Marching Ahead to Zachary Taylor
My first encounter with Zachary Taylor came when I discovered a historical marker by the side of the road indicating …
Tag Archives: biographies
The Best Biographies of James Polk
Historians generally regard James Polk as one of the “near-great” presidents, ranking him just behind Eisenhower, Truman and Polk’s mentor …
Review of “James K. Polk and the Expansionist Impulse” by Sam Haynes
“James K. Polk and the Expansionist Impulse” is Sam Haynes’s 1996 biography of our eleventh president. He is also the …
Review of “Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America” by Walter Borneman
“Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America” is the fifth of ten books by historian and lawyer (and …
Review of “A Country of Vast Designs: James K. Polk” by Robert Merry
“A Country of Vast Designs: James K. Polk, the Mexican War, and the Conquest of the American Continent” is Robert …
The Best Biographies of John Tyler
[Updated 8/2020] John Tyler is generally considered one of the “least effective” presidents in our history. So it was with …
Review of “John Tyler” by Gary May
“John Tyler” by Gary May was published in 2008 and is the youngest of my three biographies of Tyler. May …
Review of “John Tyler: The Accidental President” by Edward Crapol
“John Tyler: The Accidental President” was published in 2006 and is Edward Crapol’s third book. Crapol is a retired Professor …
It’s the One-Year Anniversary Post! (Part 2)
For this second installment of my special One-Year Anniversary post, I promised some insight into who is visiting this site …
It’s the One-Year Anniversary Post! (Part 1)
It’s hard to believe I’ve been on this Best Presidential Biography journey for an entire year*. For reasons I can’t …
Review of “John Tyler: Champion of the Old South” by Oliver Chitwood
“John Tyler: Champion of the Old South” is Oliver Chitwood’s 1939 biography of our tenth president. Born during the Ulysses …
The Best Biographies of William Henry Harrison
True for many of the first nine presidents, William Henry Harrison was far more interesting than I expected. Born into …
Review of “Mr. Jefferson’s Hammer: William Henry Harrison” by Robert Owens
“Mr. Jefferson’s Hammer: William Henry Harrison and the Origins of American Indian Policy” was authored by Robert Owens and published …
Review of “Old Tippecanoe” by Freeman Cleaves
“Old Tippecanoe: William Henry Harrison and His Time” by Freeman Cleaves was published in 1939 and remains the “go to” …
The Best Biographies of Martin Van Buren
The young Martin Van Buren, it turns out, was a superb politician. Not a charismatic or socially instinctive soul, he …
My Journey Through the Best Presidential Biographies 