What makes a president great?
Here is the ideal source for students, scholars, and the general
public. "The American Presidents" is a collection of articles that
analyze and evaluate the presidential careers of the men who have
occupied the office since its inception in 1789. In this volume,
the leading presidential historians in the United States offer
insights into what makes a president great, mediocre, or--in the
case of most of them--something in between.
The contributors to "The American Presidents" were not asked to
write straightforward biographies of the presidents; other sources
are available for that. Rather, they were asked to evaluate their
subjects. No strict patterns were imposed by the editor; each
author approached his or her subject in the way that best
illustrated the strengths and weaknesses of the president under
consideration.
Forty-one have held the office of president and all, in one way or
another, were exceptional men. Some, like Andrew Jackson and Harry
Truman, are usually thought of as representing the "common folk,"
but nothing was common about either of them. Each proved to be an
extraordinary and singular politician able to rally and represent
the country through the challenges of their times.
Some presidents had achieved brilliance in other fields (Ulysses
Grant in the military and Herbert Hoover as an engineer and
humanitarian, for example) but had presidencies that are considered
unsuccessful. What accounts for this seeming paradox, in which
insight, sensitivity, and competence suddenly become
"nontransferable" when the manreaches the White House? This book
offers the reader multiple perspectives on this and other
issues.
Examination of the ways in which challenges affect presidential
greatness
Theodore Roosevelt, a successful president by any standard, was
acutely aware that the prosperity and peace the country enjoyed
during his two terms in office would, ironically, prevent him from
reaching the upper tier of greatness enjoyed by Washington and
Lincoln. After he left office, he yearned to return in hope of
finding the challenge that would seal his greatness. Earlier, in
the late nineteenth century, the electorate placed competent men
such as Rutherford B. Hayes, Grover Cleveland, and Benjamin
Harrison in the White House, but they are little remembered today.
None faced earth-shaking challenges at home and abroad, and their
presidencies slipped into obscurity.
Discussion of personal characteristics and presidential
performance
For more than two centuries the presidency has proved a remarkably
durable institution. Presidential personalities have varied widely
from the patrician aloofness of Washington to the moody
introspection of Lincoln to the noisy exuberance of Theodore
Roosevelt. The articles in"The American Presidents" consider the
ways in which personality has affected performance.
Special features
*41 signed essays by the leading experts, illustratedwith
portraits of the presidents
*Selected bibliographies
*At-a-glance summaries of each president's achievements
*Useful charts and tableson cabinet members, first ladies, and
vice presidents from Washington to Clinton
*Addresses and Web sites for major presidential libraries.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!