Truman

David McCullough

Aug 2003 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this eBook

The Pulitzer Prize–winning biography of Harry S. Truman, whose presidency included momentous events from the atomic bombing of Japan to the outbreak of the Cold War and the Korean War, told by America’s beloved and distinguished historian.

The life of Harry S. Truman is one of the greatest of American stories, filled with vivid characters—Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin, Eleanor Roosevelt, Bess Wallace Truman, George Marshall, Joe McCarthy, and Dean Acheson—and dramatic events. In this riveting biography, acclaimed historian David McCullough not only captures the man—a more complex, informed, and determined man than ever before imagined—but also the turbulent times in which he rose, boldly, to meet unprecedented challenges. The last president to serve as a living link between the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries, Truman’s story spans the raw world of the Missouri frontier, World War I, the powerful Pendergast machine of Kansas City, the legendary Whistle-Stop Campaign of 1948, and the decisions to drop the atomic bomb, confront Stalin at Potsdam, send troops to Korea, and fire General MacArthur. Drawing on newly discovered archival material and extensive interviews with Truman’s own family, friends, and Washington colleagues, McCullough tells the deeply moving story of the seemingly ordinary “man from Missouri” who was perhaps the most courageous president in our history.

Ratings and reviews

Finished reading this afternoon. Last night as I passed the section on the Fall of 1951, I commented to my co-worker that my birth was not mentioned! Fortunately, McCullough kept his eye on the ball and stayed focused on all the right things. All through my growing up years and young adulthood, my Baptist parents and grandparents were rather ashamed of Harry Truman, who at that time was the only Baptist president they knew of. They were ashamed of him because of his foul language. Indeed, in this volume I could have used a little less myself. But I was intrigued with why he became such a vulgar man in the first place. It was interesting to me that while he had some church elements to his life, he did not seem to be a man of faith, at least not in McCullough's portrayal. Yet it was fascinating seeing the politicians (and sometimes celebrities) of my lifetime come and go from the story. It was remarkable how many world events were crammed into Truman's term in office. I am glad I read this biography, for while I reject much of his liberal philosophy, he was not too small for the office. He was a success of whom we can all be proud. I am.

David McCullough brings Truman alive, demonstrating his virtues and flaws. This point of view only increased my respect for a man who tried so hard to find his balance in a world that had tilted on its axis.

A great book. A bit heavy, it is a thick book to get through but, one that really holds you interested. Walking you through the growth of Truman and through his political career. A book I would recomend to anyone who knows very little or a great deal about Truman.

About the author

David McCullough (1933–2022) twice received the Pulitzer Prize, for Truman and John Adams, and twice received the National Book Award, for The Path Between the Seas and Mornings on Horseback. His other acclaimed books include The Johnstown Flood, The Great Bridge, Brave Companions, 1776, The Greater Journey, The American Spirit, The Wright Brothers, and The Pioneers. He was the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award. Visit DavidMcCullough.com.