No one knows Woodrow Wilson as the late Athur Link knew him. Link, a Princeton historian, was chosen to edit The Papers of Woodrow Wilson, perhaps the largest collection of presidential documents and references ever assembled. From 1963-93 he and a team of researchers cataloged the collection. Toward the end of the project, Professor Link had an extended conversation with journalist James Robert Carroll who recorded, edited and presented the result in this fascinating short volume.

Link shares many insights with Carroll. We learn that Wilson typed many of his own letters; that most of his speeches were not written in advance, so that staff members had to scrambled to recreate copies afterward. Wilson taught himself shorthand, facilitating note taking. Link believes Wilson sustained small strokes very early in the century and that his obstinacy over accepting modifications to the World War I peace treaty stemmed not from ideological animosity toward Senator Henry Cabot Lodge and others, but rather from typical after match symptoms from his major stroke of October 2, 1919. He contends also that Edith Wilson did not make policy decisions for her ailing husband. Rather, she regulated who could see him and for how long, in an effort to provide him maximum rest and a calm atmosphere.

This book is not only interesting, but also useful for students of the presidency and for learning about the work techniques of a famous historian.

A fascinating behind-the-scenes view of Woodrow Wilson's life and afterlife, via a freeflowing conversation with Arthur Link, the late great Wilson biographer and editor of the amazing Wilson Papers. Link knew more about Wilson's life than anyone - perhaps more even than Wilson himself - and here he tells engaging and revealing stories about Wilson's rise from scholar and college president to New Jersey governor and president of the United States, culminating in his heroic fight for the League of Nations in 1919. We get rare glimpses of Wilson's childhood, loves, marriages, his intellectual life, and the impact of illness - including a series of strokes - on his presidency well before his dramatic collapse at the height of the League campaign. Link also describes his own leading role in one of the greatest editorial feats of all time - the nearly 70 volumes of the Wilson papers - documents written by, for, and about Wilson - which give us as complete and rounded a picture as we have of the life of any president - indeed of any human being. From their modest origins in the late 50s, when Link had little inkling of the scope of the task he'd rather casually undertaken, to their waxing with the publication of two massive, brilliantly annotated volumes a year, to the end in the early 90s, with the image of Link at his desk editing the last volumes almost singlehandedly (and by hand! - no computers), Link tells us in entertaining style how it was done, both the careful planning and the serendipity - including the thrilling discovery of a lost trove of papers from Wilson's childhood and early career in a forgotten upstairs closet of his Washington house. Tedium at times there was, Link acknowledges, but his unflagging enthusiasm and devotion shine through this conversation, as does his admiration, tempered by real discernment and almost infinite knowledge, of Wilson's character, achievements, and legacy. Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in history and in how it's made - how leaders live it and how scholars write it.

I was expecting more. McNamara uses his personal experiences especially during the Kennedy and Vietnam era as an argument for a lot of his arguments. While these serve to give a first hand view of the problems they add little to the arguments presented. The problem lies not as much with the overly idealistic and optimistic desires of the authors but with the lack of any constructive method to reach those ideals. The fact that you want peace and think that if everybody else would commit to wanting peace too then that would solve the problem does not make for a serious discussion of how to bring peace about. In the beginning of the book McNamara says the ideas presented are to spark discussion and debate to bring about a change for a more peaceful world. I don't know if this book adds much to the discussion other than an idealistic desire. I give the book a C- on the StuPage Book Reviews.

In this short book, former Defense Secretary, Robert S. McNamara, and Brown University Professor James G. Blight provide a blueprint for future American foreign policy designed to avoid the carnage of the 20th century that left an estimated 160 million people dead. Using the metaphor of America being haunted by the ghost of President Woodrow Wilson, whose warnings were ignored after World War I (WWI), they, like Wilson, warn that the failure to insure harmonious international relations will cause a war of apocalyptic proportions. They propose a five-step program that includes:

Only multinational interventions by the U.S.

Full reconciliation with Russia and China

Restructuring the U.N.

Defining, deterring and punishing war crimes

The total elimination of nuclear weapons worldwide

What can a long dead president from a bygone era, the architect of America's failed policy in Vietnam, and/or a professor from academia contribute to real-world decision makers today? The Holy Bible says in the book of Proverbs, Chapter 20, Verse 29, "The glory of young men is their strength; of old men, their experience." The strong, young men of Wilson's day did not listen to him. As he predicted, a second world war, more deadly and destructive than the first, was the result. Wilson's warnings are more poignant today than after WWI. In 1919, the world had the capability of destroying continents. We now have the capability to destroy all life on this planet. McNamara and Blight, offer a plan to reduce the chance of genocide and nuclear holocaust. Given the explosive nature of international conflicts today, the proposals of these wise, old, men deserve serious consideration if mankind is to survive.

Mr. McNamara and Mr. Blight present the 21st century's three
major international problems to be solved if we are to have an
earth to live on. It is amazing how close we live with the possible daily nuclear destruction of our planet. This book shows the arrogance
America possesses in its international operations and what we must do to combat it.

I am not so sure what is being proposed by these two is in the realm
of reality. They have provided the road map for peace, but I know
of no nation or people that are politically ready to follow it. I'm sure
the ignorance of the world's people will lead to a nuclear holocost
and the dawn of a new race of homosapiens. This is an excellent
read and recommended for those of you interested in international
operations.

This is a easy entrance book for graduated students. Chemical Engineers will be safe with this.