Product Description

The president's grandson, the son of Margaret Truman, reflects on the legacy of his ever-popular grandfather, his childhood in the midst of privilege, and the academic and professional failures that resulted from his drinking problem. National ad/promo.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1083050 in Books
• Published on: 1995-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 228 pages

From Publishers Weekly
"We had not known each other very well," writes Daniel of his 88-year-old grandfather's death in 1972; hence, despite the book's title, readers are given disappointingly cursory glimpses of the president, who nevertheless brightens this tedious, self-indulgent recreation of the author's descent into alcoholism and drugs and rehabilitation. As his parents?mystery novelist Truman and retired New York Times managing editor Daniel?observe in their dutiful-sounding foreword, their eldest son was a "good-time Charlie" who remade himself. Born in 1957 into a notably accomplished family, the author was dogged by feelings of failure that were exacerbated by parents he considered undemonstrative toward him and their other three sons. Yet while he complains of the lack of parental hugs, he apparently does not recognize the love expressed by his father's willingness to risk humiliation in a group therapy session at his son's detoxification center (rather than participate, his mother went on a book tour). The author, a journalist in North Carolina and an occasional actor, married and the father of two, comes across as likable enough, even when one loses patience with his bleating against the way he was raised (including his mother's failure to breast-feed him). Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Grandfather Harry S. Truman left his mark on Clifton T. Daniel, as did Daniel's mother, Margaret, and perhaps most of all his father and namesake, Clifton Daniel, New York Times managing editor. But it takes Daniel much of this autobiography, as it took most of his life, to recognize that the blame or credit for his failures and successes is primarily his own. Fatherhood seems to have had a major impact on this maturation, although by then he had already conquered, or at least controlled, his serious problems with drugs and alcohol. Amid the complaints and tales of woe are some fascinating insights into Harry Truman--as grandfather and family man--and scarcer views of Truman's daughter, Margaret, as a mother. Readers looking for presidential gossip will find little, but Daniel's tale of Lyndon Johnson, in his pajamas on the day after the inauguration, is among the more amusing elements in this soul-searching autobiography. Denise Perry Donavin

Customer Reviews

History comes alive
Very interesting book about what it was like to grow up with a historical figure in the family. The author talks about how having a famous grandfather influenced his life. The author also talks about his experiences in and around Washington and his perspective on them from "the inside".

A decent read
I thought how interesting it would be to have a grandparent who became the President of this country. Mr. Daniel did not have much to say about that aspect of his life. President Truman died when Daniel was 15.

What Mr. Daniel wrote about was a son who had famous parents and turned to alcohol and drugs to deal with his inferiority complex.