Presidential Inaugurations - Hardcover

Boller Jr., Paul F.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 015100546X ISBN 13: 9780151005468

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2001

Synopsis

Paul Boller's hugely admired anecdotal histories have consistently shown us new aspects and undiscovered sides to the lives of presidents and those around them. Presidential Inaugurations is no exception, as it illuminates the new life of the president from the moment he is elected to the moment he takes office.

As might be expected from the most knowledgeable observer of American presidents, every chapter brings fresh delights that range from the sublime to, inevitably, the ridiculous. Boller accompanies Lincoln on his mysterious first entrance into Washington and renders the poignancy of FDR's last inauguration. There is the surprising appearance of Tallulah Bankhead at Truman's inauguration and the charming report on Eisenhower's 1953 inaugural by Jacqueline Bouvier.

Highlighting inaugural moments from 1789 to 2001, Presidential Inaugurations presents the United States displaying its pride, its passions, and its prejudices as it greets a new leader.

About this title

About the Author

Paul F. Boller, Jr., is Professor Emeritus at Texas Christian University. Among his fifteen published books are the bestselling Presidential Anecdotes, Presidential Campaigns, and Presidential Wives. All three books were selected by the Book-of-the-Month Club. He lives in Fort Worth, Texas.

From Library Journal

Boller Jr. (Presidential Anecdotes, Presidential Campaigns) here examines the events and controversies surrounding Presidential inaugurations. While some critics see Boller's work in general as "Presidency-lite," he is to be applauded for bringing to a general audience an engaging and entertaining work that is accessible to the public at large. Written with elegance and wit, this is a wonderful addition to the very thin literature available on Presidential inaugurations and is thus a valuable contribution to the field. Examining many of the human-interest stories behind the inaugural ceremony, Boller looks at how the President-elect got to Washington, DC, the often inclement weather, the inaugural addresses (most of which are quite forgettable), the swearing-in ceremony, the evolution of the parade and balls, and a host of other interesting aspects of this oft-neglected national spectacle. This fine book will be of wide interest to the attentive public. Michael A. Genovese, Loyola Marymount Univ., Los Angeles
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 015100546X
• ISBN 13: 9780151005468
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 320