Truman in the White House: The Diary of Eben A. Ayers [Hardcover]

Robert Ferrell (Editor, Commentary)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1991

As assistant press secretary to President Harry S. Truman, Eben A. Ayers brought with him twenty-six years of experience as a newspaperman.  He knew when he had a good story and knew how to record it.  His private diary, which he kept unbeknownst to his associates, tells the inside story of the Truman White House clearly, colorfully, and with an acute sense of history.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ayers, who was assistant White House press secretary from 1945 through most of 1950, begins his voluminous diary with the words "President Roosevelt died today." Here he describes the confusion and uncertainty of the White House as the new president organized his administration and oversaw the conclusion of the war in Europe and Asia. Ayers offers no major revelations on such issues of the day as the unification of the armed services, labor conflicts, the Korean War. Instead, the considerable attraction of the diary (edited to one-quarter of its original length) lies in his portrait of Harry S. Truman in a casual mode--playing poker, having a drink with cronies and tossing off such remarks as "I don't want power. It means nothing to me." We learn the names of those on Truman's "s-t list" and of men he regarded as "a s. of a b." (most prominent is Charles de Gaulle). Ayers emphasizes the president's tendency to shoot from the hip during press conferences and the staff's struggle to repair the damage that sometimes resulted.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Ayers served as assistant press secretary to President Truman from 1945 to 1950. He kept a private diary of his activities, including a record of daily White House staff meetings. Presidential scholar Ferrell excerpts a quarter of the half-million-word journal for publication, with concise annotations to provide historical context. The diary illuminates Truman's thoughts on the events and individuals that dominated this turbulent period, as well as the character and opinions of his closest advisors. While Ayers can be critical of Truman and other members of his administration, he is largely sympathetic toward the President, and a warm relationship between the two is evident throughout the diary. The work covers familiar territory and produces little new information, but its perspective and readable style recommend it to academic and large public libraries.
-Stephen L. Hupp, Capital Univ. Lib., Columbus, Ohio
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
  
• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: University of Missouri; 1 edition (November 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0826207901
• ISBN-13: 978-0826207906
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,876,007 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)