Taking Charge: The Johnson White House Tapes 1963 1964 [Paperback]

Michael R. Beschloss (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 18, 1998

Lyndon Johnson's secretly recorded tapes offer us the only chance we are ever likely to have to eavesdrop on an American President from his first moments in office until the end. This universally acclaimed volume captures LBJ's private passions and bedrock beliefs as he takes command after John Kennedy's assassination; makes his first fateful decisions on civil rights, poverty, and Vietnam; and runs against Barry Goldwater for President. Michael Beschloss's observations and annotations enhance our understanding of Johnson, his era, and his lasting impact on American politics and culture.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

By the time he suddenly succeeded to the presidency in November 1963, following John Kennedy's assassination, Lyndon Johnson had been secretly recording his private conversations for years--first by having an eavesdropping aide take shorthand notes on telephone calls, and then, as recording technology advanced, by committing conversations to tape. Even on his first night as president, he remembered to make sure that the tape recorder was working. His motives were apparently practical--a kind of hands-free note-taking, and a way to document the commitments he and others had made.

Whatever his reasons (and despite Johnson's desire that the documentation remain sealed until at least 2023), the tapes are a boon to students of politics and history. Masterfully edited and annotated by presidential historian Michael Beschloss, they reveal a quintessential political animal at work. It's fascinating to listen in as Johnson works the levers--cajoling, trading favors, calling in chits, twisting arms, and occasionally playing rough--often in a pungent, earthy Texas patois. The book covers the period from November 1963 through the Democratic convention in August 1964, when Johnson was nominated for reelection. Its biggest single revelation is that Johnson believed Fidel Castro was behind Kennedy's assassination; another, less sensational, is that his reservations about the deepening war in Vietnam were greater than previously known. Most importantly, though, these tapes provide an invaluable, uncensored look into a complex presidency--and president. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

These secretly recorded conversations between President Lyndon Johnson and members of his family, his staff, and the troubled nation he was governing constitute one of the most exciting audio programs of the decade, invaluable to anyone who is interested in history, politics, or the workings of human nature. Johnson was the only man to tape his entire term in the Oval Office, enabling us to overhear conversations with Lady Bird, Jacqueline Kennedy, President Truman, President Eisenhower, Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King, J. Edgar Hoover, Hubert Humphrey, members of the press, and key advisers on the issues of Civil Rights and the Vietnam War. Although this debut of a series covers only the first year of his presidency, the brevity dictated by marketing consultants is its one great flaw: many conversations are faded or cut short, and at times the Johnson excerpts are briefer than the Beschloss narrative connecting them. The inestimable advantage of this program over the unabridged text is that the listener is made truly present while the events of American history are decided. An invaluable study in the psychology of power and as a unique historical document; essential for every collection.?Peter Josyph, New York
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 592 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (September 18, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684847922
• ISBN-13: 978-0684847924
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #959,610 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #59 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( J ) > Johnson, Lyndon

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars LBJ's tapes do us a favor for history, November 17, 2001

By 

David Traill (Stuart, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Taking Charge: The Johnson White House Tapes, 1963-1964 (Hardcover)

President Lyndon Johnson's tapes are exactly why modern presidents might want to leave the recorders off. We can read all kinds of conversations here- from his domestic problems with civil rights, to his election, to the war in Vietnam. We also can see how tender he was towards his wife, while still having affairs with other women. Michael Beschloss does us all a favor by providing transcripts of the tapes' key moments in the first two years of LBJ's presidency, with background material to explain all of their significance. Vietnam War researchers and U.S. history buffs will need to make this book a guaranteed spot on their shelves. Please note, too, that the auditapes are also available- but not all of the material in the book is found on the tapes.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Book's a knockout; tape's even better., January 16, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Taking Charge: The Johnson White House Tapes, 1963-1964 (Hardcover)

I imagine folks' response to this book/tape will be dependent on their age, how well they remember the days depicted. I remember them well, found both the book and the less
comprehensive tape to be excellent. This is
The Good Lyndon at his best - when the
'threat' of the impending 1964 election kept
him (relatively) honest. No taking it away from
the man, he was one awesome character, one
who *filled* the space he occupied.

Vietnam moments in these conversations -
esp. those in the tape version, which gives the
feel of being a wiretapper on the president's
private line - are heart-rending. It all mightn't
have happened. Johnson foresaw the
consequnces of escalating the war, and yet
he proceeded. We'll have to await Beschloss's
*next* book/tape to understand why.

A great read and an even better listen. Pick up
the tape version for drive-time.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Special opportunity to hear history as it actually happened!, January 12, 2000

By 

Page Turner (Hays, Kansas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Taking Charge: The Johnson White House Tapes 1963 1964 (Audio Cassette)

Found this audio tape absolutely mesmerizing. To hear actual conversations related to hisorical events immediately following President Kennedy's assassnation was both fascinating and enlightening. Gave me an entirely new perspective of LBJ, his character and accomplishments. Also an excellent insight into what really goes on behind the scenes in our nation's capital. A strong reminder that what we read and hear via the news media is often 'less than accurate'. For me, this tape debunked many concepts I held related to LBJ and other political figures, especially Robert Kennedy. I was particularly surprised to hear the amount of respect and warm feelings that LBJ and Jackie Kennedy apparently held for each other. I reccomend this book and/or audio tape to anyone interested in better understanding the nature of our political system. A real eye opener for me. I will never accept the images that our news medial creates about our political leaders again.