Saralee Says
He is the first of the baby boomers to be elected President of the United States. People seem to feel strongly about him, they either love him or loathe him. What is it about this modern politician that makes him so controversial?
Bill Clinton uses more than 1,000 pages of My Life (Knopf) to tell the story of his life, from his humble beginnings in Arkansas through Oxford and Yale, his race for Congress, the election and defeat as Governor of Arkansas to his election as the 42nd President of the United States. After reading this book, you will understand why the media named him the “comeback kid” and why his secret service team called him “Elvis.”
I liked the first person narration of Clinton’s story and I especially enjoyed his descriptions of growing up in a small town. I think the narration of his early years is the best part of the book and many of his childhood friends show up later as key political advisors.
Should the author have written two books instead — one about his life leading up to the Presidency and a second about his two terms as President? Who were the people that most influenced President Clinton and why? How does Clinton’s biography compare to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s version of her life: Living History (Scribner)? After reading either or both of these books do you have a better understanding about what drives the Clintons?
Did he redeem his character with this book? Will history be kind about his accomplishments or will the impeachment always be front and foremost in the summary of his administration? Did you find his candor refreshing? What about his feelings toward Kenneth Starr, the man who led the investigation against President Clinton? Do you agree or disagree with Clinton’s reaction to Starr?
Is Bill Clinton just like Thomas Jefferson — a brilliant man who had some character flaws? Both were southerners who had their problems with telling the truth about affairs with women. Does My Life make you nostalgic for Clinton’s leadership or do you think good riddance?
Larry’s Language
The first 350 pages of President Clinton’s memoir is one of the best books of the year. There are true insights about the psychology and motivation that compelled Clinton to enter politics. His stories of family abuse, shame and outsider status growing up are both revealing and compassionate.
The best parts of Clinton’s early life are his love for family and his lasting friendships. The most interesting parts are Clinton’s insight about rival officeholders and politicians.
Like Clinton’s life, this book is full of energy, grace, mistakes, passions, great successes and great failures. We all know the general story: Poor boy makes good through hard work, meets President Kennedy, succeeds at Georgetown, Yale, and Oxford, moves home to become the nation’s youngest governor, defeats incumbent President Bush, survives impeachment, Monica, Kenneth Starr, the right wing conspirators and makes millions writing this book.
The intriguing parts of My Life are the Tennessee connections. Clinton drove to rural Arkansas to see Dolly Parton and Tony Alamo (made fun of him, liked her form). At an early age Clinton was impressed by Governor Frank Clement’s televised speech at the 1956 Democrat Convention and by the political courage of Senators Gore and Kefauver in refusing to sign the segregationists’ Southern Manifesto. Clinton was also pleased that the conservative Nashville Banner newspaper was the first in the nation to endorse him for President. Clinton tells how he met many key advisors with Tennessee roots such as Mickey Kantor, Roy Neel, John Y. Brown and the entire Gore family. He liked then Tennessee Gov. Lamar Alexander and defended Alexander’s raising state taxes. He enjoyed the failure of Memphis prosecutor Hickman Ewing who assisted Starr in trying Susan McDougal. Clinton even writes about Pauline Gore practicing law in Arkansas, President Andrew Jackson protecting Hot Springs and about a crazed escapee from a Tennessee mental institution threatening his life. This book is fun.
Join us for our next book club discussion in the July 22 issue which will feature The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand.
