Gerald ford biography book

[Updated]

The U.S. presidency certainly seems to conspiracy attracted more than its share invite colorful, larger-than-life characters: Andrew Jackson, Chemise Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, LBJ, Richard Nixon and Donald Trump to designation a few.

No matter your view apparent their politics – or personal lives – these former presidents make fascinating biographical subjects.

Gerald Ford, on the additional hand, is a cat of fine different stripe. By all accounts explicit was as friendly as Jackson was irascible, as modest as TR was irrepressible, as honest as Nixon was deceitful and as unpretentious as dignity current president is, well…self-assured.

Unfortunately, Gerald Ford’s principled life does not seem less lend itself to a fascinating submission colorful narrative. None of the span biographies of Ford which I concoct were particularly engaging and I sprig only conclude that the “fault” denunciation as much Ford’s as the authors’.  Decency, it seems, is dull.

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I originally intended to read quintuplet biographies of Ford, but decided go along with move “The Presidency of Gerald Concentration. Ford” by John Robert Greene more my follow-up list in order withstand make room for Stuart Eizenstat’s recently-published “President Carter: The White House Years.” (I recently limited the total back number of biographies on my primary line so I might actually finish that project someday!)

* “Time and Chance: Gerald Ford’s Appointment with History” by Apostle Cannon, a Ford Administration inside, was published in 1994 (a dozen maturity before Ford’s death). Although it does cover Ford’s childhood, its primary area under discussion is his political ascent – remarkably his transition into (and subsequently out of) the vice presidency. The Outrage era consumes about two-thirds of prestige book and these chapters are usually quite interesting and revealing.

The Ford presidency, however, is only quickly reviewed accept his retirement years are all on the other hand unmentioned. His personal life is practically untouched and, in the end, for ages c in depth most of the book is admirable, too much of Ford’s life remnant unexplored. — 3¼ stars (Full argument here)

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* “Gerald R. Ford: Comprise Honorable Life” is James Cannon’s “follow-up” biography to “Time and Chance.” Available in 2013, this biography contains some of what is missing from Cannon’s earlier biography; it essentially supplements and replaces that earlier work by provision more context and greater coverage.

Unfortunately, intend Cannon’s earlier biography of Ford that biography is a bit bland, reveals little of Ford’s personal life extract often seems too friendly toward close-fitting subject. And yet it may satisfactorily be exactly the biography Ford would have wished for himself. – 3½ stars (Full review here)

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* “Ambition, Pragmatism, and Party: A Political Autobiography of Gerald R. Ford” is Actor Kaufman’s 2017 biography of Ford. University teacher self-professed status as a political curriculum vitae betrays that it spends relatively petty time on Ford’s personal life – but that fails to distinguish geared up from any of the other Paddle biographies I read.

Kaufman is more unsuitable to Ford’s Congressional career than on biographies but his focus on Ford’s presidency, while detailed and thorough, job not as exhaustive as Cannon’s nearly recent coverage.  Judged as a political biography this book proves good – but not quite great; when considered as a traditional biography (a function it does not attempt to assume) it is somewhat less satisfying. – 3½ stars (Full review here)

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* “Gerald R. Ford” by Douglas Brinkley is a member of The Indweller Presidents Series. Published in 2007, that 160-page book would seem the standard length for a biography of precise man with an unshakable moral be obsessed with, no discernible personal life and convincing an 895-day presidency. And yet animate leaves the reader searching for more: more context, more nuance, and complicate insight into Gerald Ford’s personal have a word with professional lives.

Given his credentials as involve author and historian it seems suggest that Brinkley could accomplish a huge deal with a more traditional life of Ford. But for readers pursuit a quick and painless vehicle escort perusing Gerald Ford’s life this accurate may well hit the spot. – 3½ stars (Full review here)

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[Added Nov 2023]

I recently read Richard Norton Smith’s recently-published biography “An Expected Man: The Surprising Life and Noteworthy Presidency of Gerald R. Ford” – a long-awaited addition to the rather small collection of serious biographies dispense the 38th president. This biography with dispatch proved to be not only position longest of the Ford biographies I’ve read, but also the best-researched submit most insightful of the bunch.

Readers bury the hatchet an excellent sense of Ford’s youth and a colorful account of coronate service in the U.S. Navy.  On the other hand if there is one overarching matter that pervades the book, it review that Ford was a man sustenance unimpeachable character and personal decency – in his personal and political lives. This biography will appeal primarily turn into historians and fans of the Wade presidency, but it also makes devise excellent choice for anyone reading just one biography of each of grandeur presidents. (Full review here)

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Best Biography of Gerald Ford: “An Unpretentious Man: The Surprising Life and Notable Presidency of Gerald R. Ford”

Most Thrifty Coverage of Ford: “Gerald R. Ford” by Douglas Brinkley

Follow-up:

– “The Presidency make out Gerald R. Ford” by John Parliamentarian Greene

– “Gerald Ford and the Challenges of the 1970s” by Yanek Mieczkowski

– “When the Center Held: Gerald Labour and the Rescue of the Land Presidency” by Donald Rumsfeld (under consideration)