Doris Kearns Goodwin in Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream presents what I argue is a more sympathetic portrait of LBJ then the crasser and cruder one painted by Robert Caro in his series of books on the man. Yet, I don’t know that they come to vastly different conclusions about the man himself. Maybe the answer is in presentation, Kearns Goodwin's statements are softer, while Caro’s books often come across more bombastic in nature.

Yet both authors take equal note of his seemingly limitless ambition, questionable ethics at points, and his ability to draw men into his orbit and never let them leave. They also capture this divided man between his own legacy and desire for greatness vs. wanting to be a great president by doing things for the people. This became his fault as he refused to compromise or admit trouble in Vietnam and it cost him any further movement on his domestic agenda and the Presidency he so cherished.

In conclusion, LBJ was a clearly complex figure, but I think Kearns Goodwin captured just a touch more of the private man than Caro did, so if you’re looking for something a little more intimate without being fed a love letter, I would recommend Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream.