Herbert S. Parmet
Herbert S. Parmet was an American historian and biographer known for his works on U.S. Presidents, including biographies of John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon.
Books
This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.
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1. Richard Nixon And His America
The Rise and Fall of a Political Leader
The book provides a comprehensive examination of Richard Nixon's complex political career and personal life, exploring his rise from modest beginnings to becoming the 37th President of the United States. It delves into his political strategies, key policies, and the turbulent events that defined his presidency, including the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal. The narrative also reflects on Nixon's impact on American society and politics, highlighting his resilience and the contradictions that characterized his leadership style. Through detailed research, the book paints a nuanced portrait of Nixon, offering insights into his enduring influence on the American political landscape.
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2. George Bush
A compact political biography that traces his journey from privileged New England roots and wartime naval service to a Texas business career and a steady rise through Republican politics—congressman, ambassador, CIA director, vice president and finally president—examining his reserved, pragmatic personality and governing style, his foreign-policy instincts and key decisions (notably the end of the Cold War era and the Gulf War), and weighing his accomplishments against political setbacks to place his life and presidency in the context of late-20th-century America.
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3. Jfk
A concise political biography that traces his rise from charismatic youth and wartime heroism to the pressures and paradoxes of the presidency, examining how personal ambition, health struggles, and a polished public image shaped his decisions. The narrative covers major episodes—the 1960 election, Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile Crisis, civil-rights initiatives, and Cold War diplomacy—showing how a mix of political skill, impulsiveness, and circumstance produced both notable achievements and grave vulnerabilities. It concludes by assessing the impact of his assassination on American politics and the enduring, complex legacy he left behind.
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4. Jack
The Struggles of John F. Kennedy
A richly researched, sympathetic yet critical biography that traces the rise of John F. Kennedy from a privileged Irish-Catholic Boston family through wartime heroism and his early congressional and senatorial careers to the hard-fought 1960 presidential campaign, detailing his political skill and ambition alongside persistent personal vulnerabilities—chronic health problems, marital strains, and private insecurities—and showing how family dynamics, advisers, and necessary compromises shaped the contrast between his charismatic public image and the often difficult, behind-the-scenes struggles of his political life.