Product Description
Engaging 16-page books on must-know, inspiring Americans. Features lively text, captions, realistic illustrations, glossaries, diagrams, and more.Correlate with Guided Reading Levels I and J. For use with Grades K–2. ... Read more

Product Description
"Michelle Obama: Our First Lady" is the REVISED AND EXTENDED EDITION of "In my Own Words". This new 2009 edition includes her biography, her campaign speeches and quotes. Michelle LaVaughn Obama (born January 17, 1964) is an American attorney and the wife of our new President Barack Obama. Michelle became the first African-American First Lady of the United States. She was born and grew up on the South Side of Chicago and graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Want to know about the man?Find out about the woman!
This is a great book!!!!Not only is Michelle Obama one of the most intelligent and clever women of our time - but she's our Presidents wife!The First Lady!What a powerhouse in the White House....

Read her words, she is an inspiration and a visionary leader in her own right....she tells it like it is...I was so impressed...if you read this book you'll not only learn about Michelle, but you'll feel better about tomorrow.

This book is an inspiration, as is she.Well recommended!

A great read for anyone who wants to know more about Michelle
I am very excited about our new First Lady. This is a great read for anyone who wants to know more about Michelle Obama. This book contains her great speeches and additional up to date biographic content.
I was thrilled to read about Michelle and her opinions.

This book, "Michelle Obama - Our First Lady" is more complete and more up to date as the previous edition Michelle Obama: In Her Own Words.

She can be funny and sharp-tongued, warm and blunt, empathic and demanding. She grew up on the south side of Chicago, the daughter of a city worker and a stay-at-home mom in a neighborhood rocked by white flight. She was admitted to Princeton amid an angry debate about affirmative action and went on to Harvard Law School, where she was more comfortable doing pro-bono work for the poor than gunning for awards with the rest of her peers. She became a corporate lawyer, then left to train community leaders and is modern in her tastes... ... Read more

Product Description
Collection of biographies of great Americans, specifically written for Children. Each volume contains stories and illustrations about a particular American hero (suggested ages 7-12). Subjects include: Inventors, Artists/Writers, Female American Heroes, Sports Heroes, Presidents, Native Americans, African-American Civil Rights Heroes, and Heroes from Colonial Times. Titles include: Amelia Earhart, Neil Armstrong, Babe Ruth, Sitting Bull, Pocahontas, Thurgood Marshall, Martin Luther King Jr, Paul Revere, Davy Crockett, Robert E Lee, Buffalo Bill, Daniel Boone, Thomas Jefferson, Ronald Reagan, John F Kennedy, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, and many more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Childhood Biographies of American Heroes
The "Childhood of Famous Americans" encyclopedia tells stories of the early years/upbringing of great Americans.

Finding out what American heroes were like as kids is more fun for the young readers than traditional history lessons. And, I also appreciate that this collection focuses on diversity within American history, with a lot of female heroes as well as Native Americans, civil rights leaders, and colonial freedom fighters.

The collection includes the following:


> American Artists / Writers:

* Mark Twain - Young Writer
* Walt Disney - Young Movie Maker
* Harry Houdini - Young Magician
* Louisa May Alcott - Young Female Novelist
* Jim Henson - Young Puppeteer

> Presidents:

* George Washington - Young Leader
* Tom Jefferson - Third President of the United States
* Abraham Lincoln - The Great Emancipator
* Teddy Roosevelt - Young Rough Rider
* John F Kennedy - America's Youngest President
* Ronald Reagan - Young Leader

> Native Americans:

* Pocahontas - Young Peacemaker
* Sitting Bull - Dakota Boy

> American Sports Heroes:

* Babe Ruth - One of Baseball's Greats
* Lou Gehrig - One of Baseball's Greats
* Jim Thorpe - Olympic Champion
* Roberto Clemente - Young Ball Player
* Knute Rockne - Young Athlete
* Joe Dimaggio - Young Sports Hero

> African Americas & Civil Rights:

* Martin Luther King Jr - Young Man with a Dream
* Crispus Attucks - Black Leader of Colonial Patriots
* Thurgood Marshall - Young Justice
* Jackie Robinson - Young African-American Sports Trailblazer

> American Women:

* Amelia Earhart - Young Aviator
* Eleanor Roosevelt - Fighter for Social Justice
* Martha Washington - America's First First Lady
* Molly Pitcher - Young Patriot
* Clara Barton - Founder of Red Cross
* Elizabeth Blackwell - Girl Doctor
* Abigail Adams - Girl of Colonial Days
* Helen Keller - From Tragedy to Triumph
* Mary Todd Lincoln - Girl of the Bluegrass
* Annie Oakley - Young Markswoman
* Betsy Ross - Designer of our Flag

> Inventors and Heroes:

* Albert Einstein - Young Thinker
* Benjamin Franklin - Young Printer
* Neil Armstrong - Young Flyer
* Wilbur and Orville Wright Brothers - Young Fliers

> Colonial Heroes:

* Paul Revere - Boston Patriot
* Davy Crockett - Young Rifleman
* Robert E Lee - Young Confederate
* Buffalo Bill - Frontier Daredevil
* Daniel Boone - Young Hunter and Tracker
... Read more

Product Description

The maverick politician from Georgia who rode the post- Watergate wave into office but whose term was consumed by economic and international crises 

A peanut farmer from Georgia, Jimmy Carter rose to national power through mastering the strategy of the maverick politician. As the face of the "New South," Carter's strongest support emanated from his ability to communicate directly to voters who were disaffected by corruption in politics.

But running as an outsider was easier than governing as one, as Princeton historian Julian E. Zelizer shows in this examination of Carter's presidency. Once in power, Carter faced challenges sustaining a strong political coalition, as he focused on policies that often antagonized key Democrats, whose support he desperately needed. By 1980, Carter stood alone in the Oval Office as he confronted a battered economy, soaring oil prices, American hostages in Iran, and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Carter's unpopularity enabled Ronald Reagan to achieve a landslide victory, ushering in a conservative revolution. But during Carter's post-presidential career, he has emerged as an important voice for international diplomacy and negotiation, remaking his image as a statesman for our time.

Customer Reviews (2)

Very Brief but Fair
The American President Series intends to provide concise but useful biographies of American Presidents. In that sense, this particular volume is successful. There were certainly some aspects of President Carter's career that were glossed over such as his achievements in the Navy, some aspects of his family life and a number of events during his presidency. Curiously, the tone of the book also changes with the flow of the material. In the first half of the book, Carter is portrayed as being honest and refreshingly anti-establishment. In the second half, which documents his slide from popularity, the books tends to highlight his lack of flexibility in dealing with other power figures. In any case, this book is a pretty good overview of the main issues surrounding President Carter's life and career so far. He is probably one of the most harshly-judged political figures of recent times. This book can help readers see some of the nuances behind the man and give a bit better perspective on what he attempted to do beyond the stereotypical views of his shortcomings. Two of the lasting impressions one can take away from reading this book are first, that President Carter was one of the few presidents to make an honest and long-term attempt to improve the energy regime of the US, and second, that he he has maintained a strong dedication to human rights and diplomatic solutions to international relations. I do recommend this book, but anyone who has a serious interest in the Carter presidency will most likely want to go beyond the very concise coverage of it in this book.

Accessible biography of Jimmy Carter
A nice addition to this series of brief biographies of American presidents. The focus here is Jimmy Carter. The author has no reservations about being critical where such is appropriate, so the book has a bit of an edge (but not inappropriately so, in my judgment). The book begins by outlining Jimmy Carter's background, his first efforts at politics, his success as a candidate for governor, and his strategic approach to running for president.

Then, his presidency. From a promising beginning to more difficult sledding. Finally, the problems of the last part of his presidency, including the hostage crisis and the economic stagnation facing the country. Unlike many presidents, there has been an active, visible, and controversial post-presidential career.

The book, overall, does a good job of presenting Jimmy Carter, assessing his body of work, and doing so in rather brief fashion, making this accessible to people who do not want a one thousand page biography.
... Read more

Product Description
The underappreciated presidency of the military man who won the Civil War and then had to win the peace as well

As a general, Ulysses S. Grant is routinely described in glowing terms-the man who turned the tide of the Civil War, who accepted Lee's surrender at Appomattox, and who had the stomach to see the war through to final victory. But his presidency is another matter-the most common word used to characterize it is "scandal." Grant is routinely portrayed as a man out of his depth, whose trusting nature and hands-off management style opened the federal coffers to unprecedented plunder. But that caricature does not do justice to the realities of Grant's term in office, as Josiah Bunting III shows in this provocative assessment of our eighteenth president.

Grant came to Washington in 1869 to lead a capital and a country still bitterly divided by four years of civil war. His predecessor, Andrew Johnson, had been impeached and nearly driven from office, and the radical Republicans in Congress were intent on imposing harsh conditions on the Southern states before allowing them back into the Union. Grant made it his priority to forge the states into a single nation, and Bunting shows that despite the troubles that characterized Grant's terms in office, he was able to accomplish this most important task-very often through the skillful use of his own popularity with the American people. Grant was indeed a military man of the highest order, and he was a better president than he is often given credit for.
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Customer Reviews (19)

Nice companion to Grant's Memoirs
Descriptive, with fascinating observations about Grant's life and beliefs.This is a terrific introduction to Grant from a historical viewpoint as I read Grant's own writings.Thank you Josiah Bunting III!

Too Short
The first book on Grant that I read was "Grant- The Soldier and the Man" by Edward Longacre.

This was a wonderful insight into Grant and certainly exposing his personal foibles. The details into Grant's life from childhood through the Civil War were wonderfully presented.

I had just finished biographies on Lincoln and Johnson and was hungry for more reading on the post civil war era. Unfortunately, Longacre ended the book right after Grant was elected president- which is why I purchased Bunting's work.

The first 90 pages are an abbreviation of Grant's life through the war. Not nearly as detailed or informative as Longacre's.

The book ends 60 pages later and frankly, it kept me wanting for more. It just skimmed over too much of Grant's presidency (and hardly touches on his life after he was president).

Other reviewers have lauded this book. In my opinion, the author seems to have been in too much of a hurry to finish it and could have certainly provided a much more in depth rendition.

Poorly Written
The author expresses his opinions, just like the news media does. I bought this book for its value as a history book. I am not particularly fond of reading the authors slanted opinions. Not a good read for me!

Just the facts
This biography was very short and linear. The facts of Grant's life are told and very little else.

A hero for all ages.
Grant may rank as one of the worst US Presidents, but this book makes it plan he was a man of principle.He was associated with scandals, but many were not his fault.Grant was a single minded general who pursued victory over the Confederate forces.For this he was listed as a butcher.His earlier travails with alchohol resulted in him being termed a alcholic.His associated with disreputable people was caused him to be associated with scandals.Late in life he was defrauded and his memoirs were a way for him to guarantee a life after his death for his beloved wife Julia.

This is a nice read on a noble General and President.Honor was a way of life with U.S. Grant, and that is how we should remember him. ... Read more

Product Description

A Pulitzer Prize-winning historian recounts the tale of the unwanted president who ran afoul of Congress over Reconstruction and was nearly removed from office

Andrew Johnson never expected to be president. But just six weeks after becoming Abraham Lincoln's vice president, the events at Ford's Theatre thrust him into the nation's highest office.

Johnson faced a nearly impossible task—to succeed America's greatest chief executive, to bind the nation's wounds after the Civil War, and to work with a Congress controlled by the so-called Radical Republicans. Annette Gordon-Reed, one of America's leading historians of slavery, shows how ill-suited Johnson was for this daunting task. His vision of reconciliation abandoned the millions of former slaves (for whom he felt undisguised contempt) and antagonized congressional leaders, who tried to limit his powers and eventually impeached him.

The climax of Johnson's presidency was his trial in the Senate and his acquittal by a single vote, which Gordon-Reed recounts with drama and palpable tension. Despite his victory, Johnson's term in office was a crucial missed opportunity; he failed the country at a pivotal moment, leaving America with problems that we are still trying to solve.

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Customer Reviews (29)

Good Author, Unpleasant Subject
I always like reading Elizabeth Drew's journalism, and this book does have her signature style and depth. But I did not enjoy the book very much, maybe because the subject itself is so unpleasant: Richard Nixon was a driven, miserable man, unfit to be President, however brilliant a political operator he was.

Drew goes into useful detail about what happened around Watergate--we tend to forget the details--as well as Nixon's Checkers speech and other milestones. It does a very good job of portraying his dirty tricks, the way he defamed his political opponents with lies and innuendo. One thing I hadn't known was how truly bad he was on civil rights and other liberal issues--he is sometimes thought of as the "liberal Republican"--dragging his feet on legislation and trying to scuttle it behind the scenes, and, when he couldn't get away with that, taking credit for its passage.

The book chronicles Nixon's tireless attempts to make a comeback after his disgrace and resignation, and to go down in history as a statesman; and those efforts may prove to be partially successful. But the picture we come away with is of a very disturbed, unbalanced man, who had to be hidden away and protected by his underlings from causing great harm to the nation during his periodic breakdowns while he was presiding over the nation.

Less than Flattering Look at Nixon
Given only this book to read, one might assume that Richard Nixon was a crazed man that accomplished little good for his country.While Nixon is a very flawed character in history, and some of his actions can be described as criminal.The tone of this addition to The American Presidents series shows a marked level of bias and gross errors that other reviewers have noted.A positive aspect of Nixon is rarely shown.

Included in this brief biography are some facts that I did not know despite having read several books on Nixon and Watergate.However, the overall lean of the book brings in to question the truthfulness of these facts.A book that makes accusations of chemical dependency loses credibility when it makes larger ommissions and factual errors.Nixon was in fact weak on domestic policy.However, he was quite savvy in his foreign policy which comes easier to most presidents.Still, the author gives Nixon little credit for opening realtionship with China.Readers with lesser knowledge might think this is a trivial note in Nixon's presidency while he spend most of his time conjuring up scandals.

Obviously The American Presidents series is designed for school libraries more than extensive research.Still adults can enjoy the learning experience.Yet this particular book seem to have an agenda to lead readers in a negative direction.

Biased with disinformation
I don't believe I've read anything more profoundly biased and angry against President Nixon.At one point, its claimed he couldn't get out of, or end the war in, Vietnam.This is total BS because President Richard Nixon did, in fact, end the war in Vietnam! I think Drew needs to take a history course.Furthermore, I believe Richard M. Nixon may very well have been looked at today as the best president in the history of this country as he was on the path to ending the Cold War.Indeed, one must confess the possibility that had he been able to continue his term in office, he may very well have done just that! Had it not been for his mistakes with Watergate, Nixon would be looked at today with admiration.

Interesting summation of the life of Richard Nixon
I have to give Elizabeth Drew credit for taking on a nearly impossible job. She has attempted to boil down the life of Richard Nixon into a few hundred pages.Thank of all the ink that has been spilled on him during the past 30 years andI will say Ms. Drew does a decent job of portraying someone as complex as Nixon.

The book is basically by the facts and you will not find anything new or explosive in it.I didn't find it particularly partisan but then again I believe Drew went out of her way to avoid offering up anything other than the generally accepted facts.Still she is somewhat sympathetic to Nixon but still holds him accountable for what he did which was wrong.

All in all, I think this is an interesting addition to this series!

Richard M. Nixon
Complete disatisfaction - never received the item - never received a single response from several email requests as to why item has not arrived - very disappointed ... Read more

Product Description
An illuminating analysis of the man whose name is synonymous with American democracy

Few presidents have embodied the American spirit as fully as Thomas Jefferson. He was the originator of so many of the founding principles of American democracy. Politically, he shuffled off the centralized authority of the Federalists, working toward a more diffuse and minimalist leadership. He introduced the bills separating church and state and mandating free public education. He departed from the strict etiquette of his European counterparts, appearing at state dinners in casual attire and dispensing with hierarchical seating arrangements. Jefferson initiated the Lewis and Clark expedition and seized on the the crucial moment when Napoleon decided to sell the Louisiana Territory, thus extending the national development. In this compelling examination, distinguished historian Joyce Appleby captures all of the richness of Jefferson's character and accomplishments.
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Customer Reviews (20)

Good and thoughtful overview, though suffused with liberal angst.
Professor Appleby has provided a generally thoughtful overview of the life, thought, and public service of our third president. She presents a thoughtful examination of his contradictions, such as being a champion of freedom but not including slaves or advocate of states' rights while increasing the power of the federal government when it suited him. However, in the end, there is just too muchhand-wringing about his failure to live up to (21st century) liberal standards. She continually harps about his failures in regard to race and gender, but what more exactly was he supposed to do, given the times he lived in? How long would he have lasted in any public capacity (or even stayed alive) if he had freed all the slaves, stopped settlers from moving to Indian lands, and appointed women to high office? What's next? Will the next generation of historians attack Jefferson (and other founding fathers) for their failures to protect the environment, enforce animal rights, and promote gay marriage? What ever happened to judging historical figures by the standards of their times? This should at least be as an important of a factor as judging them by the standards of ours, should it not?

Very disappointing
After reading Charles Calhoun's "Benjamin Harrison" I decided to purchase other volumes in this series. I was very disappointed in this volume.

First, there was very little insight on his life prior to becoming president and did not examine the details of his presidency. She seems to want us to believe that everything that Jefferson done was to save the US from the "tyranny" of the Federalist Party. Everything that Washington and Adams did as president was to produce a monarchy and create an elitist class in America. In contrast, everything that Jefferson had done was to reverse the policies of these two "bad" presidents. As Appleby discussed the actions of Jefferson this pattern was followed, first she described how it was done before by his predecessors and how their actions was an attempt to create an elitist society, then what Jefferson did to reverse these trends and how it showed that he was more in touch with the common man, and then she would examine how members of the Federalist Party would balk at his actions. A typical example of this would be how he handled the president's annual address to congress (now known as the "State of the Union). Washington and Adams delivered this in person as the monarchs of Europe had done. When Jefferson became president he insisted on delivering the finished speech to congress which brought the ire or the Federalist Party. There is no mention that since Woodrow Wilson, besides a few exceptions, every president has delivered that State of the Union in person.

Secondly, the organization of the book seemed very haphazard. In the chapter on the 1804 reelection she jumped around between his views on slavery and the contradiction of his being a slave owner, attacks on the Federalist Party, Aaron Burr, and a brief mentioning of the actual election. These events would have been better viewed if they had presented in separate chapters instead of a being jumbled together.

Thirdly, she showed the main characters in terms of black and white. Jefferson was the savior of the union, Washington wanted to become a king, Adams was a cranky old man who wanted the leaders of the country to be separated from the common "rabble", Hamilton was a manipulator who was not afraid to be a bully to get his way, and Burr was a traitor to his party, his president, and his country. Everyman has his flaws and no one is perfect, but Appleby downplays the contributions of other men and only shows their flaws to build on to Jefferson's contributions to the country. She even went as far to hint that the deaths of Washington and Hamilton were helpful to Jefferson's presidency.

There are many other flaws with this book that have already been examined in other customer's reviews. For all of its failings I would not recommend this book.

Actually Learned Just As Much About Jefferson From The "John Adams" Installment
To be fair, this third installment of The American Presidents Series from Joyce Appleby does indeed provide some interesting information about both the personal life and administration of our nation's third President, Thomas Jefferson.

However, in terms of understanding the position of Jefferson in the context of the birth of our young nation, the "John Adams" installment of "American Presidents" is actually just as effective (if not more so) in defining the most important aspects of Jefferson's thoughts, philosophies, and actions towards politics.The disputes between Adams (pro-government) and Jefferson (almost no-government intrusion) laid the backbone for party politics in the United States, and while reading this book I never really felt as if Appleby gave Jefferson a fair shake in laying out "his side of the story".

Thus, I still recommend reading this book for the useful information it expouses about other aspects of Jeffersonian America, but if (like I was) you are looking for a continuation of the fascinating Adams/Jefferson philosophical battle, you may be disappointed.

Our great third president.
Rule by the aristocrats or rule by the common man (except blacks and Indians)charaterized the Presidency of Thomas Jefferson.Jefferson defeated Adams because of the perception of aristocracy on Adam's part.The author does a good job of focusing on both Jefferson's presidency and the rumors of his alleged affair with S. Hemmings.I think the author was fair in her portrayal of our third President.He was both a great President, a profound thinker, but also a hypocrit.He cried out for freedom, but yet expelled Indians beyond the Mississippi.He spoke of freedom, but yet sold and kept slaves.I think the author did a great job of talking about Jefferson's disparities.

This is a nice read about our third President.I like the American Presidents series.

A compelling portrait of "the most controversial of presidents"

I have read and reviewed most of the volumes in The American Presidents Series for which the late Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. served as general editor at the time when Joyce Appleby's brief biography of Jefferson was first published (2003). In the "Editor's Note," Schlesinger explains that the aim of the series is "to present the grand panorama of our chief executives in volumes compact enough for the busy reader, lucid enough for the student, authoritative enough for the scholar. Each volume offers a distillation of character and career." As is also true of the other volumes, this brief biography one examines the essential events and meaning of Jefferson's life without oversimplification or generalization.

The challenges that Appleby faced and somehow overcame were complicated by the fact that, in her words, Jefferson was "the most controversial of presidents...because the contradictions in his ideals still affect Americans profoundly. They touch on natural rights, race, and the proper balance between liberty and equality in democratic rule. Jefferson sought change, innovation, novelty, but he was decidedly not a deracinated intellectual, writing incendiary tracts in a garret like Thomas Paine. Rather, he was an insider, repeatedly elected to high office, by his peers the slave-owning planters of Tidewater Virginia. It's safe to say that rarely if ever has a man with such radical bent won so many elections from such an electorate. Solving this puzzle strains our imagination." With meticulous care but at a brisk pace, Appleby examines the key relationships in Jefferson's life, notably with adversaries such as John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, James Callender, and (on occasion) John Marshall and George Washington with whom he served for two terms as his nation's first vice president. She also devotes what seems to me to be an appropriate portion of her attention (Pages 73, 74-76, and 140) to Jefferson' relationship with Sally Hemmings.

Frankly, I have almost no interest in this subject but was eager to share Appleby's thoughts about Jefferson's ambivalence about slavery.Here is a composite of brief excerpts from her narrative:"There is no doubt that Jefferson considered Negroes inferior to whites. He said so in his one book, Notes on the State of Virginia, but he also blamed slavery for the degradation of the enslaved and explicitly affirmed that human liberty was based on natural rights, not on intelligence...In the abstract, slavery scratched at his conscience, but in practice, Jefferson accepted the institution pretty much as he found it, going along with the norms of his fellow planters. He treated his slaves as possessions, offering their labor to his sons-in-law as gestures of generosity. He personally got rid of slaves whom he considered insubordinate, and he sold slaves when he was short of money." It was not until 37 years after Jefferson's death that President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation and not until 1954 that the U.S. Supreme Court declared segregation unconstitutional. However contemporary Jefferson's ambivalence about slavery may have been at that time, at least among his peers, it is impossible to ignore hypocrisy; that is, the discrepancy between the values that his prose affirms and the values of his behavior.

I do agree, however, with Joyce Appleby's concluding observation that "it would be a grave error of historical judgment to underestimate the significance of Jefferson's successful assault on the venerable dogma of natural inequality that was based on the belief that most men and women were created to be the hewers of wood and drawers of water for the `favored few.'" I congratulate her on consolidating so much historical material within a lively narrative of only 157 pages, and doing so without oversimplification or generalization.Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out the sources she provides in her "Selected Bibliography." ... Read more

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The genial but troubled New Englander whose single-minded partisan loyalties inflamed the nation's simmering battle over slavery

Charming and handsome, Franklin Pierce of New Hampshire was drafted to break the deadlock of the 1852 Democratic convention. Though he seized the White House in a landslide against the imploding Whig Party, he proved a dismal failure in office.

Michael F. Holt, a leading historian of nineteenth-century partisan politics, argues that in the wake of the Whig collapse, Pierce was consumed by an obsessive drive to unify his splintering party rather than the roiling country. He soon began to overreach. Word leaked that Pierce wanted Spain to sell the slave-owning island of Cuba to the United States, rousing sectional divisions. Then he supported repeal of the Missouri Compromise, which limited the expansion of slavery in the west. Violence broke out, and "Bleeding Kansas" spurred the formation of the Republican Party. By the end of his term, Pierce's beloved party had ruptured, and he lost the nomination to James Buchanan.

In this incisive account, Holt shows how a flawed leader, so dedicated to his party and ill-suited for the presidency, hastened the approach of the Civil War.

Customer Reviews (3)

Franklin Pierce, At the Nexus of American Political History
Holt's biography of Franklin Pierce is not only well written but makes his subject and the times come alive. Pierce, a tragic soul, reached the prime of his political stature at the very nexus of change: the rise and demise of the No Nothings; the demise of the Whigs; the split of the Democratic Party between the North and the South; and the rise of the Republican Party. Furthermore, he played a mojor role at a time when forces had built to tear the country apart. Reading this book, short by today's standard biography, will inform not only about an under appreciated president but cast light on the troublesome question as to whether the Civil War was inevitable or could have been avoided.
R. Ernest

Solid brief biography of Franklin Pierce
This is one more addition to the series of brief presidential biographies, "The American Presidents." Original series editor, Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. said of the purpose of this series (Page xviii): "It is the aim of the American Presidents series to present the grand panorama of our chief executives in volumes compact enough for the busy reader, lucid enough for the student, authoritative enough for the scholar." These are ambitious standards, but these books, overall, do pretty well in meeting them. As does the work on Franklin Pierce.

This is a solid biography of Franklin Pierce, often rated as in the bottom tier of American presidents. The book does a nice job of describing Pierce's ascent to political power, from his base in New Hampshire. His father had been a political figure and James followed in his footsteps.

He became president because of a deadlock in the 1852 convention. He emerged as an acceptable candidate to other factions and won. However, his presidency was not successful. In his zeal to hold the fractious Democratic Party together, he ended up presiding over a slow disintegration as the country moved toward the 1856 election. He was denied renomination and led his life out fairly quietly.

A good, solid, brief biography for those who don't want to delve deeply into the subject matter. That brevity is both a strength and a weakness, since various themes cannot be fully developed.

Pierce's troubled times
The American Presidents series, conceived in part by the late Arthur Schlesinger, is a series (now mostly complete) of short biographies of the U.S. Presidents. Michael Holt has given us the latest in that series...a biography of our fourteenth president, Franklin Pierce.

Pierce's life and career seemed to have been beset by tragedy and ill fortune. Little known outside New England, Pierce, nonetheless, became the famous dark horse candidate in 1852, much like James K. Polk had been eight years earlier. Holt is particularly good at describing the politics of Pierce's ascendancy to the presidency (one of Pierce's few strokes of "luck") and he's equally good at setting up the president's downfall. Since there is little of an actual written nature of the Pierce years in the White House (he never wrote an autobiography) much has to be sewn together by others' accounts.

The author spends a fair amount of time on the Kansas-Nebraska Act... the downhill turning point of the Pierce presidency... but offers as much that while Pierce made major mistakes during his time in office it seems unlikely that any person who ran the country in the 1850s could have done much to calm the seething factions before the outbreak of the Civil War. I enjoyed Holt's offering up Pierce's feelings about future presidents. It seems he despised his successor, James Buchanan, and hadn't much use for Abraham Lincoln. Pierce was content when Andrew Johnson was acquitted during the latter's impeachment trial of 1868.

President Pierce's unhappy and unsuccessful administration might only have been matched by the unhappiness of his personal life....three children dying very young, a sickly wife and his own heavy drinking. One wonders what Franklin Pierce might have been remembered for had he remained in other branches of government or lived at another time. Michael Holt has written a good basic "introductory" biography to those who haven't known much about Franklin Pierce and I recommend it. ... Read more

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evolutionary hero, founding president, and first citizen of the young republic, George Washington was the most illustrious public man of his time, a man whose image today is the result of the careful grooming of his public persona to include the themes of character, self-sacrifice, and destiny. As Washington sought to interpret the Constitution's assignment of powers to the executive branch and to establish precedent for future leaders, he relied on his key advisers and looked to form consensus as the guiding principle of government. His is a legacy of a successful experiment in collective leadership, great initiatives in establishing a strong executive branch, and the formulation of innovative and lasting economic and foreign policies. James MacGregor Burns and Susan Dunn also trace the arc of Washington's increasing dissatisfaction with public life and the seeds of dissent and political parties that, ironically, grew from his insistence on consensus. In this compelling and balanced biography, Burns and Dunn give us a rich portrait of the man behind the carefully crafted mythology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Adequate though odd biography of a great president
Adequate biography of arguably the greatest of American presidents. The authors are a rather strange choice to write this biography. Burns is a FDR proponent of epic proporations and it is obvious that the 'Father of his country' does not measure up to Franklin 'president for life' Roosevelt. Some of the criticism raised about Washington's land deals and questions about his real motives are valid to a point but the constant sniping about Washington's lack of empathy for the common man is anachronistic at best.

A Good Place To Start A Quest
After being inspired by a college class entitled "The American Presidency", I set out on a quest to read a book about each United States President in chronological order.However, this was not as easy a task as it may seem, considering the volumes written about each leader.I was also wary of getting too deep into partisan territory, instead just wanting a base of knowledge about each Prez.Luckily, I stumbled upon this "American Presidents Series" and was not disappointed.

The book offered everything I could have asked for, and even a bit more.Authors James MacGregor Burns and Susan Dunn painted a very informative portrait of our first great leader, George Washington, as well as re-constructing the political sphere and times that he operated within.Upon finishing the text, I came away feeling as if I knew not only Washington the man and politician, but also the status of America's capitol at the end of the 1700s.Perhaps a partisan hand was in play at times (although I would say that not doing so is pretty much impossible in a text), but I could not detect it.

I will continue with confidence in my quest to educate myself about American's highest office, with this series being my guide along the way.

Generic and uninspired
I tend to shy away from books that fall under the banner of "series." Many times they contain top notch material, but many times they will slip in mediocre material. Such is the case here. This is a bland volume on Washington. Points are made over and over again, more like a persuasive essay than real scholarship. The word "obviously" is used many times to conclude a point. Furthermore, how many times can the word "undergirded" be used in a book...? I stopped counting. There are almost a countless number of books on Washington that are better.

Good for a brief introduction to Washington, nothing more
I suppose that this book is what should be expected from a 150-page biography of Washington: it serves as a good, brief introduction to the man, but not much more.The book is relatively shallow, and there appears to be little primary research, as the authors instead often refer to other historians' words and conclusions.

If you are looking for a first read on Washington, this would probably serve you well.If, on the other hand, you have already read a fair amount about Washington and the Revolution, I wouldn't label this a "must read."(Don't get me wrong, though: it wouldn't be a waste of time / money, either.)

The first President but also one of the best.
As the authors relate, Washington was human and open to the political menace of competing factions.He also was highly idealistic and wanted the best for his country.He may have had a ego, and thought his actions were the best for his nation.His administration as with his military command were made up of people who were more than capable.How else can you explain a administration with Adams, Pickering, Hamilton, and Jefferson competing for what they thought was best for their country.
Washington held these people together through some difficult crisises.The authors also remind us that Washington heard a lot of discouraging comments about his character during the eight years of his administration.Constant criticism was aimed at him.After eight years, it is no wonder he decided to retire to Mt. Vernon.

Washington may not have done any extraordinary things, but his actions ensured an American democracy for years to come.He guided the new republic to a standard in government and then retired when the time came.
His actions demonstrate his greatness.This book is fair read on the accomplishments of our first president.
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Product Description

Customer Reviews (12)

Good read about a lesser known but important president.
I was very impressed with this very readable and interesting book about an often forgotten president.It was a quick read and very detailed about the public and private Taylor.Made me want to know more about Taylor.

Rough, Ready and Reliable
Zachary Taylor served less than a full term in the White House - 16 months. But this brief time belies the full life Old Rough and Ready spent in the field as a soldier. The book accordingly spends more time detailing his life in the military.

He was born in gentility in Virginia, but his parents shortly afterward moved to Kentucky with a land grant. He entered the military as a first lieutenant. He distinguished himself in two Indian wars in Indiana and Florida, and had to contend with an elusive enemy, and earned the nickname that would follow him all the way to the White House.

What I took from the book: Taylor was widely popular with his troops and public. He actually hated wearing his uniform, and usually appeared rumpled and informal. Underneath, he had a knack for organizing, and whipped his army into shape. Taylor often led by example, disdaining pampered treatment in spite of the fact he was entitled to it.

Taylor's weakness lay in his strength. Because of his insistence on being above party loyalty, no prominent Whigs were appointed to his cabinet. Instead, he had to rely on the advice of men who were second-tier candidates. In his inaugural address, Taylor stated a deference toward Congress in regard to domestic affairs, a notion contrary to his immediate predecessor and his way of handling the legislature.

All in all, our twelfth president comes off rather well.

Good Introduction to President Zachary Taylor
"Zachary Taylor" by John Eisenhower is a good introduction for anyone who wants to learn more about Zachary Taylor, US President from 1849-1850.

The book covers areas of Taylor's life, including:

1.Birth in Virginia and move to Kentucky while still a very young child.
2.Military career that included important service in the Mexican War.
3.Happy home life and tragic loss of a daughter.
4.Encouragements from politicians to run for president.
5.Presidential campaign and election.
6.Brief term and premature death.
7.Analysis of life (family, military, business, politics).

The author comes up with an interesting point - if Taylor were re-elected, the Civil War could have been avoided.Whether or not you agree with the point, one cannot help but wonder.

The book flows freely and is an easy read.The book is a good introduction to President Taylor.However, I am sure there are more comprehensive biographies for readers who wish to learn more.

Recommended.

Wonderful overview of one of our little known presidents
Usually the presidents between Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln are all lumped together as failures. While some just before the Civil War were, there were some very interesting stories that sadly never came to fruition. Zachary Taylor is one of those presidents. A strong leader and a national here, he died just as the country was hitting that vital cross roads between reconciliation and War. Taylor's military career was equally impressive and again he was a key player in one of our lesser known events, the Mexican/American War

John Eisenhower is a sharp and crisp writer who does a wonderful job evoking the era and the passions that drove on not only a professional and political level, but also on a personal level. A book well worth reading!

What might have been?
You can not find a lot of books about Taylor.This is a good one.The question it leaves one with is how would have Taylor handled the Slave issue.He was from the South but I think he would have worked to do away with slavely. We will never know. ... Read more