A Time for Reflection: An Autobiography [Hardcover]

William E. Simon (Author), Gerald R. Ford (Author), George P. Shultz (Author), John M. Caher (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2003

William E Simon-quintessential American figure of the American century: Wall Street wunderkind, treasury secretary under Presidents Nixon and Ford, successful entrepreneur, US Olympic Committee president, best-selling author, pioneering philanthropist, and devout Catholic. Simon's insightful and often humorous autobiography, A Time for Reflection, includes a diverse cast of characters whose lives intersected with Simon's: from the president and his advisers at the White House; to the highest realms of the Catholic Church (in particular, Cardinal Egan), to celebrities, like actress Meryl Streep; and sports figures, like basketball coach Bobby Knight. In A Time for Reflection, Simon offers us some behind-the-scenes glimpses of history being made, including: President Nixon as Simon knew him, both in office and after; How Simon confronted Ronald Reagan during the Republican convention in 1980 to help nix the idea of a co-presidency with Gerald Ford; The tumult of the 1980 Moscow Olympic games, boycotted by the United States, and the 1984 Los Angeles games, boycotted by the Soviet Union; How Simon battled the Arab 'oil crisis' as 'energy czar' for President Nixon; Simon's fight in the Ford administration against Vice President Nelson Rockefeller on how to help a bankrupt New York City; Making the case for freedom with his best-selling books A Time for Truth and A Time for Action. Simon's fascinating life also encompassed sailing adventures -- including conquering the Northwest Passage from Alaska to Greenland and being named king by a group of Fiji islanders -- as well as adventures of the soul: giving away millions to charity; becoming a eucharistic minister; and helping to care for the sick, the poor, and the dying. William E Simon passed away on June 2000, but his autobiography, written in conjunction with and completed by John M Caher, is now published for the first time, a testimony to one of the truly impressive Americans of the twentieth century.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

If Bill Simon had something on his mind, he said it. Outspoken and honest to a fault, Simon was a man of action, a man who loved taking risks and beating the odds. His admirers spoke of his passion, his sharp intelligence and his conviction, while his enemies labeled him "controversial" and "William the Terrible," among other things. He is well known as secretary of the treasury under Presidents Nixon and Ford, but Simon, who died in June 2000, wore many hats, from Wall Street phenom to U.S. Olympic Committee president and explorer. His last book, written with and completed by John M. Caher, offers an inside look into this extraordinary life, from his boyhood days, to his Wall Street successes, to his political adventures. While in Washington, Simon began to develop his penchant for private enterprise into a cohesive political philosophy. He studied free-market principles and encouraged their application to public policy. In the following years, he became a major figure in the conservative movement, supporting Reagan and backing and presiding over a conservative think tank, the Olin Foundation. No doubt, those of a more liberal bent will find Simon's ideas infuriating. But Simon has garnered a broad readership and many will find his book thoroughly engaging. It is not shy about Simon's politics, but unlike Simon's previous books, it is not strictly a forum for the author's conservative views. It is, more accurately, the story of Simon's life, an articulate and inspiring read, and an absorbing look at the financial and political worlds seen through the eyes of an endearingly forthright man.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From the Publisher

William E. Simon-quintessential American figure of the American century: Wall Street wunderkind, treasury secretary under Presidents Nixon and Ford, successful entrepreneur, U.S. Olympic Committee president, best-selling author, pioneering philanthropist, and devout Catholic.

Simon's insightful and often humorous autobiography, A Time for Reflection, includes a diverse cast of characters whose lives intersected with Simon's: from the president and his advisers at the White House; to the highest realms of the Catholic Church (in particular, Cardinal Egan), to celebrities, like actress Meryl Streep; and sports figures, like basketball coach Bobby Knight.

In A Time for Reflection, Simon offers us some behind-the-scenes glimpses of history being made, including:

* President Nixon as Simon knew him, both in office and after

* How Simon confronted Ronald Reagan during the Republican convention in 1980 to help nix the idea of a co-presidency with Gerald Ford

* The tumult of the 1980 Moscow Olympic games, boycotted by the United States, and the 1984 Los Angeles games, boycotted by the Soviet Union

* How Simon battled the Arab "oil crisis" as "energy czar" for President Nixon

* Simon's fight in the Ford administration against Vice President Nelson Rockefeller on how to help a bankrupt New York City

* Making the case for freedom with his best-selling books A Time for Truth and A Time for Action

Simon's fascinating life also encompassed sailing adventures-including conquering the Northwest Passage from Alaska to Greenland and being named king by a group of Fiji islanders-as well as adventures of the soul: giving away millions to charity; becoming a eucharistic minister; and helping to care for the sick, the poor, and the dying.

William E. Simon passed away on June 2000, but his autobiography, written in conjunction with and completed by John M. Caher, is now published for the first time, a testimony to one of the truly impressive Americans of the twentieth century.

Coauthor John M. Caher, currently Albany bureau chief for the New York Law Journal, is a journalist and author. He lives in Clifton, N.Y., with his wife and three daughters.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Regnery Publishing; 1St Edition edition (December 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0895261707
• ISBN-13: 978-0895261700
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,733,236 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Noble, Extraordinary Life, February 29, 2004

By 

Steve Iaco (northern new jersey) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Time for Reflection: An Autobiography (Hardcover)

William Simon's is an extraordinary lifestory, and reading his memoir, published posthumously this year following his death in 2000, was thoroughly enjoyable. Simon's life had so many incarnations -- prescient Wall Street trader, principled public servant (energy czar and treasury secretary), conservative intellectual, pathbreaking merchant banker, champion of the U.S. Olympic movement, philanthropist, intrepid adventurer, Eucharistic Minister -- that it's hard to fathom one person leading such an eclectic, richly diverse life.

Known for his sharp opinions while in public office, Simon is largely magnanimous in recounting his life experiences. For example, he declines to elaborate on the reasons for his falling out with a longtime colleague and business partner, saying only that he trusted someone he thought was his friend. He pulls no puches, however, in expressing outrage at wrongheaded government decisions, such as the 1989 FIRREA Act (which suddenly made struggling S&Ls insolvent), Pres. Carter's Olympic boycott (which accomplished little other than prompting Soviet retaliation four years later) and foolish government meddling in the oil market (rationing, price controls, etc. which largely created the 1970s energy "crisis").

The memoir offers several colorful, revealing anecdotes. For example, Simon's pointed counsel to Ronald Reagan, urging him to drop former Pres Ford from consideration for the Vice Presidency. (I never heard or read of this before; Lou Cannon makes no mention of it in his new biography of Reagan's pre-presidential years.) Also, Simon's confrontation -- nearly leading to blows -- with an inebriated Vice President Rockefeller. This is fascinating stuff.

Equally fascinating are the chapters on Simon's pioneering role in the use of Leverage Buyouts to restore underperforming companies to sound profitability. Simon eschewed hostile LBOs, preferring to work cooperatively with, and empowering, management, and deftly abandonded the business when it attracted a surfeit of "takeover artist" capital in the late 1980s.

Simon's separation from, and reconcilliation with, his wife of 40 years is particularly poignant, as is his ministry to indigent AIDs patients and other destitute people. The caring and compassion behind a gruff -- sometimes mercurial exterior -- is palpable.

William Simon led an amazing, noble life. Emulating such an extraordinary human being is beyond the reach of most of us. But thanks to this new book, we can at least read about and admire him. Highly recommended.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Bill Simon's autobiography, November 30, 2009

By 

Gene Youngreen (Roseville, California) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Time for Reflection: An Autobiography (Hardcover)

A Time for Reflection is most interesting if ou have read "A Time For Truth".
A picture of the author obtained in Reflection in this case reinforced the
importance of the prior book, Time for Truth. i.e. The value of Constitutional Freedoms are illustrated in economic as well as moral values.
For me "Time For Truth" made clear the lack of understanding most government employees have of the impact of their decisions.

For me three Stars