Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame and What the Neighbors Thought [UNABRIDGED] (Audio Cassette)

~ (Author), John C. Brown (Narrator)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Krull (Lives of the Writers; Lives of the Athletes) has a proven knack for delivering generous dollops of covert asides along with fun facts and pertinent information when it comes to profiling famous figures. This latest effort does not disappoint. Beginning with her debunking of the myth that George Washington had wooden teeth, Krull briskly moves through the list of White House inhabitants, discussing their personality quirks and qualifications for elected office (or seeming lack thereof) as well as offering tidbits about their marriages and love lives, favorite foods and pastimes, family pets and, of particular import these days, scandals. She goes so far as to mention that President Clinton has "admitted privately that he has had affairs," and hints at his reputation as a womanizer. Presidents whose terms had major historical significance and more recent chiefs of state are given longer entries (two to three pages) while the others receive paragraphs. All, however, are written up in the same chatty and intriguing tone. In watercolor-and-colored-pencil paintings, Hewitt, in her signature style, depicts each president with a very large head and smaller body. Background scenery and dress suggest the historical era and significant details about the man; those presidents with a full-page portrait include an inset, smaller portrait of the First Lady in the top left corner of the painting. Young readers will find many of the school-report essentials here?birthplaces and dates, number of terms in office?and plenty of items that will surely entertain as well as educate. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6 Up- "Curiouser and curiouser" best describes this potpourri of personal trivia about the men who have served as our nation's presidents. From George Washington (whose ill-fitting false teeth made it uncomfortable for him to smile) to Bill Clinton, Kathleen Krull details the foibles and eccentricities of men whose decisions have influenced the course of history. Successfully walking a fine line between maintaining respect for the office as well as her subjects while at the same time serving up some delicious inside gossip, Krull provides fascinating observations about how these famous (and infamous) men were perceived by friends, family, and colleagues. Interspersed with this material is a brief overview of each man's life and major accomplishments. Students who claim that history is boring may change their minds after listening to this recording.
Cindy Lombardo, Orrville Public Library, OH
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette: 2 pages
• Publisher: Audio Bookshelf (March 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1883332346
• ISBN-13: 978-1883332341
• Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #432,615 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #18 in	Books > Books on Cassette > Nonfiction > Politics
  #57 in	Books > Books on Cassette > Biographies & Memoirs
  #69 in	Books > Books on Cassette > Children's Books > Fiction

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not suitable for elementary age children, April 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame (and What the Neighbors Thought) (Hardcover)

My daughter recently brought this book home from the school library. It is beautifully illustrated, and the concept of telling some of the lesser known stories about our presidents is a good one. However, the authors take this too far by including frequent references to whether a president and his first lady shared a bedroom, affairs, out-of-wedlock children, and alleged homosexuality. These are subjects I don't feel are appropriate for a book aimed at elementary school age children.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious!, April 11, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame (and What the Neighbors Thought) (Hardcover)

Hi! I read this book for facts for a report I had to do. The covers really hooked me in by the funny pictures! It had great information, but I would read another book also if you wanted to report on the lesser-known presidents!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Pictures, Interesting facts, June 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame (and What the Neighbors Thought) (Hardcover)

I thought it was very entertaining. Some real odd-ball facts to make you wonder how these people ever got elected president (mean, friendless presidents, and presidents who enjoyed "naked time" in the Potomac river). Thumbs up.