Customer Reviews

My Life

5 star:		(285)
4 star:		(128)
3 star:		(79)
2 star:		(58)
1 star:		(159)

 

 

I am a conservative economist who, like many of the reviewers here, never voted for Bill Clinton. However, unlike those same reviewers, I read this entire book. I must say that it is somewhat satisfying to understand the thought processes behind this president. He is a remarkably bright individual who overcame a somewhat deprived childhood to excel at some of the world's finest educational institutions. Given the ineptitude of the current administration which won on pedigree, it is refreshing to know that hard work, intellect, and perseverance can also lead to the White House.

The book has a few tedious moments. The Arkansas campaigns are littered with the names of individuals no one outside of the Ozarks will recognize. On the whole though, this book delivers for the aficionado of American politics. You will see the deep thought and debate surrounding policy decisions. You will appreciate the fact that this president actually led his administration with his own ideas and strategies for implementing them. Likewise, he wrote many of his own speeches and routinely held press conferences without knowing the questions in advance. I would have liked even more from these areas, but the book does provide as much depth as most political memoirs.

What I would like from Clinton's second book would be a discussion of the perception and reality of American politics. For example, the Bush administration, with annual budget and trade deficits of over $1 trillion, has the most liberal fiscal policy since the Johnson administration. At the same time, they have increased the size of the government more than any other administration in history, with the effects of the war and 9/11 accounting for only 45% of this enormous growth. Clinton, on the other hand, was extremely conservative during his second term, shrinking the government, slowing the growth in expenditures across the board, and balancing the budget. Yet, Clinton is reviled as being too liberal by conservatives who don't seem to do their homework. It's too bad they're unwilling to spend time reading a book like this instead of allowing radio talk show hosts to fill their heads with lies that matter.

I must confess I am a fan of political autobiographies. The first one I ever read was the Nixon autobiography; I've since read the various presidential and prime ministerial works past and present. Against these various tomes, Bill Clinton's memoirs, 'My Life', stacks up well. There is nothing earth-shattering and revealing here; there are some different nuances and a little more candour involved, but not a lot. After all, Clinton is still a relatively young man, and could have other political aspirations (he wouldn't be the first president to also serve in the Congress after the presidency), and of course, his wife has an active political life of her own, which I am certain was a major consideration in the tone and content of this volume.

I was fortunate to get advance reading material of this before the day of release, and got the local bookseller to permit me a purchase after midnight last night. Of course, like many people, I turned first to the part about Monica Lewinsky, who, for better or worse, will be a defining image of Clinton's presidency for the foreseeable future - history will likely be kinder to Clinton (as it ended up being for Nixon, and others who have stumbled in office), but for the present, this image holds true. There is a typical Clinton-esque mixture of self-reproach and blaming of others. Clinton's greatest ire is saved for Kenneth Starr, the special prosecutor, who Clinton characterises as being the tip of the spear of a vast right-wing conspiracy including conservative white southerners who never worked for civil rights.

He discusses the icy situation with his wife Hillary and daughter Chelsea after the revelations, and how he slept on the sofa in different rooms for a significant period after the revelations. He also writes of his own self-examination and self-therapy (how does one do therapy with a president? Actually, there is some insight here, with his marriage counseling going on for a year after the incident). From visits with preachers (Clinton was never a traditionally religious man) to his own readings of self-help books and spiritual classics (one such, 'Imitation of Christ', by Thomas a Kempis, is a superb and well-known text, but not one I would have ever guessed useful for a president in this situation).

He gives some insights into the campaign trails, his early Arkansas experiences prior to national politics, and the two presidential elections, the first against the elder Bush, and the second against Bob Dole. He also takes good account of his childhood - the stories of his mother and various male figures in his early life are quite interesting, and beyond what was public during his presidential days. Even the derivation of his name - William Jefferson Blythe Clinton, has a story behind it worth reading.

One of the key points of interest of any political autobiography is the commentary and speculation the author makes on present and future situations, and Clinton's is no exception. He mentions his own assessment of the danger Iraq posed (he would have rated it no higher than number six on his list of priorities), and claims to have been more forceful in warning the incoming Bush administration about the dangers of Osama Bin Ladin. He also gives interesting perspectives on allies and other foreign leaders (John Major and Tony Blair, Chinese President Jiang Zemin, Yasir Arafat, Ehud Barak, etc.).

In all, Clinton takes some of the blame for the troubles of his presidency, but shifts quite a bit of it to others, too. He also takes credit where credit is due for some of the successes in his presidency, but on the whole, as is typically true in such writings, casts the best of possible lights on most of his actions and the outcomes. Being an extrovert with a penchant for introspection, it is a wonder that this book could be contained in a mere 1000 or so pages.

Love him or hate him (and it is amazing how few people have neutral feelings about him, as he experienced and wrote about in his book), Clinton is a figure politicians must deal with for some time to come, and historians will likely rarely tire of debating and analysing.

I had read in reviews that the book was very dull, but I found it so interesting I could hardly put it down. I think that now, having read so many recent books about the last two administrations, I have a very good picture of the differences in both style and substance. There were few real surprises in the book except the fact that Clinton had something nice to say about nearly everyone, even Newt Gingrich. Bill Clinton is apparently a man who is fascinated by human nature and appreciates political deftness. I liked reading the book because it put most of the news stories of the 90's into context whereas my memory has them in patches. Don't read it if you are bored by politics or hate Arkansas.

The intelligence, eloquence, charm, and generosity of Bill Clinton all come alive in a 957-page documentary of an intriguing and rich life. The adoption of the "Clinton" name after his abusive and alcoholic first stepfather and his acceptance and forgiveness of his second stepfather, despite his bad reputation, signal the magnanimity of the young Bill. His mother's life-long struggle to provide him stable family environment, education, and love all made him a special person who understood the suffering of the poor, the black, the sick, and the old. His rural Arkansas upbringing fostered his curiosity in early life to explore the greater world of politics that took him to Washington, New York, Oxford, and Moscow, in only two decades of his early life. Clinton reveals the crucial role of school in training and preparing young people for future participation in democratic governments.

No wonder why the rich, white, and religious hated his guts since he embodied the struggle and charisma of the poor and well-educated class that would shake the foundation of the old tradition of politics that only serves the rich and powerful minority. He won all wars waged against him solely by the way of reasoning he had inherited from his poor yet closely attached family members, in addition to his extensive reading of books that made his mind deals with complex conflicts without losing focus of the fundamental issues. His encyclopedic mind was also his drive for adoring sex and appreciating its great pleasure in soothing life, which also infuriated his haters. That also made him the most peaceful and economically successful president that loved sex and hated violence.

Clinton's supporters will be thrilled with this book that demonstrates how a man goes through eight years of presidency yet still retains his ability to remember details, associate with simple people, and question all traditional values in the context of their benefit to the progress of democratic governing. The generosity of Bill Clinton in sharing his life experience with his readers is evidence that he might exceed Jimmy Carter in his global reach for peace, democracy, and equality. This also explains the timing of publishing the book in the election year with a president who stumbles speaking simple sentences and who has ruined America's reputation around the world with his arrogance and narrow scope of understanding.

Ironically, Clinton starts his book by dignifying his critics' claim that he was a bad man and by expressing his love to Hilary, whom he has betrayed. Thus, he shows that even a man as expansive as Clinton could possibly be shaken in his strongest assets despite the fact that most of his adversaries have committed worse mistakes than his (e.g., Newt Gingrich). While Bush senior spends his retirement relaxing and parachute jumping from airplanes in his eighties, both the democratic ex-presidents, Carter and Clinton, are roaming the globe working on solving greater international problems to educate and heal greater masses of people around the globe.

When faced with impeachment after Monica rumor became The Story, President Clinton, to whom ambiguity was never part of his nature, took the worst situation to mean retreat from Office, which would not have relieved his soul.
This autobiography is informative and tender in every corner. At times the ex-President aggravated his bitterness and despair; not a pleasing prospect for a vigorous man with an appetite for distinction. His excessive passions, one for his wife and the other for his daughter, at the end of the day had caused Miss Lewinski and partners to be removed from the White House. I believe the young lady was also a victim of irrational exuberance (Excuse me Mr. Greenspan)
At times there is always some sort of melancholy demeanor than can grow daily more somber in high offices. President Clinton is telling us he could not possibly have been entirely impervious to the mounting evidence against him, such signs were motivated by political reasons from rival factions with nefarious ends - to hurt the Democrats from within.

Clinton, once known for his vivacity, was now showing the strain of the shameful events.

Clinton, the deep-rooted optimist who found it temperamentally difficult to resign from trouble, has had his face already sagging with worry as daily attacks compounded his sense of doom...

At 55 he left office with a 65% approval rating. (One of the highest after WWII)
However, the charismatic President looked a narrow-chest man with the face of a person much older in age. That did not at all resemble him nine years ago when he took that Office.

Since I'm on the road a lot, I bought the audio version. I'm glad I did this because I got to hear the author's telling of his story.

Of course it's not the world's greatest writing or story telling, but then that's not what I was expecting.

On the one hand the book is extremely personal and candid, telling of the President's difficult childhood and his remarkable survival and rise to public life through it.

On the other hand, it does not go into personal relationships in a way that the hype for the book leads the reader to expect.

While their privacy should be respected, especially given the horrible expose that has occured, the Clinton's seem to have worked through issues in their relationship. This work would be valuable and healing to share in more detail with others.

What impressed me most in the book also deeply saddened me: how easy it is for a party or group who doesn't like a particular elected official to bring harm to that person, rightly or wrongly, through discrediting campaigns.

Whatever your political persuation, you should come away from this book believing this ease of manipulation needs to be addressed for the health of both the presidency and the nation. And that's a very important reason to read the book.

The book is reflection of the brilliance of President Clinton. This is must read for average citizen aspiring to be in politics but doesn't have the blue blood backgrounds that define our politics more specifically presidential politics. The book describes very well the bare knuckle politics that is so common in grassroot level. For all those who are involved at that level of local politics I will recommend this book as survival guide.

Don't read this book as if it were a history book or even an autobiolgraphy. You will go crazy as Bill prattles on about Elvis movies he has seen and play by play descriptions of Arkansas/Texas football games. Pretend, instead, that it is a hot summer night in Arkansas and Bill has invited you to his place. You are rocking away on his front porch nursing many drinks while he talks to you. Once I got into that mode, I really started to enjoy this book.

It was terrific hearing a review of history that I actually experienced but from the President's perspective. Many times I stopped and thought to myself wow he had a lot going on at once. It's obvious he's a good person and did the best he could, warts and all. But the book does get boring at times.

The ideologues on both sides are going to give this 5 or 1 depending on their perspective. But if you are a curious reader without a particular political axe, I think you will still enjoy this book.

My word of caution is that remember this is the guy who got an ovation for the words "in conclusion" toward the end of the Dukakis convention because of his long windedness, and you may find this a tome to get through.

But just as it is longwinded, a little slick, and graceful with the truth, it is also lyrical in places, insightful and intelligent, and capable of touching emotional chords.

WJC certainly has some axes to grind. I don't think Newt Gingrich or Ken Starr will be invited over to Chappaquah anytime soon, and I found the pop psychology bit to be a little rich. He would have been well-served by a strong editor. Also, I think there is something profoundly unknowable about the man, and I know he pulled his punches when it came to some of his analysis -- he had to, because of political senstitivities.

But it's his perspective, and whatever else he may be, he is truly an American original.

I gave this book to my deeply conservative father-in-law because I thought he would get something out of it (and not because I think it will make him a Clinton-lover either).