The main thing I can say about this book is that it is lots of fun. First of all, I like President Truman. He is one of my 3 or 4 favorite Presidents. Secondly, the story in this tale is quite remarkable---a capsule in time from 1953.
After relinquishing the Presidency to Eisenhower in January of 1953, Harry and his bride Bess returned to their home in Independence. Truman was the last President to leave office without the benefit of Secret Service protection and the last chief executive to return to private life without a government pension. In June of 1953 the Trumans took a personal automobile trip from Missouri to Washington D.C., to NYC, and then back to Independence by CAR driving on their own. This is the amazing story told in this book.
All of his life Harry Truman loved automobiles. For this trip he picked a new Chrysler New Yorker. It was quite a luxury car for its time. In writing this book, the author tracked down the car. It is today in private hands. Bess was supposed to keep at 55 MPH. Of course, this was long before interstates. We are so used to interstate we cannot imagine anymore traveling long distances without them.
Back and forth across the country the Trumans stayed in motels before there were motel chains like Holiday Inn, and they stayed sometimes with friends. They ate out in eating establishments like regular people. Wherever they stopped, they created attention either in their public showings or by local law enforcement that wanted to protect them.
Truman was also the last President not to make money off of being an ex-President. He could have sat on boards and make speeches for money but he declined to do so. Nowadays every President makes big money from being an ex-President. Truman had to worry about money the rest of his life. Ex-Presidents had no pensions when he left the office in 1953. He had to pay all of his own living expenses, and it was a struggle for Mr. Truman.
HST was our last President without a college degree, but by his extensive reading in history and biography it was no matter.
Truman despised Richard Nixon but was forced to stand for a picture with him when he visited Capitol Hill. On the other hand, Democrats welcomed him back with open arms, and he got to visit his old Senate desk. It was heart-warming for me to read about the affection that was still in the country for Truman, who left office with a low approval rating due to Korea and 20 years of Democratic control of the office.
Truman set an example in continuing to speak out on politics after her left office. The author says he was the first former President to do so.
Though President Truman integrated the armed forces (over the objections of Eisenhower) he was insensitive to the civil rights movement and to objectors to the Viet Nam War. These are perhaps the only objections I have to the man.
One quote from Truman that I have always loved: "I do not understand how anyone can be a Republican." I agree wholeheartedly.
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