad array of opinions and observations in more than 100 articles and essays from humorists, journalists, novelists, socialites, and political luminaries and their wives--many of them personal friends. The book is arranged by theme--social Washington, president watching, wartime Washington--with Graham setting the scene and tone beforehand, using insights gleaned from her mother's diary for the period pieces. Will Rogers offers insights on Calvin Coolidge, Barbara Howar recalls a falling out with the Lyndon Johnsons, Henry Kissinger recalls the end of the Nixon presidency, and Eugene Robinson offers a look at the black Washington tourists rarely see. It's all inside Washington, sharp, witty, and carefully chosen to convey the city's atmosphere and personality and Graham's own interests in the people and the politics--social and governmental. A worthy follow-up to her Pulitzer Prize-winning autobiography, Personal History (1997). Vanessa Bush
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

“Magnificent . . . warmly personable. . . . Exquisitely delicious. . . . With its treasures, rarities and surprises . . . there is nothing else like it.” —The Washington Post Book World

“Lively, affectionate…rich with wise commentary and quirky inside scenes.…Graham’s fascination with the human side of the capital shines through.” —Newsweek

“Packed with intriguing people and those who write about them.… Full of funny moments.… Washington in the eyes of Katharine Graham is…a city unlike any other in the world.… Her spirit permeates the pages.” —Newsday



From the Trade Paperback edition. --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 832 pages
• Publisher: Knopf; 1st edition (October 22, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375414711
• ISBN-13: 978-0375414718
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.4 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,550,796 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for anyone interested in Washington, January 17, 2003

By 

A reader (Litchfield Co., CT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Katharine Graham's Washington (Hardcover)

I am not completely finished with this book, but wanted to post a review urging all who are interested in the history of our country to read this.

Mrs. Graham has gathered articles from many people associated with the govenment and also some who were natives of Washington and in the social scene. Some were White House employees. She has written an introduction to each article which is helpful.

There are many interesting stories never seen before. I especially liked the articles of behind the scenes preparations for the visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1939 by White House employees. Eleanor Roosevelt's article is different than the one she has in her book as it does not include the stop at Hyde Park.

Mamie is presented as a difficult taskmaster by the White House seamstress. All good reading.

I don't know if young folks will enjoy this book as much as I did, but they should give it a try.

Only objection. There were not enough pictures!

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great gathering of wonderful writings, March 10, 2004

By 

steve - See all my reviews

This review is from: Katharine Graham's Washington (Hardcover)

After reading Graham's personal history I was dissapointed that there was nothing else written by her. This book fufills that dissapointment. She provides all sorts of views about Washington even though she doesn't agree with them all. There are articles written by Nancy Reagan, Henry Kissinger, Alice Roosevelt, and many, many more. A great read for anyone interested in Graham or Washington.

2.0 out of 5 stars very well order, October 26, 2011

By 

Rafael Lopez Callejon "I work in a Children P... (Madrid -Spain-) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Katharine Graham's Washington (Kindle Edition)

It's a very well narrated book. It's neat. But majority of facts are irrelevant. Firstly, she tells about the life of his father, and them, she tells about the life of his husband. It's very superficial.