Book Description

Featuring highlights of 15 Major Speeches given by FDR.Includes his riveting take-charge Inaugural Address, the Declaration of War, memorable fireside chats, the war-time Christmas-Eve message, the solemn D-Day Prayer and more. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Book!
This is a great book. FDR may be a favorite of yours or not, regardless his speeches desereve to be read. FDR was an inspirational speaker who moved the masses with his words. He has left us with many timeless and priceless quotes that can be found in the speeches featured in this book. I would highly recommend this book to any one looking for a boost in confidence. FDR's words make you feel like anything is possible. Remember "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself". ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Official truth?
The author went to China compiled what gov't provided and interviewed his former teachers and friends to give readers a taste what the most powerful former leader of PRC was like. As a censored country the people he interviewed were cautious in answering politically correct interview. There is no question Jiang loved his fatherland and was loyal dearly to CCP. In the book there was no mentioning about his disastrous failure to stop corruption when there was time to do so. He is still remembered by the religious group as the instigator in curbing freedom of religion. He was not a good student at the unviersity. Many close friends and faculties weresuprised he was appointed as mayor but alone as head of a state. I wonder what went through his mind when he declared his recent retirement as he could stay on forever as head of state like Mao or Deng. As China is slowly transfoming and open to outside this is a good source to understand politics, what it works and what is politically correct. Should the author take his time interviewing more people outside of China it could be a more accurate account of the past leader of China.

Propaganda?????
It is always amazing to me that people, like bellevue from California, are so naive, that they still believe the 'Western Propaganda" about China. They do not understand the history of China, or, for that matter, the history of the world. I have studied Chinese history for many years, and have actually been to China on five different occasions, and met with hundreds of Chinese, both private and official, and one thing I know for sure, the West puts out as much "Official Propaganda" as any society.

Chinese love their country. They love their government, in spite of it's periodic failures. China is rapidly becoming a world power and a world player, inspite of America's goal to dominate the world, something that China has never sought to do.

This book is a valuable insight into how the Chinese view their leaders and their country's march toward a more open society. It is too bad that people like "bellevue" cannot learn anything from a different view point, but just keep their head buried in the sand.

I recommend this book to anyone with an open mind who wants to know history from a different view point.

Robert Kuhn is a salaried staff of Chinese government
Robert Kuhn is a salaried staff of Chinese government, and his book writing was facilitated by Chinese Communist Party's Central Propaganda Department [sic]. The proofreader of this biography proofread Little Red Book some 40 years ago.

Still need to know more?

Interesting but flawed
This is a book worth the effort to take in, if only for the information about the state of modern China.The author has a unique vantage point, being a paid economics advisor to the Chinese government.He does effectively make the point that the Chinese government has morphed from a Mao-dictatorship to an oligarchy, although he would probably prefer to term it a corporate board-based government.The number of recited facts and anecdotes about the present state of China is valuable but the book is not a terribly deep work.It reads quickly and is often interesting.It also crosses way over the line separating biography from hagiography in the first hundred pages or so.Thankfully, the author's parroting of Chinese government press releases and official bios is not so pronounced after that point, when Jiang begins his government career.But it unfortunately veers back to that all-too-noticeable problem periodically in the pages that follow.This would have been a very good book had the editor assigned by the publisher actually done some editing.Kuhn is obviously knowledgeable but needs the help that any other writer as accomplished (and busy) as he obviously is.Still, I recommend the book because there simply aren't that many in English available on the subject it covers and Kuhn has something to say. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Someone once said that more books have been written about Abraham Lincoln than any other person in history save Jesus and Shakespeare. Indeed, it is impossible to understand the Civil War without getting to know the complex figure of the 16th president. More than any other biographer, Stephen B. Oates brings the plain-talking man from Illinois to life as a canny politician, a doting husband, and a determined wartime leader. Oates has an appealing appreciation for Lincoln's majestic control of the English language, his raw humor, and his undeniable heroism. The final pages, covering Lincoln's death and his legacy, are graceful and moving. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

A "70s" Lincoln, Not The Right One.
Oates' biography, though very readable and quite good on Lincoln's personal tragedies, is far from a persuasive or fair portrait. Oates advertises his 1970s New England liberalism by painting Lincoln as all but wanting to be an abolitionist and egalitarian, but darn those dang border states and that Constitution tying his hands! Such authors have stretched long chapters around a few tidbits like Lincoln's one-time public favor of limited black suffrage and very little more. Lincoln was more of a moderate realist for reasons of his own view on the desireable pace of national reform, and not simply because of external factors. He was neither a Radical Republican restrained by the Constitution, or a conservative wishing to maintain the status quo. Before this book, Lincoln biographers dragged him too far right, and Oates overcompensated, dragging him too far the other way. David Donald's LINCOLN is far superior.

Most readable book ever written on Lincoln
IMO, this is "the" biography of Abraham Lincoln. While I consider David H. Donald's bio of Lincoln to be slightly more sophisticated and detailed, Stephen Oates' bio of Lincoln is the most enjoyable and interesting to read. Prof. Oates has a smooth writing style that tackles complex issues and makes them easy to understand. He never gets bogged down in boring, hard-to-understand statistics or details.

One of the 3 Best 1 Volume Biographies About Lincoln
I have been studying Abraham Lincoln for nearly 40 years. Many Lincoln scholars consider WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE by Stephen B. Oates one of three BEST one-volume biographies of Abraham Lincoln ever written to date. The other two are LINCOLN by David Herbert Donald and ABRAHAM LINCOLN: A BIOGRAPHY by Benjamin P. Thomas.

An excellent biography of an incredibly complex man.
"With Malice Towards None" is a very creditable work and a fine attempt to explain the author's view of Abraham Lincoln. Oates views Lincoln as a genuinely good man, highly ambitious, self-made, and first and foremost: a politician. Like all politicians who are heads of state, Lincoln had to grapple with the issues of his day. In his day, however, the issues were unusually intractable, difficult, and complex, such that the nation was unable to solve them through established institutions. It took an actual Civil War to decide whether slavery in America must go, whether America is first and foremost a union of united States, or whether it was a Union of essentially sovereign single states. These were and are great issues, and the greatness of Lincoln is that he stood in the center of these issues, spent his entire presidency grappling with them, and ultimately, it was his unswerving leadership, not perfect but great, that ultimately led America to resolution of these issues.

Oates shows us that Lincoln was a politician. He wheedled, compromised, and was carried by great events as often as he shaped them. This does nothing to take away from the man who, along with Washington, ranks as doubtless one of our two greatest presidents. While opposing slavery, Lincoln was ready to compromise with it, at least sometimes to some extent. Oates does a good job of explaining this in a non-revisionist way that shows respect to Lincoln and to history.

Oates' writing is clear, and his research thorough. This is not a perfect book in that it is not a complete view of Lincoln. No 400 or so page book about this complicated man could achieve that. On the other hand, Oates portrays Lincoln brilliantly, and with insight, as a gifted leader and politician in an incredibly difficult time.

I would have enjoyed more discussion of some of Lincoln's more extreme actions, his bending (some would say breaking) of the Constitution, and the extremes to which he went to achieve ultimate military victory for the North. Oates does touch on this, but more would have been welcome.

An excellent book about a difficult and complex subject. Recommended.

A decent portrayal of Lincoln, but not a great one
Abraham Lincoln is one of the most written-about men in history. There are scores of biographies, profiles, analyses, everything to do with this great man. Because of this, it is difficult to find a good, comprehensive work that details his life adequately and faithfully. In this book, Stephen B. Oates gives a good representation of Lincoln, giving a pretty good account of his life and not trying to raise the man to deity (as others have done). Despite this, however, there are several flaws in this book that make it only of average quality.

Oates commits what I consider to be the unpardonable sin in biography--he attempts to get inside Lincoln's head. One of the necessary qualities of a good biographer is that he or she should not try to psychoanalyze the subject, should not assume he knows what was going on inside the subject's head, and should certainly not embellish the account with a bunch of supposed conversations and feelings which are more the fabrication of the author than the feelings of the subject. Oates breaks all of these rules.

The most annoying thing about the book is that Oates will paraphrase what he thinks Lincoln said. He may give a short quotation, but then he closes the quote and proceeds to adlib what he assumes Lincoln would say, speaking in the first person as though he were the President himself. He uses the pronoun 'I' in his own narrative, when he should be using 'he.' If you can get over Oates pretending to speak for Lincoln himself throughout most of the book, the rest of the account is pretty decent. But I had a hard time getting past that.

For a 400 or so page biography, this book covers the subject moderately well, though not excellently. Many men, such as Jefferson Davis, Stonewall Jackson, or Admiral Farragut, are barely mentioned, as if Lincoln had nothing to do with them at all. It would have added greatly to the account to have a more detailed description of the Civil War, and about Lincoln's counterparts in the South (such as Davis). Still, this is a pretty good book, though far from definitive in any way. With the mountains of work available on this great man, there's got to be something better out there. ... Read more

Book Description

A former Reagan White House Counsel presents a comprehensive picture of Ronald Reagan, focusing on how his distinctive leadership style was the source of both his setbacks and his success.

An icon of the twentieth century, Ronald Reagan has earned a place among the most popular and successful U.S. presidents. In this compelling firsthand account of Reagan's presidency, Peter J. Wallison, former White House Counsel to President Reagan, argues that Reagan took office with a fully developed public philosophy and strategy for governing that was unique among modern presidents. "I am not a great man," Reagan once said, "just committed to great ideas."

Wallison shows how Reagan's unyielding attachment to certain key ideas--communicated through his speeches--created a cohesive administration and revived the spirit of the nation. In Ronald Reagan, Wallison describes what it was like to be on Reagan's White House staff and how Reagan's attachment to principle produced both the best and worst days of his presidency. Updated with a new epilogue. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A true American Conservative Leader
I love this book as it contains what it means to be a true conservative and not a false one. As the great Conservative economist F.A. Hayek once stated "    . . . the whole conception of social or distributive justice is empty and meaningless; and there will therefore never exist agreement on what is just in this sense... I am certain, however, that nothing has done so much to destroy the juridical safeguards of individual freedom as the striving after this mirage of social justice."
That is in a Capitalistic Socieity there will be more losers than winners and that is just the way it is. If you can not make ends meet it is not "societys fault" but your own. Don't expect your mommy "the state" to make it right!
From here the author goes own to explain how all the scandals of the Reagan presidentcy where not the leaders fault but those of his underlings for they were to blaime not him. The buck stops there my friend!

An Excellent Read
This is an excellent "insider" perspective on Reagan's management style and the Iran-Contra scandal. Wallison debunks thoroughly the prevailing view of the liberal media that Reagan was intellectually limited, disengaged and manipulated by his advisors. Reagan's remarkable accomplishments are attributed to the clarity of and his unfailing focus on a few "big ideas" (e.g. a smaller and less intrusive government, freer trade, a strong defense, faith in the traditional American values of individualism and sense of personal responsibility) and his ability to inspire those within the administration to actively pursue his policy objectives. As legal counsel to the President, Wallison was the White House staffer most involved with Iran-Contra. He persuasively argues that the scandal was basically a foreign policy blunder made worse by a renegade NSC staff (particularly Oliver North) and a press corps more interested in scandal mongering than issues. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (7)

Brilliant analysis, beautifully written
I went out and got this one immediately. As she did with the Mrs. Lincoln book, Baker drwe a superb and isngihtful portrait of a President second to worst next to Harding. Lancaster Pennsylvanians understandly are defensive, but how could one's marital status, one's daily life, one's aloneness NOT affect the way the world is viewed and life conducted?! How ridiculous to suggest otherwise. Buchanan's single status DID affect his stubborn attitude that the world must run his way. It doesn't mean all bachelors are that way! Who wrote that!? In a short space, Baker takes an amazing life and gives up the essence and essentials. Life is not black and white - it is shaded and this book is subtle but clear. Get it, get it, get it if yu have any interest in Presidents.

jean baker
subtly great book. baker is a wonderful historian. perhaps the male reviewers are not used to reading female historians... particularly the man who nailed baker in the longest review on here for pointing out buchanan was single. that gentlemen, i believe, missed baker's point. she was not saying that all single men are uptight, etc... but i believe she was saying any man like any woman would benefit from having intimate association with the opposite sex. not necessarily sexual association. but an intimate connection and active relationship. it broadens one's mind to be associated with people different than himself. try it sometime.

Average
A very short book. I was disappointed with the length. It was not researched enough to really understand what type of man Buchanan was. I think any person elected to be President should be studied in depth. This book is more like a high school history book. Not really what I was looking for the understand Buchanan the man. Buchanan gets a bum deal by history and this book does nothing to help him.

Competent and Well-written Addition to the Series
This book has been unfairly maligned by some reviewers here. Jean Baker has written a readable and competent biography of someone who is generally considered one of the worst presidents, if not the worst president, in American history. "The American Presidents" series was not created to highlight original historical works, but to provide a brief and lucid overview that could pass scholarly muster of each of the U.S. presidents . Baker has done this job well.

Some might complain that she failed to footnote her work thoroughly or with reference to primary source material. But several of the biographies in this series are not footnoted at all. Indeed, many of the books are not even written by professional historians.

Some might complain Baker doesn't have the background to write a biography of Buchanan. But she has already written one well-reviewed biography of someone who was Buchanan's contemporary. Furthermore, she has published other historical works on America's mid-nineteenth century. She is obviously very familiar with the period. What else is needed?

Some might complain that she carried an animus into her writing. If so, I didn't see it. Sometimes a bad president is a bad president. While Baker might have provoked some thought with a revisionist biography of Buchanan for this series, her line on Buchanan is well within the historical consensus of a man who is usually at the very bottom of presidential rankings.

I've read better biographies in "The American Presidents" series, but frankly I was surprised to see a mere two stars for this book. It deserves better.

lousy book
This book reads like it was written by a mediocre high school student. It is poorly and ungrammatically written, sloppily researched, and generally really boring. ... Read more

Book Description

The most successful and neglected president of the 20th century. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

The real Coolidge
The late author, Robert Sobel, has done a fine job in peeling away the crusty layers of our thirtieth president. Known for his taciturn and somnolent personality, Calvin Coolidge is revealed in this book to have had more substance than one might have given him credit.

Biographers of presidents who are generally regarded as average or below average often write about their subjects with a bent of pushing them up a notch or two in history. A current biography of Warren G. Harding written by John Dean of Watergate fame, for instance, lays out a theme of trying to lift Harding out of the cellar of presidential comparison. Sobel is a bit less interested in Coolidge's lasting reputation although he would like the reader to be reminded that Coolidge did have some accomplishments while in the White House and that his administration, in stark contrast to Harding, his predecessor, was scandal free and that Coolidge, himself, was a man of tremendous virtue.

The myth that Coolidge was a hard worker is not quite dispelled in Sobel's book. One can surmise that the only midnight oil Calvin Coolidge ever burned was on the night of his sudden inauguration at his father's home in Vermont following Harding's death..... the oath being administered by Coolidge's father.

Sobel spends a little too much time on analyzing the country's finances during the Coolidge administration. At these times the author's writing becomes bogged down in detail and his prose begins to sound like that of his subject...humorless and dry.

That said, I would recommend this book to those who are not only interested in the period between the two World Wars but also in the juxtaposition of the Harding and Coolidge administrations. I also think that reading the Dean biography on Harding in conjunction with the Sobel book on Coolidge would give a fairly accurate, if not overly deep sense of the United States during this period.

One cannot imagine a Coolidge as president during World War II (or for that matter during the depression) any more than one might look at Franklin D. Roosevelt as president during the 1920s. The point of this book seems not to be so much about the successes of Coolidge policy but rather an effort to glimpse the president in a slightly more favorable light. To this end Sobel triumphs. Yet he reminds us in the end that Coolidge was a man who was decent, sometimes shrewd and who filled his role as president in a detached but popular way. Perhaps Calvin Coolidge was indeed the right fit for his times.

Much Needed Cure For The Usual Coolidge Dogma
I think Mr. Sobel has done an excellent job in destroying much of the criticism of Calvin Coolidge the man as well as Calvin Coolidge the President.
I picked up this book out of curiosity - I read the Coolidge chapter in Nathan Miller's book "Star-Spangled Men - America's Ten Worst Presidents", and decided to learn more about this silent, penurious, enigmatic President who was apparently heartless and supported big business while in office.
I soon found that this man was quite likable, although he lacked the garrulous nature of many politicians. One of his major faults, as Mr. Sobel put it, was in "not being able to predict the future." He cut taxes four times and had good reason not to interfere with Wall Street (read the book to find out why!).
To any person that wishes to know more about an OUTSTANDING U.S. President who was in office during a time of great prosperity, please consider this wonderful biography.

Only a Beginning. . .
How interesting that as we look at the last century, President Coolidge has become a polarizing figure. After smears from William Allan White, Arthur Schlesinger and others, Coolidge has finally merited re-evaluation. While not an activist President in the vein of, say, Franklin Roosevelt, Coolidge was far from indolent or passive. He gave more press conferences than any other, inaugurated the use of radio, and sponsored airplanes in the military. However, it was indeed his belief that government should exist for the people, not the other way 'round. Interestingly, he was the last President to refuse to have a telephone in the Oval Office--he considered it undignified. He supported women's suffrage and his wife, Grace, was the first First Lady to smoke in the White House. I have undertaken to read many accounts of Coolidge; he does remain a mystery to us in so many ways. Regardless of the slant of the source, though, his deep sense of decency and honor in performing public service always shines through. I'd recommend purchasing a copy of 'Grace Coolidge and Her Era' from 1962 to give a more human side to both the President and his wife. Another characteristic of this man is that despite his reserve, his overriding love for his wife and sons remains there. The heartbreak that he and Mrs. Coolidge endured with the needless death of their youngest son in the White House cannot be overstated. Especially since we know now that the Staph. infection from which young Calvin died would nowadays have certainly not been fatal. I think part of the reason the Coolidge times have become fascinating for those of us interested in history is the obscurity to which these years have been consigned. The terms of FDR with his extensive radio and movie coverage has overshown the previous three Republican administrations, not by accident. I have concluded that no one book can cover all the aspects of President Coolidge, and he deserves further reading.

Coolidge: Public Servant; King of Dry Humor
Great book for an overall view of Coolidge. A very unassuming man with a dry sense of humor. He was a great public servant who realized that the answer does not come from some government program.

Our most forgetabble, understated president
Calvin Cooliedge. Who remmembers him? not very many people. This book will explain why Coolidge's simple ways made him one of the most imporant presidents of the 20th century, not because he accomplished alot but prescisely because he set out to do as little as possible.

Reagan thought Coolidge was an American hero. Why? This book will explain the great enigma of Calvin Coolidge. Coolidge emerged as an American hero when he stood up to the Boston Police department when they went on strike. He fired them and hired new officers because this was a time of anarchy in the city and the people needed security.

As president Coolidge vowed to keep his hands off government, off taxes and away from the public space. He beleived what was good for business was good for America, and he helped support the rising market. Coolidge wanted to pass as few laws as possible so as to keep the government from encroaching on the people. He was a true Jeffersonian.

Coolidge was sworn in with his family bible. He never travelled abroad(except Cuba) and never flew in an airplane or went down in a submarine. He was the last of a dying breed of simple politicians who valued the simple american life. This is an important addition to any collection of American political biography and an important read for someone perplexed with the current governments invasion into our daily lives. ... Read more

Book Description

Ronald Reagan is hailed today for a presidency that restored optimism to America, engendered years of economic prosperity, and helped bring about the fall of the Soviet Union. Yet until now little attention has been paid to the role Reagan's personal spirituality played in his political career, shaping his ideas, bolstering his resolve, and ultimately compelling him to confront the brutal -- and, not coincidentally, atheistic -- Soviet empire.

In this groundbreaking book, political historian Paul Kengor draws upon Reagan's legacy of speeches and correspondence, and the memories of those who knew him well, to reveal a man whose Christian faith remained deep and consistent throughout his more than six decades in public life. Raised in the Disciples of Christ Church by a devout mother with a passionate missionary streak, Reagan embraced the church after reading a Christian novel at the age of eleven. A devoted Sunday-school teacher, he absorbed the church's model of "practical Christianity" and strived to achieve it in every stage of his life.

But it was in his lifelong battle against communism -- first in Hollywood, then on the political stage -- that Reagan's Christian beliefs had their most profound effect. Appalled by the religious repression and state-mandated atheism of Bolshevik Marxism, Reagan felt called by a sense of personal mission to confront the USSR. Inspired by influences as diverse as C.S. Lewis, Whittaker Chambers, and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, he waged an openly spiritual campaign against communism, insisting that religious freedom was the bedrock of personal liberty. "The source of our strength in the quest for human freedom is not material, but spiritual," he said in his Evil Empire address. "And because it knows no limitation, it must terrify and ultimately triumph over those who would enslave their fellow man."

From a church classroom in 1920s Dixon, Illinois, to his triumphant mission to Moscow in 1988, Ronald Reagan was both political leader and spiritual crusader. God and Ronald Reagan deepens immeasurably our understanding of how these twin missions shaped his presidency -- and changed the world.

Reviews (15)

Excellent!
Mr. Kengor did a very thorough job of researching for this book and produced a very readable account of an extradorinary person. Ronald Reagan's legacy will always include the role he played in bringing about the fall of communism in Eastern Europe. Kengor does a very good job of showing how Reagan's faith (as instilled by his mother) helped to develop the ideals that he would carry with him to the presidency. I was too young to vividly recall many of Reagan's speeches, but I was amazed at just how often he referred to his faith. I find it interesting that Reagan was able see that defeating Communism was an ideological war...not a war to be fought on the battlefield. Reagan held true to his belief in God and the world changed as a result.

Captivating and Masterfully Done
If you believed the reviews from Publisher's Weekly and the bloke from Britain, Gandhi and Gorbachev are responsible for the end of the Cold War, not Ronald Reagan. However, a more discriminating reader would realize that these reviewers are indeed morons and haven't even read Paul Kengor's captivating and masterfully done spiritual autobiography of Ronald Reagan.

What other reviewers have failed to capture is the dual nature of the book - it manages to be what no other Reagan book is: both scholarly, and inspirational. Containing over fifty pages of footnotes, it is truly the work of a scholar, and yet oh so enjoyable to read.

Where other biographers have failed - the blundering Edmund Morris with his insertion of himself into the narrative and the emotionalism of Peggy Noonan - Paul Kengor succeeds simply because he relies on fact.

Don't take my word for it; many other scholars agree.

"An important volume about one of the most significant figures of the 20th century. Ronald Reagan's spiritual beliefs were central to who he was, and this aspect of Reagan's life has been neglected by far too many historians and political scientists. Paul Kengor has filled the void with this superb book-no interpretation of Ronald Reagan will be complete without reference to this vital work."
-Stephen Knott, Ronald Reagan Oral History Project, University of Virginia

"A penetrating history of the president's evolving religious faith."
-Kenneth W. Thompson, University of Virginia

"Meticulously researched and insightful."
-Andrew E. Busch, author of Ronald Reagan and the Politics of Freedom

"Throughout the Cold War, sophisticated people-conservatives and liberals alike-supposed that communism could possibly be contained, but not defeated. Ronald Reagan believed otherwise, and acted on that belief. Why did Reagan believe it could be done? In his fine new book, Paul Kengor argues that it was a matter of faith. In the vast body of Reagan scholarship, what has been missing is a spiritual biography. Kengor has admirably supplied our need."
-Robert P. George, Princeton University

"The conventional wisdom about Ronald Reagan is that he can be explained merely by understanding his conservative ideology. Yet Reagan was a man of faith, and that faith both deeply and significantly shaped his career, his policies, and his political style. Paul Kengor has taken that faith seriously and in this compelling book explains why students and scholars should do so as well. God and Ronald Reagan makes an important contribution to our understanding of the last major president of the 20th century, as well as to the undervalued role of religion in public life."
-Ryan J. Barilleaux, Miami University of Ohio

"The conservative Christian who rarely went to church: that is the conundrum most pundits used to refer to Ronald Reagan when discussing his relationship to religion. Now, Paul Kengor casts light on the Ronald Reagan most of us knew was there, but which few of us had the chance to see. Enjoyable and enlightening."
-Gary L. Gregg, University of Louisville

In sum, Paul Kengor renders the only real Ronald Reagan available in biography today - a man of deep faith who believed that godless communism enslaved the soul and that all men should be free to choose their destiny.

Bravo, Professor Kengor.

Great book with detailed discription of Reagan's total life
I loved reading this book,even though I'm a liberal Democrat. I did think, when I had finished it, that I had missed the story of one of his most famous embarrassments-the "Iran-contra scandal". I then went to the list of "index of names" at the end of the book, and there was no Ollie North. What a glaring omission. I had always wondered how North had gotten him to agree to such a deal(did he lie to him,switch papers, or what?). I still can't figure it out, or why this was not encluded in this wonderfully detailed account of his life. Can the Author answer my question? Thanks, (cvaughn@cox-internet.com)

Lucid writing, but the content is so very censored
No matter which political ideology the reader believes in, he has to give the kudos to Kengor for planning such a well-written book. It simply dazzles with research effort; the content is very well-planned to illustrate the achievements of the Reagan Presidency. The book, however, fails to provide a complete picture of the presidency. Wise, well-read readers would hopefully prefer something that is not either completely for or completely against the subject matter. The legacy of Ronald Reagan is simly undeniable. But this book quite simply fails to portray Reagan in the broad sense. Americans should learn to appreciate public figures for their accomplishments as well as learn from their flaws. This book, as lucidly written as it is, completely and deliberately overlooks any of Reagan's very human flaws. If America truly loves Ronald Reagan, we should also be allowed to learn from his mistakes, not just a sugarcoated, safe, and appeasing account such is this book.

Read the book!
This is an excellent book. Very thoroughly researched and presented and truly inspiring. I cannot believe the "Reader from Oklahoma" actually READ the book. If you are going to review the book -- please Read the book! Your comments are pure gobbledygook! How can you read the book and come away thinking that Reagan didn't attend church for most of his life? Or that Kengor is ripping on Nancy?? Or that Reagan was not a Christian? Need I say more? You didn't read the book! ... Read more

Book Description

Amazon.com

Succinct and highly readable, this group portrait of the 11 women who gave birth to America's 20th-century presidents might just put a more favorable spin on the phrase "mama's boy." From Franklin Roosevelt to Bill Clinton, all these chief executives were devoted to their mothers (relations with Dad were often more problematic), and that devotion had a direct effect on their presidencies--for the most part, a positive one. Sara Delano Roosevelt's adoration gave her son the self-confidence necessary to champion the New Deal's more unpopular measures. Martha Truman's personal experiences of the Civil War's bitter aftermath inspired Harry's determination to lend a hand to the vanquished as well as the victorious after World War II. Ida Eisenhower's pacifism didn't prevent her from supporting Dwight's decision to pursue a military career, but it shaped him into that welcome rarity, "a military leader who hated war." Lillian Carter's defiance of Southern mores to espouse civil rights and her precedent-shattering stint in the Peace Corps (at age 68) affected Jimmy's emphasis on human rights as well as his post-presidential commitment to serve the less fortunate. Virginia Kelley gets slapped for imparting to Bill Clinton the sense that "rules were for other people," but she's also credited with instilling his famous ability to feel other people's pain. In First Mothers, Bonnie Angelo, a longtime correspondent for Time magazine, delineates 11 different lives with a journalist's gift for cogency and an ability to see underlying similarities. Many of the facts here are familiar, but her interpretations are fresh. --Wendy Smith ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Could Be a Lot Better
This book covers the early lives of all Presidents since Franklin Roosevelt. It purports to focus on the Presidents' mothers.

Some of the information is interesting, but the author, whose writing leaves much to be desired, digresses too often into innuendoes, opinions, and unrelated comments. Thus, the book is overly long and overly opinionated. Obviously the author couldn't have witnessed these early lives. She therefore bases this book on a few interviews and many suppositions. She gives the impression in many instances that she is just filling white space.

Brilliant Writing, Captivating Reading
"First Mothers" is for mothers, sons, fathers, daughters, and anyone else who is intersted in good history written by a first-rate journalist (Bonnie Angelo) without equal. But "First Mothers" is more than just a good story. It is a fascinating insight into family dynamics and psychology. Whoever is reading the book immediately places himself or herself in the corresponding position in the book. We become mother, son, daughter or father. The writer subtly draws us into the action without our knowing it. It also becomes a "how to" book without our being aware of it. We learn what it takes to form a child to be great--even though there are many ways. You uncles and aunts, take notice too! The book is so enjoyable that one is not aware of how much skill has gone into the concept and its execution. This unbelabored work of hard labor is one of the true marks of genius, and it manifests itself from time to time in literature and history. "First Mothers" is surely both. I have given it to all my friends, and I highly recommend it!

Doesn't get my vote.
Predictable. This book only made me turn the pages because I was hoping to find some golden nugget of information that would truly link the Presidents. It was not to be found.

Understanding Our Roots, and Our Mothers
Imagine if the public throughout history had been privileged to read books and concepts like this one. We might have had entirely different Presidents than we had, or we might have had a much better understanding of the kind of President we were getting. Barbara Bush has been around for some time, and most know both her influence, and her ability to put people at ease with her common sense and her style. We've yet to hear anything about the mothers of the current candidates in 2004, but who would not remember Lillian Carter, feisty as she was, a no nonsense strict disciplinarian if my memory serves me correctly, but endearing, and honored by her son, the President. One of the most powerful mothers of all was Bill Clinton's mother, and when I read her story I wept, not only for her, but for her family, and in part, for me, and for all of the women I'd known who had to march forward in life in less than ideal circumstances. Hers were pretty bad, but they sounded more familiar than not, unfortunately, as I'm sure they did to many others. I had never read a more powerful personal reflection and about such deeply troubling topics. Their familiarity continues to move me whenever I think about it. With all of our rhetoric about how we claim to be opposed to domestic violence, physical, emotional and verbal, we've done little to the vast need that actually exists. She may have been the first that I'm aware of in my lifetime to be so candid, and be connected to so powerful a person as a President of the United States. Surely, that is a major step forward for America, and one hopefully not lost on American women, even if it is usually on American men. Because we prefer our heroes complete with shining armor and white horse, we are not prepared for the knowledge that they had endured some of the common problems that affect so many families. The revelation was striking, and provides an extraordinary backdrop to understanding her son, the President, and perhaps a little of his administration despite their obvious gender differences. Men are often measured by their fathers as the "chips off the old block," as Dad's are inclined to view them, but in fact, most have far more affinity with their mothers to whom they have been the most intimate and honest. It is the reason that Barbara Bush can look at her son, and wonder if he would make a good President, as she did once, and why Lillian was not about to become lax with her son. The high expectations that mothers have of their sons as adults is far higher than their fathers do, and sons nearly always feel the pressure of that concern, as well as the love that accompanies it. Fathers have high expectations of their sons as youngsters, generally, to prepared them for that task, but it is usually the mothers who scrutinize and measure their progress the most intensely. Any book that attempts to define the relationship of Presidents and their sons, or even any prominent sons, and their mothers is well worth the effort and the expense for understanding how those gentlemen are able to rise to meet those expectations, and the struggles to get there. This is true family entertainment, and among the most worthwhile available for family values, and perhaps, for family progress.

Easy and informative read
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. An easy read with tons of anecdotes and facts that made the presidents and their families come alive. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Blood on the Moon--Fascinating Read!
Kudos to Mr. Steers for writing a well-docmuented historical account that reads like a nightmarish novel. For anyone with an interest in the US Civil War era or President Lincoln, I would rate this book as a "must have." The book has a fascinating account of the assassination conspiracy; the length (over time) of the conspiracy and the direct involvement of the Confederate government in the conspiracy were surprises. Whenever Steers makes assumptions, he plainly states the bases for those assumptions; and, they make sense given the materials he cites. I did wind up wanting to know more about the Confederate Secret Service and its Union counterpart; and, more about their roles in the Civil War generally. Treatment of this subject in Steers' book was more than adequate for the topic of Steers' book, though. Very enjoyable (allowing for the overwhelming sadness of the topic) and informative reading!

A terrific book by Edward Steers, Jr.
Many years ago I read Jim Bishop's "The Day Lincoln was Shot" and for the first time learned in greater depth about John Wilkes Booth and his accomplices. Edward Steers's new book, "Blood on the Moon", goes much farther in untangling the web of men and women who took part in the Lincoln assassination. Controversy will always surround the events concerning Lincoln's murder but Mr. Steers has done a magnificent job in attempting to set the record straight.

The reader will be reminded that Booth's original plan was to kidnap Lincoln and take him across Confederate lines. It wasn't until late March, 1865 that Booth's plans changed to killing Lincoln and other officials high up in the U.S.government. Mr. Steers writes in a detailed but moving prose, carefully laying out the cases for the guilty. He particularly targets Dr. Samuel A. Mudd, whose name has been attempted to have been cleared by historical revisionists. I felt Mr. Steers's best chapter recounts Booth's escape through the Maryland countryside and his subsequent death in Virginia. The final chapter, too, regarding Lincoln's last trip home to Illinois is moving.

The book is accompanied by some good photos...one taken of Lincoln's death bed moments after his body was removed and one of Lincoln lying in state....the latter only discovered in the twentieth century after being lost for years. However it's Mr. Steers's connecting the pieces of the conspiracy puzzle that set this book apart from the rest. Nicely readable and often riveting, I highly recommend it.

The definitive book on the Lincoln assassination
If you want to learn about the Lincoln assasination then look no further than here. This is the definitive book on the subject. Edward Steers Jr. very likely knows as much about the assasination of Abe Lincoln as anyone has ever known. This book is the fruit of his years of hard research.

The book is as much as anything an examination of Booth and his work as an agent for the Confederacy during the war. We see the familiar characters like Surratt and of course Dr Mudd who Steers proves without a shadow of a doubt was complicit with Booth. Hardly the friendly country Doctor some have claimed him to be. He was a slave hunter and an active agent for the Confederate underground. His guilt is without question.

One of the best things about this book is it confronts head on some of the myths and conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination. Mudd's guilt as mentioned above is dealt with, as is the theory that Booth actually escaped and lived to a ripe old age.

I doubt very much that anytime in the near future we will see another book on the Lincoln assassination cover the event as thoroughly as this one does.

Very thoughtful and thought-provoking
Blood on the Moon is a very well done researched account of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, but done so with the intent of disproving the myths and inaccuracies that have sprung up in the many years since it occurred as opposed to a straight blow-by-blow retelling. This is both interesting and welcome.

The parts that are most fascinating, perhaps somewhat morbidly, are the examinations of Booth's character and motivations, simply because although it has been over 140 years since the Civil War started, we are in some ways still fighting that battle. Lincoln is still persona non grata in parts of this country and there are still societies which claim the innocence of the convicted co-conspirators.

Edward Steers Jr. seems to be pointedly out to refute these individuals and he does so very convincingly. He painstakingly sets the stage for the assassination itself and one fault of the book is that it doesn't really get going until the deed is done, although I'm not sure that could be helped. One other minor flaw is that Steers tends to repeat information quite often, sometimes within a page of his previous reference. I understand the need to drive points home, but it was distracting and superfluous.

In a direct comparison of Booth and Lincoln, it is not the President who comes across as the more interesting character. This is not to say that the study of Lincoln is boring, but Booth was so flamboyant (a matinee idol of the stage) and so convinced of the righteousness of his convictions that he just attracts more curiosity. Steers does try and be very even-handed in his examination of the Confederate cause and it's sympathizers and that helps digest the overall story. He does go off on a slight tangent concerning America's fascination with characters like Booth.

The suggestion I took away from that analysis is that had Booth not gone ahead with the deed of murdering the President, there would never have been a Charles Guiteau, Leon Czolgosz, or Lee Harvey Oswald. The act itself was so unthinkable, in spite of evidence Steers presents concerning assassination plots on both sides, that it shocked the country into the original loss of innocence.

A very good book for history buffs or anyone who has an interest in the period.

Well written account.
This book takes the reader back to a time before there was a secret service and presidents could take a buggy ride alone safely. It reminds the reader about the intensity of hatred towards Lincoln, and the extreme and desperate step one John Wilkes Booth, with the help of others (knowingly and unknowingly), took to try and re-alter the course of events at the tail end of the Civil War when events still hadn't come to a complete close (Lee had surrendered, but not Joseph E. Johnston in NC or Kirby Smith in the MS area). We see that Booth's intention was not to just destroy one idea by murdering Lincoln, but to also create a new movement for an independent South. ... Read more

Book Description

Acclaim for Lafayette

"I found Mr. Unger’s book exceptionally well done. It’s an admirable account of the marquis’s two revolutions–one might even say his two lives–the French and the American. It also captures the private Lafayette and his remarkable wife, Adrienne, in often moving detail." –Thomas Fleming, author, Liberty!: The American Revolution

"Harlow Unger’s Lafayette is a remarkable and dramatic account of a life as fully lived as it is possible to imagine, that of Gilbert de Motier, marquis de Lafayette. To American readers Unger’s biography will provide a stark reminder of just how near run a thing was our War of Independence and the degree to which our forefathers’ victory hinged on the help of our French allies, marshalled for George Washington by his ‘adopted’ son, Lafayette. But even more absorbing and much less well known to the general reader will be Unger’s account of Lafayette’s idealistic but naive efforts to plant the fruits of the American democracy he so admired in the unreceptive soil of his homeland. His inspired oratory produced not the constitutional democracy he sought but the bloody Jacobin excesses of the French Revolution."–Larry Collins, coauthor, Is Paris Burning? and O Jerusalem!

"A lively and entertaining portrait of one of the most important supporting actors in the two revolutions that transformed the modern world."–Susan Dunn, author, Sister Revolutions: French Lightning, American Light

"Harlow Unger has cornered the market on muses to emerge as America’s most readable historian. His new biography of the marquis de Lafayette combines a thoroughgoing account of the age of revolution, a probing psychological study of a complex man, and a literary style that goes down like cream. A worthy successor to his splendid biography of Noah Webster."–Florence King, Contributing Editor, National Review

"Enlightening! The picture of Lafayette’s life is a window to eighteenth- and nineteenth-century history."–Michel Aubert La Fayette ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Superb, compelling, & should be 'required reading'
This book is wonderful! It is very readable, fast-paced, and, unlike other 'dry' books about long dead historical figures, it keeps the reader turning pages, wondering "why didn't I learn about this great man - this Founding Father - in high school history class?" Well, in this time of cynicism where we all decry the lack of bona fide heros (outside of sports and entertainment), here he is - the Marquis de Lafayette! This book not only clearly outlines Lafayette's life and unbelieveable accomplishments, but also his ideals. He was a man who believed in liberty, equality, honesty, friendship, and honor. Without his brilliant military and political leadership, the 13 colonies would not have won independence from Great Britain. Without Lafayette - and France - the United States would not be, certainly not as we are today. The book also continues to describe Lafayette's impact on Europe, and his role in formenting republican revolution in France and elsewhere on the European continent. But always, he is true to his undying and immutable convictions about the rights of man. Even when threatened with horrid imprisonment and death, Lafayette did not waver in his ideals. He risked his life, his fortune, and his sacred honor for those rights. What a great man - a hero for the ages! A must read.....

Bravo!!!!
This is an excellent book!!!!! It reads like a novel and provides a wealth of knowledge about this great man. I'm only 13 years old, and I've read this book twice! If I could give it 6 stars, I would. I'd give it 10 stars!! Anyway, I definitely reccomend this book to anyone who wants to know about the Marquis de Lafayette.

Of Pulitzer Caliber
Unger's Lafayette is a brilliantly written biography. It is of Pulitzer caliber, and the most informative, revealing, and entertaining recount of Lafayette's extradoridany life published to date. It is not only a masterful biography but a valuable text on the American and French Revolutions and beyond.

Captivating story
Unger's Lafayette is one of the best written revolutionary period biographies. Most of us know Lafayette only for his American Revolution contributions. Unger's book takes us to the French revolution as well and Lafayette's key role in it. Here he tried to prevent the massacres that took place and personally paid dearly for his role. One can not help have strong admiration for Lafayette as a man of ideals, honesty and courage. Unger has written a highly readable and entertaining biography. I read his book on Hancock and was also imnpressed with Unger's ability to tell a story with an always interestimg prose.

The Marquis de Lafayette
Harlow Unger's book covers a biography that is stranger than fiction, starting with LaFayette's unique marriage and continuing with his fanatical dedication to the remote American struggle for freedom; his close relationships with Washington, Franklin, Jefferson and other world leaders; his exceptional military leadership; his continuing voluntary work for independence in his own country (including 13 months in a horrific prison) all the way until he died at the age of 77. Throughout the story, the mutual, unabated love between the Marquis and his very capable wife, Adrienne, provided even more dramatic episodes. Nearly every event was more amazing the the one before.
This is a detailed and eye-opening history of both the American and French revolutions and their great contrast. If the reader has trouble believing it is truly factual, he will be convinced with the frequent, verbatim letters and voluminous, documented historical references. This is absolutely a must read for anyone with an ounce of interest in western civilization. ... Read more

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Reviews (12)

JQA - The Overview
John Quincy Adams is remembered today (if at all) as the first son to follow in his father's footsteps to the presidency. Adams, or "JQA" as historian/author Robert Remini refers to him, had a brilliant diplomatic and political career--albiet under his father's long shadow--before becoming president in a disputed election (the other similarity he shares with the current occupant of The White House). Among his other major accomplishments, Adams the second negotiated the end of the war of 1812 and as Secretary of State formulated the priciples that would later become known as The Monroe Doctrine. Unfortunately, Admas's skills as a diplomat were of little help during his largely unsuccessful presidency, in which he was overshadowed from the beginning by the popular Andrew Jackson, who bitterly opposed almost every move he made. The split between the two would revive America's two party system after over a decade of dormancy.

Remini documents all of the major events of JQA's life, from the "corrupt bargain" with Henry Clay that propelled Adams to the presidency to his unhappy personal life. For all of his brilliance, Adams was a tormented man, brutalized emotionally by his domineering mother (the otherwise revered Abigail) as well as by his failure to secure the hand of the one true love of his life. The equally overbearing upbringing he fostered upon his own sons resulted in tragedy for two of them.

The sense the reader gets from Remini's book is that JQA was one of the more fascinating and tragic figures ever to become president. Unfortunately, at only a brief 155 pages of narrative the book only scratches the surface of the man. Still, Remini is a first rate writer and historian, and his easily readable prose makes this a very accessible work of history.

Overall, a breezy historical account documenting the life of an often overlooked president.

John Who? Adams
John Quincy Adams was the sixth President of the United States, but much less well known than his father John Adams, the second President of the USA.

In this splendid biography, Robert Remini has provided us with a concise volume detailing the life of John Quincy Adams. Within this book, it is easily seen why JQA is rated as "below average" as a President, but highly regarded as an international diplomat.

Remini has done a spectactular job in describing the whole life of John Quincy Adams, and helps us to understand why Adams' life is being reclassified as more successful than previously recognized, despite the fact that his Presidency was a failure.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone that is looking for a basic understanding of Adams the man, not just as the President.

an error about an error
Referring to Marshall Newman's review. The Macaulay that JQA read and Remini mentions was Catherine Macaulay (1731-1791), an historian and a distant relative of T.B. Macaulay (1800-1859).

Not History's Favorite.
This is one of the few, possibly the only, early American President I am aware of who is consistently treated poorly by historians. It is almost like there is some unspoken conspiracy to paint the man as some kind of slacker. The closest we can come to this kind of consensual disapproval is how the American press treated Gerald Ford's athleticism. In Ford's case, this former center for the University of Michigan football team, an excellent recreational skier and a man who consistently shot golf in the low 70's was treated as an uncoordinated clod, who could not put one foot in front of another. Something similar is going on with the depiction of JQA.

Independent of his parents in Europe for 6 years, much of that time by his own choice, his biographers treat him as a mama's boy. That's right, the same man who undertook his first diplomatic mission for the United States at age 14! And it goes down hill from there.

Incredible successes as Secretary of State under James Monroe are glossed over, a Presidential vision for America that was the equal of Washington, Adams (his father), Jefferson, Madison and Monroe's combined, formulator of the Monroe Doctrine, extender of the Continental limits of the United States from sea to sea, ardent abolitionist who fought the Gag Rule in the House of Representatives for 9 years (that's right, he defends our most fundamental of freedoms, freedom of speech, and during a 9 year Congressional battle, defeats those who would have suppressed this freedom within our own Congress), founder of the Smithsonian, the list of this man's unbelievable accomplishments goes on and on.

Professor Remini should be embarrassed for this mediocre effort. Was JQA stiff, prickly and unyielding? Of course he was. Was he obstinate, arrogant and difficult? Again JQA is guilty. But after his outstanding works on Jackson, Webster, and Clay for Professor Remini to simply repeat Nagel's poor work and not take the time and opportunity to fairly and accurately report on this man's life accomplishments has got to be some form of academic bankruptcy. This book is only 155 pages long. And those pages are small. That should tell you something. Save your money.

Too much Freud at the begining.
Full disclosure. John Quincy Adams is one of my heroes. I eagerly grabbed this book but almost didn't finish it. The strong later chapters which effectively describe the Adams election, administration and later time in congress are paid for by a load of psycoanalisys of Abagail Adams, John Quincy to the point where the reader just wants to say ENOUGH!

When the writer calls Adams is a poor father and follows it up with a description of him informing his sons they should work hard, avoid drinking, and follow religion I must conclude that he doesn't want me raising children either. When he lambasts Adams for wanting to raise his sone the way he was raised saying that he should know better, he ignores that the method used produced one of the greatest statemen in the history of this country.

Later on it gets better the author rightly hits Adams as a poor pol but extols the virtues of his honesty and single minded devotion to what he believed was right. His chapters on Adams vision and his fight against the gag rule are great reading as are all chapters from the point that Adams serves in the Monroe administration.

The author's bias' are plain and the lens that he sees Adams life is apparent to any reader, but that lens can't cloud the life of the man, it can only make reading this story an annoyance for a time.

I suggest going right to 1816 and reading from there. The book is worth reading but it was enough to convince me that I would avoid this author in the future. ... Read more

Book Description

The first political biography of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Winner of the Woodrow Wilson Foundation Award. “A case study unmatched in american political writings” (Newsweek). Index; photographs.
... Read more

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Reviews (4)

pettty, immature academic view of Washington
Burns and Dunn seem to think ambition is a dirty word, and that one can't have ambitious goals for oneself combined with modesty. Perhaps they've never known modest, hard-driving and successful men - that is, people with outstanding abilities who want to realize their potential and yet are innately modest. So we get the historian picking on Washington, exposing him for a hypocrite, instead of informing us on what contributed to Washington's outstanding leadership and moral qualities. very disappointing. I quit reading after chapter 3.

Excellent introduction of Washington as President
I too am surprised that this series of short works on the American Presidents is getting what seems to me to be too little attention. While not every book in the series is of the same quality, several, and in particular this one on Washington, are gems. Not a general biography, this is an analysis of Washington's presidency and what we get of his early life is here only to further that analysis. Despite this relatively narrow focus, it is a book all who want to understand our political system as it exists today should read. Dense but very well written, I give it four stars only because I leave five for the greatest works of English literature and we aren't offered four and a half. Nevertheless, I recommend it highly.

History and biography at its best
I admit I am a sucker for history, and especially American History and biographies. In the last few years there have been a plethora of books about our founding fathers, and Professor Burns and Dunn's work is right up there with the best. If there is a flaw it lies in the brevity. But the writing is sharp, almost like a well developed college lecture series, and though I have read longer, more detailed biographies of Washington, this was the most entertaining and easy to digest. I also highly recommend Professor Burns previous books on Franklin Roosevelt if you have a mind to immerse yourself in a very thorough history of a very troubled time and a very heroic, and human statesman.

First rate book, about the country's First Citizen
This is one of the latest of the American Presidents Series of short biographies, presented by Arthur Shelesinger, Jr. I remain puzzled by the lack of strong public interest in these books while lengthier tomes make the best sellers lists. Regardless, I find these books to be an excellent complimentary resource that allow a reader to learn much more about presidents for whose name may have only have been memorized for a middle school civics class.

Much has been written about Washington in the past, and he seems to be enjoying a resurgence of interest. Some of these biographies are more hagiographic than the last, while others are critical especially of his contrary views on slavery.

The authors of this book, Burns & Dunn, choose to try and focus on Washington's character, and philosophy, instead of chronicling each aspect of his life. They discuss his military career up to the revolution and give short mention of his generalship. But, what they miss in the revolution, they expound on in his post-war career as the president of the Constitutional convention, and as President.

They provide beliefs of his that are relevant in today's executive branch, but more as an example of his judgments that were not followed. For example, "In all situations, including emergencies, Washington demanded calm examination and 'a deliberate plan.' No action, he repeated to the secretary of war, should be undertaken without absolutely reliable facts and information." (pp. 63-64). Also, Washington the southerner, not Lincoln the northerner, set the precedent for taking armed action against internal insurrection without the specific approval of the Constitution. This is an historical fact that is ignored by too many of the current population.

Washington failed to live up to his famous maxims in many situations, as the book makes note, including short changing his former troops in the Ohio territory. But, what he did accomplish in defining the role of the chief executive officer is a legacy that is too much taken for granted when rating the great former presidents. This book only shows that character is a difficult judgment to make. It's like trying to define beauty or love. I was taught that there was only one perfect person in this world's history, and he was crucified. ... Read more

Book Description

Grover Cleveland: A Study in Character is the first comprehensive study of our 22nd and 24th president in nearly seventy years. This distinguished leader, the only Democrat elected to the presidency between the Civil War and World War I, rose to political prominence through the ranks of mayor of Buffalo and governor of New York before his election to this nation's highest office.

Always concerned with the majority, never the favored few, Cleveland believed his ultimate allegiance was to the nation, not to a political party, and he acted on his strongly-held beliefs throughout his