In My Time

A Personal and Political Memoir

By: Dick Cheney, Liz Cheney

Narrated by: Edward Herrmann, Dick Cheney

Length: 20 hrs

Publisher's summary

In this eagerly anticipated memoir, former Vice President Dick Cheney delivers an unyielding portrait of American politics over nearly 40 years and shares personal reflections on his role as one of the most steadfast and influential statesmen in the history of our country.

The public perception of Dick Cheney has long been something of a contradiction. He has been viewed as one of the most powerful vice presidents: secretive, even mysterious, and at the same time opinionated and unflinchingly outspoken. He has been both praised and attacked by his peers, the press, and the public. Through it all, courting only the ideals that define him, he has remained true to himself, his principles, his family, and his country. Now, in an enlightening and provocative memoir with flashes of surprising humor and remarkable candor, Dick Cheney takes listeners through his experiences as family man, policymaker, businessman, and politician during years that shaped our collective history.

Born into a family of New Deal Democrats in Lincoln, Nebraska, Cheney was the son of a father at war and a high-spirited and resilient mother. He came of age in Casper, Wyoming, playing baseball and football and, as senior-class president, courting homecoming queen Lynne Vincent, whom he later married. This all-American story took an abrupt turn when he flunked out of Yale University, signed on to build power lines in the West, and started living as hard as he worked. Cheney tells the story of how he got himself back on track and began an extraordinary ascent to the heights of American public life, where he would remain for nearly four decades:

• He was the youngest White House Chief of Staff, working for President Gerald Ford - the first of four chief executives he would come to know well.
• He became Congressman from Wyoming and was soon a member of the congressional leadership, working closely with President Ronald Reagan.
• He became Secretary of Defense in the George H. W. Bush administration, overseeing America's military during Operation Desert Storm and in the historic transition at the end of the Cold War.
• He was CEO of Halliburton, a Fortune 500 company with projects and personnel around the globe.
• He became the first vice president of the United States to serve out his term of office in the twenty-first century. Working with George W. Bush from the beginning of the global war on terror, he was - and remains - an outspoken defender of taking every step necessary to defend the nation.

Eyewitness to history at the highest levels, Cheney brings to life scenes from the past and present. He describes driving through the White House gates on August 9, 1974, just hours after Richard Nixon resigned, to begin work on the Ford transition; and he portrays a time of national crisis a quarter century later when, on September 11, 2001, he was in the White House bunker and conveyed orders to shoot down a hijacked airliner if it would not divert.

With its unique perspective on a remarkable span of American history, In My Time will enlighten. As an intimate and personal chronicle, it will surprise, move, and inspire. Dick Cheney's is an enduring political vision to be reckoned with and admired for its honesty, its wisdom, and its resonance. In My Time is truly the last word about an incredible political era, by a man who lived it and helped define it - with courage and without compromise.

©2011 Richard B. Cheney (P)2011 Simon & Schuster Audio

Self Serving, but what did I expect????

I respect the office of Vice President; therefore my minimum rating is three stars.

It is just to dam long. If you must, get the abridged. I feel it was three downloads of ‘I Feel Pretty.' Perhaps is should be changed to ‘I Feel Petty.’

very informative of struggles leaders deal with

It's good to hear VP Cheney's view as opposed to media. This book makes sense of the bush administration and their hard work for our country. I just listened to this audio book a second time recently and I picked up more that makes sense of things today. I recommend Decision points as another good read .

Interesting insight into a much hated/loved man

If you could sum up In My Time in three words, what would they be?

Dedicated public servant

What did you like best about this story?

The behind the scene stories and how and why he did what he did.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. Unabridged.

Any additional comments?

Highly recommended.

Excellent Autobiography

Easy listen. Very informative. Great narration. Learned a lot about an incredible mind that was demonized in the press.

Important history

Excellent history. To achieve balance, Should be read with other accounts of that time. Narration is superb.

Why he became The Devil

Being some one who was suspect of most of Cheney's positions during his V Presidency I thought this would be a good way to get insight.

Like Rumsfeld's memoir neither man really did much but blame some one else for failures and take responsibility for successes. The most telling part of Cheney's tale is his negative observations of the abuse of power by Nixon staffers but when it becomes his power similar transgressions are justified.

Cheney is a stalwart patriot BUT he is convinced it has to be his way or it is wrong.

As a man who respects guns his attitude toward the US global position is to use weapons to annihilate any and all enemies.

Diplomacy is for the weak.

He strongly believes if you have the weapons you should use them.
Quickly.

After the book I am even more convinced that Mr Cheney's views are badly flawed.

I am sure every listener will hear what he/she want to hear. I heard a man who believes the US is NOT the world's peace maker it is the world's police force charged with enforcing our laws!

Great Read

I am a republican who was prone to liking the author regardless. That said, this book really took it to a different level. What President Bush and Vice President Cheney did in their second term was brilliant. They wasted all of their political capital, because they knew they didn't need it. President Bush chose a running mate who had no ambition to run again, so they had nothing to lose. They ended their term as the butt of every joke and everyone's favorite whipping boy.

They did what they thought was right even when it was unpopular. There are issues of such importance and secrecy that the american public cannot make an informed decision. That is why the great drafters of our constitution saw fit to make us a REPUBLIC and not a democracy.

Dick Cheney, thank you for your years of service and not seeking populist fame while serving the President. Your selfless service made this a safer and more prosperous nation.

Missing something

I felt like the book was missing something along the lines of this mans drive. I wish he has gone more into his time as a CEO. The same book but leas grandfather like would have been more informative.

Interesting explanation of policy decisions

The former Vice President did a nice job tying in how his experiences shaped his foreign policy decisions. I do wish there was more on his experiences at Halliburton and how his time in government compared to the private sector.

Amazing family and great America’s

Dear Mr Vice President,

Thank you for the awesome work you, Gerald Ford, Bush 41 and Bush 43 did putting the hurt on terrorist and keeping America safe with an ample supply of energy.