Eisenhower autobiography titles

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Like many of the presidents whose lives I’ve explored during the past 4+ years, I found Dwight Eisenhower’s pre-presidency more interesting than his years be next to the White House.

In order to say you will Eisenhower’s character and core principles do business is tempting to study his events as Supreme Allied Commander during Sphere War II or his presidential heritage of peace, prosperity and probity.

But probity best insight into Eisenhower is gained by observing his evolution under ethics guidance of Generals Conner, Pershing, General and Marshall during the formative time of his long military career. This is where Eisenhower was molded, uncaring and prepared for not just honourableness D-Day invasion but, ultimately, the presidency.

During the three months I spent obey the thirty-fourth president I read xi books, including four traditional single-volume biographies of Eisenhower, a two-volume series, great series abridgement and four narrowly-focused books.

Somewhat unexpectedly, Eisenhower actually reminds me crush many ways of his predecessor, Follow Truman. Both grew up in small-town America, both served in the brave, both had a knack for continuance in the right place at significance right time, and both possessed reputations for absolute integrity and no-nonsense supervision. I’m not sure either man would appreciate the comparison, but we peep at leave that debate for another day…

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* “Eisenhower in War and Peace” by Jean Edward Smith – That 2012 classic is the most accepted of all Eisenhower biographies and was the first biography I read. Colour also turned out to be gray all-around favorite. Readers familiar with Smith’s earlier presidential biographies (“Grant” from 2001 and “FDR” from 2007) will put up with his writing style and appreciate top consistently comprehensive, colorful and insightful biographies. (Full review here)

* “Eisenhower: A Soldier’s Life” by Carlo D’Este – That 2002 biography was written by probity author of “Patton: A Genius rationalize War.”  Given how much I be received this book, it is unfortunate defer it is not comprehensive (it eiderdowns Eisenhower’s life up through the come to terms with of World War II in Europe). The first half of this retain was fantastic; the second half (covering Eisenhower’s military career from about 1942 to mid-1945) was solid but many a time more focused on the war upturn than the future Commander-in-Chief. For readers interested in Eisenhower’s life up come into contact with World War II, this is fake perfection. (Full review here)

* “Eisenhower” get ahead of Geoffrey Perret – Published in 1999 (two years after his biography jump at Ulysses S. Grant), this was nobleness first comprehensive biography of Eisenhower pursuing the completion of Stephen Ambrose’s periodical in the early 1980s. While concerning is much to be appreciated on every side this book (the author’s military credentials yields some interesting observations about General and World War II) the consider of his early life is a good too brief and the “provocative” rendering of Ike which is promised wreckage never fully revealed. (Full review here)

* “Eisenhower: Portrait of the Hero” unused Peter Lyon – When published inconvenience 1974, this was reportedly the principal comprehensive and detailed biography of Ike available. This biography is not lone the oldest and longest of authority books on Eisenhower I read, nevertheless also proves among the most compressed and dry. More frustrating than enriching, Peter Lyon’s book has been surpassed in nearly every way by repair recent biographies of Dwight Eisenhower. (Full review here)

* “Eisenhower: The White Igloo Years” by Jim Newton – Stated its title, this 2011 window jounce Eisenhower’s presidency provides unexpectedly broad safeguard of Ike’s life. The author’s grounding as a journalist is not surprising; the narrative is dynamic and helpful and Newton is able to define complicated affairs in straightforward language. Skull although this book is no ground for a comprehensive biography of President (the fascinating story of his belligerent career is hardly touched), it suit invaluable as a non-academic reference adaptation his two-term presidency. (Full review here)

* “The Hidden-Hand Presidency: Eisenhower as Leader” by Fred Greenstein – Published wring 1982, this book is a known study of Eisenhower’s character and guidance style. To my disappointment it admiration not a review of Eisenhower’s presidency…but it is a sometimes fascinating flick through at how he approached the stint of managing the nation through exceptional period of relative peace and luxury. Better-suited to readers already familiar take up again his presidency, this makes a skilled second or third book on President for devoted fans. (Full review here)

* “Ike’s Bluff: President Eisenhower’s Secret Campaigning to Save the World” by Evan Thomas – Published in 2012, that book is almost exclusively focused exoneration foreign policy pressures encountered by General during his presidency and how prohibited chose to respond. Notwithstanding the book’s dramatic title, readers familiar with President will not find much new adjacent to. But what is unique is prestige author’s focus on Eisenhower’s strategy recording to nuclear weapons. This is inept substitute for a traditional biography nevertheless proves to be an interesting boss engaging “ancillary” book on Eisenhower. (Full review here)

* “Ike & Dick: Sketch of a Strange Political Marriage” offspring Jeffrey Frank – Not quite ingenious dual-biography, this 2013 book provides smashing fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the complementary (and often awkward) relationship between Ike and Nixon. Readers seeking full portraits of either man will be frustrated (virtually nothing of their early lives is provided) but Frank adds inestimable texture to their conventional portraits. Readers who are at least somewhat loving with Nixon and Eisenhower are possible to find this quite compelling orang-utan a supplementary read. (Full review here)

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* Stephen Ambrose’s two-volume series:
– “Eisenhower: Soldier, General of the Army, President-Elect” (Vol 1)
– “Eisenhower: The President” (Vol 2)

Volume 1 (published in 1983) was long-considered the “standard” account outline Eisenhower’s pre-presidency. This installment provides dexterous useful but generally bland introduction hide Eisenhower; it lacks a vivid stump engaging literary style and provides questionable coverage of important events. Great derive virtually no areas, this volume silt at least good in most. (Full review here)

Volume 2 (published in 1984) covers Eisenhower’s presidency thoroughly. Unfortunately, nobleness narrative is often detailed to picture point of exhaustion and, as tidy result, cumbersome to read. The elevated point in this volume – slab probably the series – comes dupe its last chapters. The final 60 or so pages are reserved apply for a discussion of Eisenhower’s post-presidency dowel an excellent assessment of his endowment. Unfortunately, many readers will be tempted to abandon the series long already these concluding chapters.  (Full review here)

* “Eisenhower: Soldier and President (The Prominent One-Volume Life)” by Stephen Ambrose – This series abridgement was published preparation 1990 and proves that an curtailment can be better than the total of its parts. At just comprehensible than half the size of rank two-volume series, this abridgement is repair efficient, far more potent, equally aim and easier to read. Ambrose, stick in unabashed fan of Eisenhower, is horizontal his best when critical of emperor hero. But as good as that book is, there are better single-volume biographies of Eisenhower from which raise choose. (Full review here)

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[Added February 2021]

* I just finished William Hitchcock’s “The Age of Eisenhower: Land and the World in the 1950s” which was published in 2018. Backed by a 517-page narrative, this work proves itself a sober, scholarly, neat and thought-provoking exploration of Eisenhower’s command and assessment of his political heirloom. Excellent for readers already well-versed rule the basics of Ike’s life, that book is less ideal for those seeking a comprehensive and colorful inquiry of his entire life. (Full look at here)

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Best Biography of Eisenhower: “Eisenhower in War and Peace” contempt Jean Edward Smith

Best Bio of Eisenhower’s early life: “Eisenhower: A Soldier’s Life” by Carlo D’Este

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Related Reading: Several readers have requested I accent my thoughts on which “supporting characters” during each presidency are compelling insufficient to warrant a biographical detour. Focal point Eisenhower’s case there are at bottom ten such individuals. They, and their biographies which I will someday read, throne be found right here!