Customer Reviews

The American Presidents: Biographies of the Chief Executives from Washington through Ford

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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 small section at the back, lists such things as key facts about each President and Vice-President, the First Ladies and all Presidential Elections; also for anyone interested in the making of the Presidency or intend visiting presidential historic sites. A must on any book shelf for those interested in American Presidential history.

For those who would like to know about US president for the first time, or for just support your knowledge, this book is excellent enough to fulfill your needs. A must buy for junior high students.

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.

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

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.

The American Presidency is at once the strongest and the weakest point in our democratic system and the most powerful office in the world. It has been held by 42 men, each of whom, whether dull or flamboyant, virtuous or corrupt, humble or imperial, capable or inept, has interpreted his constitutional power and responded to the imperatives of history in his own way.

With scholarly accuracy and appealing informality, Davic Whitney and Robin Vaughn Whitney have drawn vivid profiles of the chief executives. They show how each man moved to the White House through a series of triumphs, setbacks, accidents and achievements; why he was the sort of man he was, and why he became the sort of President he did. With objectivity and candor, each man is evaluated in relation to the unfolding drama of US history.

Though the majority were lawyers, many of the Presidents had military backgrounds, including four Civil War generals (Grant, Hayes, Garfield, and Benjamin Harrison). Seven Presidents served in World War II. Twenty had been govenors of states or territories. The election of George W. Bush marked only the second time the son of a former President won the nation's highest office.

The legacy of the American Presidency is a mixture of obscurity and greatness, mediocrity and brilliance, weakness and strength. But, considered together, the men who have held that office have provided the best continuity of leadership any nation in history has ever enjoyed.

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.