HARRY S TRUMAN, PRESIDENT

A political biography that successfully conveys the highly charged atmosphere of the late 40's and early 50's, but is sympathetic to the point of adulation. Fleming's readable account will inspire the uninformed to cheer the hero, but those who lived through the era (or have read more balanced accounts) will bristle at the numerous unsympathetic, and unfair, characterizations of others. In keeping with Truman's legendary ``Give 'em hell, Harry!'' spirit, Fleming blasts almost every major political figure of the time; even Eisenhower, seldom criticized in youth literature, gets hit for choosing Republican Party affiliation and for grandstanding on the Korean War, while the author simply explains away some of Truman's mistakes and misjudgments. This is hagiography, and it's not believable. B&w photos; brief annotated bibliography; index. (Biography. 12+)