This is a short
biography on the American war time president, Woodrow Wilson, often said as one
of the greatest presidents to have occupied the Oval Office. I had known about
Woodrow Wilson only for a few things; popular president, president during First
World War and floated the idea of The League of Nations, and of course, a
beneficiary of the Taft-Roosevelt struggle in the Republican Party.
The book starts
with Wilson’s background; born in the Southern States with his father being a
supporter of the Confederate regime during the American Civil War. It then goes
on to talk about his academic accomplishments and his career as an academic and
the reforms he introduced at the university now known as Princeton. It also
talked about his progressive stance on various issues including his absolute
belief in democracy and the need to liberate
people (ironically, it took him a long time to support the women’s suffrage
movement and endorse their right to vote). The book also talks about his family
and how, during the days when he was ill, his wife, Edith had de facto
(debated) control over the Oval Office. The book also touches upon how Wilson
was forced into war, though; he was against war himself and talks about his
forming of The League of Nations (where, ironically, US didn’t join because of
Senate opposition).
I was glad that
I picked up the book on Wilson so that I have some knowledge on the person
touted to be one of the greatest presidents of US and I felt the book did a
good job in summarising his entire life in a short biography (to be honest, it
took me more than an hour). Wilson’s policies and convictions were brought out
well during the book and the period of his sickness where the allegation of the
First Lady running the government was also elaborated in fair detail.
My only possible
problem with the book was the introduction; I believe the book was launched on
27th January, 2017 since that is the date I received it from Hourly
History; however the book talked about potential of a woman becoming the
President for the first time in 2016 election; seven days after Trump had taken
the oath of office; the least that could have been done was to edit that part.
On the whole,
for a detailed summary in a short book, I would award the book an eight on ten.
Rating – 8/10
Have a nice day,
Andy
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