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Truman
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Plot Summary of Truman
"McCullough challenges a commonly held view of history that Harry S Truman was nothing more than a common man of mediocre abilities who became President almost by accident, and owed his political success to his loyalty to the Democratic party and the Kansas City political bosses. Instead, the author acquaints the reader with a highly intelligent, competent and complex man, and a highly principled politician whose ability to judge the character of others enabled him to select outstanding men like Dean Acheson and George Marshall to serve in his administration; a Chief Executive capable of making some of the most momentous decisions of the twentieth century, such as ordering the use of the atomic bomb against Japan in 1945, integrating the Armed Forces in 1948, and firing General Douglas MacArthur in 1951.

"Truman" is above all a fair and balanced portrait of one of the most unique and greatest of American Presidents. This extraordinarily well written book is destined to be the biography of Harry S Truman against which all others will be measured. "

Mike Powers, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of Truman
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
job/profession: - politician
Job/profession/poverty story Yes
Politician story? - Politician trying to reform
Period of greatest activity? - 1900+

Subject of Biography
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - politician/elected ruler
Age: - long lived adults
Biography of famous person? Yes
Ethnicity - White
Nationality - American (!)
How sensitive is this person? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other people
Physique - average physique

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 3 (some)
United States Yes
The US: - Midwest
Century: - 1930's-1950's

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death
Book makes you feel? - encouraged
Commentary on society? Yes
Commentary on - race - decency - capitalism - war - justice system
Writer's slant towards subject: - favorable
Story of entire life, or part? - story of nearly entire life
Pictures/Illustrations? - A ton 16-20 B&W
How much dialogue in bio? - significantly more descript than dialog
How much of bio focuses on most famous period of life? - 51%-75% of book
How much is philosophy rather than life story? - 0-25% of book
Most similar books to Truman
The Illusion of Victory – America in World War I by Thomas Fleming
Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Champion of Freedom by Conrad Black
The Last Lion: Visions of Glory, 1874-1932 by William Manchester
The Last Lion: Alone 1932-1940 by William Manchester
Victoria and Disraeli by Theo Aronson


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David McCullough Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Yosef Shapiro  

SCHOLARS:
Mike Powers  


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