Power and the Presidency - Hardcover

Stanley Marcus; Doris Kearns Goodwin; David McCullough; Edmund Morris; David Maraniss; Robert A. Caro; Michael R. Beschloss; Benjamin C. Bradlee

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1891620436 ISBN 13: 9781891620430

Publisher: PublicAffairs, 1999

Synopsis

This sterling collection of original, never-before-published essays on six fascinating contemporary presidents by some of the leading presidential biographers of our time is must reading for anyone interested in American politics, the history of the American presidency, or the lives of the presidents. Each essay—extending and elaborating on lectures originally delivered as part of the Montgomery Lecture Series at Dartmouth University—explores how a particular president came to power, wielded power, and was changed by power, and how each presidency affected the power of the office itself. The presidencies addressed are those of Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Reagan, and Clinton. Published as our nation begins the process of electing the 43rd president, during a time when some believe the independence of the office itself is at stake, Power and the Presidency is a timely and thought-provoking look at the nature of power in American democracy.

About this title

Review:

This little gem of a book offers seven essays by noted presidential biographers, historians, and journalists on the way 20th-century presidents have dealt with power in the Oval Office. The lineup is impressive: David McCullough discusses how the more notable presidents have shaped the presidency; Doris Kearns Goodwin relates Franklin Roosevelt's ability to lead the nation through the Great Depression and World War II; Michael Beschloss contrasts the governing styles of Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy; and Robert Caro covers the intricacies of Lyndon Johnson's political life. Each writer is perfectly suited to the task, filling this brief book with lively anecdotes and information, backed by prodigious research and experience. For example, former Washington Post editor Benjamin Bradlee, who covered Nixon's unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 1960 and oversaw his paper's Watergate coverage as editor a decade later, uses many first-person experiences and conversations to bring Richard Nixon to life. Edmund Morris, author of Dutch, the controversial biography of Ronald Reagan, and David Maraniss, author of a biography of Bill Clinton, both contribute essays on their subjects as only gifted writers with unlimited access could produce. Anyone who is interested in politics, the presidency, or U.S. history will find much to enjoy here. --Linda Killian

About the Author:

Robert A. Wilson has more than twenty-five years of experience in advertising, public relations, graphic design, and film production. Among other projects he has created are Richard Avedon's photography exhibition "In the American West," the PBS documentary "Where the Heart Is," and the book Character Above All: Ten Presidents from FDR to George Bush.

David McCullough, Introduction
Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winner David McCullough is the author of, among other works of history and biography, Truman, The Great Bridge, and Mornings on Horseback.

About this edition

• Publisher: PublicAffairs
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 1891620436
• ISBN 13: 9781891620430
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 162
• Editor: Robert A. Wilson