The title of the book immediately grabbed my attention.
Hear Ye! Hear Ye!: Wit and Wisdom of U.S. Presidents as Character Professors is written by Jim Tervo, a recently retired corporate lawyer who loves reading biographies of U.S. presidents. The author explains that he decided to write Hear Ye! Hear Ye! when he realized he was most interested in learning about the different sources of a president’s character (e.g., family, faith, and community). He was also eager to learn how crucible, life-changing experiences served to shape each president’s ideals, principles, and virtues.
The book is filled with uplifting stories and insights about 14 American presidents. When I first opened the book, what caught my eye was that the first chapter explores the character of Ben Franklin. Tervo explains that he starts with Franklin to remind us that this Founding Father set the bar for his contemporaries, indeed a high bar, on the relationship between the pursuit of happiness and character development. I had forgotten that Ben Franklin was only 20 when he first penned his “Thirteen Virtues” (Franklin also created a useful methodology to ensure he practiced each virtue). Clearly, when it came to character formation, Franklin charted a course for our new nation to embrace and follow, especially our new leaders.
For each president he profiles, Tervo highlights their “character gems.” One “gem” for George Washington was his modesty, a virtue that John Adams never seemed to practice. Rather, Adams stubbornly stood for his principles, even at the risk of losing friends. Tervo reminds us that Adams and Jefferson didn’t speak or correspond for eleven years due to their political differences. Tervo also reminds us that Jefferson had difficulty practicing the virtue of thrift. However, Jefferson’s singular “gem” was his insatiable curiosity (a hallmark of what we now call intellectual character).
We learn that Lincoln was never close to his father and that he grew up penniless. Tervo explains that when the Chicago Tribune sought to write Lincoln’s biography during his presidential campaign, Lincoln wrote to the Tribune editors that they should print only these two sentences: “The short and simple annals of the poor. That’s my life, and that’s all you or anyone else can make of it.”
Lincoln’s “gem” was his ability to practice introspection. He also practiced forgiveness, the virtue of “turning the other cheek.” Of course, historians today also remind us why we still refer to Lincoln as Honest Abe.
After reading Hear Ye! Hear Ye! I couldn’t stop thinking about how each of us has a shadow side, including our presidents. For example, despite his many character strengths, Grant battled alcoholism his entire adult life. Teddy Roosevelt, when he was 26, faced the tragedies of his mother and wife dying on the very same day. He quickly fled Chestnut Hill, MA, to live in solitude and loneliness in the Badlands of the Dakota territories. We also learn from Tervo that William Howard Taft “never successfully cut his umbilical cord and always suffered from anxiety and felt pressure to please his ambitious parents.”
At the end of each profile, Tervo includes a section on each president’s hobby. Woodrow Wilson loved to play golf. Coolidge loved to play with his dogs and fishing was Herbert Hoover’s passion. This section reminded me of the benefits of cultivating hobbies that reduce stress or fill our buckets.
The last chapter of Hear Ye! Hear Ye! is the author’s reflections on what he’s learned, which includes a call for our nation to create a “Character Mount Rushmore” to emphasize the importance of character. Tervo ends the book with his favorite Character Gems. Here’s a small sampling:
Smile, Put a Twinkle in Your Eye – Ben Franklin
Never Give Up – FDR
Don’t Make a Decision Based on What is Popular with Others – Harry Truman
Find Work-Life Balance. Work a 36-hole golf week – Dwight Eisenhower
There is no substitute in life for a happy, loving family – Gerald Ford
Mr. Tervo, thank you for writing a book that shines a light on our past presidents’ positive (and not-so-positive) character traits and qualities. Your book lifted my spirit during this moment in our nation’s history.
To order Hear Ye! Hear Ye!: Wit and Wisdom of U.S. Presidents as Character Professors, click here.
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