The life and presidency of Lyndon Baines Johnson could never be summed up in one word, phrase, or sentence. Even hundreds of pages seem too few to capture the Johnson years. Both books present Johnson as a political figure as powerful and memorable as Lincoln or FDR, each attempting to show a complete picture of this enormous man. History books will forever be baffled by this enigma of a man, just as readers and students are. The greatest difficulty is determining what one thinks about Johnson's actions and effects. Many presidents can be seen as completely "good" or "bad" depending on political ideology and personal opinions, however, when looking at Johnson, it is easier, almost inevitable, to find nuances and contradictions that make forming opinions simple and binary. difficult, if not impossible. Achievements are followed by annoying failures, and triumphs are overshadowed by relentless criticism. These two books (Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream by Doris Kearns Goodwin and A Life: LBJ by Irwin and Debi Unger) attempt to present the story of a figure who was out of the ordinary, but underneath was just an ordinary man. Both books tell the story, but leave the reader free to decide how to feel, to decide whether the good outweighs the bad and vice versa. They must decide what to do with this man who, in his life, has gone from a confident young senator, to a triumphant president, to a tired and defeated leader, to finally becoming just an old man who hopes his story will live on. In just 6 years, Johnson has evolved from a newly elected senator to the most powerful man in the Senate. (Unger, 180) This rapid rise has been unprecedented and fascinating, and Johnson's path is arguably as important as his presidency. Both books use Johnson's qu...... middle of paper ......uotes. (Goodwin, 280) Looking at the section on the Vietnam War, one can see a trend that applies to both books: Goodwin's book is more of a look at Johnson as the man himself, the book resolves itself completely around him. On the other hand, Unger focuses, of course, on Johnson, but it is more of an account of the time period and how Johnson influenced him. You always have to take biases and points of view into account when reading a book, and Goodwin and Unger's account of Lyndon B. Johnson's life have both. However, as long as you understand this, you will be able to create your own opinion about Johnson. This opinion is destined to never be complete, because forming an opinion about a man as complicated and nuanced as Johnson will never be possible. But, as long as you learn the facts and read the story, you will be able to decide what to think of this extraordinary man..