American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur 1880-1964American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur 1880-1964
Score Classic
What it's about
William Manchester tells the life of General Douglas MacArthur, one of the most brilliant and vain figures in American history: top of his class at West Point, a hero in the First World War, commander in the Philippines who promised 'I shall return' and did, ruler of occupied Japan after the war, and the general whose daring landing at Inchon turned the Korean War, until President Truman fired him.
Why it's worth reading
It was a National Book Award finalist and is one of the great American biographies, fair to both MacArthur's genius and his flaws.
You'll love it if you liked
The Best and the Brightest
The Greatest Generation
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham LincolnGood to know
It's long, and Manchester, who fought in the Pacific himself, has strong opinions.
By the numbers
- Readers64 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics28 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller4 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #212 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #474 of the 762 classics we rank
- #1653 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
More by William Manchester
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Quick answers
Is American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur 1880-1964 worth reading?
Yes. It was a National Book Award finalist and is one of the great American biographies, fair to both MacArthur's genius and his flaws. It ranks #1,653 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 67.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur 1880-1964 about?
William Manchester tells the life of General Douglas MacArthur, one of the most brilliant and vain figures in American history: top of his class at West Point, a hero in the First World War, commander in the Philippines who promised 'I shall return' and did, ruler of occupied Japan after the war, and the general whose daring landing at Inchon turned the Korean War, until President Truman fired him.
How long does it take to read American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur 1880-1964?
About 24 hours (960 pages), or about 7 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur 1880-1964?
If you liked it, try The Best and the Brightest by David Halberstam, The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw or Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin.