tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post665485860503697047..comments2024-02-13T10:20:04.888+00:00Comments on David Hepworth's blog: Harry Truman's my new favourite PresidentDavid Hepworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05973053694541321308noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-4360074436289405932013-12-04T10:13:40.291+00:002013-12-04T10:13:40.291+00:00My introduction to the great Harry S was through a...My introduction to the great Harry S was through a book of his letters to his wife- he was a fiendish writer of them. I received the book as a freebie on signing up to a book club back in the 80s.It's called 'Dear Bess'. Great freebie, great book and fascinating insight into his character.chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09476283094840093339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-53607668690357557482013-11-27T08:39:57.278+00:002013-11-27T08:39:57.278+00:00Read it years ago and McCullogh's sketch of Be...Read it years ago and McCullogh's sketch of Berlin vis-à-vis the Potsdam Conference is unforgettable. Truman's letters to his wife are also worth reading<br /><br />I have a few of McCullogh's book now but for biographies of US presidents then Robert Caro's monumental - and yet unfinished - four volumes on LBJ will have you awake in the wee small hours.Andy Brimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01583748523594485211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-3547127843908884412013-11-26T21:20:10.855+00:002013-11-26T21:20:10.855+00:00"...and whether to spend a lot of money on re..."...and whether to spend a lot of money on rebuilding the White House or to let it literally fall down."<br /><br />Dunno. Should FDR have walked away from a crumbling building, erecting a Union Flag as a joke, cocking a snoot at the burning of Washington? <br /><br />That might have been an option, had UK been the superior power post war. But US ended up as top dog.<br /><br />UK civil service is defined by Whitehall, but there is not much government there (heads which can be chopped without changing much). All of the bloody government resides on the White House.<br /><br />Phil Beesleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18442987962398498812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-64931038019561849002013-11-26T14:35:42.559+00:002013-11-26T14:35:42.559+00:00Thanks for another interesting post, David. In his...Thanks for another interesting post, David. In his book Truck, John Jerome named his Dodge pickup after Harry S Truman to celebrate the qualities you describe (here's the Amazon link:- http://tinyurl.com/nrbw9th). I love the fact that that the 'S' in his name is just an S – it doesn't stand for anything. Harry Truman thought he ought to have a middle initial and presumably went through the alphabet until he found one he liked. rodhirschwriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18380831616812678387noreply@blogger.com