Plain Speaking

Description

This candid biography was drawn from never-aired TV interviews filmed in early 1962 when former U.S. President Harry Truman was 77 and retired nine years. Harry S. Truman (1884-1972) had character, courage, and strong views, as is evident on each page. Truman provides straight answers to questions about his childhood, military service, and days as County Administrator, Senator (which Truman liked best), and President (1945-1953). Truman easily discusses tough issues like dropping the bomb on Japan, the Marshall Plan, and Korea. He praises associates Omar Bradley, Dean Acheson, Herbert Hoover, and especially George Marshall. He also shows scorn for wealthy special interests, Douglas McArthur ("Mr. Brass Hat"), Dwight Eisenhower ("difficult"), Richard Nixon ("Shifty-eyed…Liar"), and sees President Kennedy as capable but too young. Truman lacked a college education, but we see how his prolific reading in history and literature proved invaluable. The author/interviewer speaks with some of Truman's friends and relatives, but no critics, and he seldom challenges the President's responses as a good interviewer occasionally must. As a result, this highly engaging book is a bit thin and one-sided. Merle Miller (1919-1984) admitted that during the course of these interviews he went from Truman skeptic to fan. This is an engaging and revealing look at one of America's better President's.