No one man or woman has ever been in a position to see the presidents, and the presidency, so intimately, over so many years. They called him in for photo opportunities. They called for comfort. They asked about death and salvation; about sin and forgiveness. At a time when the nation is increasingly split over the place of religion in public life, THE PREACHER AND THE PRESIDENTS reveals how the world's most powerful men and world's most famous evangelist, Billy Graham, knit faith and politics together.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Fascinating Look at Graham's Influence on the Presidency:
If you like American history, politics, or Billy Graham (or all three), you will love this book! The Preacher and the Presidents tells the story of Billy Graham's relationship with eleven presidents (from Harry Truman to George W. Bush). Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy have given us a book filled with meticulous research that will serve as a guide for evangelicals who seek to enter the murky waters of politics. The Preacher and the Presidents could easily be divided into two parts: Before Nixon and After... more info
Living His Mission:
Although I've always known that Billy Graham was a charismatic evangelist, I didn't realize just how spiritual, humble, forgiving, and influential he was until reading this book. Not only was he allowed into the "inner sanctums" of powerful United States politicians and other movers and shakers, but he was also admitted entry into places in the world where others would not have been allowed. At the same time, he cared about "the least of these" and always felt his #1 mission in life was to spread the good... more info
Thoroughly enjoyable with one exception:
A fascinating read and deservedly praised, I found this book hard to put down until Chapter 31 on Billy's acquaintance with the Clintons. That chapter had a false ring - a different tone from the rest, that smacked me in the face. With so few comments there in Billy's words, as were heavily used in the chapters about other presidents, the writers droned on and on in their attempt to paint the Clintons as good as the rest. After their fairly even-handed (and exhaustive) work on both the humanity and... more info
For non-fans:
This biographical piece is considerably different from other works written about Billy Graham's life. Just As I Am (autobiography) and other histories of the Billy Graham Crusades evolve into hagiographies where Graham has faults but these are downplayed. This book tries to be as balanced as possible portraying some glaring weaknesses such as Graham's heavily favoring various presidents and presidential candidates, even in public, while not legalistically endorsing them. The insights into various... more info
