Presidencies of William Henry Harrison and John Tyler (American Presidency Series) (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: abominable treaty, governmental deposits, presidential usurpation, United States, Van Buren, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The 21st volume of the series is a reinterpretation of the Tyler presidency. Harrison's sudden death in office left Tyler to handle the antagonism of those who had expected to dominate Harrison. Tyler was a strong executive who made achievements in foreign affairs and who zealously guarded the right of the executive branch to refuse to submit to Congressional directives. Threatened with impeachment, banished from his party, abandoned by his cabinet, Tyler insisted on honoring the Constitutional system of checks and balances. Peterson has contributed a new view of a period of political turmoil. Her exhaustive use of primary and secondary sources supports her picture of Tyler. This is a significant revision, appropriate for public, academic, and research libraries.
- Susan E. Parker, Harvard Law Sch. Lib.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"A balanced, highly readable, and enjoyable account of presidential politics during the terms of Harrison and Tyler." -- Journal of Southern History

"A significant reinterpretation." -- Library Journal

"An educated general public, college students, and professional historians will all benefit from this fine work." -- History: Reviews of New Books

"An excellent narrative. . . . Recommended most highly." -- Choice

"Peterson's study will become a standard account of these hitherto neglected years." -- Journal of the Early Republic

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 329 pages
• Publisher: University Press of Kansas (June 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0700604006
• ISBN-13: 978-0700604005
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #738,051 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An exciting and scary period in history - well covered, April 15, 1999

By	[e-mail] "silverdb" (St. Louis Park, MN) - See all my reviews

This book reads more like a novel than the Polk book in this series (which I found to be very informative). This book is well documented. There is a sense that the author is generally sympathetic to and sometimes apologetic for Tyler and Webster - However I am not informed enough to know if this is a bias or a valid conclusion on the part of the author. With Tyler becoming the first VP to 'inherit' the presidency after the death of Harrison, our country was still navigating in the dark waters of our constitution and a world of threats (Mexico and England). Major players such as Clay, Webster, and Calhoon dominate the scene. Tyler's presidency would make a fine fiction drama. Misplaced trust, overwhelming ambition, and the drumbeat of sectionalism. I very much enjoyed this book.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Review: The Presidencies of Wm. H. Harrison and John Tyler, May 6, 2000

By	Robert Tomkie "botomkie" (Lathrup Village, MI USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book fairly and vividly relates the "accidential" presidency of John Tyler. The author conveys the unique difficulties faced by Tyler as he assumes the presidency from W. H. Harrison. In fact, Tyler was most courageous in standing firm against Henry Clay and his Whig cohorts, who tried extremely hard to bully Tyler into submission. Norma Peterson, the author, provides credit where it is due, be it with Tyler or his equally courageous Secretary of State, Daniel Webster. The story in total flows extremely well, and maintains the interest of the reader throughout. The author's stance overall is pro-Tyler, and she bases this on clear reasoning and factual analysis. In total I agree with her position, that Tyler has received far less credit for his accomplishments and strength of presidential character than most historians have given him.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An important contribution, July 15, 2003

By A Customer

To my knowledge, this is the most recent bio on John Tyler, our tenth president. Tyler's presidential contributions are debated by scholars. This book highlights past scholarship and is quite detailed on the political events and people surrounding Tyler's presidency. It does an adequate job of setting the stage by explaining what was happening in American culturally and economically at the time of Tyler's term. John Tyler was a president without a party. He was despised and harangued throughout his term, and despite the trememdous pressures, he did some very important things. These acts and their later role on our nation, is well presented in Peterson's book. I still came away with mixed feelings about Tyler. I think this is because the views of him are so contradictory. Another book to compliment this one is Seager's and Tyler Too. Seager's book details Tyler, the man, and his married life to Julia Gardiner. Without reading both books it is tough to get a full picture. Highly recommended for a detailed and comprehensive look at Tyler's presidency. Well researched, many primary sources (letters) and a full bibliography in the back.