Customer Reviews

Imperfect Presidents: Tales of Misadventure and Triumph

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While this fascinating book, is a bit all over the place -- jumping from one president and topic to the next -- it's still very much worth reading for the wonderful, juicy tidbits about some of our most esteemed (and some less respected) presidents. Focusing on how they got themselves in awkward, difficult situations, and the courage they often showed to extricate themselves, Jim Cullen offers a great source for history teachers looking for good content to spice-up their lectures.

The chapter titles and subtitles tell it all:

Prologue: "General Washington Coddles a Protege: In which we see a winter soldier demonstrate the limits of power, the power of limits, and a new kind of leadership for a new kind of nation"

Ch 1 "Vice-President-Elect Jefferson Stabs a Friend in the Back: In which we see a hypocritical ideologue apprehend the value of pragmatism"

Ch 2 "Former President Adams Can't Stop Gagging: In which we see that a privileged upbringing need not handicap a (very) senior citizen"

Ch 3 "Representative [Abraham] Lincoln Smears a Preacher: In which we see an ambitious politico achieve the moral--and spiritual--clarity of a great emancipator"

Ch 4 "'Gentleman Boss' [Chester A.] Arthur Bites the Hand that Feeds Him: In which we see a great political hack discover the virtues of good governance"

Ch 5 "Dude T.R. Enters the Arena: In which we see an imperial democrat reveal the impatience can be a virtue"

Ch 6 "FDR Courts Disaster: In which we see a handicapped man learn he must not be a bully if he wants to save the world from despotism"

Ch 7 " "'Landslide Lyndon' Takes a Position: In which we see an amoral opportunist commit an act of courage"

Ch 8 "Vice-President Ford Stumbles at the gate: In which we see a naive man pardon a crook--and heal a nation"

Ch 9 "'The Gipper' Loses One: In which we see a saber-rattler break some rules, get caught, and go on to win an important contest--in good faith"

Ch 10: "'Slick Willie' Slips and falls: In which we see an offensive player master a defensive strategy"

Epilogue: President Bush Fumbles an Invasion: In which we see why this book was written"

Cullen, author of the 1997 profile of Bruce Springsteen, BORN IN THE USA, received his BA in English from Tufts and a Master's and Ph.D. in American Civilization from Brown University. His many years of teaching experience includes stints at Harvard, Brown and -- more recently -- the Ethical Culture Fieldstone School in New York City.

Recommended for high school, public library and college/university collections and individuals teaching American History.

R. Neil Scott
Middle Tennessee State University