William Howard Taft and the First Motoring Presidency, 1909-1913 [Hardcover]

Michael L. Bromley (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0786414758 | ISBN-13: 978-0786414758 | Publication Date: August 26, 2003

William Howard Taft declared, "I am sure the automobile coming in as a toy of the wealthier class is going to prove the most useful of them all to all classes, rich and poor." Unlike his predecessors, who made public their disdain for the automobile, Taft saw the automobile industry as a great source of wealth for this country. The first president to acquire a car in office (Congress granted him three automobiles), Taft is responsible for there being a White House garage in 1909. This is a meticulously researched reappraisal of the oft-maligned Taft presidency focusing particularly on his cars, his relationship to the automobile and the role of the automobile in the politics of his day. Appendices provide information on the White House garage and stable, Taft’s speech to the Automobile Club of America and a glossary of terms and names.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A wonderful book. Its scholarship is impeccable...tale told is fascinating...fun to read...scrupulous citations...exemplary appendices" --SAH Journal

"A valuable contribution to automotive history...recommend[ed]...carefully written" --Antique Automobile

"As educational as it is entertaining" --Automobile Quarterly

About the Author

Michael L. Bromley is a writer of political and social commentary and automotive history. He lives in Bethesda, Maryland.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 447 pages
• Publisher: McFarland & Company (August 26, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786414758
• ISBN-13: 978-0786414758
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,040,260 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!, March 13, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: William Howard Taft and the First Motoring Presidency, 1909-1913 (Hardcover)

I found this book for a research project for school, and I was captivated by it. It's a fresh look at the progressive era, and, as far as I can tell, the first happy look at the Taft presidency around. I read the Pringle book, too, and was I glad that the Bromley book references areas of disagreement with Pringle, which helped me make my own conclusions. The Pringle book and all the other biographies of Taft are stale. This one stands out! Above all, the text flows easily and the story moves in and out of an amazing array of information presented. A must for any student of the progressive era, and a fun time for anyone who enjoys history.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WT, December 2, 2008

By 

Daniel Joyce (Gurnee, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: William Howard Taft and the First Motoring Presidency 1909-1913 (Paperback)

Well written but beware that this book is little about the presidency and more about cars. Interesting, but if you are trying to read through all the presidents and want a look at the presidency, this is not the Taft book for you. Otherwise a well written book and I will return to it, thus the five stars.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Strong Case for Taft, March 14, 2009

By 

luckym3 - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: William Howard Taft and the First Motoring Presidency 1909-1913 (Paperback)

While this book approaches the Taft presidency through the lens of the coming of the automobile, it accomplishes much more than establishing Taft's imperative role in the rise of motor cars. The book covers two subjects, Taft and automobiles, and the Taft presidency, and it covers both thoroughly.

Bromley approaches the Taft presidency with the question as to why Taft was the first president to endorse and extensively use automobiles. From there the question expands across the presidency itself, and the larger narrative of the 1909-1913 period expands to include the major themes and battles of the Progressive Era itself.

The research is broad and well-represented in the work, especially for its exploration of contemporaneous attitudes and perspectives. Also, through extensive use of footnotes, Bromley explores the general historiography of the Progressive Era.

Well researched, lively written, this book is highly recommended.