Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure: The True Story of a Great American Road Trip Book

What fun!

This is the story of Harry Truman's 1953 drive from Missouri to Pennsylvania. He had been invited to give a speech at the convention of the Reserve Officers Association. It would be his first public speaking engagement since leaving the White House in January of 1953.

And since HST lived to drive, he decided to drive himself and wife Bess, hoping for a relaxed incognito experience.

But was it ever possible for an ex-president to move around the country in any manner without being recognized? Not exactly. Except for a couple of times, the press, the state troopers, and gee, just about everybody knew where the pair was, what they were doing, and where they were headed next.

But they still enjoyed themselves, and I loved how the author blended bits of history with the tale of the trip. I learned about the interstate highway system, the United Nations, the root of the problems between Iran and the US, even a little about the beginnings of motor hotels.

1953 seems like ancient times now, and in many ways they are. No air-conditioning (but HST didn't believe in it anyway), no computers or cell phones (I bet he wouldn't have believed in them either). No Secret Service detail for protection after a president left office. And in Truman's time, no pension from the government simply for being an ex-president. Different days, for certain sure.

Most politicians these days are so filthy rich (or claim to be) that it is easy to forget that ideally the plain ordinary common man has just as much right to the Oval Office as anyone with bottomless pockets. This was a nice look back at one of the regular guys, and I enjoyed the trip very much.