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Title: Reaching for Glory : Lyndon Johnson's Secret White House Tapes, 1964-1965 by Michael R. Beschloss ISBN: 0-671-58002-7 Publisher: Audioworks Pub. Date: 01 November, 2001 Format: Audio Cassette Volumes: 4 List Price(USD): $26.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.77 (13 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: A New Way to Do History
Comment: Reaching for Glory is a terrific book, Lyndon Johnson and his times in his own words. The book has two things going for it. First, it gives the reader the ultimate behind the scenes look at the Presidency - and don't forget the critical time portrayed, the aftermath of the assasination of a President, the struggle for civil rights, and the descent into Vietnam. Second, it has been expertly edited by crack Presidential historian Michael Beschloss. Beschloss has done a masterful job of giving helpful information and context is footnotes that never distract the reader. The big revelation in this book is the inner conflict that Johnson felt about escalating U.S. involvement in Vietnam. He knew the U.S. couldn't win; but he couldn't find a way to leave Vietnam while our troop levels still were low, without leaving himself exposed on the domestic political right. Think what you like about LBJ, and even discount what's on the tapes in case you think he was preening for posterity, the fact of the matter is that he was the victim of a cruel and ironic tragedy. I can't recommend this book enough to anyone who is interested in history.
Rating: 5
Summary: NEW APPRECIATION OF JOHNSON
Comment: In rating a book I feel I am usually rating the author as well. However, in books such as this that is based upon transcripts it is hard to truly rate the author. Mr. Beschloss' contribution was limited to doing research to explain the circumstances of the transcripts, choosing the transcripts to use, and the tedious task of transcribing. Original thought, though, is not part of the book. The actual content was provided by Lyndon Johnson and many of the major government movers and shakers of the mid-1960s.
I was a little disappointed and surprised at how "sanitized" the tapes were. I had always thought Johnson's vocabulary was one of the more profane and obscene of all presidents but in both this book and in "Taking Charge" you do not see much evidence of this.
As I read the transcripts I gained a new appreciation for the man. Although I inherited a dislike for the Kennedys and LBJ from my parents, I found myself impressed with many aspects of LBJ. Unlike many others then and now, he was not awed by the Kennedys -- he feared them but was not awed by them. I thought the transcripts of his conversations with Jackie Kennedy in the weeks after the assassination (left out of "Taking Charge" at the request of the Kennedy family) were interesting and even flirtatious as he tried to woo her and keep her friendly while Bobby was becoming less friendly.
I was impressed with the progression into that nightmare in southeast Asia as the President, his senior staff, and Congressional leaders all saw little good coming out of the Vietnam adventure, yet despite their misgivings could not avoid it. There were too many factors that made the decision to escalate that conflict the right choice in the mid-1960s although the risks were well known and the suspicions about the Joint Chiefs of Staff were apparent. Many are critical of President Johnson for publicly proclaiming the conflict as winnable while privately proclaiming the conflict as unwinnable -- yet sending many brave men there anyway. I still recall how the liberal news media proclaiming men such as Senators Church, McGovern, Fulbright, etc as being courageous for being critical of the administration's decision to escalate, but the decision to escalate was in itself was courageous. I also know that Bobby Kennedy was critical of LBJ and that many of President Kennedy's aides and supporters have proclaimed that if JFK had been allowed to serve two full terms we would have pulled out and avoided the problems that LBJ put us through. However, JFK was a politician too. JFK was going to delay any major withdrawals until after the 1964 elections so as to avoid the specter of losing Vietnam during an election campaign. After winning re-election, though, he may have felt compelled to maintain and escalate our involvement because the public was still supportive and to avoid the specter of losing Vietnam during the 1966 mid-term election campaign. After 1966 he may have felt compelled to maintain and escalate our involvement because the public was still supportive and to avoid the specter of losing Vietnam during the 1968 election campaign to choose his successor. And so it goes...
This book covers a short period of the Johnson years. It covers the 1964 campaign and election, the Walter Jenkins sex scandal of October 1964, the crisis in the Dominican Republic in spring 1965, the gradual escalation of forces in Vietnam, etc. I understand Mr. Beschloss is limiting this series to three books so the next book will have a lot to address including the 1966 mid-term elections, the continued escalation of Vietnam and increasing demonstrations against his policies there, race riots, the Pueblo incident, the TET offensive, his decision not to seek re-election, the campaign within the Democratic party to succeed him, the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy, the Chicago convention, the 1968 campaign, the transition to Richard Nixon, etc. Wow! That will be a lot to cover for one book!
Rating: 5
Summary: a must for LBJ enthusiasts!
Comment: I listened to the cassette versions of "Taking Charge" and "Reaching for Glory" when they first appeared. I listened to "Reaching for Glory" again after two LBJ bios and LBJ does indeed come alive. LBJ was, in the words of Robert Dalleck, a flawed giant. So many contradictions, so much hypocrisy - but yet - not... he was just LBJ.
The tape system which proved to be Nixon's downfall was also used by LBJ and JFK. Luckily for us 40 years later, we have wonderful insight into LBJ and the operation of his administration. The cassette versions are abridged, but getting to hear the actual recordings is fantastic. I anxiously await the third volume of the trilogy.
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Title: Taking Charge by Michael R. Beschloss ISBN: 0671046470 Publisher: Audioworks Pub. Date: 01 October, 2001 List Price(USD): $32.00 |
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Title: The Conquerors: Roosevelt, Truman and the Destruction of Hitler's Germany, 1941-1945 by Michael R. Beschloss ISBN: 0684810271 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Pub. Date: 22 October, 2002 List Price(USD): $26.95 |
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Title: The Presidents : From Washington to Bush - Every President In Depth by Michael R. Beschloss ISBN: 0743475003 Publisher: I Books Pub. Date: 01 May, 2003 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title: Master of the Senate : The Years of LBJ, Vol. III by Robert A. Caro ISBN: 0394720954 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 25 April, 2003 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: The Path to Power (The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Volume 1) by Robert A. Caro ISBN: 0679729453 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 17 February, 1990 List Price(USD): $19.00 |
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