The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents - Hardcover

This is the consummate guide to the political and personal lives of every U. S. president through Bill Clinton. Arranged chronologically, The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents elaborates not only on the major accomplishments and events of their terms, but also on less well-known details such as personalities, careers before the presidency, Supreme Court appointments, hobbies, ethnic backgrounds, and even extramarital affairs. Well-organized and packed with details, the book also includes a bibliography on each executive, including books written by and about them, along with useful and entertaining appendixes on the political composition of every Congress, presidential curiosities (such as the uncanny similarities between the lives and deaths of Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy), and a ranking of presidents. Whether you want to know the opponent of James Monroe in the election of 1816 or read some of Harry S. Truman's more memorable quotes, this is a most complete and thorough reference to each commander in chief.

This work has been updated to include President Reagan's second term and a new entry for George Bush. When the first edition appeared, LJ' s reviewer called it a "ready-reference tool that fleshes out the bare bones of the standard Facts About the Presidents" (LJ 3/1/84). It provides summaries of the subjects' political careers, descriptions of key events and people associated with them, and personality sketches and anecdotes. Academic and public libraries should consider.
- Francine Fialkoff, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.