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A Man of Iron: The Turbulent Life and Improbable Presidency of Grover Cleveland Hardcover – September 20, 2022
“Entertaining and astute” (Booklist), A Man of Ironexplores the remarkable life and extraordinary career of Grover Cleveland—one of America’s most unusual presidents and the only one to serve two non-consecutive terms.
Grover Cleveland’s political career—a dizzying journey that saw him rise from obscure lawyer to president of the United States in just three years—was marked by contradictions. A politician of uncharacteristic honesty and principle, he was nevertheless dogged by secrets from his personal life. A believer in limited government, he pushed presidential power to its limits to combat a crippling depression, suppress labor unrest, and resist the forces of American imperialism. A headstrong executive who alienated Congress, political bosses, and even his own party, his stubbornness nevertheless became the key to his political appeal. The most successful Democratic politician of his era, he came to be remembered most fondly by Republicans.
“With prodigious research, rich detail…and lively prose” (The Free Lance-Star, Virginia), A Man of Iron is a compelling and vivid biography joining the ranks of presidential classics such as David McCullough’s John Adams, Ron Chernow’s Grant, and Amity Shlaes’s Coolidge.
- Print length384 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherThreshold Editions
- Publication dateSeptember 20, 2022
- Dimensions6.25 x 1.25 x 9.25 inches
- ISBN-101982140747
- ISBN-13978-1982140748
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"Senik delivers an entertaining and astute assessment of [Cleveland's] executive actions that explains why historians regularly rate Cleveland highly among U.S. presidents.” —Booklist
“Robust biography of an overlooked president...a capably written introduction to a political leader who, though no rock star, deserves to be better known.” —Kirkus
"A Man of Iron is a tribute to an incorruptible man, a rare politician who rose above partisanship." —Roger Lowenstein, Wall Street Journal
“A Man of Iron is better than [previous Cleveland biographies] — smarter, more comprehensive, faster-paced, and above all funnier in exactly the kind of sly, underhanded way that best fits its subject.” —Christian Science Monitor
“A Man of Iron is a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable journey through the life and career of the ox-like man who became the only U.S. president to serve two nonconsecutive terms.” —National Review
“This is a lively, well-written, and deeply researched examination of a consequential president… Of all the recent Cleveland biographies, Troy Senik’s is the liveliest. It is a vivid reminder, too, that sometimes wisdom requires leaving it to friends and allies to take the convictions you cherish to the next stage. A Man of Iron is a good, crisp read on Gilded Age politics and one of America’s unappreciated presidents.” —Claremont Review of Books
"Grover Cleveland was one of the more remarkable presidents in U.S. history, but today he is scarcely remembered, despite being one of a few men to win the popular vote three times. In a new biography, author Troy Senik seeks to remind Americans of his life and work and to explain why Cleveland has largely vanished from the memory of the nation he served." —Responsible Statescraft
"A Man of Iron finds the perfect balance between gifty histories and doorstop biographies... Senik packs in many dense discussions of the annexation of Hawaii, the gold standard, Cleveland’s fraught relationship with Buffalo, and violent labor struggles. Also exemplary is A Man of Iron’s aphoristic style. Senik sprinkles throughout many insightful reflections of his own..." —City Journal
"Senik...fills A Man of Iron with prodigious research, rich detail on his subject’s public and private lives, and lively prose as he profiles the man likely to have been the last conservative Democrat to hold the presidency." —The Free Lance-Star
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Threshold Editions (September 20, 2022)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 384 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1982140747
- ISBN-13 : 978-1982140748
- Item Weight : 1.38 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.25 x 1.25 x 9.25 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #168,856 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #564 in US Presidents
- #981 in Political Leader Biographies
- #4,796 in United States History (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Troy Senik is an author and former White House speechwriter whose writing has appeared in outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, City Journal, and more. A former think tank executive, he is the cofounder of Kite & Key, a digital media company focused on public policy.
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Customers find the book important, interesting, and well-written. They also say it details what's lacking in today's politicians and is an easy, interesting read.
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Customers find the book important, interesting, and skillfully blends historical facts with well-turned phraseology. They also say it's an engaging, compelling account of Cleveland's life, and a good read that details what's lacking in today's politicians. Customers also mention that the book highlights his political and personal integrity, and dogged work ethic while addressing the nation. They describe him as one of the most decent and honorable people to occupy the White House.
"This is an extremely well done book. Senik skillfully blends historical facts with well turned phraseology, thus making his work delightfully..." Read more
"Troy Senik has written an important and interesting book, filled with facts and anecdotes, in economical, dynamic prose...." Read more
"...and Improbable Presidency of Grover Cleveland” by Troy Senik is a compelling, well-researched, fun-to-read and well-argued book-length fan letter to..." Read more
"...For readers who appreciate good writing and value an informative explanation of a time of transformation in our nation’s history, I recommend..." Read more
Customers find the writing style of the book well-written and readable. They also appreciate the blend of historical facts with well-turned phraseology.
"...Senik skillfully blends historical facts with well turned phraseology, thus making his work delightfully interesting and engaging...." Read more
"...interesting book, filled with facts and anecdotes, in economical, dynamic prose. He is unquestionably a talented writer...." Read more
"...These policy chapters are quite readable and go by quickly likely thanks to Troy’s time as a White House speechwriter in the Bush II administration,..." Read more
"...For readers who appreciate good writing and value an informative explanation of a time of transformation in our nation’s history, I recommend..." Read more
Customers find the book easy to read and interesting. They also describe it as engaging and compelling.
"...turned phraseology, thus making his work delightfully interesting and engaging...." Read more
"...the quantity of information and details packed into this fairly short book is astounding, particularly in the footnotes, which give important..." Read more
"...Grover Cleveland” by Troy Senik is a compelling, well-researched, fun-to-read and well-argued book-length fan letter to Grover Cleveland’s..." Read more
"The first third of the book was a good read and thereafter the writer becomes more of a story teller...." Read more
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Top reviews from the United States
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Mr. Senik is a Jeopardy! winner and it shows - the quantity of information and details packed into this fairly short book is astounding, particularly in the footnotes, which give important context and historical background to Cleveland's story.
I'd give this book five stars but for two reasons:
- Mr. Senik seems to have gone through a list of unusual words which he wanted to use in this book, IMO not always to good effect.
- Mr. Senik's grasp of economics seems excellent (I am not an economist) , but his interpretation of Cleveland's legalist and minimalist understanding of the office of POTUS seems slanted, to the point that he criticizes Cleveland for being legalistic and constitutional at the expense of being 'humanitarian', and attributes this to Cleveland's 'inflexibility', missing the point which he himself makes, quite adroitly: Cleveland had a deep seated belief in the principles of limited national government outlined in the US Constitution, and great faith in the ability of the American people to govern themselves, without governmental intrusion.
If Cleveland appeared stubborn and inflexible, it was because of his deep seated personal convictions.
IMO that is no knock on Grover Cleveland, but a positive attribute.
Granted, the American presidency has changed over last century, and today we look for a more active, dynamic POTUS than in Cleveland's time. Arguably that change began with Theodore Roosevelt and his 'bully pulpit', and was greatly expanded by FDR and LBJ, among the most noteworthy. Mr. Senik appears to use the modern presidency as his metric when evaluating Grover Cleveland - a great mistake IMO: Any historical figure must be discussed and evaluated in the context of their own times. Moreover, there are many today who doubt the benefit, and even the constitutionality of the modern presidency. Had Grover Cleveland lived today, he would be among the most vocal of such doubters, IMO.
Regardless, read this book - "You just might learn something", or more than just 'something', but a great deal.
Over the last few years, we’ve read nearly all of the other Cleveland biographies, from the informative to the dull to the boring to the downright salacious (by a television click-baiting muckraker). This book is better than the others, especially if you want to better understand WHY someone might want to admire a long-dead American politician on who built a career on honesty and steadfastness.
“A Man of Iron” is one of our favorites Cleveland bios, and not simply because it casts Grover in a warm light. It’s well-researched, well-written, very readable and makes a compelling argument that Grover Cleveland should be better remembered. The book is stuffed with great biographical tidbits and Gilded Age trivia, comes with a handy “Key Figures” section, and finishes with a compelling Afterward essay in which Senik explains exactly why Grover should not be forgotten by 21st century Americans. Spoiler: It’s his integrity. You’ll want to read it to understand why.
Devoting chapters to all the important moments in Grover’s life, ‘A Man of Iron’ deftly connects Grover’s actions as sheriff, mayor, governor, candidate and two non- consecutive terms as president to the author’s overarching themes. I’m a huge fan of all the chapters through the 1884 presidential campaign. While I’m a Cleveland fan, I’m not a policy geek. Troy Senik makes very readable and clearly explains the issues and Grover’s roles in the presidential wonky policy stuff (tariffs; monetary policy; civil service reform, which are less interesting to us personally than Grover’s personality and charming gruffness, which are well covered as well). These policy chapters are quite readable and go by quickly likely thanks to Troy’s time as a White House speechwriter in the Bush II administration, presumably making wonky policy issues understandable to listeners.
Historians may balk at this biography explaining why some of the events that feel weird or wrong or contradictory to modern eyes and ears make sense as Cleveland was a man of his times. If you’re looking for an insight into Grover Cleveland, we highly recommend this book.
Top reviews from other countries
I don’t know if you’ve read the recent Jimmy Carter biography, by Stuart Eizenstat that portrayed Carter as someone who couldn’t get out of his own way, because of his view of the world. If ever there was a politician that reminded me of Carter, it was the Cleveland in this book.
Grover Cleveland was a small town lawyer who probably had a pre-marital love-child in his 30s, but managed to go from that to 3x Presidential Nominee, (via sheriff, mayor, and governor) in 15 years. By the end of his second presidency he had become so unpopular that he had caused his party to splinter so drastically that it would never be the party of Jefferson again, and barely ever get the presidency in the next 30 years.
Grover Cleveland was a Democrat whose view that the “government should create a strong economy, and thenget out of people’s way” caused a major realignment in American politics, and changed the Democratic, and Republican parties forever. It’s a depressing read, because I’m instinctively centrist, and the centre-left got destroyed for a generation, because of his inflexibility in office.
So all in all, you might find the story a bit blah, but will tell you a lot about a significant realignment in 19th Century American politics.


