The Ordeal of Power: A Political Memoir of the Eisenhower Years

by Emmet John Hughes

Gives equal attention to the Eisenhower personality, the presidency in modern times and political and social events of the fifties.

Paperback

First published February 1, 1975

Reviews

[Don Heiman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emmet Hughes' book "The Ordeal of Power" covers Eisenhower's 1953-1960 presidency. The book was published in 1963. Hughes was a foreign correspondent in Europe for Time; editor for Life and Fortune; editorial advisor for The Washington Post and Newsweek; and advisor/speech writer during the Eisenhower presidency. His Eisenhower book is poorly referenced and the writing style is pedantic. Also his observations and conclusions were not convincing and in my opinion too selective.

[Gayle Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I spent quite some time reading this book. I would pick it up and put it down and pick it up again. The blurb on Amazon says the author saw Eisenhower not up to the office of president. I see this political Memoir written by Eisenhower's speechwriter to have a completely different view of Ike.

He saw him as a man deeply concerned with respect for Congress's role and the role of the executive branch. He was deeply fearful overreaching, a fear we do not see demonstrated by contemporary occupants of the Oval Office.

Eisenhower's greatest accomplishments according to the author were the things he kept from happening.

In the end, the author is deeply respectful a President Eisenhower.

I commend this book to anyone interested in the United States that President Kennedy inherited.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overlong and winded, Hughes tries to imprint his very progressive views on the Eisenhower presidency as a setup for JFK. Problem is there is a lot of fluff to get to real meat in the story, and so much of what Hughes thinks is wrong, has been proven by history to be solid accomplishments of the Eisenhower presidency so it's rather moot.

[Chet Herbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for anyone interested in examining the formulation of U.S. cold war foreign policy during the Eisenhower administration.