I read this to clarify my thinking and memories of the 70's and to see if the author could, in fact, redeem President Carter's single term of office in the eyes of history. I remember chaos, indecisiveness, inconsistencies, amateur shenanigans and so many other crazy things - micromanaging, wild swings in policy and standing. It was an extremely difficult time to be President of the US but, in my thinking, the author only confirmed my memories and suspicions. These were very difficult times, with inflation running rampant, the general post Vietnam malaise, the Cold War in full bloom, the energy crisis hitting in wave upon wave, much of the Middle East in turmoil and confusion, and so much else. We desperately needed a strong leader, one capable of clear communication and with a thorough understanding (or at least a sincere attempt) of what we faced, and we didn't have one. Hindsight being 20/20, I do believe that President Ford would have been better if only because he could and did work with Congress, while President Carter didn't have a clue on how to do that, or why. I learned quite a bit about the background machinations in policy and decisions of the times, and had other memories confirmed. Of course President Carter had some accomplishments (which the author does a good job of highlighting these), and did lay the groundwork for several important policies and directions, such as airline deregulation. But I think there could have been so much more if he hadn't gone into office with the arrogant "I know better" attitude that I remember all too well, and instead listened to and worked with the people around him. Well worth reading again ( )

It's well past time to give President Carter his due. This book sets out to do just that. Eizenstat has had an up close and personal relationship with Carter for decades. One would think that this would mean that he would only see the "good" in the President, but he also points out the flaws.
While Carter has been stuck with the "aw-shucks" depiction of his personality by the media, the truth is that he is a decent human being who cares deeply about the country. His fault was in taking on too much. Nobody can ever be the most informed and knowledgeable person about so many subjects. But he tried, mightily. Perhaps if he had not bitten off more than he could chew, and learned to delegate more, he would be considered one of the greatest Presidents. He certainly tried!
Given the state of the White House today, I long for a return to having an intelligent human being occupying the Oval Office. One who reads and thinks before he acts impulsively. A return to an adult running the show!
This is a LONG book. There is so much information in it, you would almost think Carter wrote it himself. I found it fascinating. You should read it, if for no other reason than to get the true story of the "killer rabbit"! ( )