Judith Icke AndersonWilliam Howard Taft: An Intimate History

Informative and well written, particularly recommended if you like psychology.

For most of this book William Howard Taft does not come across as a particularly sympathetic figure. That by itself is not a criticism of the book. Anderson, like other biographers as well as people who knew Taft, notes his remarkable geniality, kindness and honesty. But Anderson mainly portrays Taft as a weak and dependent person who let his wife Nellie and Theodore Roosevelt direct his life. Anderson does not make these claims out of nowhere. She has plenty of supporting evidence in Taft’s own words and the words of those closest to him. Much of the book appears to be an accurate but unflattering portrait of Taft. Anderson claims that gradually, as president and then afterwards, Taft grew into being a much more independent person. He stood up to Roosevelt and his most fulfilling days were as chief justice after the presidency.Almost no biographers would disagree on the strong influence of TR and Nellie on Taft’s life. But how much this is emphasized depends upon how a biographer approaches Taft. Rosen’s recent biography in the American Presidents Series emphasizes Taft’s love of the law and jurisprudence early in his life and how the executive nature of the presidency both frustrated him and played into his weaknesses, not his strengths. Rosen notes outside influences on Taft but emphasizes his talents and flaws while in office, not so much why he acted as he did from psychological motives. Anderson approaches Taft psychologically, sometimes I thought excessively so. Roosevelt is Taft’s “father figure;” people sometimes have “neurotic” tendencies; Taft’s weight reflects his happiness or unhappiness in his life. Maybe. But people, especially highly intelligent and sensitive people like Taft, are complex and have multiple motives. But to my surprise I found some of Anderson’s psychologizing useful and most of it is supported by Taft’s own words. This book is an angle on Taft that, while sometimes overdone, throws light on important aspects of this president’s life not emphasized by other biographers.So I have mixed feeling about the book. I do not like generalizations about “types” of people and usually biographers who psychologize a lot about their subject are doing more speculating than history. But Taft was so incredibly honest and open about his inner feelings and thoughts in his letters and conversations that Anderson has much more to go on than she would for other historical figures. Anderson writes well and she provides fine straightforward summaries of the events in Taft’s life. But the book is also a unique angle on a president that, other than for a few paragraphs, is supported by the evidence. Whether the reader thinks it is useful to see Taft this way depends on how the reader wants to approach Taft.

This is an excellent biography of William Howard Taft. It not only looks at what he did but why he did it.Taft is not known for being a good president, but that was his one area of weakness. His life was one success after another, except for the presidency. In fact, he never wanted to be president, but was more interested in being on the Supreme Court, where he eventually served.This book consults letters by Taft and those around him. It includes great quotes, like Taft's saying "I would rather entertain people I don't like than not entertain at all."If you want to know more about Taft, I would highly recommend this book.

The author's aim was to delve into President Taft's psyche to plum his motivations in life. In doing so the writer gave an interesting account of not just Taft's actions but why he did what he did. Taft's decision to turn down offers for his heart's desire, run for the Presidency and then serve as a caretaker executive defy cold political calculus. I have no idea if Judith Anderson's thesis would be supported by current psychological practitioners, but it did make for an interesting read. She did a superb job of bringing out Taft's personality, his strengths, his weaknesses, and his interactions with those closest to him.

This book is the WORST biography written about Taft. Based only on an authors opinion. In reality William's father Alphonso lost four children and his first wife before William is born, William's mother lost her very first child, who would not be careful and keep an eye on children???? Parents who do not keep a watchful eye over their children do not deserve to be parents. William was large at birth, he was a fully grown man by the time he is in college, not because of his over bearing parents, was the presidency a reason for his weight gain absolutely but it WAS NOT the only reason. William had one of the greatest pre presidential career's out of all of the 44 people who have held the nations highest office. William's parents expected their children to work hard in school.....who's parents would not want their children to work hard in school??? William expected alot from himself. I wish people will take this book with a grain of salt of the psycho biographies of the late 70s early 80s because this book does not stand up in today's study of Taft. This book is not the book to read about President Taft. I have been associated with the life and times of President Taft for the six years, learning about the man everyday and I am not a writer but I could write a better biography because the author failed in every aspect in my opinion. Does it belong in the Historiography of President Taft, yes but it is not an accurate study and the author's bias should be looked at before reading this book. Taft deserved better and she caused a great American to be looked at like from birth he was a fat, unhappy person. That is not true, and this book is a horrible book on a GREAT AMERICAN, A GREAT BUCKEYE and a truly GREAT CINCINNATIAN.