Full Text Review(s)

Books in the dependable Presidents and Their Times series introduce our country’s presidents but focus much more on their careers, their politics, and their times than on their personal lives. In each volume, the clearly written text and abundant sidebars provide a good deal of background information that will be helpful to students unfamiliar with the social and political context of the period under discussion. Each book concludes with a time line, notes for quoted passages, a source bibliography, a glossary, and lists of recommended resources. In Grover Cleveland, Otfinoski introduces a hardworking man who was intolerant of corruption and stood firm in his beliefs. James Buchanan emphasizes the president’s handling of the slavery issue and the secession crisis, as his term directly preceded the Civil War. Ronald Reagan describes the man’s personal magnetism and his successes as president, but Marsico also mentions the more controversial aspects of his term. Woodrow Wilson spotlights the earnest, idealistic man who led his country during the pivotal WWI period. The books’ clean page layouts, the quality of the paper, the use of color, and the clear reproduction of illustrations help make this an attractive series as well as a useful one.

*"Everyone agrees that Richard Nixon, 37th president of the United States, was an exceedingly complex man. That’s why it is remarkable that Aronson, in this slim volume, is able to paint so full a picture that readers will come away feeling that they know the man and understand at least some of the forces that shaped him. Beginning with Nixon’s formative years as the child of a strict father and Quaker mother, the narrative moves chronologically, marching through the war years, Nixon’s tenure in Congress and as vice-president, his presidential loss to JFK, the ability to remake himself as a politician, and his years as president. Throughout, Aronson uses quotes and other material to paint an evenhanded picture of someone who could ruthlessly destroy political enemies, yet also have great sympathy for the U.S.’s underclass. (His administration spent more money on social programs than did LBJ’s Great Society.) Helpful insets discuss myriad topics from Nixon’s daughters to excerpts of the Watergate tapes. The typeface is easily read, the photographs are well-chosen, and the back matter includes books and Web sites. All that’s missing is source notes, a real minus for such a fine offering from the Presidents and their Times series." —Ilene Cooper STARRED REVIEW

"Each volume opens with an attention-grabbing paragraph that captures the essence of the man and then follows his life chronologically. Primary-source materials and quotes, helpful insets, and carefully selected photographs and/or reproductions bring history to life and help make these clearly written biographies highly readable. Unfortunately, there are no sources for the quotes. Aronson shows Nixon as a man who could be a ruthless candidate for office, often destroying the reputations of his competitors, but also having great sympathy for America’s poorer citizens. Madison is presented as a physically tiny, quiet, shy man whose great intellectual capacity helped craft the Constitution. His presidency was tumultuous, and his difficulties with leadership and stubborn adherence to his ideas are fairly presented. Roosevelt is characterized as a man of action, personal dynamism, and dedication to addressing corruption. His many accomplishments and failures are evenly handled, and Elish touches on both his personal tragedies and public triumphs. Fillmore is often presented as a lackluster president. However, Gottfried shows him to be an interesting man of his times. He was largely self-educated and during his apprenticeship to a cloth manufacturer he was ill-treated, which made him sensitive to injustices in later life. The tensions of the 1840s and ’50s, which included anti-immigrant sentiments, slavery, and the war with Mexico, are discussed. These books merit more than a cursory reading for reports as they are particularly well balanced and attractively formatted. They are similar to but more accessible than the "Encyclopedia of Presidents" series (Children’s Press)." —Kathryn Kosiorek