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Hoover: An Extraordinary Life in Extraordinary Times

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Description

"An exemplary biography—exhaustively researched, fair-minded and easy to read. It can nestle on the same shelf as David McCullough’s Truman, a high compliment indeed." —The Wall Street Journal The definitive biography of Herbert Hoover, one of the most remarkable Americans of the twentieth century—a wholly original account that will forever change the way Americans understand the man, his presidency, his battle against the Great Depression, and their own history. An impoverished orphan who built a fortune. A great humanitarian. A president elected in a landslide and then resoundingly defeated four years later. Arguably the father of both New Deal liberalism and modern conservatism, Herbert Hoover lived one of the most extraordinary American lives of the twentieth century. Yet however astonishing, his accomplishments are often eclipsed by the perception that Hoover was inept and heartless in the face of the Great Depression. Now, Kenneth Whyte vividly recreates Hoover’s rich and dramatic life in all its complex glory. He follows Hoover through his Iowa boyhood, his cutthroat business career, his brilliant rescue of millions of lives during World War I and the 1927 Mississippi floods, his misconstrued presidency, his defeat at the hands of a ruthless Franklin Roosevelt, his devastating years in the political wilderness, his return to grace as Truman's emissary to help European refugees after World War II, and his final vindication in the days of Kennedy's "New Frontier." Ultimately, Whyte brings to light Hoover’s complexities and contradictions—his modesty and ambition, his ruthlessness and extreme generosity—as well as his profound political legacy. Hoover: An Extraordinary Life in Extraordinary Times is the epic, poignant story of the deprived boy who, through force of will, made himself the most accomplished figure in the land, and who experienced a range of achievements and failures unmatched by any American of his, or perhaps any, era. Here, for the first time, is the definitive biography that fully captures the colossal scale of Hoover’s momentous life and volatile times. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vintage


Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more


Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 10, 2017


Language ‏ : ‎ English


File size ‏ : ‎ 41.9 MB


Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported


Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled


X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled


Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled


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Top Amazon Reviews

    • Surprising
Format: Paperback
Very descriptive and even handed on his actions. A very good read about an amazing man
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2026 by richard
    • excellent Summary of Hoover's Life
Format: Kindle
This is a well written summary of not just the Presidency, but the total of Hoover's Life. The first thing is how successful he was prior to the Presidency. He was extremely successful in the Mining business becoming a millionaire. He was successful in providing relief to Belgium during World War I. His failure was during the depression. When he did try some things that were not enough. Here the author seems to disagree with my father. My Father told mr that if it were not for Roosevelt there would have been a revolution in the US. This book doesn't make it sound quite that bad. Another interesting point in the book that applies to our time is the Prohibition issue. According to the. book in early 1931 Hoover and the Republicans were in a quandry not about the depression, but about prohibition. It was clear that prohibition was extremely unpopular but their base of support were religious Protestants who favored prohibition. This seems similar to the problem Republicans face today as it is clear most people favor liberal abortion laws but their base of Evangelicals prevent them from doing anything. The book has a good summary of Hoover's post presidential career. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2023 by Jtorriani
    • Hoover years
Format: Hardcover
Very detailed account of his life. Getting to the part dealing with lead up to depression.
Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2025 by Tim
    • Fascinating
Format: Paperback
Well-written. For me Hoover was not at the top of my list of presidents, probably because of all the Depression-era propaganda which was launched against him, but this book made me rethink my presuppositions. Fascinating life story.
Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2026 by M L C
    • Very readable
Format: Paperback
I’m just a regular person wanting to know more about our American presidents. This book is Very readable (true me, I’ve read some that are pure drudgery to get through!).
Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2025 by Kristie
    • Makes You Appreciate a Very Dedicated Man Who Got a Bad Rap From Historians
Format: Paperback
Before reading this book, the only thing I knew about Herbert Hoover was that he was the Republican president (1929 – 33) during the Great Depression and that his policies did little to alleviate the human misery that proliferated during this period. Because he seemed so inept, I viewed him as not very bright and a rich man who bought his way into the presidency. This was certainly not the man that we see in this book. The author presents him as extremely intelligent, hard-working and ethical. The many accolades that Hoover received both before and after his presidency confirm the author’s evaluation. Hoover had a degree in geology from Stanford. He led the way for the standardization of materials and devices. He accomplished so much in the fields of geology and engineering that in 1964, a poll of 7,000 Columbia University engineering graduates, listed him and Thomas Edison as the two greatest engineers that the United States produced. Additionally, he authored at least 25 books. Was he a rich man who bought his way into the presidency? He certainly did not begin life as a scion of a wealthy family as did Roosevelt. His parents were hard-working, devout Quakers with little money , who died young, leaving Hoover and his siblings as orphans. They were sent to live with various relatives. His uncle did have connections and those connections lead to Hoover attending Stanford. Hoover because of his business acumen and relentless work ethic, was able to accumulate a significant amount of money, but he was far from being one of the wealthiest Americans, and it was not his money that led to his being elected President, it was his numerous humanitarian deeds during WWI. The consensus of most historians is that Hoover’s belief in volunteerism and personal responsibility blinded him to the need for government intervention to deal with a society far more complex than the one that existed in previous generations. They also point to his personality or lack thereof that made him unable to inspire people in these most desperate of times. Despite his shortcomings in dealing with the Great Depression, his accomplishments far outweigh this period of his life. This is a very well written book and a must read for anyone with the slightest interest in American history. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2022 by Janice H. Kasten
    • Dr. Bill on Hoover
Format: Kindle
A fascinating man who shaped the world we live in. He was in and out of place in politics and thought throughout the 20th Century. A melange of emotions and contradiction that span the remarkably changing Century he graced. World leader, statesman, humanitarian, businessman and intellect. Had he succeeded Cleveland he would be rated in the upper third of his Class of Presidents. Sadly he has been judged by the Great Depression, a tragedy from which we have learned a Great wealth of economic and social knowledge. He predicted the Depression and helped steer the country through the ordeal. He foresaw the rise of the Nanny State; but much of what he said post Presidency was tainted by emotion. Yet he was loath to express his feelings publicly. It's with admiration and respect that I share my thoughts. The book is well written, not magnificent but the Author's Editors did an admirable job of plllaring the work. Well worth reading for a lover of history and the American Presidency. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2026 by Dr. Bill

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