The Presidents: A Reference History

by Robert H. Ferrell, Hoff, Henry F. Graff

Book Overview

An essential resource all American History buffsThis monumental work offers a comprehensive narrative history of the American presidency from the institution of the office in 1789 to the election of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684312263
• ISBN13: 9780684312262
• Release Date: August 2002
• Publisher: Charles Scribner's Sons
• Length: 880 Pages
• Weight: 4.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 8.7" x 11.3"

Customer Reviews

Hail to the chief

'The Presidents', edited by Henry F. Graff, is a spectacular reference. There are essays on each of the presidents from George Washington to Bill Clinton (with a few exceptions), as well as handy reference pages at the back with quick snapshots of crucial data. The essays are roughly 20 pages per figure, more for some and less for others (it is ironic that Teddy Roosevelt has more pages than Franklin Roosevelt, or that both Richard Nixon and George Bush the elder have more pages than Abraham Lincoln, but then, quality is not a simple calculation of page numbers). Some presidents are paired for purposes of the essays - William Henry Harrison and John Tyler, Zachary Taylor and Millard Fillmore, James Garfield and Chester Arthur are each paired, as the length of time in office for each of the former figures in the pairs is rather brief, and none of the successors from the vice presidency went on to second terms. The essays include very brief overviews of the time before office, as well as time after the presidency (as appropriate). However, the primary focus of the information is on the policies and events during the time of the presidency; this extends to military, diplomatic, administrative, legislative and judicial matters. This is one of the best one-volume references that includes cabinet members and other leaders of the executive branch in addition to the presidents; one has but to read headlines today to realise how important these figures can be in shaping the overall image and direction of a presidency. There is also a concluding essay on role of the first lady, from Martha Washington to Hillary Clinton. From Dolley Madison's saving the portrait of Washington as the British burned the city to the extraordinary influence of figures such as Edith Galt Wilson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Nancy Reagan and Hillary Clinton, these women are deserving of attention for their work and influence. Perhaps the most handy feature is Appendix B, the summary tables of data on the presidents. These feature in bullet form key biographical data, election returns, major appointments, political composition of Congress, Cabinet and Supreme Court appointments, and key events arranged chronologically. The index is also very well done; at 64 pages in length, I was hard pressed to find something in the text not referenced in the index. The essays vary in quality, but even the least of them is pretty good. The essays on the earlier presidents, because they concentrate more on details of in-office activity, filled in many gaps in my knowledge of some of the administrations. This is a book destined to be more of a library volume than a personal possession, which is unfortunate, as this is a valuable text.

Superb reference work.

This book has a short (15-20 pages) biography of each presidentthrough Bill Clinton (remember, it was published in 1996); obviously,it cannot give as full a history as a full, comprehensive biographycould. But for many of the presidents, it is almost impossible to finda full, comprehensive biography, and for those interested in thosepresidents, this work is invaluable. Also, each chapter has anexhaustive bibliography, so those interested in learning more are giventhe names of books, many of them out of print, to look for.A must for any presidential history buff.

A Superb Reference

This is one of the best one-volume references on the American presidents I have come across. While some general biographical material is provided, such as how each man spent his formative years, each section is mostly devoted to an over-the-shoulder look at the key figures of his administration, with benefit of historical hindsight, as they grapple with the issues and problems of the time. Particular attention is paid to distinctive qualities that set each president apart from his peers and to key decisions and actions that made a lasting difference to the country. This is more than a mere presentation of facts: we get a definite feel for each man's style of leadership and even his vision for the nation.With each section written by a different contributor, there is bound to be some unevenness of style and tone, and there is. Generally, each presentation is scholarly and disinterested--although by no means dry--and free from excessive praise or condemnation, but for two exceptions that somewhat detract from the work. The most egregious of these is the section on Franklin Pierce, which is filled with personal gibes and, to a much lesser degree, the section on Calvin Coolidge. This is particularly surprising in light of the fact that such controversial figures as Andrew Johnson, Warren G. Harding and even Richard Nixon have been handled so professionally. But otherwise there is little to fault.With only 15 to 20 pages devoted to each administration, obviously many difficult decisions had to be made on what material to include and exclude. Yet, it is the insight that went into these decisions that is one of the high points of this book; indeed, there is more than enough material to satisy most history buffs. However, those looking for obscure facts or trivia about each man, except when such details are directly relevant to the central issues of the time, are best advised to consult full-length biographies. Extensive references, including a list of such biographies, have been provided at the end of each section.

Excellent Research Book

This book is an excellent source for presidential research. As an AP American History student, this book is an INVALUABLE resource. It discusses all of the major events of the presidency with some detail. This saves a lot of secondary research which can delay completion of a project for days.

A very good book, yet not for everybody

This book is not for people who want to learn interesting facts about the presidents. At times the book focuses more on the president's cabinet than on himself. However, this does accuratly describe how certain presidents controlled the country. There are chapters for each president. Each essay is very knowlegdable as each essay is written by an expert on that particular president. The terms are very detailed. This book does, however, seem to exclude much of the effects of the presidents decisions. The essays at times are overly complex. But in general the author describes himself well. Each author seems to be unbiased and is quick to reveal short-comings of his particular president. The readability seems to increase with the number of president. Starting with Wilson the essays are great. Notable essays include Wilson's, Harding's, and L. Johnson's. Overall this book is great. But, this book is NOT for everybody. It requires great interest a! nd an active mind. But, it is worth it.