My Life | Bill Clinton | Real book from a real man.

My Life | Bill Clinton | A Gothic Tale of American Success

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My Life

	My Life Bill Clinton Knopf, 2004 - 1008 pages average customer review:based on 697 reviews view larger image
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Real book from a real man.

I personally loved this book. I have taken an interest in government ever since my first day of my US Government class in high school, yet this was my first political biography. I first picked it up (despite a few bad reviews) as i was interested in what the life of a president (whom I like) is really like, and in that respect, I couldnt've been more satisfied. Clinton did a great job of showing his struggles as both a regular man and as a president, and also showed how the two are one in the same. I personally dislike George Bush, yet after reading this book, I've learned to not be so quick to judge his decisions, as if there's one thing this book's taught me, it's that presidents are regular people like all of us Americans, they're under stress, they're under pressure, they make mistakes, and we shouldn't rip them to shreds for it. Overall I give the book a five, as it was both educational (scholastically and practically) and interesting (usually an oxymoron in my opinion). I honestly think that there is no better political novel out there than this one. If you haven't read it yet, read it.

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A Gothic Tale of American Success

This is a gothic tale of American success. Bill Clinton became successful the old fashion way: by listening to his parents and teachers, drinking deeply intellectually, picking his fights and then "bobbing-and-weaving," working like hell, and when he made a wrong turn, he picked himself up and tried again.

Fat, un-athletic and so un-cool during most of his childhood in rural and then urban Arkansas, Clinton somehow survived the Elvis and James Dean eras unscathed. Given the antics of his alcoholic father, there is more than just a passing similarity between Clinton's family dysfunction and the subtext of Dean's movie "Rebel without a Cause."

Clinton was successful when most with his background have failed in part because he was a good observer of human nature and because he came from an unusually richly endowed environment where having such a talent mattered a lot. Even as it was populated by a textured mixture of both "real" and "homespun" intellectuals, racists, and other assorted scoundrels, no matter their station in life, these were people full of life and confidence, always on the go -- if not on the make; many of whom showed up later in Clinton's life. And like Bill, they reappeared in the second act as uncommon and unexpected success stories.

The subtext of this 994-page American drama is that with the right ingredients and a bit of luck, anyone in America can make it. And whether one believes this fully or not, Bill Clinton is living proof that it can, and did happen.

Whatever else one may think of Clinton, his presidency, his foibles, his life, his wife, this book proves that he has a heart, and that it is a good one. He became an intellectual heavyweight through sheer force of will and a desire to "do good," and to make a difference. He accomplished both.

What a good story, what a good life.

Five Stars

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Nice visit with President Clinton

I found the book interesting, but particularly enjoyed having it read by the president. I played it on a trip and it was delightful. Tho, I think he glossed over a few details, for the most part he was very candid.

Worth reading but it gets slow

It was terrific hearing a review of history that I actually experienced but from the President's perspective. Many times I stopped and thought to myself wow he had a lot going on at once. It's obvious he's a good person and did the best he could, warts and all. But the book does get boring at times.

We Don't Need To Know Everything

A good read. It is interesting to read things from Clinton's vantage point and learn about the events in his life that helped shaped him and his persona. There are too many details for many parts of it, though. We don't need to know every little bit and piece of events that happened to him, laid out descriptive piece by piece. But considering he is a person full of himself, as one would have to be to be President these days, this over-descriptive approach should not have surprised me as much as it did. Every president and candidate are writing books these days. I wonder what George Bush JR's will be like. It will be quite interesting reading a book by a president that's a pop-up.

I found this book intriguing enough to make me want to read more of his books. He seems to have a long list of them. Again, he is full of himself, so I don't know why I'm so surprised. Unlike some reviews here, I felt his personality and charisma came through well, although not in all places.

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