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A biography of the soldier and statesman who became the president of the Confederacy during the Civil War. ... Read more

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The presidential leadership in America can and does make a great deal of difference as to what is debated and eventually legislated.At the same time presidents are obviously constrained by what is always a complex and difficult political environment.This study examines the interaction between presidential policy preferences and the political environment, concentrating on welfare and urban policy and intergovernmental relations under Johnson, Nixon, Carter, and Reagan.The author traces the origins of domestic initiatives, assesses the intellectual coherence of policies, and examines the way in which the four presidents adapted their strategies according to the fortunes and experience of implementing policies.He measures the independent influence of the White House on policy and draws conclusions for theories of American political development, in particular for the opportunities and constraints provided by the fragmentation of the New Deal political regime. ... Read more

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To Create a New World? describes the influence of U.S. presidents from FDR to Bill Clinton on the creation, development, policies, and reform of the United Nations. This book highlights idealism, American exceptionalism, and realism as motivating ideas in each president's approach toward the world body. From the moment of Woodrow Wilson's efforts to breathe life into the League of Nations at Versailles to the onset of the new millennium, presidential administrations have had to balance instinctive American idealist notions of international cooperation with realist concerns to defend and preserve U.S. interests. The resultant tension in U.S. policy toward the United Nations provides the book's motif. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Book receives "Outstanding Academic Title" Award from CHOICE
CHOICE Reviews calls "To Create a New World?" the best single volume on the subject.

To Create a new World? American Presidents and the UN
This cholarly work, written by John Moore and Jerry Pubantz is a well-written book on UN-US relations that readers will find informative and challenging. It is at the same time a comprehensive history of the UN, ananalysis of the competing trends of "realism" and"moralism" that always affect U.S.diplomacy, and also a storyof the relationship of each American President with the UN. It is in thislatter category that the writers develop their underlying theme: Whatevercritiques flow from U.S. Senators or pundits, however the UN ismarginalized in this country's political rhetoric, Presidents and the UNhave been and will continue to be irrevocably yoked.At the same time, thebook, unlike so many works on the UN, is neither sentimental on the onehand nor dismissive on the other. Also unlike so many studies of the UN, itis certainly not boring. The authors, well aware of the literature on thetopic, use memoirs, Presidential speeches, UN documents, and other primarysources to develop a compelling narrative.This book would be perfect foradvanced college undergraduates, and should be well received by any readerinterested in the UN or in America's role in the world. I give it very highmarks. ... Read more

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From George Washington to the current Bush administration this is an engaging examination of each of the forty-two Presidents of the United States. Exploring the campaigns, elections, presidency and legacy of each of its leaders, a compelling history of America is revealed. Illustrated with timeless photographs and personal stories, the triumphs and turmoil of a nation are laid bare. ... Read more

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The indispensable portrait of the man who still runs the world.

Here is the definitive portrait of the ultimate power broker by "the toughest, most in-your-face investigative reporter in the U.S.A." (Greg Palast). Dick Cheney sets energy policy. He guided the nation into war with Iraq. And, working closely with Karl Rove, he oversees the political infrastructure that allows corporate interests and the religious right to control lawmaking, regulation, the selection of judges, and the development of foreign policy. As John Dean put it, "This page-turner closes the case: Cheney is our de facto president."

With an emboldened administration that has turned a thin victory into a renewed mandate—rewarding ideologues and purging dissenters—John Nichols's question is more urgent than ever: can this nation survive four more years of Dick Cheney?

Now available in paperback and updated to include an analysis of the 2004 election and the composition of the new cabinet, The Rise and Rise of Richard B. Cheney draws on groundbreaking reporting—including exclusive interviews with Cheney's college professors, Nelson Mandela, Gore Vidal, and political insiders. Originally published in hardcover as Dick: The Man Who Is President. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A very fair and balanced look at our former Vice President
Dick Cheney is one of the most vile figures in American history. The man took an oath to uphold the Constitution, and then undermined it at every turn, advocating passage of the PATRIOT ACT, torture, renditioning, secret offshore prisons, and other draconian police state policies. Little Dick Cheney's much-touted idea of a "unitary executive" despises Constitutional principles of checks and balances. I would love to have an interviewer press him to explain the practical difference between this idealized "unitary executive" and a dictator.

Aside from his love of police state thuggery, Cheney is best known for his love of war... provided he isn't personally required to participate. In 2003, he was one of the heavyweights pushing America into war with Iraq (on the ridiculous pretext the Saddam Hussein was a clear and present danger to the U.S. -even though Iraq wasn't even capable of putting a single airplane up in their own airspace!) You'd think a warmonger like that would have a long history of blood lust, but as a young adult, Cheney was not nearly so jingoistic. When called to serve his country in Vietnam to prevent the apocryphal "domino effect" (of worldwide spreading Communism), did Little Dick answer the call to arms with proud patriotism? No. He took an incredible FIVE deferrments to avoid service. This means that five other men had to go into harm's way -maybe even lose their lives- so Dick could party his ass off stateside. I assume that's what he was doing, since he flunked out of Yale University and got arrested for drunk driving during those years.

Like so many sociopaths, Cheney eventually gravitated to politics- and found he had a natural aptitude for it. He served as the youngest White House Chief of Staff in the Ford/Rockefeller administration, and his star just kept rising from there. After that, he did a brief stint in the House of Representatives (R- WY). That isn't to say he actually did much representing of his constituents. He doesn't seem to clear about elected officials serving the public, or abiding by the will of the people. In secret, he became a Director of the treasonous Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), and later joked "I have been a member for a long time, and was actually Director for some period of time. I never mentioned that when I was campaigning for reelection back home in Wyoming -- (laughter) --" He reiterated his contempt for the will of the people a few years later in this interview: link.

Next career stop was Secretary of Defense under George Bush Sr.

Afterwards, Little Dick went on welfare- not welfare like we associate with the poor, but welfare for out-of-work professional politicians: he joined a "Think Tank". The authoritarian Project for a New American Century (PNAC)
is a subject unto itself, and Dick is there in the middle of it all. Probably the most notable thing about PNAC was its 1997 paper: "Rebuilding Ameria's Defenses (RAD)". Among other things, RAD concluded that what America really needed was a Pearl Harbor-like attack on our sovereign soil.

By an amazing, incredible, completely unforseeable, cosmic, magical, crazy coinidence, Little Dick got his wish just four years later, in the form of 9/11. So do I think Little Dick, David Rockefeller, and their buddies in the CFR had something to do with 9/11? Yeah, I do. Read this book, in conjunction with
The New Pearl Harbor Disturbing Questions About the Bush Administration and 9/11,
Crossing the Rubicon,
None Dare Call It Conspiracy,
Tragedy and Hope,
and Debunking 9 11 Debunking An Answer to Popular Mechanics and Other Defenders of the Official Conspiracy Theory
...and see if you don't feel the same way.

Extremely partisan hatchet job
While I learned some new and interesting facts about the vice-president the overall tone of the book was highly offputting.It is clear that this was a hatchet job by an extreme partisan.This is NOT a real biography.I will continue to await a serious biography of this important political figure.

Decent Book
An interesting read for sure, can't stand the man but atleast the book is worth a read.

How about giving us a review, Mr. Tom Bombadil "Jedi"
I didn't read the book, but Tom Bombadil "Jedi", neither did you. If you wish to comment on a book you read, write a review about the BOOK. If you have a political comment, go to the proper website to write about it there. ... Read more

Product Description
A biography of American statesman, Alexander Hamilton. It recounts the political, Constitutional, economic and financial history of the USA from the American Revolution to the day in July 1804, when Hamilton was killed in a duel with Burr. ... Read more

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Provides authoritative, detailed portraits of America's presidents, from George Washington to Bill Clinton, discussing their lives, their political careers, and facts about their administrations. Original. ... Read more

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Product Description
While there arey a number of overviews of the 41 Presidents of the United States published for the juvenile market, few adult books provide a basic look at each man and his presidency, the context of his time and the major events that shaped him."The Complete Idiot's Guide to American Presidents" does just that.You'll learn about each president with the aid of timelines, photographs, trivia and other details. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Could be better.
Good book but not in good condition.Would rate it as poor.Book did arrive quickly.

Decent but...
I believe that the information and the trivia was interesting, but my main issue is that it is not written in chronological order, but the Presidents were rated in order of importance, or contributions. This, to me, leads to confusion, especially for a person that may be new to reading history.To me, it is important to be able to picture in your mind what era a President ruled in, what was his personal challenge, etc...and that becomes more difficult when the book is scattered.I sincerely hope that if it is revised, the author re-writes it in chronological order and if he chooses to rate them, this can be done in the appendix.

Good material
The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is because the presidents are not listed chronilogically.They are grouped together as "Legends" or "Heavyweights" etc.It was sometimes difficult to remember what tariff did what or what law hurt who's presidency if it's not listed in order and you keep having to go back and check.If you can get around that timeline thing than this book is very good for giving great info.

Minimalist account of each president
The problem with this book is that if one is not somewhat familiar with U.S. history, there will no framework on which to hang the few actions and events that occurred on each president's watch. And the organization of the book contributes to that problem, because the presidents are not presented chronologically. The continuity of events across presidencies gets lost in this book.

The presidents are discussed in five tiers, from the "undisputed champions" to the "tomoto cans." In other words, they are ranked from the best to the worst. After the top tier, there is definitely room to quibble with the ratings. The author is rather vague as to the selection process. As a side note, for this reader what is especially noticeable in this journey through the presidents is the remarkably few really top notch presidents we have had. Most have been rather mediocre.

Contributing to the narrative disorganization of the book is the author's scattering of snippets of presidential facts in boxes on each page that are not necessarily connected to the main text. In addition, despite the modest amount of information that is actually presented in the book, there are several errors in facts and dates and in some cases there is an absence of dates.

For a quick read that will yield a few basic facts, this book will serve that purpose. Beyond that, the book's utility is doubtful.

Interesting synopsis of Presidents' lives
This is a very interesting book if you're wanting an overview of Presidential History.It covers the highlights of each president, but of course in about 400 pages, it's simply impossible to go very deep.

The book is arranged, not in chronological order, but in descending order of each president's success in office, as judged by the author, of course.I probably would have preferred a chronological discussion, for the simple reason that it would be easier to view each biographical sketch in it's larger context.

But again, overall it's a good read.I'd suggest it for anyone who is interested in American Presidential History but doesn't want to read multiple books to get the overview he wants. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (8)

Learning experience
I learned a lot, not only about Douglas and Lincoln, but also about the environment leading up to and surrounding the Civil War. These were two complex men, each with his own powerful belief system, that found a way to change history, with Douglas significantly influencing Lincoln. It's impossible to fully understand the conditions and perspectives of their time, but this book did a good job of putting me into those times and helped me understand these men and the burdens they carried and the passions they felt. And, it was a pleasant read, a historical page turner.

Douglass and Lincoln
The book reached me in a timely manner.I bought the book because it was required by our book club, and I didn't expect to enjoy it.But I did.As with most books, some parts dragged a bit, but much was very interesting and insightful.

Excellent Read
Douglass and Lincoln is an exceptionally researched and well-written book on the relationship between these two important men. Most of the book focuses on Douglass rather than Lincoln, perhaps necessarily so. The Kendricks do a superb job of tracing Lincoln's slow transformation from a leader reluctant to press the emancipation issue to one who eventually embraced it, all within the context of Douglass's lifelong struggle not only for emancipation, but for equality. Douglass and Lincoln met only a few times, but it's evident in this book that they held a mutual respect for each other due to each man's struggle against adversity in their early lives. I recommend this book not only because it is well-researched, but because it's well-written. It's quite a page turner. I couldn't put it down.

A great read
As the Kendrick's stated at a recent book talk on their new work: 'we often approach this war [Civil War] through the lens of its ending...but it wasn't like this at all at the time.' This book chronicles, in a very enjoyable novel-like way, the constantly shifting dynamics of the War as reflected in the personal relationship of two great men. Not afraid to tackle the folklore that surrounds each man, Paul and Stephen Kendrick provide helpful insight into a profound relationship.

Stands out from the Lincoln crowd
As a student of history, I found this a compelling look at two towering figures and a cogent study of their rarely-explored relationship through the Civil War. Approaching the subject with subtlety and sensitivity, Kendrick and Kendrick make a case for the mutual influence of their dialogue. It was this force that ultimately cemented Lincoln's conviction to continue the war, not just his aversion to breaking the Union. Through new primary sources--unpublished letters, black abolitionist papers--the book provides critical background which gives abolition new resonance. ... Read more

Product Description
Every day our lives are affected by what the American president does. But there are some things we cannot know about presidents until many years after they leave office -- what really went on behind the scenes and how great their leadership was. That is the mission of this book.

American Heritage is known and trusted for its standard-bearing single-volume histories. Its various editions on the American Civil War and World War II, edited by such distinguished scholars as James McPherson and Stephen Ambrose, are recognized as classics and have together sold more than a million copies.

The American Heritage® Illustrated History of the Presidents is newly available in a richly illustrated and completely revised edition, with the preeminent presidential historian Michael Beschloss as general editor. This new book offers fresh and penetrating portraits of all forty-two presidencies, as rendered by some of America's most distinguished scholars.

From George Washington's reluctant oath-taking through Bill Clinton's turbulent leadership, we view forty-one ambitious and fallible men through the new lens of the twenty-first century. Where did they succeed? Where did they fail? What do we know now that we could not have known at the time?

The American Heritage® Illustrated History of the Presidents offers a biographical profile of each man and a full account of the issues and events that shaped each presidency, with pathbreaking new verdicts on the modern presidents -- Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton. In the tradition of other American Heritage volumes, the book will serve as an indispensable reference guide for many years to come, for both seasoned observers and students just learning about the presidency.

American Heritage is a trademark of American Heritage Inc. Its use is pursuant to a license agreement. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

The Best Presidents Review I've Read; Scholarly & Readable
I am a reader of American presidential history, and this is the best overview of the presidents I have read so far. It is loaded with details. The author clearly is a scholar of presidential history. This book meets the highest standard of scholarship while being very readable.

Too many other books on the presidents are too vague (even inaccurate) or targeted for junior high readers. Others have a political bias.

This book does not subject you to watered down propaganda, recycled speeches, or overly-extended biographies covering the lives of the presidents before they were presidents. This book profiles the presidents in an unbiased way, with an emphasis on their acts as president, in scholarly detail. You will truly get to know the truth of every president in this book.

Highly recommended.

Beware of information overload...
If you've ever sat through a history class or finished a history book and been dissatisfied with the lack of "meat" on the "bone", you will love this book.It's very thick and packed with just about everything you could ever hope to learn about the American presidents, from George Washington to Captain (...)...uh I mean "William Jefferson Clinton".You'll learn where they were born, where they died, how they were brought up, who they married, how they were educated, their political agendas and snafus, who liked them and who hated them.There are also tons of pictures and illustrations.

Great book for your coffee table
"History buffs" will like this book.I used it as a sort of supplement for my dismal education in U.S. History.Beschloss did a decent job of gathering forty-odd synopses of the different Presidents, including very appropriate and interesting photos, and included a short biographical summary of each President (pertinent facts about immediate family and career).The book is also nice to help the reader assess the "big picture" of American History, from a renegade colony led by George Washington, scrapping for soldiers and supplies, to the world's most prosperous nation and only superpower.

Depending on your interest, you'll read the book differently.The economic perspective is what I looked for in the book, and I was not disappointed.You will definitely be made aware of the development of Industry, Jefferson's (and others') bad economic policies, and how different Presidents were affected by the ebb and flow of the economy over the last two centuries.Those who are interested in the wars will probably turn to Lincoln and FDR first, those who want to know more about the Founding Fathers will focus on the first several Presidents, and so on.

The book is more of a reference than something you would sit down and read from cover to cover, but is an excellent resource for most of us.By the way, the articles by and large are by no means tendentious.Beschloss and the writers undoubtedly went out of their way to be objective.If you have some extra time on your hands, give it a read.You probably won't be disappointed.

econ

Very good primer on all Presidents through Clinton
This is a very good reference book on all U.S. presidents up through the year 2000.There is even a section covering the year 2000 election.Each chapter which covers each president includes 10-20 pages covering the key accomplishments and/or failures of each administration.The book includes lots of pictures and other illustrations.Each chapter also includes nice tables listing key information about each president including date of birth, date of death, members of cabinet, etc.Good start for those readers interested in the presidency and those men who have served as president. ... Read more

Product Description
An intimate portrait of the first president of the 20th century

The American century opened with the election of that quintessentially American adventurer, Theodore Roosevelt. Louis Auchincloss's warm and knowing biography introduces us to the man behind the many myths of Theodore Roosevelt. From his early involvement in the politics of New York City and then New York State, we trace his celebrated military career and finally his ascent to the national political stage. Caricatured through history as the "bull moose," Roosevelt was in fact a man of extraordinary discipline whose refined and literate tastes actually helped spawn his fascination with the rough-and-ready worlds of war and wilderness.

Bringing all his novelist's skills to the task, Auchincloss briskly recounts the significant contributions of Roosevelt's career and administration. This biography is as thorough as it is readable, as clear-eyed as it is touching and personal.
Amazon.com Review
Theodore Roosevelt was a man of contradictions: a warrior who won the Nobel Peace prize, a wealthy man who battled corporate greed, a thinker who prized action more than words (but who wrote fine books himself).

He was also, writes Louis Auchincloss in this lucid biography, an extraordinary leader, "a political idealist who had the wisdom to know that only by astute and well-considered compromise in our legislative process could he hope to see enacted even a fraction of the social and military programs that he deemed ... essential to the welfare of his nation." Compromise he did, of course, though in the end the war hero and trustbuster could not bring the right wing of the Republican Party to see the wisdom of his reformist ways. The result, Auchincloss chronicles, was a terrible split, bringing about the defection of liberals from that once-liberal institution and the birth of a political war that still rages.

With a keen eye for political nuance and a clear appreciation for Teddy Roosevelt as a one-of-a-kind, self-made man, Auchincloss offers an engaging view of a great American president. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Good Cliff Notes Version of Teddy Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt was one of the most dynamic presidents in the history of our country. After being born in affluence, he established himself as a man's man by becoming the leader of a crew of rough country characters and city men and leading them in the Spanish-American conflict in Cuba. He himself led the charge up San Juan hill which proved to be pivotal in winning the battle.

He also had stints as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Commissioner of Police in New York City, Governor of New York, Vice President, and ultimately President following the assassination of William McKinley. Throughout his life, he was a diligent reader and even endeavored on writing several books himself. He had a very excitable and strong personality with a constant bent towards leadership and inspiring others to his vision.

The only short coming of this book is the concise almost cliff notes story of his life. He had so many exciting experiences and such vivacity of life that I would liked to gone into more depth and may check out additional accounts of his life.

Concise to a fault
Masterful writing and insightful information does not make up for what is essentially introductory material into the amazing life of Theodore Roosevelt. Divided chronologically, the author uses a macro-historical look at the political mosaic of Roosevelt's life. Using letters, quotes, and documented research, we find a slightly biased yet fair treatment of Roosevelt's complexity and world-view.

Putting to rest the criticism of imperialism, the author demonstrates TR's philosophy of caring for the people, for nature, for the nation, for his family, and his relentless commitment to excellence in all pursuits. Several asides about hunting, ending corruption, and some contradictory information found in various letters, add a glow to this little biography, providing an excellent overview of TR's life. Especially satisfactory were the pieces on the Panama and the criticisms of both Taft and Wilson.

Yet in spite of the fine writing and the keen perceptions provided, the book felt rather confusing at times. Excess detail quickly gave way to broad generalizations. Good stories seemed to dissolve and replaced with a need to get to the end. Most likely the writer was slightly uncomfortable in the genre and desired a more creative outlet for his ability.

For those seeking a truncated biography laced with nice tidbits of political information on TR, this is the one. Anyone wanting more depth and personal information should find a complete biography.

A Concise Biography
Obviously, a 140 page biography is far from complete.I would recommend "Theodore Rex" as a much more thorough biography.But what this biography lacks in completeness, it compensates for with some the more obscure elements of Roosevelt's life.Particular attention is paid to family life and Roosevelt's social views.

Just from the pages devoted, one might assume that Roosevelt's term as president was brief.The amount of pages devoted to his greatest time seems rather odd.Furthermore, the author does not shy away from Roosevelt's short-comings.The partisan rants of Roosevelt during Woodrow Wilson's terms in office tarnish Roosevelt's legacy of leadership.

In many ways, Roosevelt was the first "green" president with his protection of forestry and expanding national forests from 42 million acres to 172 acres during his term and created 51 national wildlife refuges.This is a trait that people from both sides of the aisle can admire.

A model for the next four (or eight) years?
History never ends;it merely repeats similar but never identical challenges and opportunities and thus determines the fate of nations and leaders by the response to old events in new settings.

And so, President Theodore Roosevelt is a prototype for Barack Obama.It makes this 2002 book a guide to the next four years, perhaps a forecast for the next century.

The popular image of Roosevelt is a Rough Rider vigorously charging up San Juan Hill like a Bull Moose-- the Rambo, or perhaps Dumbo, of his generation.This book offers a more astute portrait of a complex intellect who used bravado and the Bully Pulpit as images and not as a crutch.

Roosevelt inherited the Gilded Age excesses, just as Obama inherits the wreckage of the Greedy Age;his guiding principle, shaped by his vigorous response to devastating asthmatic attacks as a child, was "the classic credo that every man is master of his fate."

He became president when the Great Powers, real or in sorry delusions, were Britain, France, Germany, Austria/Hungary, Russia and Japan.Due to his intellect and ability, he became the moderator of their disputes.The Great White Fleet was a powerful image;Roosevelt was the intellect to which they listened.

Had he been president in 1914, could he have prevented or stopped World War I?Auchincloss raises this issue and concludes Roosevelt was deluding himself;however, based on his successes in the Russo-Japanese War of 1905 and the Moroccan Crisis of 1906, he might have succeeded.

Roosevelt's words were often bravado, but his actions were common sense and realistic.For example, in 1895 he advocated "an immediate war with Great Britain for the conquest of Canada."In 1903, when faced with the Alaska-Canada border dispute, he settled for negotiation (Canada has never lost a war with the U.S., or won an argument).

In conclusion, this is a brief but superb study of Roosevelt's character and major decisions.In some ways he was greatly flawed, but it many ways greatly talented and wise.It's easy to be president if no major decisions are required--think of Millard Fillmore, president from 1850-53;Roosevelt is an example of the ability to respond to great challenges.

May America do as well in the next four to eight years.

Great Introduction to TR
Louis Auchincloss is one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, and while he has certainly received a notable number of awards and sold great numbers of books during a 50+ year career, he is underappreciated in my estimation.

This short and imminently readable biography of Theodore Roosevelt shows Auchincloss the historian, not Auchincloss the novelist, at his finest -- though of course, his narrative powers developed in writing novels certainly add to the liveliness.Weighing in at about 150 pages, including notes and timelines, this book is a great introduction to TR for either the serious student of history or the political gadfly.

I can also imagine it being used to great effect in a classroom, given its length and the clarity of its prose. ... Read more

Product Description

Third parties have been a fixture in the American political landscape since the beginning of the two-party system. More than 300 of these groups have surfaced, but only a handful have made a real difference. Third-Party Matters: Politics, Presidents, and Third Parties in American History tells the intriguing stories of those 11 parties, starting with the antislavery Liberty Party of 1840.

The parties deemed worthy of inclusion were selected because they met at least one of three criteria. They were spoilers who changed the outcome of an election, they had an important influence on government policy or the future of politics, and/or they had popular appeal, attracting at least ten percent of the vote. This investigation reveals the background behind each party's rise, what it stood for, who its leaders were—including larger-than-life personalities like Teddy Roosevelt, George Wallace, and Ross Perot—and the ultimate outcome of the election(s) in which the party participated.

Product Description
Presidential Trivia
The Feats, Fates, Families, Foibles, and Firsts of Our American Presidents
Revised and Updated
From the beloved Richard Lederer comes another kind of trivia book-Presidential Trivia. In it you'll find all the detailsabout the lives of the United States presidents. It answers such questions as: Who was the first president to be assassinated? Who was the first president to be born an American citizen? Who was the first to be impeached? It also answers less important but certainly interesting questions such as: Who was our fattest president? Our tallest? Who played golf? Who played poker?
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Presidential Feats, Fates, Families, Foibles and Firsts
Richard Lederer is an interesting author of more than thirty books. Known as a "verbivore" (a word he coined in the early 1980s), Lederer's interests focus primarily on uncovering word origins, pointing out common grammatical errors and fallacies, and exploring palindromes, anagrams, and other forms of recreational wordplay.

Most recently he has focused his attention in another direction: Presidential Trivia, a fascinating book that will remind you of many of the facts you learned in school, but will also inform you of such odd items as how many of our presidents had no children, which is the birth state for the most of our presidents and which college boasts the most presidents as alumni.

Thirty of our forty-two presidents have been in the military -- do you know which ones they are? How about who was our heaviest president, or our tallest? Which president had the most pets? And do you know which president and his wife conducted the first Easter egg roll on the White House lawn? It's all there in this fascinating book.

Dr. Lederer asks who was president for the longest period of time, and explains that it was Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was elected to four terms and served from 1933 to 1945. He further explains that this is unlikely to happen again as long as the Twenty-Second Amendment is in effect, which states: "No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once."

We find that William Henry Harrison was the father to ten children (four girls and six boys), one who became the father to another president, Benjamin Harrison. We learn that Bill Clinton was our most traveled president, with 133 trips abroad, that none of our presidents has been a single child, and that over half of our presidents have been lawyers.

One of our presidents exclaimed, "It's good to the last drop!" when drinking a cup of Maxwell House coffee. The company took their motto from that exclamation, and it's still in use today. If you don't know which president this was, he is also responsible for the popularity of the teddy bear, which is actually named after him... and if you don't know, then you'll just have to read the book.

The vice presidency is also covered briefly, including a comment from John McCain when he was once asked if he would consider becoming vice president. He responded, "You know, I spent all those years in a North Vietnamese prison camp, kept in the dark, fed scraps -- why the heck would I want to do that all over again?"

I wonder if anyone bothered to tell Sarah Palin about this when he asked her to be his running mate.

There's nothing in the book about her or any of the current presidential or vice presidential candidates, as the book came out before the conventions in 2008. It is notable, though, that Dr. Lederer has already done some sporadic writing on the candidates, and has observed the following:

"We are engaged in the most protracted presidential election in history. Many would claim that it is also among the most passionate and important. One thing's for sure: The 2007-2008 presidential election is among the most unusual that American voters have ever experienced."

This reviewer will agree fully.

Also suggested among Richard Lederer's excellent and usually humorous books are Anguished English, More Anguished English, The Bride of Anguished English: A Bonanza of Bloopers, Blunders, Botches, and Boo-Boos, and and a personal favorite The Cunning Linguist: Ribald Riddles, Lascivious Limericks, Carnal Corn, and Other Good, Clean Dirty Fun.

You can't go wrong with any of them, but don't miss Presidential Trivia, especially during this election season.

lots of fun
this book, presidential trivia, is a quick read, easy to pick up and put down.it's choke full of tid bits that aren't commonly known about many of our presidents.pieces of it i found really touching (e.g., the guy in the electoral college voted against monroe where everybody else voted for him ONLY because he felt that Washington ought to be the only president unanimously elected).i also liked a quip on lincoln's height, at 6'3 3/4", once, when asked about his height, he said that he was "tall enough to touch the ground".great bedside reading or coffeetable reading.i really enjoyed it!while i'm no presidential scholar, the data presented by lederer appear consistent with the few books that i've read.nice job! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Thorough, but hardly impartial.
This book, combined with its follow-up volume, "Woodrow Wilson, World Prophet", makes for a very thorough full-life biography of our 28th president, but there is no question of the author dispassionately evaluating Wilson's accomplishments and failures to form a balanced treatment of his life; he is unquestionably a believer in Wilson's greatness, to the extent that ALMOST every point at which Wilson fails, Walworth simply explains it as the fault of the "philistines" who couldn't understand the greatness of the man and his vision, and who stood in the way of the reforms that would have ALWAYS been for the best; NEVER is there any hint that PERHAPS, just perhaps, his opponents might possibly have had a legitimate point of view or that a case could have been made for their arguments, or even that they were arguing in good faith, rather than simply playing politics (which, of course, is something that Wilson NEVER did.) This sort of hero-worship is common in political biographies; one can assume that if a person is interested enough in a political figure to devote the time to write a biography about them, they probably think well of them. But the best biographers manage to contain themselves and at least make a show of evenhandedness; Walworth does not. ... 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 GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from 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: W.J. Campbell in 1909 in 227 pages; Subjects: Biography ... Read more