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Measures of greatness
REVIEWS BY HOWARD SHIRLEY Good things come in small packages, someone once said, and the American Presidents series from Times Books supports the claim. Created to be "compact enough for the busy reader, lucid enough for the student, authoritative enough for the scholar," this series of short presidential biographies offers a treasure trove for history buffs in general and fans of American politics and presidents in particular. Adding to the interest is the fact that the series pairs presidents with noted authors—from historians to journalists and political figures—thereby gaining unique insights into the presidency and those who have graced (or sullied) the Oval Office. Throughout the series (which now has 14 volumes in print) a dominant question emerges: what makes a president great? Three of the latest books in the series offer interesting answers through their portraits of three very different men to whom history, rightly or wrongly, has assigned its own judgments: that of nearly-great, disgraced and, lastly, exalted. Who is James Polk?
By John Seigenthaler Times Books, $20 192 pages, ISBN 0805069429
Scandal in the White House
By John Dean Times Books, $20 208 pages, ISBN 0805069569
Beyond the myth
By Roy Jenkins Times Books, $20 192 pages, ISBN 0805069593
Howard Shirley is a writer in Nashville.
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James K. Polk deals with one of the most unique men in American political history: a president
who deliberately chose to serve a single term. Written by fellow Tennessean and longtime journalist John Seigenthaler,
this book examines the world that formed Polk's character and shows how he faced issues, or—in the case
of slavery—avoided them. Seigenthaler traces Polk's growth into a fiercely partisan Democrat and protégé of
Andrew Jackson, an allegiance which produced his surprise selection as the Democratic "dark horse" candidate of 1844.
Polk's candidacy had led his Whig opponents to ask the satirical question, "Who is James Polk?" Seigenthaler offers an
excellent answer, with insights into Polk's beliefs, administrative style and the strengths and flaws that led to his
successes, yet diminished his reputation in history. (One fascinating element is the comparison of Polk's handling of a
controversial, yet successful, war, to the issues facing our current political leadership.) Contrasting personality with
actions and the judgments of contemporaries with the results of history, Seigenthaler crafts a compelling argument for
greatness in a man often overlooked by history.
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John Dean, who served as Nixon's counsel during the Watergate era, takes a look at another president with a troubled
reputation in Warren G. Harding. No stranger to controversy and condemnation in a
chief executive, Dean considers the legacy of scandal associated with Harding and winds up with a convincing redemptive
portrait. Tainted in history (and after his death in office) by the subsequent exposure of the infamous Teapot Dome
scandal, Harding is often pilloried as leading "the most corrupt administration in American history." Accused of
complicity, laziness and lack of intellect, Harding has for many years served as a prime example of an administration
gone wrong. Yet Dean places the realities of Harding's actions and decisions under a microscope and argues that the label
is largely myth. The result is an eye-opening examination of just how popular misconceptions can falsely darken the legacy
of able men. Dean's book provides an informative look at a relatively forgotten time in American history and may well
change your view of Harding and his presidency.
Finally, the last book in the trio deals with a man for whom the myth approaches
glory: Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Few presidents have undergone more biographical
treatment than FDR, but series general editor Arthur Schlesinger Jr. sought a somewhat different view. To give this
book a freshness for American readers, British biographer, Labour politician and peer of the realm Roy Jenkins (Lord
Jenkins of Hillhead) was chosen to profile FDR. Jenkins offers an interesting outsider's assessment of both Roosevelt
and the American state he led and indelibly changed. Jenkins skillfully explores the "American aristocracy" that
produced the young Franklin Roosevelt and shows how his relationships within that social structure (and the example
of his illustrious distant cousin, Theodore) influenced his character. The book reveals FDR in his remarkable political
achievements and his equally stunning missteps, examining how these contributed to his development into the pre-eminent
world leader in World War II—and resulted in making the United States the dominant force in world affairs, a role
it retains today.