Product Description
Directory of The American Presidents is a compilation of data of the 43 U.S Presidents. It includes information about their wives, parents, children, party, term, religion and education. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Brief, simple, and very easy-to-use
Directory Of American Presidents is a "user friendly" resource listing basic data about the wives, children, parents, birth and death dates, party, term, education, religion, and notable events of the 43 American Presidents ranging from George Washington to George Walker Bush. An excellent quick-lookup book, brief, simple, and very easy-to-use, the Directory Of American Presidents is a welcome and recommended addition to community and school library American History and Political Science collections. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Before Barack!
Long before Barack Obama became the first African American to ascend to the Presidency of the United States, a small percentage of frustrated Blacks left their native land and returned to Africa in quest of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," because Whites refused to allow them to achieve it in America. I have always been fascinated by the evolution of Liberia, Africa's oldest republic and the African Americans that immigrated there through the benovolence of their White philanthropist. Those African Americans refused to except second class citizenship in the U.S and left the country to found their own nation where they could pursue their own American dream without the constraints of White American discrimination. This book chronicals the stories of those blacks that aspired to and achieve the Presidency of their nation nearly 200 years before America would do the same. A great work. ... Read more

Product Description
Since the Constitution delegates presidential powers in general rather than specific terms, the domestic influence of the president has varied over time according to the nature of the person holding the office. From George Washington to George W. Bush, this volume takes an in-depth look at the domestic programs of America's 43 presidents. Written from a non-partisan viewpoint, each chapter focuses on a single presidency, providing information, analysis, interpretation and commentary regarding the domestic program of each Chief Executive. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website (GeneralBooksClub.com). You can also preview excerpts of the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Published by: New York, Thomas Y. Crowell Company in 170 pages; Subjects: History / General; ... Read more

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Part 1 Introduction: Franklin D.Roosevelt's internationalism, Arthur M.Schlesinger, Jr. Part 2 FDR's allies: Churchill and Franklin D.Roosevelt - a marriage of convenience, David K.Adams; De Gaulle and Franklin D.Roosevelt, Claude Fohlen; Stalin and Franklin D.Roosevelt, Valentin Berezhkov; Sikorski, Mikolajczyk and Franklin D.Roosevelt, 1939-45, Lubomir W.Zybliklewicz; review of American-Yugoslav relations in World War II, Ivan Cizmic; Wilhelmina and Franklin D.Roosevelt - a wartime relationship, Albert E.Kersten; the Oslo States and Franklin D.Roosevelt, Ger van Roon; Latin America and Franklin D.Roosevelt, Henry Raymont; Chiang Kai-shek and Franklin D.Rosevelt, Hsi-sheng Ch'i. Part 3 FDR's foes: Hitler's perception of Franklin D.Roosevelt and the U.S.A. - Detlef Junker Mussolini and Franklin D.Roosevelt, Maurizio Vaudagna; Franco and Franklin D.Roosevelt, Javier Tusell; Emperor Hirochito and Franklin D.Roosevelt, Akira Iriye. Part 4 The post-war period: the legacy of Franklin D.Roosevelt's internationalism, Leon Gordenker. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

15 Essays on World Leaders during WW II
This book is a collection of 15 essays written for a conference in Middelburg, The Netherlands in 1990.
The topic is world leaders and their relationship with the US and FDR in particular. This is done with a section on allies (Churchill, De Gaulle, Wilhelmina) and enemies (Hitler, Hirohito, Franco).

A very good part of this book are the endnotes in the end of the book which provide further 'links' for more research done by very good historians.

A plus is that almost all parts of the world (except Africa) are covered, including the usually snowed under Latin American countries. ... Read more

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This one-of-a-kind volume collects the Presidents' farewell speeches, from Washington to Clinton. The Presidents shine as experienced statesmen, visionaries, moralists, storytellers; their speeches as a hybrid of historical document and literary masterpiece. ... Read more

Product Description
Concise but thorough profiles of the forty-one presidents of the United States furnish a detailed portrait of each man, an assessment of their strengths and weaknesses, personal anecdotes, and important facts about their terms of office. Original. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Wonderful book, very informative
This is a very well-written book with lots of imformation.More photos would very much enhance a fine book.

a must have
This book is a must have for every American citizen and anyone who wants to become one. It briefly gives the basic biographies and accomplisments of each of our presidents. And it is updated after each election to keep up with our leaders. Great book. A nice starting place for better understanding the men who have led our country.

A VERY HANDY AND INTERESTING BOOK TO HAVE AROUND
This is one of those volumes you might want to add to your collection in that is is quite informative and quite concise.It covers the American Presidents from Washington through Clinton.Each section is devoted to one president.Each section leads with a selection of information such as birthdays, former employment or profession, their political careers, date of death and years served as President.Each then is given a short biography, well written, I might add, and summation of their administration.There are photographs throughout the book of each of these men.The first ladies are addressed and little interesting facts thrown in here and there. Each of these short chapters is not, of course, ment to be the beginning and end of all presidential biographies, they only present brief facts.These facts are given is such a way though, that you actually learn something.I like biographies.By having a brief sketch like this book offers, I am more able to make up my mind which full lenght biographies might interest me and which I might not like as well.As an example, I could care less about reading a biography of James Buchanan, but do like to know a bit about him.This book offers as much as I really wish to know.David Whitney had given us a very nice bit of helpful work here.Recommend this one highly.

PresidentialCompendium?
This is a great reference book about past presidents of the United States.Full of mini biographies and chronological listings of their accomplishments etc.I don't think we know enough about the character of the leaders of our country and how they shaped it to be what it is today.

An excellent reference book of American Presidents
Clear, compact and concise reference book of all the American Presidents. The main section of this book devotes a few pages on each President (from the 1st to the 42nd) with historical facts, dates and places. A smallsection at the back, lists such things as key facts about each Presidentand Vice-President, the First Ladies and all Presidential Elections; alsofor anyone interested in the making of the Presidency or intend visitingpresidential historic sites. A must on any book shelf for those interestedin American Presidential history. ... Read more

Product Description
The perfect traveler’s guide to American Presidential homes, most of them open to the public. Depicts and describes in architectural and historical detail homes (including the White House) occupied by American Presidents from George Washington to George Bush. Lively readable text with revealing anecdotes and thought-provoking historical perspectives. Up-to-date information on visiting hours, admission charges and recommended travel routes. 175 black-and-white photographs. Index.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Irvin Haas - A great man and author
Not only historically accurate and insightful, this book is quite a page turner if historic homes and/or our past presidents are of interest to you. Great coffe table book or reference guide. Irvin Haas is truly one ofAmerica's treasured authors and greatest scribes. Has several other booksthat you'll want to make part of your collection. A must buy. ... Read more

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The most interesting and inspiring presidential speeches, from Franklin Roosevelt to Barack Obama.

From Franklin Roosevelt to Barack Obama, American presidents have faced unprecedented challenges at home and abroad. From the onset of the Great Depression, through World War II, the Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Cold War, Desert Storm and the War on Terror, American presidents have warned and rallied the nation during each crisis. Presidents have also addressed the people in times of triumph -- the creation of the United Nations, advances in civil rights, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War.

My Fellow Americans includes the speeches that capture times of challenge, conflict and change, with such memorable phrases as "We have nothing to fear but fear itself," "Ask not what your country can do for you" and "Begin again the work of remaking America," which have entered the vernacular and have become a part of our heritage.

This book is a record of how our presidents established their leadership through thick and thin. The language of the speeches reflects the country's mood over decades of fear and hope and the ongoing faith and values that sustain our nation.

My Fellow Americans is divided into six parts:

• 1933-1945: Roosevelt
• 1945-1961: T ruman and Eisenhower
• 1961-1969: Kennedy and Johnson
• 1969-1981: Nixon, Ford and Carter
• 1981-1993: Reagan and Bush
• 1993-2009: Clinton, Bush and Obama.

Each part is introduced with a short essay that provides a timeline and context for the events of the period.

Product Description

Customer Reviews (11)

Side by Side Comparison
The Amazon customer reviews (Average 2 stars at this writing) surprised me. I think the book deserves a better rating. It's not perfect, but it adds insight to a crowded field of books about the Civil War period.

After reading all the reviews, I realized I was looking for something different than most reviewers. Two American Presidents is primarily a political book, not a war book. My interests are political leadership and the constitutional structure of both the Confederacy and the Union. In 1787, the Federal Convention (now called the Constitutional Convention) fought the hardest over two issues: slavery, and the presidential term and whether the president could be reelected. The Confederate and Union constitutions were very similar except that the South adopted the losing 1787positions on both of these issues. Did these changes make a difference in the prosecution of the war anddid either give one of the political leader an advantage?

This book didn't directly answer the question, but it gave me some additional information and insight so I could draw my own conclusion. I believe both of these governmental structural changes worked to the Union's advantage.

The other reason I read this book was to get a better picture of the leadership capabilities of these two men. Chadwick added to our information in this area by directly comparing the two presidents.The Kirkus Review under Editorial Reviews above states "Chadwicks unapologetic reversion to the Great Man theory of history will not impress professional historians, who have long since attributed to other causes--superior firepower, control of the seas--the eventual Union victory over the secessionists."

I believe leadership does matter--and matters greatly. For example, I can't imagine
Buchanan winning the War Between the States. Great men and women do inspire others to accomplish great things. Someone must agree with me that Lincoln was a great man because Amazon lists over 50,000 books about Abraham Lincoln.
The Shut Mouth Society
The Shopkeeper

Two American Presidents
I can make this short and sweet. This book is trash. Chadwick should stick to journalism or fiction and leave history to the historians. Definitely a lack of research or knowledge about either of the subjects. I read about 1/3 of the book and placed it in file 13.

Good read, interesting
As the subtitle says, this is a dual biography of US President Lincoln and Confederate President Jefferson Davis.The book is arranged so that equivalent periods of time are presented in consecutive chapters (eg childhood of Lincoln, then childhood of Davis, etc) with the emphasis, of course, on the Civil War years.

I found this book to be an easy read, despite several typos and some awkward syntax.There were not very many slow spots, but it never really took off, either.I am barely more than a casual Civil War buff, so I found much of the book informative.However, a more serious enthusiast may not gleam much (s)he doesn't already know.Chadwick takes pains to point out how the one-party system (which breeds factionalism) of the Confederate government limited Davis' power and effectiveness, while the North's two-party system allowed Lincoln to be much more effective; an interesting concept I hadn't thought of before.I also thought Chadwick's assessment of Northern and Southern attitudes was right on the mark (with one exception: I can't see fiercely independent poor southerners blindly following the rich planters just because "well, they're rich, they must know what's right").

I would recommend this book for those who have more than just a passing interest in the Civil War.

Beware This Book!
It seemed like such a good concept -- parallel bios of the two great antagonists of the Civil War.However, after a promising beginning, this book becomes so wildly inaccurate and in parts so "Oliver Stone-ish" that I personally will submit my copy for recycling rather than allow anyone else to read it.Some errors are errors of detail (the General commanding the Confederate troops on Marye's Heights at Fredericksburg was James Longstreet, not "Stonewall" Jackson).Some are chronological.Chadwick places Jackson's Shenandoah Valley Campaign after the Seven Days' battles, where in reality it was the indispensible prelude.Sometimes the chronology becomes so muddled that events seem to occur twice.The way the text reads, it seems that Union General John Pope was beaten at Second Bull Run twice.And can anyone truly imagine Salmon Chase leading Union forces in the field?

I was particularly disturbed by the assertion that Ohio "Peace Democrat" Clement Vallandigham was arrested on President Lincoln's authority.Every other source I've ever seen asserts that General Burnside acted without any authority other than his own, and that he quickly received orders to arrest no other politicians and suppress no more newspapers without consulting Washington first.What evidence did Chadwick find that eluded Allen Nevins, Shelby Foote, and Stephen B. Oates (to name but three)?

When Chadwick comes to the Kilpatrick/Dahlgren raid to Richmond, things get very worrisome for anyone who's read much Civil War history (and I have).No one else that I have have read has ever asserted that the raid's purported goal of killing or kidnapping Jefferson Davis and/or other members of his administration was authorized by Abraham Lincoln himself.What evidence has Chadwick unearthed that hundreds if not thousands of other historians had never found?In addition, Chadwick is the only author that I have read that flatly pronounces the papers purportedly found on Ulric Dahlgren's body genuine.All others have at least acknowledged the possibility that they were forgeries.Robert E. Lee cautioned Jefferson Davis not to act on the discovery of the orders, stating that there were good reasons to doubt their authenticity.(For the record, incidently, Judson Kilpatrick's not-too-flattering nickname was "Kill Cavalry", not "Kill Patrick".)

I gave up on this book at page 340.My time is too precious to waste it on conspiritorial pseudo-history.I'll bet yours is , too.

Mediocre Bio of Davis, Mediocre Bio of Lincoln
Where's the Beef?

With all of the attention lavished by historians on Abraham Lincoln, and with the growing number of works on Jefferson Davis, it is curious that there have been so few comparative studies of the two men. Aside from Bruce Catton's Two Roads To Fort Sumter (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1963), and a few scattered articles and monographs, no scholar of the Civil War has attempted a comprehensive, systematic comparison of Lincoln and Davis. Bruce Chadwick has attempted to fill this hole with The Two American Presidents.

As the title suggests, this is a dual biography, a two-track narrative which switches back and forth between Lincoln's and Davis's stories. These twin narratives are not bad history in the sense of being inaccurate or sloppy. Chadwick wrote competently and with occasional dramatic flair, he made good use of the available primary sources, and he utilized an impressive amount of newspaper research. A casual reader without much prior knowledge of the Civil War could read The Two American Presidents and come away with a basic understanding of each man's life and career.

But Chadwick really unearthed nothing new about either man; his book is for the most part merely a pedestrian rehashing of oft-told tales. His story of Lincoln follows the standard arc which one could find in a dozen other biographies: Lincoln the savvy politician and prairie lawyer with the large measure of common sense who is smarter than most everyone around him, and who is dedicated to finding a pragmatic means to the idealistic end of killing slavery and establishing a new birth of freedom. Likewise, Chadwick's Jefferson Davis is not very original: he is the Calhounian planter and Mexican war hero who never questions slavery; a principled yet rigid man who relentlessly pursues Confederate victory but is hobbled by serious character flaws and political ineptitude. Chadwick's narrative is sprightly, but in the end this is still old wine in a new bottle. It is so old, in fact, that I found very little material worthy of substantive criticism; hence the brevity of this review.

According to the book's dust jacket, Chadwick argues that "one of several reasons why the North won and the South lost can be found in the drastically different characters of the two presidents." This is perhaps a reasonable--though by no means foregone--conclusion. It is not the "fascinating new perspective" and "startling answers" the book's jacket claims; Davis Potter made this exact argument forty years ago in a widely read essay which Chadwick does not cite (see Potter, "Jefferson Davis and the Political Factors of Confederate Defeat," in David Donald, ed., Why the North Won the Civil War [New York: Collier, 1960]).

But where does Chadwick draw these conclusions, let alone support them with evidence? I have quoted the book jacket at some length because in 490 pages of text I was unable to locate anything resembling an actual argument. The Two Presidents is a comparative study with no substantive comparative analysis. Chadwick seems to have assumed that the mere placing of a mediocre biography of Davis and a mediocre biography of Lincoln within the same cover somehow constitutes an "argument," an original contribution. It does not.

Chadwick somehow missed the point of his own book. The only value such a study might possess would lie in the new light it shed on either Lincoln and Davis themselves, or on larger subjects -- presidential leadership, for example -- which are illuminated by but transcend the two men's individual stories. Chadwick did neither, and in the end wrote a book which is of little real value to serious scholars of Lincoln, Davis or the Civil War.

Reviewed by Brian Dirck, Assistant Professor of History, Anderson University . Published by H-South (September, 2000)

Copyright © 2000, H-Net, all rights reserved. This work may be copied for non-profit educational use if proper credit is given to the author and the list. For other permission questions, please contact hbooks@h-net.msu.edu. ... Read more

Product Description
No presidential visit to the theatre is as famous as Lincoln's last night at Ford's, but American presidents attended the theatre long before and after that ill-fated night. As a young man in 1751, George Washington saw his first play, The London Merchant, while in Barbados. William McKinley avoided the theatre while in office, on professional and moral grounds. Dwight Eisenhower used drama as a vehicle for political propaganda. Richard Nixon took a personal view of theatre, having met his wife at a community theatre audition. Surveying 255 years, this volume examines presidential theatre-going as it reflects America's shifting popular tastes. It provides a chronology of theatre attendance for all 43 American presidents. Defining theatre as a live dramatic performance (including opera but excluding ballet), the book details the attendance and theatrical tastes of each chief executive and the ways in which his choices reflected the tastes of the contemporary American public. An afterword provides a summary of presidential theatre-going preferences. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

One of the most interesting books in years
As someone who has made his living working on political campaigns and spends that living attending the theater this book is a treasure trove of great information.To see the comments written by John Quincy Adams about the shows he saw in France while his father was participating in some of the most important diplomacy this country has ever been part of is truly facsinating.

I honestly don't know which part of me this book appeals to more, the political science degree holder or the theater geek. ... Read more

Product Description
"I heard one [presidential] candidate say that what this country needed was a president for the '90s," Ronald Reagan once said. "I was set to run again. I thought he said a president in his 90s." Abraham Lincoln, in one instance, was able to put a serious injury in a humorous light; in response to a young woman's question about where a soldier was wounded, Lincoln replied, "Ma'am, the bullet that wounded him would not have wounded you." Presidents often bring a sense of humor to the White House with them, allowing the American public to catch a glimpse of their not-so-serious sides. This book examines how five of the nation's funniest chief executives-Abraham Lincoln, Calvin Coolidge, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan-used wit and humor to their advantage during their terms as president, and how their management of the Executive Branch was thereby enhanced. As a bonus, the effective use of humor by several unsuccessful presidential candidates is surveyed. ... Read more

Product Description
This book looks at how John F. Kennedy confronted the challenge of the Cold War, molding the narratives of "consensus history" into the activist rhetoric of the New Frontier. It examines how his image, heroic style of leadership, and legacy -America´s war in Vietnam -had an impact upon his successors. Covering the period from 1960 to the present, the book draws upon a wide variety of sources to illuminate its subjects. After Kennedy, "hero," came Lyndon Johnson, "casualty of war"; Richard Nixon, "heroic failure"; Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, "faith-healers"; Ronald Reagan, "star"; George Bush, "deputy"; and Bill Clinton, "survivor." From Kennedy´s inauguration to Clinton´s impeachment, the book examines the development of the character of the contemporary presidency during one of the most fascinating and turbulent periods in its history. ... Read more

Product Description
Farmers, shopkeepers, businessmen, politicians—the fathers of the presidents of the United States have come from a wide variety of professions and all walks of life. In many cases, they provided their sons and future presidents with a political philosophy that they carried to the White House. In a few instances, the politics of the son differed significantly from that of his father.

This unique reference work provides biographies of both the biological and adoptive fathers of the 41 men who have served as president of the United States. Were the personalities of the father and son similar? What role did the father play in the son’s upbringing? How did the father’s view influence the son’s? These questions and others are covered in each entry, in addition to the biographical sketches of the fathers of the presidents. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

a much needed work the only book which includes all the pres
Fathers of the American Presidents by Jeff Young is unique in that it includes all the fathers of all the presidents. Inclusion of personal information about each father is interesting. Young also indicates howpresidents were influenced by their fathers. The book should be included inpublic and school libraries so students can find out more about thepresidents and their fathers.

a much needed work the only book which includes all the pres
Fathers of the American Presidents by Jeff Young is unique in that it includes all the fathers of all the presidents. Inclusion of personal information about each father is interesting. Young also indicates howpresidents were influenced by their fathers. The book should be included inpublic and school libraries so students can find out more about thepresidents and their fathers.

Informative and unique look at the Presidents fathers
Young seems to get at the heart of all the Presidents. An excellent reference to pick up and read chapter by chapter. Not that all the fathers are that exciting, but Young gives the reader his money's worth and thensome. Quite a few surprises among the backgrounds of the highest in theland. ... Read more

Product Description
Following a thoughtful, introductory overview of the presidency, this volume is arranged chronologically and offers a selective list of primarily book-length studies on each of the forty presidents and the presidency in general. The critical annotations furnish insights into each book's contents and approach to the subject. While other guides to the presidents and the presidency exist, this one offers annotations far more extensive than are to be found elsewhere. In addition, the information covers the general historical problems related to any particular presidency, and will assist the student in selecting topics for further school-related research papers. ... Read more

Product Description
What makes a good American president? The answers to this question have been sought by a variety of means since the very beginning of the presidency. Some contend that a foreign policy makes one superior to another, while others contend that certain personal qualities make a man best. Here America's presidents are rated using a system that evaluates their effectiveness in some of the most critical aspects of the office: Foreign Relations; Domestic Programs; Administration and Intergovernmental Relations; Leadership and Decision Making; and "Personal" Qualities. Each president is scored in his fulfillment of each aspect of the office, and analysis is provided for all the scores. The presidents are then ranked overall. The most overrated and underrated commanders in chief are also examined. The presidents are then analyzed individually, in chronological order, and each entry includes biographical and political information, as well as analysis of personal qualities. A bibliography and index are included. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent Book!
This book is a thourough and interesting look into our past presidents. Very captivating and informative! Loved it! Great book for history buffs!

Very Bad
This is nothing but a mass-appeal marketing play. ... Read more