A well-written reflection on one of the most significant American presidents. The compelling substance of How Ike Led is enhanced by the author’s sensitive style. It brings one of America’s most remarkable public figures into lasting focus.” —Henry A. Kissinger

"[Susan Eisenhower] lays bare the essence of her grandfather’s leadership in war and peace—his singular devotion to the unity and security of the American people and the nation’s allies.” —Wall Street Journal

"Susan Eisenhower's How Ike Led distills from her grandfather's life the enduring qualities of successful leadership. Those qualities — dedication to duty, sincerity, fairness, optimism, humility, patience and restraint, moderation and accountability — are illuminated through anecdotes both moving and entertaining from Dwight Eisenhower's decades of unparalleled service to America. It is an inspirational book with lessons highly relevant and desperately needed for current and aspiring leaders, especially those in public life."
—Robert M. Gates, U.S. Secretary of Defense 2006-2011

“Susan Eisenhower’s How Ike Led is not only a moving account of her grandfather’s major decisions, but an astute and timely reminder that his virtues—good judgment, taking full responsibility, self-control, courage and devotion to the truth, however uncomfortable—remain the lodestar of leadership in peace and in war, and of his own long, remarkable career of public service as a general and president. I had a wonderful time reading it—and there could not be a better time to read this book.”
—Michael Korda, author of Ike and Hero

“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

“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

“This riveting account of Dwight David Eisenhower’s brilliant World War II leadership and his visionary Presidential accomplishments sets a new benchmark for excellence in the study of strategic leadership. Once again Susan Eisenhower brings her extraordinary storytelling skills to bear in this compelling history of one of America’s most gifted leaders of character and courage; the result is an authoritative and revealing perspective on “Ike’s” unparalleled role in shaping his era and our own.”
—Lieutenant General David Huntoon, US Army (Retired), former Superintendent of the US Military Academy at West Point

"An eloquent, compelling tribute to our 34th president, lovingly—but not uncritically—penned by the author’s granddaughter. This eminently readable book is laced with personal anecdotes and insights from his friends and closest advisors. Although Eisenhower’s life and presidency have been the subject of abundant scholarly study, the family details and flowing style of How Ike Led make a special contribution to our understanding of him as a person and as a leader." —Susan Hockfield, President Emerita, MIT

“How Ike Led takes us inside the mind of one of the towering figures of the 20th-century, indeed one of our nation’s most accomplished and yet still misunderstood presidents. Our host on this journey, Susan Eisenhower, one of the revered general’s granddaughters, uses personal stories and memorable anecdotes to provide a deeply-moving insight into one of the master-strategists of our time. As her book makes clear, Eisenhower’s leadership and his sublimation of ego stand in stark contrast to the qualities of far too many elected officials today. Read it with pride and be reminded of the virtues that defeated Nazism and contributed mightily to the nation that we Americans too often take for granted.”
—Robert Edsel, author of Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History

"Susan Eisenhower has given us an insightful and inspiring profile of Ike’s brand of leadership; his authority was grounded in his unshakable integrity and deep commitment to the service of others. Drawing on extensive research and her own personal experience, Eisenhower paints a 20th century portrait that is even more relevant in the 21st century. This book calls us to remember how essential true leadership is for American democracy to thrive. —Frederick M. Lawrence, Secretary and CEO, The Phi Beta Kappa Society and Distinguished Lecturer, Georgetown University Law Center

"This remarkable book is a priceless gift to people young and old, seeking the secret of America's past success: wise and selfless leadership; written by an expert on the life, times, and personal values of a man called Ike." —Ambassador Richard T. McCormack, Former Executive Vice Chairman, Bank of America and former undersecretary of state

"Susan Eisenhower’s unique insights into the values, vision, and courage of our 34th president and unmatched command of the history of his era deepen and at times transform our understanding of the events that shaped the modern world, from D-Day to Little Rock, from Suez to Sputnik...Ike’s humanity as well as his wisdom shine through as he steered the Nation to peace and prosperity...A must read for anyone who cares about America’s past, or its future."
—Daniel B. Poneman, CEO of Centrus Energy Corporation and former Deputy Secretary of Energy

"A tour de force by Susan Eisenhower with rare, unprecedented insights which only this author could deliver. Insights that combine the public persona of General then President Eisenhower with first-hand accounts from Ike’s family, friends and personal staff providing new dimensions for our collective understanding of America’s foremost strategic leader of the 20th Century. By dissecting the anatomy of his most momentous and impactful decisions, she reveals a leader who not only possessed abundant strategic understanding, intellect, moral courage and emotional intelligence but who was also humble, respectful, values-based and self-aware in how he implemented those decisions. How Ike Led is not only an exceptional work of history, more importantly it provides the model for all who are or aspire to be our national leaders as we navigate the challenges of the 21st Century.
—General John Nicholson, US Army Retired, Former Commander NATO Resolute Support and US Forces Afghanistan

“Susan Eisenhower’s skillful melding of personal experiences and erudite observations from scholars and contemporary observers give us as good a picture of Ike as we have ever had.”
—David Nichols, author of Ike and McCarthy, Eisenhower 1956, and A Matter of Justice

Susan Eisenhower’s admiring biography of President Dwight Eisenhower also offers analysis of his decisions and character, as reflected in his leadership. The work is clear-eyed but naturally imbued with a granddaughter’s affection. Narrator Bernadette Dunne’s amiable manner is a good match for the author’s tone, objective but tinged with warmth. Her voice has a somewhat astringent quality but isn’t unpleasant, and her reading is articulate and precise, well modulated and expressive without exaggeration. She simply seems nice, as does Susan Eisenhower. Dunne manages to go beyond the plain sense of the text to give us the author as an intelligent, sensible, well-spoken person who is examining an important life in a way that informs, pleases, and serves as a lesson for the present day. W.M. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

2020-03-22
A granddaughter of the 34th president celebrates his life and accomplishments.

The author, who published a memoir, Mrs. Ike (1996), about her grandmother, turns her attention to her grandfather in this mix of biography, memoir, and history; she has few negative things to say about him other than the fact that he did not like phone calls but rather “far preferred to meet his colleagues in person.” Instead, she celebrates his remarkable life, noting his humility and “intellectual honesty” and how he was “transparent and accountable” to the public and possessed a “determination to put the country first.” The author is clearly determined to remind readers of his many accomplishments—not only in World War II (he organized D-Day, among many other operations), but during the eight years of his presidency (1953-1961). She credits him for laying the groundwork for civil rights—e.g., he sent the 101st Airborne to Little Rock to facilitate school integration—balancing budgets, keeping us out of war, working hard to get the U.S. into space, refusing to attack his critics in public, and declining to diminish himself by responding to Sen. Joseph McCarthy and, later, to the Democrats (JFK among them) who tried to use the early Soviet space achievements for a political advantage. She shows him as an empathetic family man with a strong moral compass. In the epilogue, the author attacks the tribalism poisoning our current political climate. “Our culture no longer understands what was deeply ingrained in Eisenhower and many of his generation,” she writes. “Today we seem to think that strength is derived from winning every small fight, while raising ourselves up for recognition and advancement, even if others have to be diminished in the process….To [him] the exact opposite was fundamental to his beliefs.”

A patent paean to a beloved grandfather and his military, political, and family achievements. (17 b/w photos)