Spanning the Century: The Life of W. Averell Harriman, 1891-1986

by Rudy Abramson

Book Overview

A look at the life of the financier and politician describes his privileged upbringing, his business success, his tenure as governor of New York and advisor to every Democratic president from FDR to... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0688043526
• ISBN13: 9780688043520
• Release Date: January 1992
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 779 Pages
• Weight: 2.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.7" x 6.5" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Through book about an important politican and diplomat.

"Spanning the Century" is the only biography on W. Averill Harriman out there. Harriman, who nearly lived for 100 years, was an important civil servent who started to make his mark in World War I as a businessman who helped the Navy. From there, Harriman served Roosevelt, Truman, Kennedy, Johnson and Carter as an employee of the State Department, and Averill had a deep friendship with Winston Chruchill(in fact, Ave helped to implement Land Lease for both Churchill and Stalin). In the 50's, Ave was a one-term Democratic Governor of New York. In fact, he wished to be called "governor" when addressed. Abramson's book addresses Harriman's faults and mistakes, as well as the good he did as a public servent, and Abramson helps to restore the reputation of E.H Harriman, a major railroad tycoon, and Ave's father. At over 700 pages, you will learn everything about him. A throughly and mastefully done book. It did help that Harriman cooperated with releasing a ton of material for Abramson to use.