Complete Book of U.S. Presidents [Hardcover]

William DeGregorio (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 6, 1997

So completely updated, this edition will include brand new information about the life and election of the 1996 president—whoever that might be!—Take a factual look at each of our chief executives—their lives, loves, administrations, friends and foes, successes and failures. This totally comprehensive single-volume sourcebook is arranged in chronological order for easy reference and features a photographed portrait of each president. 43 photographs, 769 pages.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This is the consummate guide to the political and personal lives of every U. S. president through Bill Clinton. Arranged chronologically, The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents elaborates not only on the major accomplishments and events of their terms, but also on less well-known details such as personalities, careers before the presidency, Supreme Court appointments, hobbies, ethnic backgrounds, and even extramarital affairs. Well-organized and packed with details, the book also includes a bibliography on each executive, including books written by and about them, along with useful and entertaining appendixes on the political composition of every Congress, presidential curiosities (such as the uncanny similarities between the lives and deaths of Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy), and a ranking of presidents. Whether you want to know the opponent of James Monroe in the election of 1816 or read some of Harry S. Truman's more memorable quotes, this is a most complete and thorough reference to each commander in chief.

From Library Journal

This work has been updated to include President Reagan's second term and a new entry for George Bush. When the first edition appeared, LJ' s reviewer called it a "ready-reference tool that fleshes out the bare bones of the standard Facts About the Presidents" (LJ 3/1/84). It provides summaries of the subjects' political careers, descriptions of key events and people associated with them, and personality sketches and anecdotes. Academic and public libraries should consider.
- Francine Fialkoff, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 848 pages
• Publisher: Gramercy; 5 Sub edition (April 6, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517183536
• ISBN-13: 978-0517183533
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #390,039 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ultimate Presidential Reference, November 30, 1999

By 

Todd Adams "Network+, Security+" (Nashville, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Complete Book of U.S. Presidents (Hardcover)

This book goes beyond complete and into the obscure and bizarre. Details include everything from the presidents' family tree, health maladies, cabinet and supreme court nominations, and positve and negative quotes from notable persons of the era.

This excellent reference has a very easy to read and consistent format. Even the most ardent presidential scholar is likely to learn a thing or two. There is no better reference available in my opinion.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding book, disappointing revision, April 9, 2004

By 

Edward W. Trieste (Caldwell, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Complete Book of U.S. Presidents (Hardcover)

I am writing based on the 2001 hardcover edition.

This is an fascinating, very readable book. The research is excellent. The biographical facts about each president are fleshed out with narratives about their early lives, marriages, children, religious beliefs, careers, retirements, and more.

The political matters likewise get excellent treatment, with narratives about each president's nomination, campaign, election, and achivements. Each Cabinet member and most Supreme Court nominees get at least a short paragraph. There are also quotes by and about each president, including both praise and criticism. Far more than a dry series of lists and facts, the human touch makes this book very worthwhile for anyone fascinated by American history in general and the presidents in particular.

The book, first published in 1983, is revised at least every four years. Like earlier editions, this one was released just after a new president took office, so it covers events up to early 2001. Thus the 2000 election, Clinton's 11th-hour pardons, and Bush Jr's initial appointments are covered; September 11 will appear in the next edition. The Clinton chapter from the 1997 edition has been completely rewritten and discusses his tumultuous presidency at length.

Unfortunately, DeGregorio did not revise the pre-Clinton chapters, so they are embarrassingly dated. Bush Sr's chapter mentions nothing about his son becoming President, not even referring us to the brand new Bush Jr. chapter. Richard Nixon and Jackie Kennedy both died in 1994, yet these basic facts go unmentioned despite two subsequent revisions.

This book is so detailed - where else can you find descriptions of John Tyler's 14 children, James Garfield's extramarital affair, Andrew Johnson's religious views, and Calvin Coolidge's grades - that I am amazed at this neglect.

The 1993 edition (which I recently replaced) gets five stars. The 2001 edition retains and adds to the excellent work from the previous editions - but I can only give four stars to this less-than-thorough revision.

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Reference on U.S. Presidential Administrations, March 21, 2000

By 

Wayne A. Smith (Newark, DE) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Complete Book of U.S. Presidents (Hardcover)

This is a solid reference book. If you are looking for thumbnail sketches of U.S. Presidents and their administrations, this book will satisfy. The personal history of the president is here, family information, political career highlights, administration personnel, major issues faced, election results, quotes and opinions for and against. It is the kind of book I remember as a youngster that gives you enough information to fire one's thirst for historic knowledge -- great for browsing. Only complaint, the paper on which the work is printed is of a very inferior quality that is not the best one could ask for for reading -- also not particularly durable. These are production criticisms, the work is very good for its purpose.