What do you think?
Rate this book
Presidential Wit and Wisdom: Memorable Quotes from George Washington to Barack Obama
"I'm a great believer in luck," observed Thomas Jefferson, "and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it." This amusing and enlightening treasury of presidential lore features memorable quips by all forty-three chief executives, along with a variety of shrewd observations, heartfelt laments, and remarkable revelations.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
17 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 28, 2023
Giving this book a cursory look, I find it's falsely attributed a famous quote of Benjamin Franklin to FDR: "Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." (And it is, oddly, a Franklin quote often used against the redistributionist policies FDR is known for.) A Google search reveals no association of FDR to the quote, and unambiguous attribution to Franklin. There's no note in the book to address the discrepancy. A mistake this blatant signals the rest of book's quotes aren't trustworthy.
Beyond this, the whole idea of a book of short quotes from US Presidents is a problematic for two reasons. First, some quotes deserve more contextualization. Secondly, though many presidents were wise and witty, many were typical power-lusting demogogues who brought about bad policies and destruction to American lives (and I'm not thinking first of wars, but things like monetary and fiscal policy, business regulations and tax schemes – which destroyed savings, wealth, innovation, and progress) who we'd do well not to set high on pedestals. Simply being a national leader does not make one admirable or wise; sometimes it's quite the opposite. I believe the best among them would have disapproved of this book as encouraging a disempowering worship of "rulers", as against the very American valoration of our unimpeded freedom to grow and create for ourselves, enabled by a government simply charged with defending that freedom, over which these men were merely elected to preside.
Beyond this, the whole idea of a book of short quotes from US Presidents is a problematic for two reasons. First, some quotes deserve more contextualization. Secondly, though many presidents were wise and witty, many were typical power-lusting demogogues who brought about bad policies and destruction to American lives (and I'm not thinking first of wars, but things like monetary and fiscal policy, business regulations and tax schemes – which destroyed savings, wealth, innovation, and progress) who we'd do well not to set high on pedestals. Simply being a national leader does not make one admirable or wise; sometimes it's quite the opposite. I believe the best among them would have disapproved of this book as encouraging a disempowering worship of "rulers", as against the very American valoration of our unimpeded freedom to grow and create for ourselves, enabled by a government simply charged with defending that freedom, over which these men were merely elected to preside.
July 25, 2016
Wide-ranging collection of pithy comments from each of America's presidents, George Washington to Barack Obama ... excellent source for speech-writing, especially if one is planning to enter politics ...
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews