Synopses & Reviews
Lyndon Johnson's secretly recorded tapes offer us the only chance we are ever likely to have to eavesdrop on an American President from his first moments in office until the end. This universally acclaimed volume captures LBJ's private passions and bedrock beliefs as he takes command after John Kennedy's assassination; makes his first fateful decisions on civil rights, poverty, and Vietnam; and runs against Barry Goldwater for President. Michael Beschloss's observations and annotations enhance our understanding of Johnson, his era, and his lasting impact on American politics and culture.
Review
Hugh Brogan The Spectator No one seriously or frivolously interested in American history and politics should leave this book unread....A stupendous, unstudied self-portrait....If [later volumes of andlt;Iandgt;The Johnson White House Tapesandlt;/Iandgt;] are the equals of this one for insight into the very heart of high politics, then a classic is in the making.
Review
Michiko Kakutani The New York Times Compelling...as expertly selected, edited, and footnoted by Beschloss, the conversations form a fascinating record of the first nine months of Johnson's administration, providing new insights into his character and a revealing look at the day-to-day workings of his presidency and the crucial decisions he would make on Vietnam and civil rights.
Review
Alan Brinkley The New York Times Book Review andlt;Iandgt;[Taking Charge]andlt;/Iandgt; gives us an incomparable picture of the character and style of one of the most remarkable personalities ever to inhabit the Presidency.
Review
Albert R. Hunt The Wall Street Journal When it comes to sheer marvelous history, andlt;Iandgt;Taking Chargeandlt;/Iandgt; is unbeatable. Anybody who cares about presidential elections or about American history -- or who simply wants to have fun -- should read these Johnson tapes.
Review
Richard Barnet The Washington Post Book World A fascinating portrait of an imposing, manipulative, driven, conflicted, and surprisingly vulnerable character whose political ambitions had suddenly been achieved under frightening circumstances.
Review
Steve Neal Chicago Sun Times An extraordinary study of one of the more extraordinary characters in American history. Johnson the man is brought vividly to life in andlt;Iandgt;Taking Charge.andlt;/Iandgt;
About the Author
andlt;bandgt;Michael Beschlossandlt;/bandgt; has been called "the nation's leading Presidential historian" by andlt;Iandgt;Newsweek.andlt;/iandgt; He has written eight books on American Presidents and is NBC News Presidential Historian, as well as contributor to PBS's andlt;Iandgt;The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.andlt;/iandgt; He lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife and two sons.
Table of Contents
andlt;Bandgt;Contentsandlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Prologue: The Fatal Trip to Texasandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;1 November 1963andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;2 December 1963andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;3 January 1964andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;4 February 1964andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;5 March 1964andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;6 April 1964andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;7 May 1964andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;8 June 1964andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;9 July 1964andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;10 August 1964andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Editor's Noteandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Cast of Charactersandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Appendix: The Warren Report and the Garrison Investigationandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Acknowledgmentsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Index