From Library Journal
For readers who may have been disappointed in the approach taken by Forrest McDonald in his recent overview, The American Presidency: An Intellectual History (LJ 2/1/94), this narrative history may be the complete reference work they had anticipated. Riccards is both a historian and college president, so he knows something about the theory and practice of leadership. He views the U.S. presidency as a prism through which American politics and culture is reflected and places particular emphasis on the Federalist, Jeffersonian, Jacksonian, Whig, Lincolnian, and Rooseveltian models of the presidency. Unlike other who survey the American presidency, Riccards does not devote equal time to each president. The truly great presidents?Abraham Lincoln in the 19th century and Franklin Roosevelt in the 20th century?receive the most coverage. The chronological and comprehensive presentation make the two volumes a handy reference book for most general libraries. Riccards writes very well, knows how to tell an interesting story, and is judicious in his evaluations. Strongly recommended for all libraries.?William D. Pederson, Louisiana State Univ., Shreveport
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
This narrative overview of the gargantuan literature of the presidency punctures myths and settles on conclusions not bound to please fans of this or that president, with JFK receiving particularly harsh remarks. Yet Riccards' estimates of who our most estimable incumbents were doesn't stray radically from settled opinions: the best were Washington, Lincoln, and FDR; the worst were Grant and Harding. However fun rating presidents is as parlor palaver, historians must do the real work of hoeing the documentary fields to arrive at a convincing appraisal, and that is Riccards' great service. Along with summaries of each individual's character and capacity for leadership, he walls off each president's prerogatives with the constraints of party and congressional politics. Riccards also advances the theme of the office's national nature as the main focus of popular aspirations of the moment. An example of the latter is the ascending reputation of the much maligned James Polk, who almost single-handedly made manifest the national destiny of a continental empire. A learned but nimble and astute survey, suitable for large collections.
Gilbert Taylor
