Hoover

I would recommend this book 100%! I loved it! Even though it was a long book, I was ready to read my way through it every night. Hoover was such an interesting man-I had no idea of all the things he accomplished in his life. It definitely made me want to read more about Herbert Hoover and his family. Highly recommend to all who enjoy presidential biographies. This is one of the best!

First, I should admit that I was a bit biased on the subject before I began reading Hoover . I have a special place in my heart for Herbert Hoover. I lived in Iowa for 16 years and spent some time at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch, where I learned quite a bit about him and developed an affection for the 31st president. I was very excited to get my hands on this book.

I mention my Hoover bias because it will inevitably affect my review of this book. If you don't know much about Herbert Hoover, you should absolutely read this book and get to know him because there is so much more to him than most people realize. From his Quaker upbringing to his determination and success as a mining engineer to his devotion to public service until his death at the age of 90, his story is extraordinary.

Hoover became President of the U.S. in March of 1929, months before the stock market crashed, a challenge that ensured his legacy would forever be tied to the Great Depression that followed. This is where the "revisionist account" comes from in the book description. Hoover's four years in office, followed by FDR's 12 years and WWII & preceded by Wilson's eight years and WWI, are often overlooked or reduced along with Harding & Coolidge when we consider American presidential history. The more you learn about Hoover, the more likely you are to see this as an injustice.

This biography weighs in at 640 pages, but I can't help but wonder how much longer it was before any editing. It may seem like a lengthy bio for a one-term president, but Hoover's life could fill many, many more pages. His childhood alone is a compelling story, and an important one because we see how his experience as a young man influenced both his ambition and insecurities. During WWI he led an impressive relief effort for the people of occupied Belgium. He served under both Republican and Democratic administrations and considered himself a public servant more than a politician. That sounds refreshing compared to today's constant politics and news cycle, but he served his country at a time of transition when mass media began to grow and in my mind, mass media is where skills as a politician become essential. The hard working, socially awkward public servant will always struggle against the seasoned politician focused on winning the election. That seems to have been Hoover's biggest weakness as far as his legacy is concerned.

I think this is a great read for anyone with an interest in American presidential history, or history in general, as Hoover was a public figure throughout half of the twentieth century. The book is well researched and the author seems to make an effort to remain unbiased for the most part. In the introduction, the author praises Hoover and states that he has made an effort to privilege understanding over judgment in this biography. Yet there were many times throughout where I felt that Hoover seemed insufferable in his pettiness. Hoover's flaws are represented throughout to an extent that I had to go back and re-read the introduction because the author's tone seemed to have changed so much. Perhaps my experience in Iowa has indoctrinated me to the point that the revisionist account didn't satisfy me completely. I enjoyed the book, I recommend it, and I learned quite a bit that I didn't know or had forgotten about Hoover. However, there were sections that barely touched on things that are in my mind worthy of much more attention. There is so much more that can be said about Hoover's term as president and the elections of 1928 and 1932, the relationship between Hoover and FDR, and the Hoover Dam - these are a few examples where the author only touched the surface of some very rich material.