The Wit & Wisdom of Harry Truman
A Treasury of Quotations, Anecdotes, and Observations
by Ralph Keyes


(Click for Amazon book review)

OnTheIssues.org BOOK REVIEW:

This book gathers together numerous quotations by Harry Truman, from before, during, and after his presidency. The quotations are organized in categories, such as "Truman on People" and "Truman on Issues," with subcategories in each category. One category, "Dear Diary," has each quotation dated, but the rest are undated. The author, Ralph Keyes, frames materials in the category "Harry Truman's Life Stories," and provides additional framing with some opening notes, plus extensive bibliographical notes.

This book's subtitle ("A Treasury of Quotations, Anecdotes, and Observations") is more accurate than its title, since "Wit and Wisdom" leads the reader to believe the content will be funny. It DOES contain lots of Truman's dry Midwestern humor, plus his dry Midwestern wisdom, but it's much like of a "treasury of quotations." We were delighted to discover this book earlier this year when we expanded our "Past Presidents" coverage backward to Eisenhower and Truman; it provided a strong base of Truman material in an accessible form. We're not sure who, other than journalists, would be interested in this sort of "treasury," but we wish there were such a book about every president, and indeed, about every major candidate. One of our tasks at OnTheIssues.org is providing analogous books during the presidential election cycle, such as Obama vs. Romney On The Issues.

Ralph Keyes has written several other "treasuries of quotations," some of which are politically-oriented:

-- Jesse Gordon, editor-in-chief, OnTheIssues.org, Dec. 2013

Editor's Note: In the interest of full disclosure, Ralph Keyes is my cousin. (He is married to my father's first cousin, so I guess he is my second-cousin-once-removed-in-law). Ralph has consulted for the OnTheIssues.org website as well, although we never fully paid him (so please donate so we can do so!)

OnTheIssues.org excerpts:  (click on issues for details)

Budget & Economy     Pay-as-you-go for a balanced budget.     GOP trickle-down mostly helps Wall Street & big business.

Civil Rights     South is living 80 years behind the times.     Racial discrimination is contrary to American ideals.     The treatment of Indians was a disgrace and always will be.     Endorsed concept of Equal Rights Amendment.

Crime     Opposes capital punishment.

Foreign Policy     House Un-American Activities Committee was un-American.     We have to get along with rest of world, or get overwhelmed.     China is fundamentally anti-foreign; keep that away from us.

Government Reform     Nation-wide presidential primaries favor wealthy candidates.     As judge, rejected patronage jobs & business.

Health Care     I failed at national compulsory health insurance.     National system of payments for healthcare.

Homeland Security     Cold War averted World War Three.     Truman Committee exposed military waste & fraud.     Initiated full racial integration of the armed forces.

Principles & Values     1950: Assassination attempt killed one bodyguard.     Jesus rejected despots in both Church and State.     I just told the truth and they thought it was hell.     As president, I can't pass the buck to anyone.     In 1917, Bess accepted one of Harry's many proposals.     On FDR's death: if you ever pray, pray for me now.

Tax Reform     Taxation should be for revenue, not redistribution.

War & Peace     1945: We have discovered the most terrible bomb in history.     Opposed to "preventive" war; you only "prevent" peace.     Soviet spies kept USSR posted on atomic bomb progress.     Atomic bombing of Japan saved 100,000s of American lives.

Click for quotations from other sources by: Harry S Truman