Hoover

An Extraordinary Life in Extraordinary Times

By: Kenneth Whyte

Narrated by: Richard Ferrone

The definitive biography of Herbert Hoover, one of the most remarkable Americans of the 20th century - a revisionist account that will forever change the way Americans understand the man, his presidency, and his battle against the Great Depression.

A poor orphan who built a fortune, a great humanitarian, a president elected in a landslide and then routed in the next election, arguably the father of both New Deal liberalism and modern conservatism - Herbert Hoover is also one of our least understood presidents, conventionally seen only as a heartless failure for his handling of the Great Depression.

Kenneth Whyte fully captures this rich, dramatic life: from Hoover's difficult childhood to his meteoric business career, his work saving hundreds of thousands of lives during World War I and after the 1927 Mississippi floods, his presidency, his painful defeat by Roosevelt, and his return to grace as Truman's emissary to help European refugees after World War II. Whyte brings to life Hoover's complexity and contradictions - his modesty and ambition, ruthlessness and extreme generosity - as well as his political legacy. Here is the epic, poignant story of the poor boy who became the most accomplished figure of his time, who worked ceaselessly to fight the Depression yet became the public face of America's greatest economic crisis. Here, for the first time, is the definitive biography that captures the full scale of this extraordinary life.

©2017 Kenneth Whyte (P)2017 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"An exemplary biography - exhaustively researched, fair-minded and easy to read. It can nestle on the same shelf as David McCullough's Truman, a high compliment indeed." (Edward Kosner, The Wall Street Journal)

"Outstanding.... This well organized, thoroughly researched, and smoothly written biography persuasively demonstrates that its subject's place in history should be elevated far beyond its current status." (Talmage Boston, Washington Independent Review of Books)

"While no apologist for the man who became synonymous with the Great Depression, Whyte details how Hoover was up against worldwide economic forces that he had no way of controlling and points out that the hard times continued long into Roosevelt’s presidency. Just as interesting, however, are Whyte’s accounts of Hoover’s early life, from his rise from orphanhood to world-traveling problem solver, and his post-presidency attempt to restore his image and regain his place among the 20th century’s most admired people." (Steve Donoghue, The Christian Science Monitor)

A new appreciation.

From a rather uninformed but negative opinion of Hoover this book has completely changed my appreciation for this complex and highly accomplished man.

Extraordinary accounting of the President’s life

Respectful. Encompassing birth to his passing. Not with out criticism but seemed unbiased reporting. A very under recognized president in my opinion gets a fair hearing.

What a fascinating story!

I only knew about Herbert Hoover as president and this book, in the almost 28 hours of narration, tells the complete story about how Mr. Hoover grew up in meager circumstances, losing both parents at an early age, and then transformed himself into a business power after gaining a degree in Geology at Stanford University.

The book also takes a fair position on how Mr. Hoover was castigated by the press and the Roosevelt administration and shows the great value he placed in public service, especially when it comes to caring for the "collateral damage" in war time, namely the starving women and children in Europe.

A great book that I will probably listen to again.

Hoover

A man of times, He wasn't all bad for he was he was a good person. But the democrats kept trying to destroy all he had done by making him look bad and going after everyone in his cabinets as corrupt.

An extraordinary biography.

This book is a sound tribute to one of the greatest Americans of the 20th century. His life exemplifies what a working President should do. His dedication to improving himself and his country are cornerstones of how wealth can be used in America. So glad the docent at his Presidential Library recommended this book to me. Makes me proud to be an American.

Excellent book!

The title of the book says it all. Truly a story that is not taught anymore. In my opinion the events described are an important part of the history of our nation, from events transpiring in World War I, to laying the foundation of the modern lifestyle and finally revealing the construction of the the pillars of political conservatism.

Captivating story on our 31st President

Hoover has become almost a throwaway in the list of Presidents. This book rips that reputation to shreds. An obsessively driven younger man he redefined himself from ruthless businessman to public servant. This book displays all.

An insightful biography

This biography illuminates the many contributions of Hoover to the whole world from his extraordinary humanitarian efforts in famine and disaster relief through his laying of the groundwork for the recovery from the Great Depression. His massive contributions have been obscured by that economic downturn and the ascendency of FDR. A book well worth reading and a life that should be celebrated much more than it has been. Exceptionally researched and beautifully written.

Much misunderstood and he certainly had his demons but I can’t help but like him.

Hoover’s early life was interesting and one can see why his personality developed the way it did. The mining days dragged on for me. I felt the writer was as unbiased as could be. I’ve never been a fan of Roosevelt and can certainly understand Hoovers dislike and distrust of him . It would be nice if Hoover would get more credit for his work in trying to stem the tide of the depression. He really gave a heroic effort and seemed to have a good handle of what needed to be done. I would recommend this book to anyone liking history

Remarkable

Herbert Hoover lived a complex and misunderstood life. His role in the great depression has been overstated and his contributions to world food supply understated. Great insights.