Andrew Johnson: A Biography by Hans L. Trefousse

Posted on July 13, 2009 by Bob Timmermann

President #17, C-SPAN Historians’ ranking #41 You Cannot Stop Reading This Unless You Have Prior Approval of the U.S. Senate Andrew Johnson’s story could have been one of the most inspiring in American history. Here was a man born in to extreme poverty, with no formal education at all, and, through very hard work and [...]

Filed under: Reconstruction Presidents | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments »

Calvin Coolidge by David Greenberg

Posted on May 17, 2009 by Bob Timmermann

President #30, C-SPAN Historians Ranking #26 The chief business of this blog is business Calvin Coolidge assumed the Presidency in 1923 as something of a cipher. But, by the time he left office in 1929, he was one of the most popular men in America. And, very quickly, that popularity vanished with the onset of [...]

Filed under: Roaring 20s Presidents | Tagged: , , , , | 9 Comments »

Thomas Jefferson by Joyce Appleby

Posted on May 7, 2009 by Bob Timmermann

President #3, C-SPAN Historians ranking #7 Embargo! O grab me! In this biography of the Third President, UCLA professor Joyce Appleby begins the seventh chapter of the book with this sentence: “Americans’ most pressing history assignment is coming to terms with Thomas Jefferson.” And speaking as someone who was taught by Professor Appleby at UCLA, [...]

Filed under: Early Republic Presidents, Mount Rushmore Presidents | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments »

John Adams by John Patrick Diggins

Posted on April 2, 2009 by Bob Timmermann

President #2, C-SPAN Historians’ ranking #17 May all your wars be Quasi Wars For most of our lives, John Adams was an historical figure whom people recognized, yet thought little of. We figured he must have been important since he helped write the Declaration of Independence and also became President. But he was no George [...]

Filed under: Early Republic Presidents | Tagged: , , , , , | 6 Comments »

Martin Van Buren by Ted Widmer

Posted on March 10, 2009 by Bob Timmermann

Don’t Panic! President #8, C-SPAN Historians Ranking #31 Martin Van Buren is not a president who inspires people in this day and age. He exists mainly as a name to remember when you’re trying to remember the names of all the presidents. Fortunately, Ted Widmer, a former speechwriter for Bill Clinton, penned a biography of [...]

Filed under: Antebellum presidents | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 13 Comments »

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