The Presidents Club

Inflection of narrator really annoying

I've read MANY historical accounts of the presidencies covered in this book, and did notice a few areas where the accounts here didn't quite jive with others (considered to be authoritative), but I can't speak to the bias that I noticed in other reviews, as I'm not far enough along to have encountered them. I certainly don't see it thus far, and I'm up to the account of Nixon's campaign. I've never written a review prior to finishing a book, but this one made me want to due to the narration. Perhaps it will help someout out.

Argghh! I'm truly surprised that more folks haven't mentioned this, but Bob Walter's inflection and pacing is reminiscent of a really bad John Wayne impression. I'm not terribly picky about narration in general, and thus didn't listen to the sample. I wish I had. I find his pacing, inflection, and emphasis bizarre, and very distracting and annoying. This experience . . . has . . . taught me that I . . . should definitely . . . listen to the . . sample before I . . . purchase . . . a book. I'll certainly avoid him in the future, as it makes the book a tedious listen for me.

Finally, at least thus far, the authors didn't seem to have enough material to warrant a book on the specific topic of the relationships between past and present presidents, and spend a considerable amount of time away from that angle. I understand the need to provide historical context to readers, certainly, but much of the time it feels like the 'presidents club' is more of an aside. I was hoping for more on this specific topic, as it's interesting, and usually an aside in more focused biographies of presidents. However, this doesn't provide much to previous works in this respect. As such, it kind of feels like more of a marketing angle to justify a history of the presidencies of Truman through the present. If you haven't read a lot of political history, that might be more interesting to you, but if you've read a lot, it's mostly a re-hash with a little more emphasis on the presidential relationships.

Just to put this review in context, it is the worst I've ever given, by far--and again, mostly due to the narration, and to a lesser extent, to the paltry amount of new information regarding the presidential relationships.

21 of 23 people found this review helpful

I didn't want it to end

Would you listen to The Presidents Club again? Why?

I would listen to it again, probably after a few years. After more history is revealed about the Presidents, would be interesting to go back and compare what is in the book to things that have come to light since its publication.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Presidents Club?

Three ex-presidents traveling to Egypt for the funeral of Anwar Sadat. Some of it was funny because of the awkwardness but in the end Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter became sort of friends.

Any additional comments?

I found out so many things I never knew. I never knew that Harry Truman barely had any money, what a sensitive spirit Lyndon Johnson had or how close Bill Clinton is to the Bush family. There are many memorable moments in the book, many very touching, even about Richard Nixon.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Engaging subject, but fact-checking needed

I found both the subject and the narrative--discussing the relationship of two presidents at a time--engaging. But two things about the book left me unsettled. The first is a tiny factual error about the origin of the name for the Roosevelt Room; if a foreigner who has watched one season of The West Wing can spot an error, odds are that there might be more lurking. The second unpleasant surprise was the almost complete reversal of my feelings towards many of the presidents discussed in this book; I could not shake the uneasiness that the authors seemed overly critical of or a little too eager to pounce on the merest character flaws of Carter, Clinton and even Obama (or at least his staff), while the two Bushes and Ford came out as hopelessly misunderstood men who really were decent men with the best of intentions. The only unsurprising point was how big a crook Nixon really was. I hope more discerning reviewers will shed light on whether the narrative was at all biased. It would be a terrible shame if the authors let their opinions taint the little-known stories about this exclusive club.

29 of 34 people found this review helpful

This book just "blew me away"

Who was your favorite character and why?

Richard Nixon was my favorite character because of the influence he had on all the presidents after his resignation up to and including Bill Clinton.

Which character – as performed by Bob Walter – was your favorite?

He was outstanding portraying all the characters.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I found myself laughing out loud and weeping all through the book. It just drove my two dogs crazy.

Any additional comments?

I am 66 years old, have always been interested in politics, and a news junkie but nothing you thought you ever knew can prepare you for the revelations in this book. It's one of those "I didn't even know that I didn't know" kind of things. "The President's Club" will blow your mind and you will come away with a new respect for the President be they Republican or Democrat.

8 of 9 people found this review helpful

Great Story Telling From the Authors, Good Listeni

The authors told the stories for the US presidents from Truman all the way till now. This book distilled sixty more years history into slightly over 20 hours, while leaving you some very vivid images of each president. You can see the changes of each former president, and stories are told about the frustration of current presidents with fromer presidents. A great listening!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

FASCINATING ELECTION YEAR BOOK!

If we include The Drift (Rachel Maddow) and Game Change (John Halperin and John Heilmann) with this book, we have an unintended Voter Trilogy for the 2012 elections! I recommend all three for their insight, research and even-handed analysis of our politics in the last decades of the 20th and early years of the 21st centuries. Compelling listening.

The President’s Club is probably the most exclusive club ever formed. The prerequisite is to be a former PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. It has a variable membership as elections and deaths occur. The actions and contributions of these ex-presidents fascinate and surprise the reader (listener}. In some cases their post-presidential contributions were more significant than those made during their tenure in office.

Gibbs and Duffy examine crises faced and lessons learned during their respective presidencies that led to redeeming contributions after they became members of the President’s Club. How did President (General) Eisenhower relate to JFK? To whom did LBJ turn for help about foreign affairs after the assassination? How was Richard Nixon accepted after his resignation? How helpful was The Club when Gerald Ford was catapulted into the presidency after the resignation of Nixon?

These are just a few questions explored. Jimmy Carter and subsequent presidents are all included. Sometimes you will laugh; sometimes you will swear like a sailor. The book is interesting, revealing and infuriating. A great listen!

7 of 8 people found this review helpful

The club you've never heard of

I enjoyed this book, and not only because I did not know of the club's existence. Good history, interesting facts - would recommend.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Outstanding

This book gave me a whole new understanding of of various aspects of the "Theater of politics". It has inspired me to read more into each president.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

The People Magazine of the Presidents since Truman

This book is well written and filled with juicy scenarios, tidbits of conversation, explanation of relationships between the presidents since Truman. I have an amateurs interest in history and appreciated this recounting of relationships between the presidents in my lifetime. Learning more about The egos, the graciousness, kindness and surprising relationships that developed between the various presidents makes me feel that I have an inside track on understanding how this democracy experiment continues to work. It ends with Obama still in office. I’d certainly be interested in an update in a few years.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

A compelling, engaging history

The Presidents Club is real. It had an official founding (after Eisenhower's inauguration, when Truman and Hoover agreed on it), and over the years has acquired a newsletter, a clubhouse, and a variety of perks as well as the responsibility of being there when the sitting President needs them. Only other people who've held the office truly understand its pressures and demands; in that sense they are sometimes the only source of truly informed advice.

And sometimes, a former President is the best or the only appropriate emissary for a trip the President can't make himself.

The authors do an excellent job of reconstructing and recounting the history of the club. Interviews with several of the presidents of the last thirty years, as well as aides, family members, and colleagues, help make this rich in detail and insight. We get to know he club members from Hoover onward. We get a real sense of their strengths, weaknesses, and particular quirks, as well as both the rivalries and the unexpected friendships they formed.

It's a rich and well-informed narrative, told mostly chronologically, with divergences from that to follow up on themes and specifics where it seems appropriate. In addition to the strong writing, the narrator has a strong, clear voice, making for good listening even in traffic. I learned a lot, and enjoyed learning it.

Highly recommended.

I bought this audiobook.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful