Hayes is one of the most opaque men to serve as chief executive, and Trefousse does better than most in piercing that blank facade. Chester Arthur: Chester Alan Arthur, by Zachary Karabell Chester Arthur is no one’s favorite president, and yet he managed one notable achievement in his 3+ years in office after taking over for Garfield: the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act. He negotiated an armistice in the Korean War only six months after taking office. Howlin' Wolf He earned widespread praise for Death of a Salesman, which opened on Broadway in 1949 and won the Pulitzer Prize along with multiple Tonys. [3] The unamended Constitution mandated that a president would serve for four years. However, President Washington set a precedent of only serving two terms which was followed until November 5, 1940, when Franklin Roosevelt was elected for a third term. , , Henry F. Graff The war overshadowed Wilson’s progressive legislative achievements, which were substantial—and Cooper makes a sound argument that Wilson’s policies weren’t that different from what a 3rd Roosevelt term might have looked like. The phantom of his life has caught up with him. Meacham’s sober finds in Bush senior a very good man who always did his best, and who did in fact achieve quite a bit while in office. Uses a variety of comtemporary materials to describe and illustrate the political and personal lives of United States presidents from Rutherford Hayes to Grover Cleveland. Chester A. Arthur: Men May Die But the Fabrics of Free ... One of our greatest presidents deserves one of the greatest biographies ever written, and Smith comes through with his epic, well-written, and impeccably researched 2007 book. The Presidencies of James A. Garfield & Chester A. Arthur His "hidden hand" eventually helped push Senator Joseph R. McCarthy out of the national spotlight, but Eisenhower's unwillingness to confront McCarthy directly allowed the senator to continue to abuse his power and sully the reputations of those he wrongfully accused. Theodore Roosevelt is one of the most famous presidents of all time, and everyone is probably familiar with the high points of his story—his frail, sickly youth, his aggressively physical adulthood, his adventures with the Rough Riders, etc. The Presidential Oath of Office - Our White House ... Meticulously researched, epic in scope, and pulsating with an intimate human focus and high-velocity narrative drive, The Destiny of the Republic brings alive a forgotten chapter of U.S. history. No one is reported in this play. This was all the more remarkable considering that Arthur was known as a shady machine politician when he took office. Despite a lengthy military career and a second chapter that culminated in becoming president, Taylor isn’t a particularly interesting personality; by all accounts he was just a guy, you know? The film courted controversy from Jewish organizations and Fénelon herself for its casting of Vanessa Redgrave, who had criticized Zionism and supported Palestinian organizations. Morris’ fantastic biography digs into Nixon, the man, who is essential to understanding Nixon, the president. Only one, the master of all--Thomas Jefferson--surpassed him. A poll of prominent historians in 1962 placed Eisenhower 22nd among Presidents, a barely average chief executive who was as successful as Chester A. Arthur and a notch better than Andrew Johnson. President An author of nearly 100 books, Arthur C. Clarke’s imagination and insight influenced modern science via works such as his classic '2001: A Space Odyssey. Daniel's existence was unknown to most of the public until after Miller's death. Playwright Arthur Miller attended the University of Michigan before moving back East to write dramas for the stage. The contempt ruling was overturned two years later. In 1962, Miller married Austrian-born photographer Inge Morath. This makes him one of three presidents who served in 1881, the only time three people held office in the same year—Hayes left office in March and Arthur took over when Garfield died in September. The main thing people remember about Taft, our 27th President, is that he was so fat he once got stuck in a tub in the White House—which is a shame since the story is fake news. Baime’s new biography finally gives Truman the attention he deserves. , Meacham’s Pulitzer Prize-winning biography is far and away the best book about Jackson’s life ever written. Charles W. Calhoun Miller barely wrote during their marriage, except for penning the screenplay of The Misfits as a gift for Monroe. Few Presidents have ever equaled Chester Alan Arthur in social and culinary style. The scion of a political dynasty ushers in the era of big government Politics was in Benjamin Harrison's blood. Miller was born in Harlem, New York, on October 17, 1915, to an immigrant family of Polish and Jewish descent. Most often remembered as a member of the two father-son president duos (the others being George H. W. and George W. Bush), John Quincy Adams is often something of a cipher. Traces the life of the young lawyer who rose up through New York's political machine to become the twenty-first president of the United States. In this inspiring book, Meacham reassures us, “The good news is that we have come through such darkness before”—as, time and again, Lincoln’s better angels have found a way to prevail. Arthur Miller He hoped for détente with the Soviet Union but instead left to his successor an intensified Cold War. Reagan remains a divisive figure in the increasingly polarized political climate of the U.S., and past biographers have found him to be an opaque figure—a man so used to being on camera and under scrutiny that his true self was difficult to pinpoint. He insisted that he would not spend one penny less than was necessary to maintain national security—nor one penny more. Garrow’s biography is energetic and finds the truth in-between—Obama’s own writing, it contends, is certainly shaped by Obama’s political ambitions to present our 44th president in a certain way—but this is far from an anti-Obama screed. As literally as Mr. Miller can say it, dust returns to dust. Zachary Taylor: Zachary Taylor: Soldier, Planter, Statesman of the Old Southwest, by K. Jack Bauer The result is a remarkably well-balanced look at Jefferson, shading in both his virtues (no one doubts he was a genius, or that he had firm principles he was prepared to fight for) and his deficits (conversely, no one likewise doubts he held a grudge like no other). His 1953 play, the Tony Award-winning The Crucible, a dramatization of the Salem witch trials of 1692 and an allegory about McCarthyism, was believed to be one of the reasons why Miller came under the committee's scrutiny. Michael F. Holt His best-known plays include 'All My Sons,' 'The Crucible' and the Pulitzer Prize-winning 'Death of a Salesman.'. 99 Fun Facts about U.S. Presidents | FactRetriever.com Ohio University, © Copyright 2021. Although Eisenhower now gets credit he deserves for preserving peace and prosperity, historians have not overlooked the limit of his achievements. In this sweepingly ambitious volume, the nation’s foremost experts on the American presidency and the U.S. Constitution join together to tell the intertwined stories of how each American president has confronted and shaped the ... Despite his crucial role in the revolution, for a long time many regarded Adams simply as the guy who took over when Washington stepped aside—as an extension of the first president’s guiding hand. Franklin Delano Roosevelt: FDR, by Jean Edward Smith Sean Wilentz. Miller's plays have become American classics that continue to speak to new generations of audiences. " In this biography of the tenth president, Edward P. Crapol challenges depictions of Tyler as a die-hard advocate of states' rights, limited government, and a strict interpretation of the Constitution. That doesn’t mean he’s not critical of Trump—and often. Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. His 1944 Broadway debut, The Man Who Had All the Luck, garnered a fate that was the antithesis of its title, closing after just four performances with a stack of woeful reviews. Previously closed records that started to become available at the Eisenhower Library in Abilene, Kansas, in the 1970s revealed that the President had thoughtful views about most major issues and frequently took an active role in discussing them with the cabinet or at meetings of the National Security Council. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. 1881-1885. What is certain is that Grant is as fascinating a character as Hamilton—a man who went from a personal and professional nadir in 1861 to being in charge of the Union armies by 1864, and President of the United States by 1868—only to preside over one of the most corrupt administrations of all time. Some might suggest Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Team of Rivals as the best Lincoln book, and we wouldn’t argue—but Team of Rivals isn’t a biography. In John Pafford’s absorbing study, you’ll learn: Why the wounded President Garfield’s incapacity sent Vice President Arthur and the U.S. government into uncharted constitutional waters Why a president who owed his career to the ... Millard’s classic biography is more like a work of historical fiction than a biography, but that’s what makes it work so well, especially for a president who served six months before being assassinated—and who would have survived the attempt had his doctor’s sterilized their hands and instruments or been monumentally incompetent in general. This is the first single volume to focus on the presidencies of both James A. Garfield and Chester A. Arthur. The play, directed by Elia Kazan, opened on February 10, 1949, at the Morosco Theatre, and was adored by nearly everyone, becoming an iconic stage work. 1 in the world. You can view Barnes & Noble’s Privacy Policy, American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson, The Last Founding Father: James Monroe and a Nation's Call to Greatness, John Quincy Adams: A Public Life, A Private Life, American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House, Martin Van Buren: The American Presidents Series: The 8th President, 1837-1841, Mr. Jefferson's Hammer: William Henry Harrison and the Origins of American Indian Policy, Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America, Zachary Taylor: Soldier, Planter, Statesman of the Old Southwest, Millard Fillmore: Biography Of A President, Franklin Pierce (American Presidents Series), Rutherford B. Hayes: The American Presidents Series: The 19th President, 1877-1881, Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President, Chester Alan Arthur (American Presidents Series), Grover Cleveland (American Presidents Series), Benjamin Harrison (American Presidents Series), William McKinley and His America: Second Edition, Theodore Roosevelt Trilogy Bundle: The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt / Theodore Rex / and Colonel Roosevelt, William Howard Taft: The American Presidents Series: The 27th President, 1909-1913, Warren G. Harding (American Presidents Series), Herbert Hoover (American Presidents Series), The Accidental President: Harry S. Truman and the Four Months That Changed the World, An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917 - 1963, Master of the Senate: The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Volume 3, Richard Milhous Nixon: The Rise of an American Politician, Gerald R. Ford (American Presidents Series), Jimmy Carter (American Presidents Series), Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush, First In His Class: A Biography Of Bill Clinton, Trump Revealed: The Definitive Biography of the 45th President. , While Smith is not shy about criticizing Bush in this fantastic biography—even ending with an open question regarding Bush Jr.’s status as Worst President Ever (although who knows, that slot may be filled by a new name soon enough)—there is plenty of acknowledgment that Bush sometimes did the right thing, and sometimes showed a canny talent for the job he won twice. While McCullough has been accused of being partial to Adams and showing him in the best possible light at all times (an accusation that’s certainly true to some extent), this prejudice actually helps the book when combined with McCullough’s natural novelistic style, resulting in a work that has done much to elevate Adams to his rightful place in the hierarchy of leaders. He also wrote the 1980 TV movie Playing for Time and an adaptation for the theater. He was 89 years old. He was James Garfield's vice president. Taft remains the only person to ever be president and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, which makes him one of the most interesting historical figures of all time even if his administration usually gets middling marks, and Rosen’s brisk biography does a great job of humanizing the man while reminding us of his very real achievements. In his later career, Miller continued to explore societal and personal issues that probed the American psyche, though critical and commercial responses to the work didn't garner the acclaim of his earlier productions. Barack Obama: Rising Star: The Making of Barack Obama, by David Garrow Whatever your opinion of Clinton the man, you can’t deny he was one of the best politicians of the late 20th century, and this book gets down to why that was the case in readable, entertaining prose. President Chester Alan Arthur is one of America's most obscure presidents. Biographical information on Chester A. Arthur, with an assessment of his accomplishments and legacy as a president. Includes images, teaching resources, and links to other sites. Miller responded to his critics by saying: ''The play is a work of fiction. Chernow is poised to do for Grant what he did for Alexander Hamilton, though it remains to be seen if a hip hop-infused Broadway musical will be made from this new book. He added the phrase when he was sworn into office on September 22, 1881, after the death of President Garfield. Ellis’ genius move here is to write a biography that’s more of a psychological analysis than a life story. Smith’s focus on Eisenhower’s military career might seem at first a mistake, but the fact is Ike’s presidency was an extension of his military career despite his clear understanding of the necessary division between the military and the civilian government. Few presidents were so clearly driven by psychological factors as Nixon, a man who always felt slighted, persecuted, and disrespected. In The Constitutional Legacy of Forgotten Presidents, eminent constitutional scholar Michael Gerhardt tells the stories of thirteen presidents whom most Americans do not remember and scholars think had no constitutional impact, among them ... Vice President Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in quickly following the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901. Serial killer Arthur Shawcross murdered 11 women from 1988 to 1990 in upstate New York, earning the nickname "Genesee River Killer.". , James Buchanan: President James Buchanan: A Biography, by Philip Shriver Klein , He is through. He did take actions to end racial segregation, but he was unwilling to use his moral authority as President to advance the most important movement for social justice of the 20th century. Accidental Presidents shows that “history unfolds in death as well as in life” (The Wall Street Journal) and adds immeasurably to our understanding of the power and limits of the American presidency in critical times. Dwight D. Eisenhower's reputation among historians has changed dramatically in the last five decades. In many ways, Buchanan’s presidency was doomed from the start; the question of who could possibly have steered the country away from the Civil War in 1857 has very, very few answers. Douglas Brinkley Calhoun, however, manages to make his biography of Harrison interesting by arguing that Harrison is actually responsible for setting in motion the evolution of modern presidency—that he was actually the first activist president, and his busy administration was a key moment of evolution from the less powerful and more isolated 19th century-style presidents into the modern conception of the office. In 2002, Miller's third wife, Morath, died. That Calhoun is very convincing in this argument makes this a necessary read for any presidential scholar. Harding is a frequent candidate for the worst president of all time, a man whose administration was plagued by scandal and whose policies set the country on a downward spiral. , Death of a Salesman has had numerous screen adaptations, including a 1985 TV version that starred Dustin Hoffman, who also starred in the previous year's Broadway revival. For the story of Harrison, however, this is everything—especially considering he died after just a month in office. Chester A. Arthur was the 21st president of the United States. , Lyndon Johnson: The Years of Lyndon Johnson, by Robert Caro A few years later he condensed those nearly 2,000 pages into this much more streamlined book, adding in maps and illustrations and making the text more readable. , Our first “accidental” president (he ascended when Harrison died in office) had a relatively unremarkable tenure, and this short biography is suitably clean and direct. A thorough, illustrated biography discussing the childhood, career, family, and term of Chester A. Arthur, the twenty-first president of the United States. Richard Nixon was elected the 37th President of the United States (1969-1974) after previously serving as a U.S. Representative and a U.S. Baime It’s a fantastic book, providing crucial context on how Polk’s predecessors set up the environment he found himself in when he took office in 1845, a moment in history when the United States was on the cusp of becoming a more modern nation more familiar to today’s readers. The unamended Constitution mandated that a president would serve for four years. Arthur Ashe was the first African American to win the men's singles titles at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, and the first African American man to be ranked No. Ronald Reagan: Reagan: The Life, by H.W. A poll of prominent historians in 1962 placed Eisenhower 22nd among Presidents, a barely average chief executive who was as successful as Chester A. Arthur and a notch better than Andrew Johnson. This work explores the life and times of Elihu B. Washburne with special focus on his contributions to the politics of the American Civil War, the Franco-German War, and the Paris Commune. Pierce is fascinating because he wasn’t stupid, or ineffective. ©1997-2021 Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Inc. 33 East 17th Street, New York, NY 10003, Submit your email address to receive Barnes & Noble offers & updates. Senator from California. Historians now appreciate that Eisenhower recognized the political advantages of working behind the scenes to deal with controversial issues, using his "hidden hand" to guide policy while allowing subordinates to take any credit—as well as the political heat. Less than a month later, Miller married actress and Hollywood sex symbol Marilyn Monroe, whom he'd first met in 1951 at a Hollywood party. , Shlaes has the economic understanding to offer up a wholehearted defense of a president who generally inspires very little excitement in the modern reader, arguing that Coolidge’s smart economic policies kept the plates spinning much longer than might have otherwise been the case, elevating Coolidge’s reputation several pegs as a result. Roosevelt wasn’t just famous for his personality, though; he’s easily one of the most effective and influential presidents to have ever served, and Morris’ Pulitzer Prize-winning three-volume set is the appropriately deep dive into Roosevelt’s life and political career that you need to read in order to understand not just Roosevelt’s incredible influence on America but the life that shaped him as a man and a politician. Written at the request of President Chester A. Arthur, this stately and dignified composition was intended to replace Hail to the Chief, but the public would never let go of the tradition. If you want to understand how Donald Trump became president (and whether you regard this as a miracle or a disaster), Kranish offers up perhaps the first serious attempt to understand Trump’s life. After the Soviets launched the world's first artificial satellite, Sputnik, on October 4, 1957, Eisenhower resisted panicked public demands for huge increases in military spending since he knew that the nation's defenses remained strong. Few presidents left as little mark on history as Hayes, a man who barely scraped into office through the Compromise of 1877 and whose strong sense of ethics and morality could have been formidable but were instead limiting. He’s remembered today mainly for being the first sitting president to be impeached, but his backstory is 100 percent American: born into extreme poverty, he made his way through life and rose through the ranks due to a combination of hard work and simple loyalty. It is, in fact, perhaps the first truly objective look at Obama’s life and administration. A proponent of small government, he tried to stick to his philosophical guns during one of the first major economic crises of the young nation, and for a long time, that was his legacy. Previously the 20th vice president, he succeeded to the presidency upon the death of President James A. Garfield in September 1881, two months after Garfield was shot by an assassin. Eisenhower also did not adopt policies that jeopardized the strong economic growth during the 1950s, and he made decisions that stimulated the economy, such as supporting the construction of the Interstate Highway System. Author Norman Mailer called their marriage the union of "the Great American Brain" and "the Great American Body.". Zelizer reminds the reader of Carter’s achievements, especially the SALT II Treaty and the Camp David Peace Accords, while noting that in some ways Carter was in a no-win situation as the economy stagnated, dooming him to the appearance of failure no matter what happened. The amazing thing about Millard Fillmore is that his early political life, in which he navigated the ruthless channels of New York’s political machine and the Whig Party, is one million times more exciting and memorable than his presidency—which, let’s face it, you’ve already forgotten about (or never learned about in the first place). Meacham’s glorious biography of the elder Bush is an inspiring story of a man of wealth and power who sought to serve his country instead of simply enjoying his position in society. Presents the life, career, and accomplishments of the twenty-first president of the United States. While some have accused Unger of being less-than objective in his consistent praise of Monroe, he manages to sketch out the man, tracing his humble origins and showing how a man who wasn’t at the intellectual or charismatic caliber of his predecessors could become one of the most important presidents in history. 1881-1885. Ulysses S. Grant: Grant, by Ron Chernow Ayton also recounts the stories of Secret Service agents and bodyguards from each administration who put their lives in danger to protect the commander in chief. James Monroe: The Last Founding Father, by Harlow Giles Unger Chester Alan Arthur (October 5, 1829 – November 18, 1886) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 21st president of the United States from 1881 to 1885. Chester Arthur is no one’s favorite president, and yet he managed one notable achievement in his 3+ years in office after taking over for Garfield: the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act. Originally from Mississippi, he moved to Chicago in adulthood and became successful, forming a professional rivalry with fellow bluesman Muddy Waters.With a booming voice and imposing physical presence, he is one of the best-known Chicago blues artists. Among Presidents who held office in the last 75 years, he ranked behind only Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman. Senator from California. As the title implies, Truman is still regarded by many as an “accidental” president who was a safe, boring choice for the vice presidency and who was never supposed to be president himself. He was unable to secure a test-ban treaty, which he hoped would be an important part of his legacy. Expediency in the wake of the assassination of President James Garfield in 1881 forced Vice President Chester Arthur to be sworn in at his own home in New York. At the time of their marriage, he told the press that Monroe would curtail her movie career for the "full-time job" of being his wife. , Chester A. Arthur. This book will teach you how to be better, stronger, faster, and more deadly than the most powerful (and craziest) men in history. You’re welcome. He received more acclaim for his award-winning follow-up, The Crucible, which reflected his unwavering refusal to cooperate with the House Un-American Activities Committee. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. Smith offers a panoramic view of FDR, a man born into wealth and affluence who wound up a champion of the middle class and poor, a president whose efforts to guide the country out of the Depression were failures until World War II came along—and yet a man who is still routinely included in the top five presidents of all time. The project was based on the autobiography of Fania Fénelon, who was a member of an all-women's orchestra that was imprisoned at the Auschwitz death camps during the Holocaust. Contemporaries remembered Eisenhower's frequent golfing and fishing trips and wondered whether he was leaving most of the business of government to White House assistants. Sean Wilentz. This book would be a great addition to many courses in history, sociology, or ethnic studies courses. McKinley is an important president regardless of his achievements simply because his election represented a shift from the post-Civil War political landscape to the Progressive Era. Brinkley doesn’t exactly make a case for Ford, under-appreciated genius, but he does make Ford’s career seem less haphazard in retrospect, noting his close relationship with Nixon that made his status as heir-apparent clear and the vicious political battle Ford fought against the surprise candidacy of Ronald Reagan at the convention in 1976—a battle Ford won.
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