Write it When I'm Gone

By: Thomas M. DeFrank

Narrated by: Scott Brick

The New York Times bestseller?and the candid voice of an American president

In 1974, Newsweek correspondent Thomas M. DeFrank was interviewing Gerald Ford when the Vice President blurted out something astonishingly indiscreet. He then extracted a promise not to publish it. ?Write it when I?m dead,? Ford said? and thus began a thirty-two-year relationship.

During the last fifteen years of their conversations, Ford opened up to DeFrank, speaking in a way few presidents ever have. Here the award-winning journalist reveals these private talks, as Ford discusses his experiences with his fellow presidents, the Warren Commission, and his exchanges with Bill Clinton during the latter?s impeachment process. In addition, he shares his thoughts about both Bush administrations, the Iraq war, his beloved wife Betty, and the frustrations of aging. Write It When I?m Gone is not only a historical document but an unprecedented portrait of a president.©2007 Thomas M. DeFrank; (P)2007 Penguin Audio, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

Good background story

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Maybe, if they are a fan of presidential history.

Which scene was your favorite?

The man seemed to play alot of golf

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not really

Any additional comments?

Good story

The Real VP Ford

Held my attention, good review how government works. New information about specific politicians and how they work together.k

An easy historical listen...

I've been a Liberal since I came of age and shook off my midwest Republican upbringing. It began with hating Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford for pardoning him. I loathe Cheney and Rumsfeld who began their political rise with Ford. Yet here's a book that made me actually understand and even admire Ford. Nixon, Cheney and Rumsfeld I am still quite disgusted by of course, but the respect that the author had for Ford was contagious and that is a compliment to his writing. If you still have anger with those Watergate/Vietnam war days, this book is a healthy reflection.

Jerry Ford reevaluated

Like many Americans I came to this book knowing very little about Ford, thinking of him only as somewhat accident prone stop gap completely forgettable American President. It should be noted that I still don't think much of consequence happened during his time in office. What this book did do was give me a keen appreciation of his insight into American politics. Through his decades in the house Ford developed a sixth sense for knowing who would rise to the top. After reading reading the book I found myself wondering what he would think of the party that now regards Ronald Regan as political saint and Ford's generation as soft and unprincipled?

More than I expected more than I remembered

I liked Gerald Ford when I was a young girl growing up in California. I too had a 5 minute meeting with the Charles Mason family that creeps me still, the aura of evil that radiated from the group is hard to forget. The attempts on Ford's life in California recounted in this oral history of private thoughts brought back a moment in history where I remembered a comment by the then Governor Jerry Brown, "California has more than its share of everything, including nuts." How I wonder, as apparently did Ford, is a letter from a would be killer worth more than one from Sadat? The world can be a topsy turvy place.


I truly enjoyed this nostagic account of great leadership and how fortunate we were to have the right man in the right place at the right time.