I continue to reread passages of this book to give me hope for our fragile and very often, taken-for-granted democracy. In addition I just finished reading Jon Meacham’s Franklin and Winston and marveled at his insight into these very courageous and human leaders. These stories cannot be told enough, but to have them revealed so thoroughly by someone with such insight is not only a wake-up call but a captivating read. And given the perplexing times we think we are living in, this book provides reassurance that, as Jon Meacham reminds us, “The past is never dead; it’s not even past.” William Faulkner. And for me, when reviewing our past, it reminds me that the trajectory within our democracy moves forward while ever so slowly upward. Thank you Jon Meacham for this inspiring work.

Outstanding!

Nothing is new and we all should read more history.

So comforting to understand past struggles. The past makes the present bearable. Thank you John.

This is a great book to read.

Excellent. So easy to read and to relearn our history. This book gave me hope in these troubled times. Sherry

Incredibly boring and repetitive. A serious disappointment.

I highly recommend this book as it references political leaders in the US and decisions made by them during times of crisis. The art of listening to others and compromising with others is much needed in our country and I am confident that new leaders will emerge with these types of skills.

Glad I decided not to buy the whole version.

Historic perspective is needed today more than this generation is aware. Meacham accomplishes this goal, however the reader is bogged down in wondering references that would best be saved for the bibliography. As a result, the flow is interrupted and the point is often lost. Maybe a more scholarly mind is accustom to such ramblings. The pre-sale hype on the book promised references to our current political leadership, yet these were weak and too few. In the end he concludes that we will rise from our currently low political frustrations to an era of higher ground in the future.