Through the current day, only forty-three men have held the office of the President of the United States, and some have been sanctified and some reviled. This historical work addresses the careers of the first ten presidents, men who made vital contributions not only to the office of the presidency, but to the course of the fledgling nation. From Washington through Tyler, every term is recounted in detail and each presidential profile provides as many as a hundred quotations by the president, his friends, family, historians, and others. Each profile ends with an extensive bibliography of books about the president, his principles and policies and also provides suggestion for further reading. Rigorously non-partisan in approach, this detail-rich text describes the early years of what may well be one of the most demanding jobs in the world.

This paperback reprint of the 2007 second edition (a few reviews above) lists 12 significant people born on each day of the year (including February 29), and includes a quotation from each person that allows a glimpse of their personality. For each date, a diverse dozen speakers were chosen, based on: prominence; quality of the quotation; uniqueness of the speaker (gender, time period, nationality, vocation); and conflicting social, political, religious or philosophical background. ("The quotations ... reflect and encompass the contradictions, complexities, wisdom, humor, pleasure, and prejudices of human life"--American Reference Books Annual.) In addition to those quoted, each entry lists other significant individuals born on that day.