From School Library Journal
Gr 5-8-Born in 1874 in Iowa, Hoover came from a very humble background and was raised as a Quaker. Orphaned as a child, he spent his youth in Oregon with an uncle and his family. When he graduated with a degree in geology from Stanford University (which had no tuition at the time), he embarked upon a profitable career in mining before entering government service. Holford relates how Hoover's religious upbringing heavily influenced his courses of action as a public figure and how it also led to barriers in cooperation and communication. It becomes obvious why Hoover earned the reputation as being insensitive and uncaring. The author does not portray him as heartless, but as an individual who was rigid in his outlook and not very personable. A more humane side of Hoover is presented, one that is frank and understanding. Overall, this biography is insightful. The black-and-white illustrations, consisting of a few photographs and copies of source documents, are average in quality. The writing is lucid, and the information is not overwhelming. What emerges is a good understanding of a president whose contributions have been overshadowed by his leadership flaws.-Jeanette Lambert, Nashville Metropolitan Schools, TN
Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an alternate Library Binding edition.
