Saturday, August 26, 2006
Here's an interesting article about presidential reading lists--and whether presidents actually read the books they say they do:
“I don’t know if most presidents spent their time reading,” said Henry Graff, professor emeritus of history at Columbia. “Grover Cleveland didn’t read even after he became a trustee of Princeton. A curator of the F.D.R. Library told me that Roosevelt collected books, but he didn’t read them.”
Harry Truman was a very prolific reader, according to David McCullough's laudatory biography, a book that went a long way toward elevating Truman's reputation as one of the 20th century's most admired presidents. Truman could not afford to attend college, and reading was a way for him to continue his education.
“I don’t know if most presidents spent their time reading,” said Henry Graff, professor emeritus of history at Columbia. “Grover Cleveland didn’t read even after he became a trustee of Princeton. A curator of the F.D.R. Library told me that Roosevelt collected books, but he didn’t read them.”
Harry Truman was a very prolific reader, according to David McCullough's laudatory biography, a book that went a long way toward elevating Truman's reputation as one of the 20th century's most admired presidents. Truman could not afford to attend college, and reading was a way for him to continue his education.
