American Caesar
Inspiring, outrageous... A thundering paradox of a man. Douglas MacArthur, one of only five men in history to have achieved the rank of General of the United States Army. He served in World Wars I, II, and the Korean War, and is famous for stating that "in war, there is no substitute for victory." AMERICAN CAESAR exaines the exemplary army career, the stunning successes (and lapses) on the battlefield, and the turbulent private life of the soldier-hero whose mystery and appeal created a uniquely American legend.
Stats for nerds
6recommend
9mentions
8people
2014–2024years
78% recommend22% neutral
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- It's incredible how good those books are, and I genuinely feel sorry for anyone who hasn't experienced them. I read them over two years ago and still remember many details as if I read them yesterday. This is quite rare for me, given how much I read. Strangely, I didn’t have the same experience with "The Power Broker."
Ever since finishing them, I have been on the hunt for historical biographies of similar quality. While I haven't found any that match up completely, here are a few that come close in my opinion:
* Truman by David McCullough
* Grant by Ron Chernow
* American Caesar by William Manchester
I've also read the three-part Churchill series by Manchester, but it didn’t quite measure up to the LBJ series for me.
If you have any other suggestions, please share them!
My brother in law loves Vonnegut, I read all of his books also. Personally, I don't understand the appeal
- William Manchester's American Caesar, a biography of Douglas MacArthur. Probably a bit too sympathetic to him, but fantastic writing.
- William Manchester is about the only writer who comes near Robert Caro. If you liked The Power Broker, you may want to read his American Caesar, or The Arms of Krupp.
The Private Life of Chairman Mao is another tremendous account of the excesses of power.
- I just finished reading American Caesar[0], a great biography of Douglas MacArthur. I highly recommend it as the story of a fascinating and brilliant man who is too little remembered today. I especially enjoyed and respected MacArthur's place in the rebuilding of Japan; his almost absolute power gave him space to override the more vengeful elements within the United States to implement an extremely conciliatory post-war settlement. I don't think it's unfair to call him the founder of the modern Japanese nation, both in terms of governance and political economy. Though not covered in the book, the distinctions between MacArthur's Japan and Weimar Germany are especially stark, and it is sobering to consider what may have happened had the Japanese fallen into the malaise which in Germany gave rise to the Stabbed In The Back myth[1].
[0] https://www.amazon.com/American-Caesar-Douglas-MacArthur-188...
- Interesting that this obit from 2000 should turn-up on HN.
Recently read Manchester's brilliant biography on MacArthur, his wife was a prominent force in his life. Highly recommend it >http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20949.American_Caesar
- American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur 1880-1964 http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20949.American_Caesar
Received this book as a gift from an elderly relative and felt obliged to give it a cursory read. Quickly became engrossed. Thoroughly researched with tons of anecdotes make MacArthur come alive.
