Taking Charge: The Johnson White House Tapes 1963 1964

(Paperback)

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Description

The only US President to record his private conversations from his first day in office, Lyndon Johnson ordered that the tapes be locked in a vault until at least the year 2023, but they have been unsealed. They provide an intimate view of a President taking power, from the Kennedy assassination to Johnson's campaign for a landslide victory. This edited and annotated transcription by a professional historian is accompanied by historical commentary designed to provide readers with an understanding of the people, the crises and the controversies of the period covered. The tapes offer insights into the ways in which Johnson used power by flattering, provoking and twisting the arms of somes of the dominant personalities of the era, including Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, and into his complex, changing relationships with Lady Bird and the rest of his family, with Jacqueline Kennedy, with ex-Presidents Truman and Eisenhower, and with members of the Cabinet and the White House staff.

Reviews

Alan Brinkley The New York Times Book Review [Taking Charge] gives us an incomparable picture of the character and style of one of the most remarkable personalities ever to inhabit the Presidency. Albert R. Hunt The Wall Street Journal When it comes to sheer marvelous history, Taking Charge is unbeatable. Anybody who cares about presidential elections or about American history -- or who simply wants to have fun -- should read these Johnson tapes. 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. 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. 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 Taking Charge. 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 The Johnson White House Tapes] are the equals of this one for insight into the very heart of high politics, then a classic is in the making.

Author Bio

Michael Bechloss has been called 'the nation's leading presidential historian.'by Newsweek, (U.S). Author of six previous books on the history of American presidents and global affairs, he is a frequent lecturer and regular commentator on US television.