“How Ike Led is a powerful addition to a leader’s bookshelf. The author’s unique perspective as Eisenhower’s granddaughter offers the reader personal anecdotes and insights on strategic thought and character not found in previously published biographies of Eisenhower. To understand Dwight Eisenhower, read Susan Eisenhower.”
Association of The United States Army
“Granddaughter of President Dwight ‘Ike’ Eisenhower and leader of Gettysburg College’s Eisenhower Institute, [Susan Eisenhower] has pored through the record of her grandfather’s career and distilled what made him a great leader both on the battlefield and in government. … A direct witness to Ike’s later years, the author draws on memories of her grandfather, and these highly personal anecdotes supplement her research. Armchair historians will treasure this book.”
Booklist
Dear Readers,
It is with considerable trepidation that one reads the newspapers these days. It seems like a perfect storm of crises has overcome our country. The deep divisions in the United States are what Dwight Eisenhower would say are “a welcomed sight for an alert enemy.” But these fissures are more than a national security issue. Covid-19, the economic slump, racial tensions and now the defunding of the United States Postal Service all threaten public confidence in our democracy’s capacity to ensure justice, access to economic opportunity and free and fair elections. Talk to your friends and encourage them to join this or any other civil discussion about the future of our country. Make sure they vote.
How Ike Led is my contribution to the dialogue we are having with ourselves. We should “expect more”—a phrase someone should turn into a hashtag on Twitter. The book was launched on August 11 and I am especially pleased that I have heard from so many people who are, in their words, learning new things about General and President Eisenhower. I have been especially gratified by the reaction of college-aged students who have found merit in learning about a time when our leaders addressed the crises of the day in ways that inspired confidence, not undermined it.
This week, I will be speaking at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, as well as the Boston Public Library (in partnership with WGBH). I welcome you to join the conversation.
In case you missed, this last week I also did interviews with a number of outlets, but I would single out the podcast with National Review’s Jay Nordlinger, From the Green Notebook by military writer Joe Byerly, and AUSA’s podcast Army Matters.
With best wishes and stay well!
Susan
