Presidential Diversions: Presidents at Play from George Washington to George W. Bush [Hardcover]

Paul F. Boller Jr. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 4, 2007

Paul F. Boller, Jr.’s widely admired and bestselling anecdotal histories have uncovered new aspects and hidden dimensions in the lives of our presidents. Now he turns to an uncharted—but unexpectedly revealing—element of our leaders’ personalities as he brings us stories of what the presidents did for fun.

In thumbnail portraits of every president through George W. Bush, Boller chronicles their taste in games, sports, and cultural activities. George Washington had a passion for dancing and John Quincy Adams skinny-dipped in the Potomac; Grover Cleveland loved beer gardens and Woodrow Wilson made a failed effort to write fiction; Calvin Coolidge cherished his afternoon naps, as did Lyndon Johnson his four-pack-a-day cigarette habit; Jimmy Carter was a surprisingly skilled high diver and Bush Senior loved to parachute. The sketches revitalize even the most familiar of our leaders, showing us a new side of our presidents—and their presidencies.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Overall, this harmless collection of presidential trivia is perfect for those with a taste for such gossip: the toenail clippings of history. Texas Christian University's Boller lays out his survey of chief executive hobbies in 42 short chapters.Washington rode horses, danced and attended the theater. Jefferson liked to hike, invent contraptions, design buildings and study nature. Truman threw horseshoes and played piano. Sometimes Boller must grasp at straws in order to find something to say, since presidents are often, by nature and necessity, workaholics. Since Andrew Johnson entertained himself only by playing with his grandchildren, Boller must give a long peroration on Johnson's defensiveness about his lowly origins. Lyndon Johnson, too, couldn't understand why people wasted time in leisure, but he drove motor boats at recklessly high speeds and we are told at some length what a good dancer he was. The current Bush, as we all know from media reports, likes to exercise, clear brush on his ranch, fish, hunt and golf. Boller's book will be enjoyed by fans of his previous works (Presidential Anecdotes; Presidential Wives) and all others who take their history "light." (June)
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Review

PRAISE FOR PAUL F. BOLLER, JR.

"Fascinating even when the Presidents are not."—TIME

"Breezy, funny . . . Both accurate and entertaining."—THE NEW YORKER

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (June 4, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0151006121
• ISBN-13: 978-0151006120
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,770,904 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hanging out with the Presidents, July 5, 2007

By 

kazoolene (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Presidential Diversions: Presidents at Play from George Washington to George W. Bush (Hardcover)

As a fan of Presidential facts & trivia, I was so excited when I saw this book was coming out. Thankfully, it is as much fun to read as I thought. It talks about each Presidents' hobbies and dislikes and offers hilarious stories about them, so funny that found myself retelling them to others. I've been skipping around to my favorities at first, but I definately will finish each and every one, even Taylor!

The only thing missing is some of the controversial stories - JFK and his parties, Clinton and Lewinsky, etc.

I recommend this book for any history lover who would love insights into the personalities and loves of some of the greatest (and possibly worst!) leaders in history!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars One error discovered, November 14, 2008

By 

J. Smith "Christmas shopper" (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Presidential Diversions: Presidents at Play from George Washington to George W. Bush (Hardcover)

I have not read all of this book. Just wanted to point out one error. The Vermont judge Eisenhower went fishing with was not Milford R. Smith, it was Milford K. Smith of Rutland, VT. He was my dad and fishing with Eisenhower was one of his favorite memories. Photos of the fishing trip hang (or used to hang) inside Mountain Top Inn, above Chittenden Dam, where they fished.