Product Description

In his eight years as president from 1945 to 1953, Harry S. Truman made some of the most important decisions in U.S. history, particularly in foreign policy matters. This book contains transcripts of conversations with Harry Truman from taped interviews in 1959. The probing questions and straightforward answers cover a wide variety of domestic and foreign policy issues ranging from civil rights in the South to using the atomic bomb on Japan.

This book provides a vivid portrait of Truman, “warts and all.” Through his answers to questions, the threads of his political loyalty, bluntness, frustration, decency, thrift, humanity, and humor become a tapestry of his presidential character. His intense pride and manner surface especially as he explains bitter political and domestic controversies, as well as foreign policy decisions.

These interviews reveal Truman’s bedrock foundation of deeply held political beliefs as he gives thoughtful answers to queries about major political issues. In addition, he discusses American presidential history; Congressional leaders such as Sam Rayburn and Lyndon Johnson; Supreme Court Justices; and dozens of other well-known political leaders, including Dwight D. Eisenhower, Adlai Stevenson, and John F. Kennedy. In similar fashion, he describes numerous foreign leaders, including Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Winston Churchill, and Chiang Kai-Shek.

Evident as well is his firm loyalty to the United States, his family, his friends, and the Democratic Party. Truman also divulges some of his personal dislikes, particularly of political opponents such as Richard M. Nixon and, for over a decade after 1952, Dwight D. Eisenhower. However, his personal resentments are more than matched by his fair-minded judgments of former President Herbert Hoover, American farmers, laborers, and racial groups.

Discovered by Ralph Weber at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library, the interviews were originally to be used as background for Truman’s book, Mr. Citizen (1960), but most of Truman’s observations and answers were not included in that book. Professor Weber has omitted very little of the original transcripts and has kept the conversations in the same order, revealing the ebb and flow of the questioning. He includes an introduction, annotations, brief biographies of the people Truman discusses in the interviews, and photographs to provide context for the reader.

Talking with Harry will fascinate all those interested in American history and the presidency.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2654275 in Books
• Published on: 2001-03-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 388 pages

Review
"These well-edited conversations reveal Truman at his best—and his worst.” -- Thomas G. Paterson, Author of On Every Front: The Making and Unmaking of the Cold War

These are unusually expressed opinions from a unique American political mind.” -- - Walter LaFeber, Noll Professor of History, Cornell University

Customer Reviews

Harry gives 'em hell............and a lot more!!!
Reading this book offers you a unique experience: suddenly you begin to think you're like you're being in a room with Harry S. Truman, or like you're strolling through town with him. Of course, mr. Truman does most of the talking, accompanying with loud laughing, grinning and gesturing. He is outspoken in his likes and dislikes, in his judgements of people, places and events, and yet modest about his own important role in history.

A delightful man, humourous, and sharp, but also a highly intelligent one, made all the more so by his down-to-earth ordinary-citizen-common ense. He really had that, it was not some gimmick or spin-doctored image-trick. In my opinion Harry S. Truman was the last American statesman of whom one could truthfully say: what you see (and what you hear) is what you get.
And even such a statement, doesn't cover it, because Truman gave his country more than his farmer's wit, his snappy one-liners, and his plain-spoken common sense. He turned out to possess true and profound wisdom: he devised, shaped and carried out new foreign policies, new internal policies and proved to be a great and visionary president in a time when America and the world really needed one. He took some tough decisions which, in the end, all turned out to be the right ones (dropping the bomb on Japan, sacking MacArthur, getting involved in Korea, desegregating the armed forces).

He truly was, from 1945 to 1952, the right man for the job, more than that, he was the best man for the job. In 1952 the best man of all possible candidates in the American politicial landscape did not win the presidency, but a far better man than many did lose it.
Having lost, Truman did not fret, brood and rage, but with dignity handed the reins of power over to Eisenhower and simply went back to Missouri.

Hearing mr. Truman, reading his words, one realizes people of his stature are sadly lacking in today's world. One can't help but shiver in pained horror thinking of those power-hungry intellectual and moral pygmies who govern your country now, or when thinking of the unprincpled and egotistical intellectual and moral pygmies who are trying to get to govern your country in two years time. Mr Bush and Mr Cheney, but also you Mrs Clinton: you're not even fit to wash Mr Truman's car, walk his dog, or shine his shoes.

A great book about a truly great man. I raced through the book and at the end was left wishing it to be longer.
So now I started in David McCullough's "Truman". A 1000 pages of Harry, his life and times. That should keep me a while.

Buy "Talking with Harry"!! It's well worth the money, the time and the effort. Be educated, entertained and touched by the words of the 33rd President. Highly recommended.