Product Description
Major McKinley is the first complete account of the CivilWar service of President William McKinley, the last of the Civil Warveterans to reach the White House and the only one who served in theranks. McKinley enlisted as a private in the 23rd Ohio VolunteerInfantry (later commanded by another future president, RutherfordB. Hayes) and was the regiment’s commissary sergeant when hisbravery at the Battle of Antietam led to a commission and anassignment to Hayes’s military staff.

McKinley regarded the end of slavery as the significant outcome of thewar and valued the contributions of the black soldiers in the Unionarmy. After the war, as a young lawyer and congressman, he defendedthe rights of freedmen and did so long after others had tired of thecause. He also reached out to former Confederate soldiers in an effortto help restore unity to a divided country. This initiative eventuallyovershadowed and diminished his advocacy of civil rights.

Drawing on a wide variety of sources, including McKinley’s ownpapers and the diaries and letters of men who served with him, thisbook presents a new picture of McKinley as a soldier and provides afresh appreciation of his later life as a veteran in politics. ... Read more

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Contains speeches from presidential campaigns as well as the inaugural addresses of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S Truman, Richard Nixon, and Ronald Reagan. ... Read more

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Presidents from Herbert Hoover to Bill Clinton, this book features memoirs and souvenirs reflecting on their lives and formative experiences in youth, and brief summaries of their careers showing how each developed a special regard for schooling and the i ... Read more

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Eisenhower and Macmillan had a huge impact as leaders of the free world and were committed to the Anglo-American leadership of that world.This complete collection of their letters throws light on world politics, diplomacy and history.
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This work provides a documentary record of the correspondence, official and private, between Harry S Truman and Winston Churchill, from Truman's accession to the presidency in April 1945. Official communications between the two resumed during Churchill's second premiership (1951-1955) and more personal correspondence would continue into Churchill's retirement. Subjects of note range from events surrounding German surrender to the Cold War. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A fascinating compilation with historic insight
As World War II slowly fades into history, old veterans are now giving their tales a final telling. Memoirs, books and final recollections fill the bookstores looking back on that great event that so marked and divided the world.

In the midst of such a plethora of material on World War II, there is little talk on its aftermath. Indeed it might be argued that what happened immediately after the surrender of the Axis powers shaped world history almost as much as the dramatic event itself.

Covering this fascinating time, Prof. Gregory W. Sand provides insight and historic perspective. As part of the Contributions to the Study of World History series, the book thrusts the reader into an end-of-the-war scenario in much the same way as President Truman was driven upon Roosevelt's death.

It becomes clear that the conflict's aftermath was not just the end of a war but the beginning of another one. With extensive headnotes, Prof. Sand traces the major concerns of the two victorious powers as they headed toward a series of crises that eventually gave rise to the Cold War.

Poland, Italy's Venezia Guilia, and the Austrian occupation were all matters that immediately threatened world peace. In the power vacuum that followed the Allied victory, the letters document the perfidious actions of Stalin who shamelessly exploited postwar chaos to build an "Iron Curtain" right down the middle of Europe.
Prof. Sand weaves together the threads of the two leaders' lives as he follows their postwar careers. Their friendship was especially cemented by their meeting at Fulton, Missouri, where Churchill would deliver his famed "Iron Curtain" speech introduced by President Truman. With Churchill's second premiership, their official correspondence resumed and with it all the problems raised by the Cold War.
While the book is excellent historical resource, the personal aspect cannot be divorced from the letters. More than just a political alliance, the book records an evolving friendship. What began as official dispatches with few personal references soon became formal correspondence addressed to "Mr. President" and "Mr. Prime Minister." This would later become the more intimate "My dear Sir Winston," and "My dear Harry." In a similar way, both men in the later years would send their best regards to the other's spouse and children and extend thoughtful courtesies.

Prof. Sand, Adjunct Professor of History at the Saint Louis College of Pharmacy, has provided this first full scholarly edition of the Churchill-Truman correspondence which will be an excellent chronicle of the aftermath of the war and will aid students in understanding this important period of world history. In documenting Stalin's brash post-war politics, it is a lesson in perfidy. By describing the eventual Anglo-American response, it is a confirmation that weakness has its terrible consequence and real peace can only bought through strength.
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Customer Reviews (8)

Washington and Lafayette -Liberty at Its Roots
Stunning and penetrating look at the lives of Washington and Lafayette.Traces the sources, parallels, and divergent paths of the American and French Revolutions.Very well researched.A must for anyone interested in these world altering revolutions.Lafayette, steeped in friendship and battle with George Washington, returns to France and plays a seminal role in initiating the French Revolution.

Gaines we are here
This is excellent history demonstrating the friendship of George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette as well as the connections between the American and French Revolutions.

Gaines shows us how much the French Revolution was a result--primarily economic--of the American and the book flows from one to the other across the Atlantic with great ease replete with nobles and scoundrels along the way.

But it is the character of Lafayette which is drawn so beautifully and heartfelt.For those who know much about Washington but less about Lafayette, I cannot recommend this story highly enough.Touching at times, poignant, it is not only informative but is indeed a joy to read.

Cumbersome
This interesting and challenging book closely inspects the parallel and intertwined fights for liberty that occurred in America and France during the last quarter of the 18th century. It is a very telling book describing the similar challenges faced by each as their revolutions respectively unfolded. It focuses on France's obvious contributions to American Independence, men money and material, and on America's necessary avoidance of the serial French upheaval that never seemed to quite achieve final resolution as internal warring factions murdered more French citizens than all of the casualties experienced by America, England and France combined in the US.

The author does a very good job detailing how each revolution developed its own path to completion. I was stunned to find that the French loans to America that financed our revolution so bankrupted the French Treasury that it was a prime contributor to the French Revolution.The author also does very good work describing the Federalist - Republican English and French polarization that occurred as the US sought different governmental models to negotiate the uncharted waters of self government, explains thoroughly the decided break with France after the XYZ affair and explains successive French governments disenchantment with the US as both nations moved into the 19th century. It is here that the fundamental difference between these two movements comes to the fore with the US focus remaining continental, and for the most part avoiding foreign entanglements, while France continues with the 15th, 16th and 17th century external model of European wars focused on global conquest.

The author bit off a lot here and I am thankful that he did. As a result of his significant efforts, I materially better understand the interplay between France and America for the 50 years following 1776. But in all honesty I found this book very difficult to work my way through, and in the process of doing so, found the book's structure an impediment to its effectiveness as a teaching tool: It is cumbersome. Make no mistake, this is a good work but at times it labors to make its points and provides far too much extraneous detail, unnecessary to its central theme, for it to flow smoothly. That said, just skim those parts and you have a winner.

A Fascinating Look at the Hero of Two Worlds and The Father of Our Nation
The Marquis de Lafayette seems to be enjoying a resurgence of popularity, with two new books on him and an exhibit at the New York Historical Society in 2007-8 dedicated to his (massively popular) tour of America in 1824-5. Considering that I have loved Lafayette since we learned about him in middle school American history, I am happy for this new-found enthusiasm. And Lafayette deserves the attention.He is the "Hero of Two Worlds" who, despite his birth into a wealthy and prestigious French family, believed in the ideals of the American Revolution and fought in the Continental Army without pay. After that revolution ended he tried to make his home country a better place, but his moderate position (he advocated a constitutional monarchy) was ultimately at odds with the bloody, radical affair that the French Revolution became.

One of the aspects that interests many Americans about Lafayette is his close relationship with George Washington. Although Gaines shies away from the traditional view of Lafayette and Washington's relationship as that of a surrogate father and son, he does show their close friendship and the deep respect they both had for each other.

Gaines' book is a highly readable, insightful and incredibly interesting look at the American and French Revolutions through the lives of Washington and Lafayette. He traces both countries through the time period, so the reader gets a good view of both Old Regime France and post-revolutionary America and thus has a better understanding of how events in one country influenced decisions in another. Gaines also introduces a fascinating cast of characters that were involved in the events, including the other Founding Fathers, the resourceful playwright Beaumarchais (who wrote the plays Marriage of Figaro and Barber of Seville), and the cross-dressing French spy, the Cheavlier d'Eon. Gaines' portrayal of his two main protagonists, Washington and Lafayette, gives the reader a good feel for what they were like and will likely leave the reader very impressed with both. FOR LIBERTY AND GLORY is a perfect read for anyone interested in Washington, Lafayette, the revolutions they fought in and the formation of America after the revolution ended.

An excellent treatment of the American and French Revolutions
James R. Gaines takes us through the American and French Revolutions by showing us the roles Washington, Lafayette and their friendship played in both.We get to see how the struggles between Great Britain and France led them to use the American Revolution as another theater to fight for dominance.There is no doubt that American Independence benefitted from French support against the British, but it also benefitted by the British focusing more on France and not understanding the nature of the stakes they were fighting for in suppressing the American Rebellion until they had lost the colonies.

While I had known the name of Lafayette and had some notions about his contributions to the Revolutionary War, I had no idea how young he was (19) and how wealthy he was when he joined himself to George Washington as a junior officer.One of this book's many virtues is his treatment of how men such as Washington and Lafayette viewed their world and their place in it.The discussion of Liberty, Duty, Glory, and Honor is quite good and helps us understand the way these men lived their lives and the choices they made.Washington's character and steady hand in guiding the new government in difficult times can be seen clearly.Lafayette's great struggles in trying to gain a Constitutional Monarchy and his (and his family's) terrible suffering at the hands of various extreme revolutionists remains shocking after nearly 200 years.You will find his story compelling if you don't know it and I suspect you will learn things from Gaine's telling even if you already know of his imprisonment and loss of all his wealth and property as well as the terrible sufferings of his wife.

While the story uses these two men and their friendship as its supporting structure, another virtue of the book is its fabulous list of other people and their contributions to both Revolutions - for good and ill.Some are familiar to me, but others I had not heard of and Gaines tells his history so well, that I learned more about every person I read about.Frankly, the book has so much to offer that I had to take my time reading it.There are so many riches that it takes time to absorb.The connections between the Revolutions, the attempts to draw America into a war with France after the Revolution, and the French seditionists were all made clearer to me.

The book has a number of black and white and color illustrations of the key people and events.They help the reader see much of what is being discussed.

Excellent!I recommend it for everyone and if you want to understand this aspect of our history, I believe it is a must read.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI

This book is a great exploration of the rivalry between Britain and France.

That Sweet Enemy: Britain and France: The History of a Love-Hate Relationship (Vintage)
... Read more

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This historical compilation of live recordings includes the dropping of the first atomic bomb, victory in WWII, the spread of communism, his unforgettable farewell address and much more! 12 Tracks. Run time, 65:29 ... Read more

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A first century Byzantine historian offers portraits of the emperor Justinian, the empress Theodora, and the brilliant general Belisarius, describing the injustices of Justinian's reign. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

Don't kill the messenger
This is all the good stuff that I was disappointed not to find in "The Twelve Caesars: The Lives of the Roman Emperors" by Suetonius. I've workedfor 15 years in the bureaucracy of a 10,000-employee firm. Believe me, the things people get up to with just limited power is fantastic, so I believe virtually every bit of this author's story. If he's trying to trick us, he does an extraordinary job of sounding like a credible witness.

Besides, "Hitler's Diaries" were a sizzling hot, juicy, fraud perpetrated to make money. Whereas, "The Secret History" was published nearly a millennium after its author was dead, and translated into English only after another 200 years, making it a rather dessicated fraud, were it one.

But if Francis Bacon did manage to dash the pages off in between penning Shakespeare's plays, they are so deeply grounded in truthiness [supported by secondary sources] that, like those plays, it hardly seems to matter. For an analysis of the author's existence and veracity the preface in the Penguin Classics Library edition should suffice to convince even a skeptic.

I'd question instead the agenda of those who want to discredit the author. Because, oddly, the authorial credentials of Procopius are easier to verify than whether I exist. To quote from the Preface: "There is no doubt that all three of these works are by the same author. There are textual references within them to one another, they are written in an identical form of accentuated Greek prose, and they share other profound stylistic similarities, drawing upon the same grid of classical textural references, allusions, and vocabularies....Given the consistency of his views as expressed, we should...accept them as genuine."

A first-rate hatchet job
Of the few primary sources on the early Byzantine Empire, Procopius' account of the reign of Justinian and Theodora is more "tell-all scandal sheet" than a document of reliable historical significance.Why Procopius was so venemous remains a mystery (for a time he enjoyed the good graces of the Imperial Court), but his version of the Royals is hardly reliable.For example, the sexual exploits attributed to Theodora are almost superhuman (if a bit humorous in their detail - "On the field of pleasure she was never defeated ...")Justinian is vilified in a similar vein (Justinian is described as "a fiend in human form.")

Procopius expects the reader has some knowledge of Byzantine society (referring, among other things, to the "Blues" and "Greens" of the Hippodrome for example), as well as some familiarity with the geography of the city and other important personalities (such as Belisarius.)For the non-expert or serious fan of the time period, there is little of interest here.Even for the historian, aside from the vehemence and gall of the author, the direct historial value is questionable.With this said, _The Secret History_ is a short and interesting (if somewhat bizarre) account of one man's vendetta against the Imperial household.

The most devastating character assassination ever written

In which an apparently loyal aide gets a mountain of bile off his chest and proves that no man is a hero to his private secretary ...

Procopius was the Byzantine equivalent of a White House staffer. Among other things he was secretary to the great general Belisarius. Throughout his life, and in the books which he published in his lifetime, he appeared to be totally loyal to Belisarius, and even more so to Emperor Justinian.

He wrote an eight-volume history of Belisarius's campaigns, usually referred to as "The Histories" which is one of the definitive historial sources. Later he wrote an an account of the great works of architecture construced under Justinian's regime. That book, known as "The Buildings," is so nauseatingly sycophantic to Emperor Justinian that it to describe is as toadying would risk a class action from toads.

But in "The secret history" which he wrote to be published after his death, Procopius got off his chest all the negative comments about Belisarius, Justinian, and their wives which he ruthlessly suppressed himself from making anywhere where they might get to hear about them. The book is pure undiluted poison, in a horribly fascinating way.

This book accuses Belisarius of being a trusting fool, but he gets off lightly. His wife Antonina is accused of fornication (including with her adopted son) and murder. Justinian is accused of being quite literally a demon in human form, and his Empress Theodosia of being a Messalina: both Justinian and Theodosia are represented as mass murderers.

Heaven only knows how much truth there is in this account. It seems unlikely that the people Procopius worked for could have been either as perfect as he presented them in the books he published openly or as demonic as he describes them in this book written behind their backs.

Personally I suspect the real Belisarius was much closer to the man presented in Graves' novel "Count Belisarius" than the figure in this book. Nevertheless "The Secret History" will continue to be read for two reasons.

First, it is probably the most devastating - and successful - exercise in character assassination ever written. And secondly if you should ever need a critical account of anything in the reign or life of Justinian, you are guaranteed to find it here.

A Trillion Victims of Justinian?
I actually read partway through G.A. Williamson's translation of The Secret History, then read H.B. Dewing's translation cover to cover.In either case, it's amusing reading.Not all of it is as hilarious as the parts which describe Theodora's early years as a total whorebag, but certainly interesting how many people Justinian killed or just outright stole from.Though I do doubt Procopius's figures of one trillion victims of Justinian: that seems a little high even by today's standards.But I won't spoil it for you, it's simply too crazy to describe.

This is an important work from the ancient world that gives us a unique insight into the reign of Justinian and Theodora: not the glowing, offical, propagandist view that often emperors have written for them by official court historians, but what Procopius alleges is the "real" story behind all the propaganda.The odd thing was, that Procopius WAS the court historian responsible for that official propaganda...meanwhile he was secretly working on this book, which he insists was the "real" story, to be published after his death.

I highly recommend this as one of the great insights into the ancient world.It reads like a soap opera gone mad.

Classic gossip from Byzantine Empire.
The Secret History was a book written about the behind the scenes life of Emperor Justinian and his wife Empress Theodora.Procopius also documents the exploits of top general Belisarus and his quest to rebuild the Roman Empire (on a shoe string budget of course).If you want to
hear classical dirt, here it is!

Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
A clear and concise treatment of Mexico’s foremost military hero

Provides a fascinating glimpse of Mexican political and cultural history

Part of Brassey’s new "Military Profiles" series

Most Americans regarded Antonio L"pez de Santa Anna as a villain for his brutal assault on the Alamo in 1836. What many don’t realize is that few individuals have caused their own nation greater pain. He lost one-third of Mexico’s territory in wars, sold almost another 30,000 square miles while pocketing most of the money, and repeatedly bankrupted the nation. His extravagance was legendary, as testified to by the burial of his amputated leg at the nation’s great expense. He served as his country’s president eleven different times over a span of thirty years and was constantly involved in devious political intrigue. Yet, in spite of his failings and notorious reputation today, Santa Anna was often viewed by his people as a hero and savior. Robert Scheina analyzes this complex man and provides a solid overview of Mexico’s political history against the fabric of social and cultural turmoil. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

"Most Serene Highness"
When I got this book the Mexican-American woman who sold it to me had a disgusted look on her face,"Why do you want to read about him." Feeling that she had about as much affection for him as most have for Hitler I told her simply ,"because he was a bad guy", to which she nodded and approved. I took my book sheepishly but unappologeticly. As I began to read I became fascinated rather than disgusted with the man. Given the circumstances ofearlyMexico , fresh from a break with Spain, this poor country needed a unifying Caudillo and Santa Ana was the man to run the country, 11 times as a matter of fact!The author explains the poitical times quite apptly and summarily.This is a book that can be read in one sitting or over several short reading periods. Concise and informative it delivers a portrait of a man destined to rule, often by ruthless and self serving means who although not detailed apparently enjoyed cockfighting tremendouslyand loved to gamble. In spite of his eventual bad guy role in Mexican(and U.S.) history he was able to resurface over and over because of his cunning guile and military achievements. The author has done an outstanding job for the armchair historian, bringing the man to life vivdly with pages of details on his "achievements" without taking a stance. I could not be so kind. The portrait of the ruthless Caudillo is given in terms of his military achievements and their impact on history, specifically between Mexcio and the U.S. Most famous to Americans for the Alamo he is more well known and detested among Mexicans on both sides of the border as the sellout who conceded the vast territories that included California,Texas aand other pats of the southwest, including lands sold in the Gadsen Purchase. Eventually this man got what he deserved as he died poor after squanderng away the millions he stole from the Mexican people but the damage he did changed the destinies of two countries. Recommended for a quick read on an interesting but detestable character who is responsible for the growth of one nation and the schrinking of another.The footnotes abound like a college text, which is helpful if further reading is needed but the bibliography is the real gem and is quite exceptional and extensive. Recommended for history buffs.

Short, Yet Superb Biography of a Controversial Figure
This is a superb short military/political biography of a controversial figure.Santa Anna does not fall in my main area of historical work, but given the significant impact he had on US history I have always wanted to read more about him. This book fills the bill perfectly.I say this for three reasons.

1.) Writing historical biographies is a difficult business, especially when trying to keep it concise.I would rather write a 500-page bio than a 100-page bio, it is very hard to get at the significance of a controversial figure, who did so much, in so short a space.But Scheina has done it and done it well.Although the book is subtitled, "A Curse Upon Mexico," and I agree with this general assessment, Scheina presents a very fair biography.Santa Anna could be horribly cruel and extremely generous, heroic and cowardly on the field of battle, shrewd and foolish, savvy and blinded by his ego.Scheina puts it all together -- the good, and the bad, and he puts Santa Anna into military, political, social, and economic context of his times.He has no ax to grind.What a nice change of pace from some recent bios I have read!

2.) Scheina clearly explains the significance of Santa Anna for Mexican history, and thus for other fields, e.g., US history, military history, etc.He writes well, is quite articulate, and the book makes for a good quick read.But then again, it might actually be tough to write a dull book about such a fascinating character.(In 1834 Santa Anna had the distinction of having launched a coup against himself!)

3.) Don't be fooled by the compact size.Everything that needs to be covered is, and the thirteen pages of endnotes provide just what one needs for pursuing aspects of Santa Anna's career in further detail.(The book also has a useful biography, an index, and helpful illustrations on glossy paper.)

I have read pieces of Scheina's work before, but never one of his books.Now I see why he has such a solid reputation, and I look forward to reading the survey history of Latin American warfare he has been working on, which will be published in the latter half of 2002.

This is the second of the books in the Brassey's Military Profiles series that I have read (the other was Farragut by Robert Schneller).Both were excellent, and I will be looking forward to reading more from this series in the future.Given their size, I can also recommend them as very good for course adoptions. ... Read more

Product Description

Ronald Reagan is an American success story. From modest beginnings in a small midwestern town to a distinguished career in films and television, he lived the American dream; as governor of California and as the century's most popular president, he embodied and revitalized the American spirit.

Now in this dramatic and revealing memoir, Ronald Reagan recounts both his life and his beliefs with uncompromising candor and his familiar wit. He discusses his decision to run for president, historic meetings with Mikhail Gorbachev and other heads of state, his frustrations in dealing with an often hostile congress, his unshakable faith in the American people and the enduring love for Nancy, who will always be his First Lady. In a moving passage, President Reagan also speaks frankly about the assassination attempt on his life and its effects on him and his family.

An American Life is a richly detailed, definitive account of a great and historic presidency and of a unique American Life -- from the man who restored America's confidence and strength and shaped the future of the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (65)

Biography
Ronald Reagan was one of the most remarkable American presidents since WW2 - alas, very underestimated in Norwegian media during his presidential years, despite favourable comments in some influential newspapers.Of course, he was controversial - like eg FDR and Richard Nixon. His conservative approach certainly did not endear him to left-wing political supporters.

His book is very interesting and readable. He was an a actor and a politician, and in this book we meet both - and his story about his experience in both areas is compelling. I knew he was a clever orator, but here I discover that he was a good writer, too. The description of the meetings with Mr Gorbachev is one of the most interesting parts of the book. There are also some personal accounts with a considerable sense of humour.

How honest is this book? A matter of opinion, of course. But more honest than many other political autbiographies, in my opinion!

Enjoyable & Informative
What a pleasant read.I was born in 1978, and was just a child during the Reagan Years.I'm really enjoying this "primer" on recent American and Global history, as taught by someone who is quickly becoming a hero of mine.I beleive history is repeating itself in America, and another american conservative "prairy fire" like the one that swept Carter out of office after 1 term and returned us to prosperity under Reagan conservatism has already begun.I only wish there was someone as bold and correct as Reagan in our day to unify the republican party, and promise, then accomplish what he did.

Good Customer Service.
The book arrived in the time specified and in really good shape. I contacted the seller for some feedback prior to shipping and they were very quick to respond and also very honest. I would buy from them again.

Great insight!
Great read, although quite a bit "folksy" at times. The only reason I didn't give this five stars is the first half of the book is chronological, and the second half isn't. Had the entire book been chronological, this would have been five stars for me.

Simply Fantastic
After President Reagan passed away, I realized that I didn't really know all that much about him. News reports on how great a man he was sent me on a search for more information. Ronald Reagan: An American Life is turned out to be a great read and a history lesson to boot. President Reagan wrote this book as if he was writing to friends or family. It is very warm and welcoming (if a book can be described that way). I was immediately drawn in and comfortable reading about everything from his childhood to his two terms in office. I am glad to have read this book and would recommend it highly! ... Read more

Product Description
Focuses on the late president's role as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces through such pivotal events as the Bay of Pigs, the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the space program. Tour." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Very good book from JFK's former #1 press secretary
(Andy Hatcher, #2; Malcolm Kilduff, #3)
I recommend this book from Pierre Salinger. It has some very nice pictures and a good text. I especially like the perspective it gives on John F. Kennedy as the leader of the Nation's military might. Of particular note: Salinger states that, in his three years serving President Kennedy [he had also served JFK when Kennedy was a Senator], he may have missed just "two or three trips"...one of them was the ill-fated Texas trip.
[...]

One of the best books on the Kennedy presidency
This book was the first one to explore Kennedy's role as Commander-In-Chief of the armed forces.It also described how foreign events such as the Bay of Pigs invasion, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and theconflict in Vietnam were viewed by the Kremlin and the Pentagon.The bookalso talks about Kennedy's frequent disagreements with the Joint Chiefs ofStaff on military issues and how these problems were handled and resolved. I think that this book is very interesting and worth reading.

Refreshing to read something of JFK other than personal life
Being so close to Pres. Kennedy, Pierre Salinger is well qualified to share his knowledge and experiences during his tenure as Press Secretary.I also found the photos very interesting and inviting; I enjoyed readingthis book very much; enlightening to learn of JFK's harrowing experiencesduring WW2 and the suffering he experienced during that time.He certainlywas a hero in the true sense of the word.It's sad that these years of hislife were not more highlighted, rather than focusing on all his personalescapades.He truly, in my opinion, was a great President; it's tragic hewasn't with us longer.Thank you, Pierre, for a great job! ... Read more

Product Description
Campaigning for the presidency demands strength and courage. Teddy Roosevelt was once shot in the chest just before a campaign speech--but he insisted on delivering his hour-and-a-half oration anyway. Presidential nominees have to know how to play the game, moreover, whether they care for it or not. When Andrew Jackson was visiting one town, according to a campaign tale, a proud mother handed a dirty-faced baby up for him to hold. "Here is a beautiful specimen of young American childhood," said Jackson obligingly. "Note the brightness of that eye, the great strength of those limbs, and the sweetness of those lips." Then he handed the baby to his friend John Eaton. "Kiss him, Eaton," he cried, and walked away. And all presidential hopefuls have to find ways of smoothing over the unfortunate gaffes they sometimes commit. During the 1992 campaign, Bill Clinton provoked so much mirth when he said he once tried marijuana but found he couldn't inhale, that he subsequently appeared on television to play his saxophone and told the host he took up the instrument because it didn't require inhaling: "You blow out."

Now, in a revised and updated edition, this enlightening and endlessly entertaining book unveils the whole history of American presidential elections from Washington to Clinton--those clamorous showdowns that have so perplexed, pleased, amused, irked, and fascinated the American people from the very beginning. As Charles Dickens observed, American voters are scarcely finished with one campaign when they start in on another.

Presidential Campaigns brings these boisterous contests to life in all their richness and complexity. In the old days, Boller shows, campaigns were much rowdier than they are today. Back in the nineteenth century, the invective at election time was exuberant and the mudslinging unrestrained; a candidate might be called everything from a carbuncle-faced old drunkard to a howling atheist. But there was plenty of fun and games, too, with songs, slogans, rallies, leaflets, torchlight parades, picnics, and, inescapably, a lot of hyperbolic oratory, livening up the scene as party workers sought to get people to the polls. Despite the mudslinging and hot air, however, many of the campaigns touched off popular debates about vital public issues, and there were many candidates (like Adlai E. Stevenson in 1952) who insisted on "talking sense to the American people." Presidential Campaigns takes note of the serious side of the elections even as it documents the frenzy, the frolic, and the sleaze. Each chapter contains a brief essay describing every election from 1789 to 1992, and then presents some "campaign highlights"--songs, poems, slogans, jokes, and anecdotes--that help bring to life the quadrennial confrontation in all its shame and glory.

Presidential Campaigns makes one thing clear: the "great American shindig" (as one Englishman called it) is, for all its shortcomings, an essential part of the American democratic system and, for better or for worse, tells us much about ourselves. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Readable, Informative and Fun
This is a readable and informative history of Presidential politics.Devoting one chapter to each election since 1789 (George Washington), author Paul Boller provides a crisp overview, followed by a host of trivial facts and tidbits.Readers get a good view of U.S. poltiical history, personalities like Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay, William Jennings Bryan, etc., and key issues such as slavery, railroads, robber barons, war, peace, communism, etc.Some readers may be surprised to learn thathalf-truths and mud-slinging are nothing new - Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were both accused of being enemy spies, Grover Cleveland's illegitimate son was campaign fodder, and charges that the Pope would soon rule the USA came with candidacies of Catholics Al Smith (1928) and John F. Kennedy (1960).

I gave just four stars due to a couple factual errors (e.g., Martin Luther King was killed April 4, not April 27 1968), and readers may prefer the updated version - this one finishes with 1984. Still, this is fun, informative reading.

Objective and Informative
Paul F. Boller Jr. turned in a milestone effort with "Presidential Campaigns," combining an excellently developed historian's eye along with an objective presentation.
This informative work reads like an entertaining novel while providing all kinds of fascinating information about America's presidential campaigns from Washington to the present, from which we can learn so much about our nation's history, using famous elections as an evolutionary guide to understanding the peaks and valleys of the Ameican experience.

In that some of the subject matter is about heavy topics such as war and peace, domestic political conflict, and America during economic panics and depressions, Boller's humor is needed to lighten the heaviness and he delivers superbly.This isunderstandable since much of his career as an author involves books of anecdotes regarding American and British history as well as Hollywood's film world.

This is a book that crisply and entertainingly tells us so much about America, as revealed through its presidential compaigns.

Mugwumps, Bull-Mooses, Fala and Others Who Made History
This classic chronicle of Presidential campaigns, from the get-go to contemporary times, has the unusual virtue of being useful either as a collection of short readable chapters - each just the right size for a daily bus or train ride - or as a reference source. Reading this in the wake of Monicagate and the Florida Recount, it's instructive to read the history of Grover Cleveland, who seems to have features of BOTH past Democratic candidates. Like Clinton, he had his scandals - fathering an illegitimate child. Like Gore, his career was rudely interrupted by an election which he won on popular votes but lost, in a hotly contested, knife-edge electoral college tally.

Clear and well written
This is a well organized book full of useful facts that show how our political history has evolved over the years. Full of antdotes and trivia, the book reveals quite a bit about America. Very well condenced stories ofeach election. Reports things as historical facts rather than a politicalleaning (except for the 1988 race maybe). Overall a very good read. ... Read more

Product Description
Featuring highlights of 15 Major Speeches given by FDR.Includes his riveting take-charge Inaugural Address, the Declaration of War, memorable fireside chats, the war-time Christmas-Eve message, the solemn D-Day Prayer and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Book!
This is a great book.FDR may be a favorite of yours or not, regardless his speeches desereve to be read.FDR was an inspirational speaker who moved the masses with his words.He has left us with many timeless andpriceless quotes that can be found in the speeches featured in this book. I would highly recommend this book to any one looking for a boost inconfidence.FDR's words make you feel like anything is possible. Remember"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself". ... Read more

Product Description

On the night of the presidential election in 1876, a gang of counterfeiters out of Chicago attempted to steal the entombed embalmed body of Abraham Lincoln and hold it for ransom. The custodian of the tomb was so shaken by the incident that he willingly dedicated the rest of his life to protecting the president's corpse.

In a lively and dramatic narrative, Thomas J. Craughwell returns to this bizarre, and largely forgotten, event with the first book to place the grave robbery in historical context. He takes us through the planning and execution of the crime and the outcome of the investigation. He describes the reactions of Mary Todd Lincoln and Robert Todd Lincoln to the theft—and the peculiar silence of a nation. He follows the unlikely tale of what happened to Lincoln's remains after the attempted robbery, and details the plan devised by the Lincoln Guard of Honor to prevent a similar abominable recurrence.

Along the way, Craughwell offers entertaining sidelights on the rise of counterfeiting in America and the establishment of the Secret Service to combat it; the prevalence of grave robberies; the art of nineteenth-century embalming; and the emergence among Irish immigrants of an ambitious middle class—and a criminal underclass.

This rousing story of hapless con men, intrepid federal agents, and ordinary Springfield citizens who honored their native son by keeping a valuable, burdensome secret for decades offers a riveting glimpse into late-nineteenth-century America, and underscores that truth really is sometimes stranger than fiction.

Customer Reviews (47)

Extremely DisappointingBook
This book was a real disappointment for me.I thought the entire book would be a thrilling account of the tale to steal Lincoln's body.Instead, I had to struggle to finish this.The highlights of the entire book could have fit into a single chapter.The author buried the central point of the book--the theft of Lincoln's body--amongst a long, drawn-out and boring account of counterfeiting and the history of the Secret Service.This book read more like a mediocre term paper where the author tried to stuff a bunch of different topics that he had researched into something worthwhile.His writing is often disjointed, sections of the book do not flow well, there are entirely too many people mentioned in passing in the book to keep them all straight, many of the characters described are so two-dimensional that the reader never really gets a good feel for them, and there are typos in the text in the hardcover version--a HUGE no-no to me when reading a book.Do yourself a favor; save your money and borrow this from the library if you really want to waste your time reading it.I'm donating my copy as soon as I can.

A Hodgepodge of History
In this short book, the author goes into so many historical asides that I found it hard to stay on the topic of the attempted grave robbery of Lincoln's body.The one thing I always found amazing about this whole story from the time I first heard about it on History Channel is that they opened up the great icon's coffin 3 times in the years after the attempted robbery took place--just to check if it was really still his body in there--before finally laying him to rest close to the turn of the last century.Otherwise, as history books go, its a pretty fast read and nicely written.Its cool in the information age that we have access to things like this to learninteresting facts about history that they didn't have time to teach us in school growing up.

The core book is good but there is a lot of side fluff
Overall the book was an enjoyable read but there are big sections that felt like they were placed in just to fill page count.Chapter 2 really needed to start with the line "trust me, I'll go somewhere with this" because it went on for pages about a subject that apparently had nothing to do with the main story.I did learn a lot about something that I was interested in so that was the main point but it could have been streamlined quite a bit.

The Last Indignity
As if the tragedy of the Civil War during his life and then his assassination weren't enough the body of Abraham Lincoln had to deal with even further indignities once buried. A little known aspect of President Abraham Lincoln's life and death was the attempt to steal his corpse and hold it for ransom. The plot was doomed from the beginning due to the ineptitude of the perpetrators. Yet more criminals who just can't keep their mouth shut.

Author Thomas J. Craughwell has documented this sad story in his wonderful book Stealing Lincoln's Body published by Belknap Press. The book is 250 pages with index, bibliography, notes, and b/w photos. I found myself referring to the notes on many ocassions just to see where the material had come from. Craughwell uses a mix of primary and secondary sources. The book is well referenced and overall easy to read despite being from a scholarly press.

Before the positives there are areas where Craughwell gets a bit long-winded. We get to learn about counterfeiters, George Pullman and his employee relations, the Irish in Chicago, and the formation of the Secret Service. Craughwell ties these in but for some readers they might make the journey longer than expected.

After Lincoln's death a strange series of events takes place. From the long funeral trip across the country to Mary Lincoln's fight to have her husband buried where she wanted to the attempted theft of his body by counterfeiters to the formation of the Lincoln Guard of Honor to being buried in a shallow grave in the basement of his monument to the final viewing of his face to the final burial under thousands of pounds of concrete. Craughwell covers it in great detail and has written what might ultimately become a standard work on this subject.

Don't have time to read this book you say? Not to worry the History Channel has produced an excellent documentary based upon this book. It is currently in rotation on the channel and will be available for purchase in May. This is well worth catching and you will then no doubt be hooked.

Stealing Lincoln's Body
Good book.Only I was disappointed in that the actual act of stealing Lincoln's body was less than a chapter.The rest of the book explained the history of the Secret Service, counterfeiting, and the aftermath of the attempted body snatching. ... Read more

Product Description
The ultimate gift book for any American history buff--the nation's Presidents, as they've never been seen before

What were the leaders of the free world really doing during all those meetings? As the creators of Cabinet magazine reveal here for the first time, they were doodling. Our Founding Fathers doodled, and so did Andrew Jackson. Benjamin Harrison accomplished almost nothing during his time in the White House, but he left behind some impressive doodles. During the twentieth century--as the federal bureaucracy grew and meetings got longer--the presidential doodle truly came into its own. Theodore Roosevelt doodled animals and children, while Dwight Eisenhower doodled weapons and self-portraits. FDR doodled gunboats, and JFK doodled sailboats. Ronald Reagan doodled cowboys and football players and lots of hearts for Nancy. The nation went wild for Herbert Hoover's doodles: A line of children's clothing was patterned on his geometric designs.

The creators of Cabinet magazine have spent years scouring archives and libraries across America. They have unearthed hundreds of presidential doodles, and here they present the finest examples of the genre. Historian David Greenberg sets these images in context and explains what they reveal about the inner lives of our commanders in chief. Are Kennedy's dominoes merely squiggles, or do they reflect deeper anxieties about the Cold War? Why did LBJ and his cabinet spend so much time doodling caricatures of one another? Smart, revealing, and hilarious--Presidential Doodles is the ideal gift for anyone interested in politics or history. And for anyone that doodles! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

This book changed my life completely
I admit, I noticed this book on the shelves a few times and smirked at the novelty value. Presidential doodles. Bah, what have they ever done for me? I didn't buy the book. A few months later, a friend invited me into her bedroom late one night. The book was perched on the air conditioner. We nervously slid into bed and began making whimsical jokes about Presidents. After running fingers through her rich black hair, she picked up the book and began reading... in a voice. Pausing occasionally to part her red lips and sigh, she went through the whole book from start to finish. A parade of Presidents and their artwork. It was the most erotic lecture I had ever heard that involved Martin Van Buren and led to approximately 12 hours of what could only be described as bananas foreplay. No fruit were involved, only this book. It would work well under similar conditions, so I advise you to pick up a copy and use it to woo that special someone.

Full of interesting factoids...
Not a bad book for the casual historian.With few exceptions, the Presidents are covered from Washington, right up to today.Full of random information that one might not find elsewhere, this book gives an idea of how the leaders of the USA deal with the pressure of their job.

Fun to look at
I'm a historian and a doodler, so I really enjoyed this book.It's a great gift for anyone who loves history, doodles or art!

Great Book, awesome price!
I got this book as a gift for someone and they loved it! It is normally $16 in the store and I got it for a penny on Amazon. It took awhile to get to me but it was worth it.

Scratching the surface and more
This delightful little book take us into the offices and to some degree into the minds of that most exclusive of sets -- the American Presidents, from George Washington to George W. Bush. The book does this via the most innocuous of means: by examining the doodles and random notations that presidents have made while in presumably weighty meetings. The book's introduction describes the interest in presidential doodling and its meaning, if any. Starting in to the early 20th century of course, doodling became a major fascination of a nation wrapped up in pseudo-Freudian analysis. A doodle, like a dream or a slip of the tongue, was supposed to provide a glimpse of the soul. No wonder that some presidents chose not to provide samples for the book. Would a tossed-off scribble be seen as an indicator of fitness for office? How about the lack of doodles?

Through tedious searching through archives and presidential libraries, sometimes with the assistance of archivists, the authors have managed to obtain doodles -- or some other form of non-alphabetic expression-- from about half of the US presidents. Some, like Washington, either did not doodle, or found little time for it. His samples were taken from the inked boxes in his schoolboy exercise books that may have been a way to while away a dull lesson. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the relative cheapness of writing materials available to them, the most prolific doodlers were in the 20th century. FDR's doodles included ideas for stamps and government liquor labels, while JFK liked repeating words ad drawing his sloop Victura. Hoover (like his admirer Richard Nixon) preferred harsh geometric patterns. Johnson's doodles switched from disturbed and childish to hyper-controlled. Seemingly only Ronald Reagan doodled self-consciously, passing his signed doodles to admirers.

Though some of our most recent presidents -- Carter, Ford, Clinton and GW Bush -- did not provide samples, the book is fascinating. The doodles helped me imagine myself sitting in the Cabinet Room or Oval Office, watching as the President listened distractedly to presentations of import great and small. Whether to relax, focus or distract themselves (or even to stay awake) they inked notations onto whatever paper was available. Whether these doodles have any great significance is less relevant than their ability to transport us into the minds of leaders long gone. ... Read more

Product Description

Though reticent in public, George Bush has openly shared his private thoughts in correspondence throughout his life. Fortunately, since the former president does not plan to write his autobiography, this collection of letters, diary entries, and memos, with his accompanying commentary, will fill that void. As he writes in his preface, "So what we have here are letters from the past and present. Letters that are light and hopefully amusing. Letters written when my heart was heavy or full of joy. Serious letters. Nutty letters. Caring and rejoicing letters...It's all about heartbeat."

Organized chronologically, the volume begins with eighteen-year-old George's letters to his parents during World War II, when, at the time he was commissioned, he was the youngest pilot in the Navy. Readers will gain insights into Bush's career highlights -- the oil business, his two terms in Congress, his ambassadorship to the U.N., his service as an envoy to China, his tenure with the Central Intelligence Agency, and of course, the vice presidency, the presidency, and the postpresidency. They will also observe a devoted husband, father, and American. Ranging from a love letter to Barbara and a letter to his mother about missing his daughter, Robin, after her death from leukemia to a letter to his children two weeks before Nixon's resignation to one written to them just before the beginning of Desert Storm, the writings are remarkable for their candor, humor, and poignancy.Amazon.com Review
In lieu of a memoir, All the Best, George Bush collects correspondence and diary entries from the former U.S. president to show, as he says, "what my own heartbeat is, what my values are, what has motivated me in life." The letters begin in 1942--when, fresh out of high school, Bush volunteered for U.S. Navy flight school--and continue to the brink of the 21st century, as the retired chief executive worries about the Melissa virus infecting his office's server and keeping his visiting grandchildren in line. ("I realize," he muses, "Keep the freezer door closed from now on and I mean it lacks the rhetorical depth of This will not stand or Read my lips.") All the Best hits all the highlights of Bush's career, from the Texas oil business to his role as ambassador to China, then CIA director, vice president under Ronald Reagan, and finally president himself. Along the way, he reveals a personality that is at turns compassionate, respectful, silly, doting, and resolute--a man for whom being a father and a grandfather matters as much as, and maybe even more than, being leader of the free world. Fans and detractors alike will find in All the Best an intimate human portrait that offers as sure a self-definition of Bush's personal life as A World Transformed did his presidential career. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (61)

Letters from George H Bush, a different type of book.
This was interesting as it is made up of letters that will jolt your memory from various time periods through out Bush#1's life.
The first Desert Storm War, when Reagan was shot etc...

Then this book also has insight from behind the scenes as well.I learned things that I did not know. Many were very enlightening.

All in all this is very interesting.

I recently listen to Clintons book as well so this is a bi-partisan review:)

Great Book
This book was very insightful. Literally, I learned a lot about George Bush in a day of reading than I could possibly imagine. If you are into autobiographies of America's presidents, this book is a necessity.

Amazing Book Amazing Man
I enjoyed reading this book about our former president. The letters he wrote to his family, friends, and others showed a personal side to this great man. One thing that was apparent in his letters is that he loves his family very much and that he has a very funny sense of humor. He is a wonderful writer and could express himself very well in his letters.
It was interesting seeing a different side to the Nixon administration and Watergate as well as other memorable historical times.This is an excellent read, you will not be disappointed

Great Insight!
This book is a collection of letters and personal diary entries from George H. W. Bush throughout his life. The book is divided into major sections that align with what he was doing at the time. It includes letters to his mom back when he voluntered to enter the US Navy after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and goes all the way up until the date of publication of the book, just prior to his son's campaign for president. It includes sections during his time as an oil man in Texas, as a congressman, as the US Ambassador to the UN, as the Chairman of the RNC (during the Watergate era), as the Director of the CIA, as the US liaison to China, and of course as the Vice President to Ronald Reagan and ultimately as the US President.We get to see his thoughts on historical events like the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Panama invasion, Somalia, and, of course, Operations Desert Shield/Storm.But we also get to read his thoughts on infamous events like his upchucking on the Chinese Premier and the fallout from "Read My Lips" etc.

I have not read very many political autobiographies, at least not of the modern era. I figure they are pretty much attempts to justify their own actions, show things from their point of view, etc. But since this was a collection of actual letters written at the time I think that phenomenan is lessoned. Overall, I was very happy to have read this book...it was a far better experience than I was expecting. Afterall, George Bush, our 41st president is usually considered forgetable, despite Desert Storm. This is probably due to being only a one term president sandwiched between the personalities of Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. It was fascinating, however, to see what his thoughts were regarding all of the events he participated in. He spent a lifetime at or near the top of huge events in this world and that fact can be easy to forget. But more importantly than the events he describes, I was struck by the very nature of the man. This book confirmed my impressions of him, showing him to be a compassionate man, who holds high ideals, who loves his family above all else, and who tends to give everybody, even his political foes, the benefit of the doubt. Of course an arguement can be made that only the letters that showed him in a positive light were included but there is just too much here to dispute the very nature of the man himself.

Pick up this one and enjoy the journey, no matter what your political beliefs might be.

Not a Memoir But...
A good Way to look into George Bush Sr.Pretty long, Just Letters, And some Diary entries. Sadly He was/is into the whole China Is good , And let china And Taiwan deal with the taiwan issue itself, Which I disagree with but. All aside, A Good Reader, If your a Lefty who is close minded, Id say pass on it. Notes when he was a Diplomat(guessing thats why he sees the china issue different)Im not a big fan of him, But I do like him, (I prefer Reagan). ... Read more

Product Description
Lord Derby was the first British statesman to become prime minister three times. He remains the longest serving party leader in modern British politics, heading the Conservative party for twenty-two years from 1846 to 1868. He abolished slavery in the British Empire, established a national system of education in Ireland, was a prominent advocate for the 1832 Reform Act and, as prime minister, oversaw the introduction of the Second Reform Act in 1867. Yet no biography of Derby, based upon his papers and correspondence, has previously been published. Alone of all Britain's premiers, Derby has never received a full scholarly study examining his policies, personality, and beliefs. Largely airbrushed out of our received view of Victorian politics, Derby has become the forgotten prime minister.

This ground-breaking biography, based upon Derby's own papers and extensive archive, as well as recently discovered sources, fills this striking gap. It completely revises the conventional portrait of Derby as a dull and apathetic politician, revealing him as a complex, astute, influential, and significant figure, who had a profound effect on the politics and society of his time. As Hawkins shows, far from being an uninterested dilettante, Derby played an instrumental role in directing Britain's path through the historic opportunities and challenges confronting the nation at a time of increasing political participation, industrial pre-eminence, urban growth, colonial expansion, religious controversy, and Irish tragedy.

This book is likely not only to change our view of Derby himself but also fundamentally to affect our understanding of nineteenth century British party politics, the history of the Conservative party, and the nature of public life in the Victorian age in general, including some of its foremost figures, such as Robert Peel, Lord John Russell, Lord Palmerston, William Gladstone, and Benjamin Disraeli.

Volume II opens with Derby's first period as prime minister in 1852 and takes us through to his death in 1869. ... Read more

Product Description
After four years of unspeakable horror and sacrifice on both sides, the Civil War was about to end. On March 4, 1865, at his Second Inaugural, President Lincoln did not offer the North the victory speech it yearned for, nor did he blame the South solely for the sin of slavery. Calling the whole nation to account, Lincoln offered a moral framework for peace and reconciliation. The speech was greeted with indifference, misunderstanding, and hostility by many in the Union. But it was a great work, the victorious culmination of Lincoln's own lifelong struggle with the issue of slavery, and he well understood it to be his most profound speech. Eventually this "with malice toward none" address would be accepted and revered as one of the greatest in the nation's history.

In 703 words, delivered slowly, Lincoln transformed the meaning of the suffering brought about by the Civil War. He offered reunification, not revenge. Among those present were black soldiers and confederate deserters, ordinary citizens from all over, the black leader Frederick Douglass, the Cabinet, and other notables. John Wilkes Booth is visible in the crowd behind the president as he addresses posterity.

Ronald C. White's compelling description of Lincoln's articulation of the nation's struggle and of the suffering of all -- North, South, soldier, slave -- offers new insight into Lincoln's own hard-won victory over doubt, and his promise of redemption and hope. White demonstrates with authority and passion how these words, delivered only weeks before his assassination, were the culmination of Lincoln's moral and rhetorical genius.Amazon.com Review
In the tradition of Garry Wills's modern classic Lincoln at Gettysburg, Ronald C. White Jr. offers a close reading of the speech Abraham Lincoln gave in 1865 at his second inauguration and declares it the man's finest and most important effort. It contains one of Lincoln's best-known lines ("With malice toward none; with charity for all"), which White admires as "a timeless promise of reconciliation." At the same time, White reminds readers that rather than yanking such brilliant rhetorical nuggets from their context, "We need to understand Lincoln's strategy for the complete speech." He provides this in some detail, describing the political environment in which Lincoln found himself, having recently won a presidential election that he nearly lost and also seeing the Confederacy begin to collapse for good. It was not a long speech, containing only 701 words of mostly one syllable each and requiring merely six or seven minutes to deliver, compared to about 35 minutes for the inaugural address he had given four years earlier. White calls these words Lincoln's "last will and testament to America." John Wilkes Booth, who attended the inaugural ceremony, would murder him the next month. Lincoln buffs in particular will appreciate this book, as will fans of Jay Winik's April 1865. --John Miller ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Lincoln' Greatest speech? Maybe not, but certainly a great book
Professor White's book is a great examination of the elements of the 2nd inaugural, and how it reflected Lincoln's own journey on slavery, the union, the role of the federal Government, and his own view of the future of the union after the war was won. Professor White breaks down each element of the speech into very easily read and digestible chapters. His writing is filled with historical facts and insights, as well as interesting perspectives and yet is wonderfully readable. I found I could jump chapters to my favorite parts, and each chapter stood very well alone, and yet it also was a great and complete book as a chronology of his thoughts and personal growth. Certainly, it leaves us wondering, but for the assassin's bullet, what might have been for our nation.

I am not sure that Professor White convinced me it is greater than the Gettysburg address, which I believe changed America in so many ways, but the book is a great complement to Garry Wills "Lincoln at Gettysburg." It is also easily read in an afternoon or two, and you will come away with new understanding and perspectives. Very worthwhile- and so cheap, too.

Detailed look at Lincoln's second Inaugural speech.
This is a neat book, because it goes into detailed look at each paragraph of the speech. It also incorporates background information to make things clearer.
Great book for Lincoln admirer and student.

Very Educational
This entire book is a thorough analysis of Lincoln's Second Inaugural Speech given towards the closing of the Civil War. In a time of great turmoil, Lincoln's words offered peace and reconciliation to a nation who had faced nearly four years of bloodshed. White's analysis of the speech is very insightful, as he covers everything from his word choice to people who may have inspired Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln is one of the most revered presidents today and White portrays him as the eloquent speaker he was.

I found the beginning of the book to be quite boring as White goes on to explain the historical context of the speech. Although this is important, I felt he dragged it out too much to a point where it resembled a U.S. history textbook. However, the real analysis comes shortly after in which White analyzes the opening paragraph of Lincoln's speech. I assumed it was just an introduction to get the audience pumped up, however, Lincoln failed to meet America's expectations as he blatantly admitted he would not punish the South for seceding. While disappointing many Americans at the time, I look back on this and realize that it was the appropriate thing to do given the harsh circumstances. White continues to break down the speech into small excerpts, going over each sentence in extensive detail. I found it quite interesting to learn that Lincoln used alliteration, parallel structure, words that were not inclusive, and allusions to God as methods of arousing hope among the American people. The speech was very simple, yet complex at the same time and I developed even more admiration for this humble president. It is evident that White did a lot of research to compile this book and I feel that I did indeed learn a great deal. This book convinced me that the Second Inaugural Address was truly Lincoln's greatest speech.

Informative but not satisfying
A book on analyzing Licoln's Second Inaugural Address, Lincoln's Greatest Speech: The Second Inaugural by Ronald C. White focuses on the rhetorical strategies Lincoln employs in his speech. Although the book is very informative, this book is hardly deemed to be read for pleasure.

White does a good job of providing enough context to let readers know what the nation was going through at the time. It allowed me to understand what White was trying to say when he was analyzing Lincoln's speech. It becomes much clearer why Lincoln chooses certain words to say when one is fully informed of the situation.

For me personally, I learned a lot about history through this book alone, but I also learned more about rhetorical strategies and why certain words work and certain words do not in particular situations. The book made it clear what rhetorical devices were used and why. Although the book fully analyzed Lincoln's speech, I do feel White does go a little overboard with his analysis.

A good book to read, Lincoln's Greatest Speech: The Second Inaugural is good for teaching people rhetorical strategies, but it is one book I would not read for the pleasure of reading.

Yawn.BORING!
Speeches are boring.Not much to say there.But what White has done is just plain horrible.256 pages of horrible actually.Though White's essay/book is informational and effective, it is extensive and overfilled with pointless history.

Breaking down Lincoln's speech, White provides powerful information about the rhetorical devices Lincoln uses to unify the nation.However, this `powerful' information is often drowned out by the incessant historical lessons.In reality, this story is more of a biography than an analysis on Lincoln' Second Inaugural address.Although this may excite some people, for most, myself included, this is more of a turn off.

So if you want to read some history, go ahead, pick up this book.But if your looking for information on Lincoln's Second Inaugural, I strongly suggest that you go on the internet to get your information.
... Read more

Product Description
Jefferson Davis is one of the most complex and controversial figures in American political history (and the man whom Oscar Wilde wanted to meet more than anyone when he made his tour of the United States). Elected president of the Confederacy and later accused of participating in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, he is a source of ongoing dissension between northerners and southerners. This volume, the first of its kind, is a selected collection of his writings culled in large part from the authoritative Papers of Jefferson Davis, a multivolume edition of his letters and speeches published by the Louisiana State University Press, and includes thirteen documents from manuscript collections and one privately held document that have never before appeared in a modern scholarly edition. From letters as a college student to his sister, to major speeches on the Constitution, slavery, and sectional issues, to his farewell to the U.S. Senate, to his inaugural address as Confederate president, to letters from prison to his wife, these selected pieces present the many faces of the enigmatic Jefferson Davis.

As William J. Cooper, Jr., writes in his Introduction, “Davis’s notability does not come solely from his crucial role in the Civil War. Born on the Kentucky frontier in the first decade of the nineteenth century, he witnessed and participated in the epochal transformation of the United States from a fledgling country to a strong nation spanning the continent. In his earliest years his father moved farther south and west to Mississippi. As a young army officer just out of West Point, he served on the northwestern and southwestern frontiers in an army whose chief mission was to protect settlers surging westward. Then, in 1846 and 1847, as colonel of the First Mississippi Regiment, he fought in the Mexican War, which resulted in 1848 in the Mexican Cession, a massive addition to the United States of some 500,000 square miles, including California and the modern Southwest. As secretary of war and U.S. senator in the 1850s, he advocated government support for the building of a transcontinental railroad that he believed essential to bind the nation from ocean to ocean.”


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Jeff Davis, An Authentic Man
Davis's humanity comes across in poignant, almost heartbreakingly vivid style, in particular when he is forwarding his love to his children in one of the many letters to his wife, Varina. Also so much more vivid than in any other "Civil War book" are the hundreds of travails and picayune distractions he endured as chief executive of the Confederacy, and his desperate attempts to hold back the invasion of his country from all points. I never before realized how really hopeless the Southern war of independence was, facing what they ultimately had to face.Reading these accounts, unless they have been severely skewed to whitewash Davis, I cannot believe charges that he mismanaged the war or his country.

Davis's authority and resolve grow throughout the course of the book. And his often lengthy letters recreate in vivid detail the context in which he writes. He has a wonderful (for us) habit of recounting all that has occurred that prompted each letter or report or speech, and thus little editorial explanation is really required. Sometimes, however, his accounts of events are almost diffident and self-effacing, and lack true context, as for example in his official report of his tactical decisions at the battle of Buena Vista in the Mexican War. The context, of course, is that it was a splendid victory, and he returned home to Mississippi as a war hero and important national figure. During writings like these, I longed for a more intrusive role from the editor, but Davis's words are left to speak for themselves.

One of Davis's most remarkable attributes is how strikingly different his written communiques are from his speeches. The first are straightforward, almost as functionary as that Mexican War report. His speeches, however, are powerful and full of ringing phrases and colorful metaphors and similes. It is true that Davis studied rhetoric and highly prized the flourishes and style of the classical orator, but we have here before us vivid proof of his extempore style in glorious bloom, filled with clarity and humor. His written prose often sits a bit sullenly on the page.

This selection of writings also makes plain Davis's unapologetic views on slavery and blacks, along with his clear-eyed opinions of states' rights versus federalism, the U.S. Constitution, and the right of secession. Time and again he details ideas that seem shocking to us today: he justifies slavery because blacks can't take care of themselves, or because it exposes them to Christianity. He believed slavery also to be good for whites, because it "elevates" poor Southern whites to work above the menial, and to enjoy an equality with the wealthy. Some of these views seem laughable and antique (if not deplorable) to our 21st Century ears. Some of them even appear apologetic and self-serving. But Davis was no hypocrite; further, his writings (and the writings elsewhere of many others) point up how contemporary Northerners (excluding, officially, abolitionists) felt complete distain for blacks. He also notes the shocking scenes of extreme white poverty he saw in Northern cities, and the sweat-shop conditions of working whites in Northern factories, virtually slavery. Davis's point to Northern moralizing was simple: Put your own house in order before condemning and trammeling on the institutions of others.

Most dramatically, Davis comes across not as a secessionist. His closest equivalent today would be the "strict constructionist" judges and politicians who believe the U.S. Constitution meant exactly what it said. And what it said was, slavery is legal, the states are voluntary members of a voluntary union, and people have a right to their property (even if that property is another human). Davis condemned Northern-sponsored restrictions on the rights of slave-owners to migrate with their slaves to the western territories. Others could bring their property with them to these new lands, presumably held in common by every American; why not slave holders? Davis saw Northern agitators, attacking legal institutions which Southerners had inherited, as the true instigators of disunion. Throughout the war, he insists again and again, the Yankees had usurped the true American nation, forcing out Southerners now intent on recreating the original vision of the Founding Fathers.

Depending on your point of view, Davis either was out of step with the times, or a man refusing to yield on a point of principle. In reality, he straddled a critical transition between the old ways and the new. Like standing over an earthquake fissure, he had to jump one way or the other. He and his countrymen jumped firmly on the side of the old, and the South went down in flames. But Davis never went down. He was unreconstructed to the end, the original father and symbol of the Southern cause. Who knows ... he may have hated the role. But he played it out perfectly to the end.

excellent, gripping, comprehensive
Jefferson Davis remains a dark, remote Civil War figure, hardly as romantic as Lincoln or as inspiring as Lee.

What William C. Davis has done is to make both the man and the forces that gave him fire and light more immediate and tangible.

Weaving through the myriad controversiesand struggles of the pre-Civil War, Civil War and post war years, theauthor somehow manages to explain endless geographical, political andsocietal issues without ever losing sight of Davis' central role inthem.

A dense but vastly entertaining book that even readers who are notinterested in the Civil War would find fascinating.

Fascinating version of Jeff Davis and the Confederacy.
Really enjoyed listening to this book, especially the themes in which Jeff Davis' strengths and flaws were carry on throughout his entire adult life.The last few tapes are outstanding on how the confederacy got reduced to awell guarded 3 mile wagon train.

superb work by a master historical author.
William C. Davis has written THE biography of Jefferson Davis. The book not only reads as easily as a novel, it also has been meticulously researched. Keep your eye on this Davis. He is fast becoming one of America's best popular historian. ... Read more