From Publishers Weekly
As life expectancy increases, U.S. presidents are living longer out of office than ever before. But the post–White House lives of the presidents since Truman have been a mixed bag, according to this creative work by Updegrove, former publisher of
Newsweek. Updegrove delineates how these men, formerly the world's most powerful, coped with their new status, earned a living and tried to shape their legacies. Lyndon B. Johnson became depressed, and overate and smoked, despite an earlier heart attack. Jimmy Carter found a new purpose in his humanitarian and diplomatic activities. Some of the book's most surprising moments come in the accounts of the immediate post-WWII presidents: Updegrove reminds us that when Truman left office, there was no pension for former presidents. Updegrove also focuses on the relationships among the ex-presidents, noting that many former adversaries made common cause, though Richard Nixon found it more difficult to get along with his successors. Scholars may find little new, as Updegrove mainly relies on presidential memoirs and secondary sources, in addition to personal interviews. But for those interested in the former presidents, this popular history will do the trick. B&w photos.
40,000 first printing; $75,000 ad/promo; first serial to American Heritage. (Oct.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
For most of our history, ex-presidents were expected to, and usually did, retire to private life and relative obscurity. After his two terms, Washington, with one brief exception, labored as a gentleman farmer, the occupation he claimed he wished to resume. Jefferson, as the "Sage of Monticello," exercised considerable influence over his Republican successors but did so behind the scenes. Recently, however, it has been accepted and even expected for former presidents to put their talents to public use. Updegrove, former publisher of
Newsweek, partially attributes this to the financial security guaranteed to former presidents, including lucrative pensions, book contracts, and honoraria. Freed from financial concerns, they can devote themselves to public endeavors. Utilizing interviews with former presidents and their associates, the author examines the activities of chief executives from Truman to Clinton after they left the White House. Clinton and the elder Bush concentrated on disaster-relief efforts. Nixon tried to influence foreign policy, and Carter has combined both charitable efforts with offering advice on foreign policy. Updegrove writes with a breezy, easily digestible prose.
Jay FreemanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
