Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream

The Most Revealing Portrait of a President and Presidential Power Ever Written

By: Doris Kearns Goodwin

Narrated by: Gabra Zackman, Jim Frangione

Doris Kearns Goodwin’s classic life of Lyndon Johnson, who presided over the Great Society, the Vietnam War, and other defining moments the tumultuous 1960s, is a monument in political biography. From the moment the author, then a young woman from Harvard, first encountered President Johnson at a White House dance in the spring of 1967, she became fascinated by the man—his character, his enormous energy and drive, and his manner of wielding these gifts in an endless pursuit of power. As a member of his White House staff, she soon became his personal confidante, and in the years before his death he revealed himself to her as he did to no other.

Widely praised and enormously popular, Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream is a work of biography like few others. With uncanny insight and a richly engrossing style, the author renders LBJ in all his vibrant, conflicted humanity.

She got better

I truly enjoy Doris Kearns Goodwin's histories. This was her first and certainly not her best. Her personal insights into LBJ were outstanding and interesting. Her divergence into pop psychology analysis was not.

Good insights belabored

Goodwin's first book, based in large part on personal connections and interviews with LBJ is filled with lengthy quotes from Johnson coupled with careful analysis from the author. Written in 1976, it does seem quite dated in terms of its reliance on Freudian psychoanalysis to make personality assessments that might be more persuasive without this framework. Goodwin spends a good deal of the book working (usually successfully) to demonstrate scholarly erudition and seems intent on demonstrating her main points by hitting them over and over again. Despite her efforts to make the book an exercise in political analysis meant to demonstrate changes and problems in the presidency, she is at her best in revealing Johnson's particularities in a fair yet sympathetic manner. It is hard for the reader (and it seems Goodwin herself) from viewing Johnson as a highly flawed yet largely likeable figure laid low by the tragedy of Vietnam his own shortcomings contributed to. The scenes of LBJ ordering around his ranch hands after leaving politics as if they were members of his Senatorial or Congressional staff, using his name to get parts delivered to his ranch to keep his cattle watered are especially poignant, bringing to mind Napoleon's confinement on Elba before the 100 Days. But for Johnson, there would be no return to power or influence, however brief, although his reputation would begin to be partially restored, beginning with this book. And Goodwin would develop from a good to a truly great writer of presidential biography.

Not her best

I have enjoyed Ms. Goodwin's books, but this one was disappointing--surprising since she worked with President Johnson during and after his White House years. The writing seems unedited, and wanders off into speculative psychology and narratives about the political system in general. It certainly does not live up to its superlative subtitle, nor does it directly address Johnson's role in shaping the American Dream.

Awkward performance

I enjoyed the book, but the performance was made awkward by the decision to switch between the primary narrator and the Male voice used to read the direct quotes of LBJ.

I really wanted to like this book

No sure how you can make a book about LBJ hard to listen to, but Goodwin succeeds. Does not provide much backstage insight into American politics, reads and sounds like her dissertation to much of the time. Too much psycho-analysis. Gee you have to think that in LBJ's career there must of been some humorous experiences along the way, few and far between in this book. I was to purchase the book on Lincoln called Team of Rivals, but than I saw if was 41 hours and authored by Goodwin, would certainly want to listen to a sample chaper.