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Prizewinning historian Glen Jeansonne delves into the life of our most misunderstood president, offering up a surprising new portrait of Herbert Hoover—dismissing previous assumptions and revealing a political Progressive in the mold of Theodore Roosevelt, and the most resourceful American since Benjamin Franklin.
Orphaned at an early age and raised with strict Quaker values, Hoover earned his way through Stanford University. His hardworking ethic drove him to a successful career as an engineer and multinational businessman. After the Great War, he led a humanitarian effort that fed millions of Europeans left destitute, arguably saving more lives than any man in history. As commerce secretary under President Coolidge, Hoover helped modernize and galvanize American industry, and orchestrated the rehabilitation of the Mississippi Valley after the Great Flood of 1927.
As president, Herbert Hoover became the first chief executive to harness federal power to combat a crippling global recession. Though Hoover is often remembered as a “do-nothing” president, Jeansonne convincingly portrays a steadfast leader who challenged congress on an array of legislation that laid the groundwork for the New Deal. In addition, Hoover reformed America’s prisons, improved worker safety, and fought for better health and welfare for children. Unfairly attacked by Franklin D. Roosevelt and blamed for the Depression, Hoover was swept out of office in a landslide. Yet as FDR’s government grew into a bureaucratic behemoth, Hoover became the moral voice of the GOP and a champion of Republican principles—a legacy re-ignited by Ronald Reagan and which still endures today.
A compelling and rich examination of his character, accomplishments and failings, this is the magnificent biography of Herbert Hoover we have long waited for.
INCLUDES PHOTOS
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
October 4, 2016 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781524702731
- File size: 474579 KB
- Duration: 16:28:42
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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This audiobook is a straightforward attempt to defend the 31st president--often considered to have been ineffectual during the worst economic period in the nation's history, the Great Depression. Straightforward is an accurate description of how narrator Mark Deakins approaches his task. Deakins has a deep, authoritative voice, terrific diction, and a great sense of pacing, which make this lengthy work interesting. He's easy to listen to, and although he doesn't commit specifically to character voices, he does pause and accentuate quotes so it's easy for the listener to identify who is speaking. The audiobook itself tends to laud Hoover without much discussion of where he fell short, so the general reader will have to look elsewhere to fill in some of the history. Nonetheless, Deakins delivers a consistent audio experience. R.I.G. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine -
August 8, 2016
Drawing deeply on Hoover’s archives and previous biographies, Jeansonne (The Life of Herbert Hoover: Fighting Quaker, 1928–1933), emeritus professor of history at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, energetically paints a colorful, revisionist portrait of America’s oft-maligned 31st president. Jeansonne chronicles Hoover’s journey from his Iowa childhood through his years at Stanford, his stints as a successful mining engineer overseas, his humanitarian work helping American refugees stranded in Europe in the early days of WWI, and his election as president in 1928. Soon afterward, the American economy started its spiral into the years of the Great Depression. Rather than fashion a government bureaucracy that would remain in place after the crisis, Hoover supported decentralized programs that operated at a grassroots level. In spite of Hoover’s efforts, Jeansonne points out, political critics and the public blamed Hoover for the crash and the subsequent economic hardships, and he lost the 1932 presidential election to Franklin D. Roosevelt. Returning to his California home, Hoover was often mocked for his work in the White House, but between defeat and his death in October 1964, Hoover turned his attention to writing, political diplomacy, and humanitarian work. Jeansonne’s detailed account presents a novel vision of Hoover and his place in American life. Agent: Bridget Matzie, Zachary Shuster Harmsworth.
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