AMERICAN PRESIDENTS IN WORLD HISTORY (5 VOL. SET)

From the moment George Washington assumed the presidency, the world watched, and in the aftermath of the Cold War, the U.S. president has been considered the most powerful leader on Earth. This innovative new series looks at the American presidents from a global perspective. Written at the 6th- through 8th-grade reading level, entries feature biographical information and a narrative explanation of the major world events with which American presidents have grappled.

Now more than ever, the nations of the world are part of one community. Modern transportation, communication, and economic interdependence mean that every country is connected to the others. George W. Bush's War on Terrorism is a global effort, and America's dealings with the Middle East are felt throughout the world. The president of the United States has never simply been a national figure. Lincoln's decision to suppress the South in 1861 not only affected the economic markets of Europe, but also ultimately changed the way the world thought of about slavery and democracy. Would Hitler have won without FDR leading America into war? What if Truman hadn't dropped the bomb? From the moment George Washington assumed the presidency, the world watched, and in the aftermath of the Cold War, the U.S. president has been considered the most powerful leader on Earth. This innovative new set looks at the American presidents from a global perspective. Arranged chronologically from Washington to G. W. Bush, entries feature biographical information and a narrative explanation of major world events that American presidents have grappled with.

Included are:

• Details of the event

• The president's views of the event

• Policies and responses to the event

• The results of the event

• Interpretations of U.S. involvement.

Volume 1: George Washington to Martin Van Buren

Volume 2: William Henry Harrison to Abraham Lincoln

Volume 3: Andrew Johnson to William H. Taft

Volume 4: Woodrow Wilson to John F. Kennedy

Volume 5: Lyndon B. Johnson to George W. Bush

Set Features:

• 720 pages in 5 volumes

• 7 x 10

• 2-color interior

• 250 Photographs

• Sidebars and Fact boxes

• Glossary

• Pronunciation key

• Source list (books, Web sites, etc.)

• Primary source references

• Index

Curriculum Themes:

• Biographies of U.S. Presidents

• Significant contributions to United States history

• Influence on world events during their presidency

• Impact on global conflicts

Reading Level: 6th-8th Grade

Grade 6-9-Each chronological entry is introduced with a "Fact File" and discusses the man's childhood, rise in the political arena, events and policies during his presidency, the legacies of those policies, and return to civilian life. The profiles vary in length, but each one is straightforward and gives a clear picture of the president's term of office. Sidebars include "Famous Figures" and other pertinent information on amendments, treaties, and events. Wide margins, plenty of white space, and blue highlights make for an overall pleasing design and easy reading. Each volume includes average-quality, captioned black-and-white photographs and reproductions and occasional political cartoons, maps, and charts. This set will be an excellent reference for students looking to go beyond the information provided in resources such as Ann Bausum's Our Country's Presidents (National Geographic, 2001).
Tina Hudak, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Riverdale Park, MD
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Arranged chronologically from George Washington to George W. Bush, this set for grades five and up proffers a unique view of U.S and world history. Instead of the usual biography or administration highlights, it examines each president's actions and policies from a global perspective.

Entries average 13 pages in length. For each entry, a fact file covers date and place of birth, political party, vice president(s) and secretary(ies) of state during his term(s), years as president, and date of death (where applicable). The narrative section begins with biographical background on each man and his election to the presidency. The easy-to-follow text then proceeds to discuss the foreign relations challenges he faced and his role as a leader. Light is shed on often dense, seldom explained treaties and diplomatic maneuvers, considering world history as it affected U.S. decision making. The entry for George W. Bush ends with the possibility of war in Iraq.

Sidebars provide additional information on the presidents and other important figures as well as issues and events in the U.S and elsewhere. Each volume includes a glossary, bibliography, and index. Definitions for terms and phrases are also found in parentheses within the text. The short bibliographies list both books and Web sites. Many of the books are university press titles, which will not serve as further readings for the intended audience. Illustrations are in black and white.

With its unique emphasis on foreign relations, American Presidents in World History is a wonderful supplement to reference sources such as UXL's The Complete American Presidents Sourcebook (2001) and Grolier's The Presidents (1996) as well as U.S. history textbooks for grades five and up. Recommended for school and public libraries. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved