Forty-three Americans have held the job of President of the United States. Each has a story, be it one of vision, accomplishment, conflict, scandal, triumph, or tragedy. And each story is at the center of the national story, a part of what we all experience. History buffs find endless fascination - and a greater understanding of America today - in the colorful personalities and momentous events that surround the Oval Office. If you want the complete take on U. S. presidents, from George Washington to George W. Bush, you'll appreciate U. S. Presidents for Dummies . Written in a lively style by a history professor at the University of Texas, this fun guidebook of chief executives is packed with information, factoids, and memorable quotes. Inside, you'll find out which president: Promised to only serve one term, and kept his word Was a great person but a rotten president Campaigned on nothing but image - in the n ineteenth century May be the most underrated president in history Had his own distributor bringing liquor to the White House - during Prohibition Appointed the first female cabinet member Pushed through the first civil rights legislation after the end of the Civil War Said of himself, "I am a man of limited talents from a small town. I don't seem to grasp that I am president" U. S. Presidents for Dummies offers a wealth of knowledge on what it takes to be the leader of the free world, and who has stepped up to the challenge. Dividing the ranks of presidents into chronological groups for a broader, historical understanding of the office, this book discusses: The birth and evolution of the presidency Ineffective presidents Forgettable presidents Working up to the Civil War Reconstruction presidents Becoming a force in the world Instituting the Imperial Presidency Today's changing dynamics and the Presidency A treasury of information, this book features an easy-to-comprehend style and sharp historical analysis. Sidebars, photos, timelines, and best and worst lists make U. S. Presidents for Dummies a historical blast to read and a must-have for understanding the state of both yesterday's and today's union.
I really like this book because it gives one a great overview of each president. The author doesn't hold back or gloss over any of the presidents. If he thinks one did well, he says so and why. The converse is true for the bad ones. Each president is given a short pre-history to their presidenthood, a short overview of their actions (and mis-actions) in office and what happened to them when they left. The edition I own goes up to Preisdent George W. Bush's first term. I highly recommend it with you need to know the basics of a president to get you started on larger research.
Fun and Informative
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 19 years ago
This is a fun reference source for information about our Presidents. It is a valuable teaching tool and is loaded with "good stuff" and gossip to help put a human face on these men.
Great Job
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 20 years ago
Thank you BooksandPrint. The book got to me on one day before the first day for delivery. I found some minor flaws in the book including a rip on the bottom of the page on the section on Richard Nixon and a misprint on one of the elections in the back where one of the canidate got credit for more electoral votes then he was entitled. I disagree with some of the ranking of the presidents including Bill Clinton. I was amazed that Clinton was not ranke one of the worst ten presidents.
A great introduction
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 22 years ago
Do you want to know what makes a Great President? Do you want to know the names and details of some of the 43 that you've never heard of? Do you want to know the people behind the historical facts?This book is a great introduction to US presidents for the lay reader. I bought it because I felt underinformed about American history, and couldn't name even half of our presidents. The book certainly helped increase my breadth of knowledge on the subject. It also provided enough tongue in cheek humor to make the history interesting.After the fact I felt good enough about the book to give it away as a gift.
Informative and fun
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 22 years ago
Being a Politics buff, I enjoy books that inform me about our political structure in general. I wasn't really that enthused about this book until I started reading it. I figured, "You've read ONE president's book, you've read them ALL!" Boy was I wrong! This is one book that is so packed with information sure to astound and amaze you, that the trivia tidbits are worth the purchase price alone! Even I, a college senior, couldn't have told you all the cool stuff here. For example; wanna know who the first president to give an interview to a woman reporter was? Wanna know what he was (or rather wasn't) wearing? It's in here. Feel the need to impress your friends with your dazzling knowledge of who the first cross-dressing president of the U.S. was? Yup, right here too. See? I'm telling you: you won't find a better book of (seemingly) worthless presidential information out there. And, if you're not careful, you just might learn something useful as well...
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