FILE - In this Jan. 18, 2017 file photo, President Barack Obama smiles during his final presidential news conference in the briefing room of the White House in Washington. More than a dozen “60 Minutes” interviews with Obama, beginning when he was a U.S. Senator, have been compiled into an audio release, “Barack Obama: The 60 Minutes Interviews” coming out Oct. 13. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)
FILE - In this Jan. 18, 2017 file photo, President Barack Obama smiles during his final presidential news conference in the briefing room of the White House in Washington. More than a dozen “60 Minutes” interviews with Obama, beginning when he was a U.S. Senator, have been compiled into an audio release, “Barack Obama: The 60 Minutes Interviews” coming out Oct. 13. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)
FILE - In this Jan. 18, 2017 file photo, President Barack Obama smiles during his final presidential news conference in the briefing room of the White House in Washington. More than a dozen “60 Minutes” interviews with Obama, beginning when he was a U.S. Senator, have been compiled into an audio release, “Barack Obama: The 60 Minutes Interviews” coming out Oct. 13. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)
FILE - In this Jan. 18, 2017 file photo, President Barack Obama smiles during his final presidential news conference in the briefing room of the White House in Washington. More than a dozen “60 Minu

A campaign of its own: 6 memoirs written by former US presidents


Saeed Saeed
  • English
  • Arabic

Former US president Barack Obama's announcement of a presidential memoir is not surprising.

Out in November, the 796-page tome A Promised Land follows a long line of former presidents reflecting on their experiences running one of the most powerful countries in the world.

Obama's move is not down to sheer vanity. From Ulysses S Grant to George W Bush, presidential memoirs are an indispensable source that provide insights into the turbulent moments of the past and offer lessons for future generations of leaders.

That said, despite the importance of the work, some head of states were not up to the literary task. A number of them were criticised for being selective about events and facts, while others had their work condemned for being a snooze fest.

Here are six former presidents who received a variety of reviews.

1. 'Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant' (1856)

Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant. Courtesy The Library of America
Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant. Courtesy The Library of America

This is widely regarded as the finest presidential memoir to be released. According to US historian Craig Fehrman, Grant was "America's first full-blown fiction-loving president, and his fondness for novels clearly influenced his own writing".

While military history buffs will savour Grant's descriptions of the battlefields during the Civil War and the Mexican-American War (military maps are provided in some editions), what stands out to the common reader is Grant's sense of steely purpose.

The memoir is particularly poignant as it was written under physical pain and financial burden. Stricken with cancer of the throat, the 18th US president wrote the book to serve as a financial cushion for his family.

Both volumes were released a year after his death in 1885.

2. 'The Life and Selected Writings of Thomas Jefferson' (1821)

The Life and Selected Writings of Thomas Jefferson. Courtesy Penguin Random House
The Life and Selected Writings of Thomas Jefferson. Courtesy Penguin Random House

There are prolific writers and then there is Thomas Jefferson. The third president of the US reportedly wrote more than 70,000 letters throughout his lifetime, in addition to the feat of writing the Declaration of Independence.

With so much correspondence to his name, a tastefully edited selection of his letters was released. A mix of journal entries, notes and speeches, the collection provides an intimate snapshot of one of America's greatest intellectuals as well as an insight into the early years of a new country.

3. 'Mandate for Change by Dwight Eisenhower' (1963)

Mandate for Change, 1953-1956: The White House Years by Dwight D. Eisenhower. Courtesy Doubleday
Mandate for Change, 1953-1956: The White House Years by Dwight D. Eisenhower. Courtesy Doubleday

This is a must-read for political junkies and business leaders.

Mandate for Change has been praised as a game changer when it comes to presidential memoirs. A lot of that is down to the direct nature with which the 34th president approached the work. Perhaps down to his military training, the former Second World War general jettisons the grandiosity surrounding the form and gets into the nuts and bolts of presidential life. Covering his term between 1953-1956 in a stripped-down and no nonsense style, Eisenhower takes us into the mind of the presidency and explains how hard decisions are made through conviction and consensus.

4. 'The Memoirs of Richard Nixon' (1978)

RN: The Memoirs of Richard Nixon by Richard Nixon. Courtesy Simon & Schuster
RN: The Memoirs of Richard Nixon by Richard Nixon. Courtesy Simon & Schuster

Published four years after resigning in disgrace, Nixon’s retelling of his 37th presidency was criticised by literary and political critics for seemingly everything, from being a ragtag assortment of thoughts to its defiant tone.

In a withering assessment in the Foreign Affairs magazine, Gaddis Smith panned Nixon's lack of scope: "He whines more and seems incapable of sustained analysis, irony, humour or any grasp of larger philosophical or historical dimensions. The book is less a thematic narrative than a collection of short memoranda chronologically arranged." Ouch.

If that was not enough, the book was also subjected to a boycott campaign from groups angry at the crimes committed during Nixon’s presidency. With so much going against him, no wonder the book was a flop.

5. 'My Life' by Bill Clinton (2004)

My Life by Bill Clinton. Courtesy Penguin Random House
My Life by Bill Clinton. Courtesy Penguin Random House

This memoir arrived with all the fanfare of a Hollywood blockbuster. For the publishing industry, My Life was a watershed moment as Clinton received what was then a record book advance of $15 million (Dh55m).

For some readers and the political establishment, what they were looking for was how Clinton would address the Monica Lewinsky scandal that plagued his presidency. At a mammoth 1,008 pages, the 42nd president dedicates no less than 30 pages to the ordeal with passages full of regret for all involved.

The rest of the book is an engrossing look at how a saxophone-loving lawyer from a small town went on to reach the highest office in the land. With Clinton keeping a journal for decades, the memoir has vivid recollections of meeting pivotal figures such as South African leader Nelson Mandela and Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez as well as handling of national emergencies such as the 1995 Oklahoma City terrorist bombing.

Told with Clinton's trademark charm, My Life was a hit for the genre and went on to sell more than two million copies.

6. 'Decision Points' by George W Bush (2010)

Decision Points by George W Bush. Courtesy Penguin Random House
Decision Points by George W Bush. Courtesy Penguin Random House

Although Clinton bested his father George Bush in the 1993 presidential election, George W Bush defeated Clinton when it came to book sales. Decision Points comfortably surpassed My Life's figures of 2.2 million copies sold within the first two months of its release. A lot of that was because of the momentous and often controversial nature of the Bush presidency. At a crisp 486 pages and written with Texan directness, the 43rd president takes us through some of the biggest decisions he made over his two terms, ranging from his response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, sending troops to Iraq and his administration's handling of the Hurricane Katrina crisis.

The book did not elicit any real excitement from literary critics. The best they did was call his prose "workmanlike" and point to the fact that he comes across more relatable than expected.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
About Karol Nawrocki

• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.

• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.

• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.

• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.

Previous men's records
  • 2:01:39: Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) on 16/9/19 in Berlin
  • 2:02:57: Dennis Kimetto (KEN) on 28/09/2014 in Berlin
  • 2:03:23: Wilson Kipsang (KEN) on 29/09/2013 in Berlin
  • 2:03:38: Patrick Makau (KEN) on 25/09/2011 in Berlin
  • 2:03:59: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 28/09/2008 in Berlin
  • 2:04:26: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 30/09/2007 in Berlin
  • 2:04:55: Paul Tergat (KEN) on 28/09/2003 in Berlin
  • 2:05:38: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 14/04/2002 in London
  • 2:05:42: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 24/10/1999 in Chicago
  • 2:06:05: Ronaldo da Costa (BRA) 20/09/1998 in Berlin
Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000

Available: Now

Key products and UAE prices

iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229

iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649

iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179

Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.

While you're here
The results of the first round are as follows:

Qais Saied (Independent): 18.4 per cent

Nabil Karoui (Qalb Tounes): 15.58 per cent

Abdelfattah Mourou (Ennahdha party): 12.88 per cent

Abdelkarim Zbidi (two-time defence minister backed by Nidaa Tounes party): 10.7 per cent

Youssef Chahed (former prime minister, leader of Long Live Tunisia): 7.3 per cent

Tour de France

When: July 7-29

UAE Team Emirates:
Dan Martin, Alexander Kristoff, Darwin Atapuma, Marco Marcato, Kristijan Durasek, Oliviero Troia, Roberto Ferrari and Rory Sutherland

Brief scores:

England: 290 & 346

Sri Lanka: 336 & 243

Results

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m; Winner: Gurm, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)

5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Al Nafece, Al Muatasm Al Balushi, Mohammed Ramadan

6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Adrie de Vries, Ibrahim Aseel

6.30pm: Arabian Triple Crown – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Ottoman, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi

7pm: Liwa Oasis – Group 2 (PA) 300,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Hakeemat Muscat, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami

7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Ganbaru, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

Qosty Byogaani

Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny

Four stars