4 comments about The Conviction of Richard Nixon: The Untold Story of the Frost/Nixon Interviews.

1. This is a fast and entertaining read. Reston writes that people wondered whether David Frost was up to confronting President Nixon about his Watergate deceptions as Frost was seen as something of a charming lightweight. Frost bore down and did his homework and the result was a stunning success for Frost. Richard Nixon during these interviews came as close as he ever would to admitting his role. The book unpacks Nixon's patterns of defensiveness and sheds light on the psychological machinations behind those patterns. While this may seem like material that's been exhausted over the years, the insights are fresh and interesting.
   
   I have one point of disagreement with the author. He says the interviews finished off any change of a Nixon rehabilitation. While it's true that Nixon never again held elected or appointed office, he wrote a number of foreign policy books, visited with world leaders and gave solicited advice to Bill Clinton, among others. Americans love a comeback and Nixon did live to enjoy some measure of restoration. I'm sure this exceeded what even he thought possible.
   
   I watched the interviews in 1977 as I was in my last year of college. This book brings back the intrigue and the drama.



2. James Reston's experiences preparing David Frost for the Watergate segment of his Nixon interviews may have been exciting for the college professor, but his tale is disjointed and badly in need of citations. It appears his manuscript went to print unedited.



3. I returned the book - I didn't want to read it -- I kept the DVD



4. Reston's splendid little book is a behind the scenes tour de force of the Frost-Nixon interviews. Coming into the interview many thought that Frost was not up to the task of breaking down a President that was known for his tenacious survival instincts. After all, Nixon survived crisis after crisis before he came to the Presidency in 1969, and if Frost and his crew had not done their research, this interview could have provided a launching pad for any future Nixon ambitions. Reston recounts how the Frost team combed over tons of Watergate evidence, and newly discovered tapes detailing what the President knew and when he knew it. After reading this book however, the reader is understandably confused as to what drove Nixon to give his final mea culpa. Reston reveals here that this mea culpa was not spontaneous as some would believe, but took place right after a break in the taping. Was the apology really heartfelt after a withering cross examination by Frost, or was this just another cold calculating Nixonian maneuver? Did Nixon intend to do this when he signed up for the interview in the first place? Reston does not reach a conclusion as to what Nixon was thinking at the time, but with any book about Nixon the truth is always a slippery thing indeed.

5 comments about The Lincoln Enigma: The Changing Faces of an American Icon.

1. Attractively produced compilation with highest scholarship.... Boritt directs Lincoln studies at Center,(civil War) Gettysburg site. Has more than 60 pages illustrating portraiture of Lincoln, diverse forms. Mt.Rushmore,& tourist type statues- in NY, Abe greets girl who suggested he grow a beard. An 'abandoned' forlorn 62' statue stands at a closed campground,Charleston,IL. Best source for,trivia/folklore. More of same,short paperback,Gordon Leidner's collection,2001.



2. "Look at me and I'll tell you without blinkin' this southerner prefers Abraham Lincoln"

   goes a rap at the start of this book, and it is aimed at those of like mind, southerner or not.

   A warning - half the book consists of illustrations of Lincolniana so that this is one for the specialist. The Lincoln- seeker should read David Donald's excellent biography before opening this book.

   That said, does this book tell us anything new about Lincoln? The answer is yes, without being final or definitive. I liked particularly the article on Lincoln and the Constitution, showing that he was not the 'dictator' of Copperhead legend, nor the conscious revolutionary of Garry Wills' 'Lincoln at Gettysburg'. However, did his actions not have revolutionary results?

   The article on the Lincoln marriage I felt a bit limited, but also a good corrective to the image of Lincoln the hen-pecked husband trapped in a loveless union. 'Mary, Mary, we are elected!" he cried to his wife on arriving home that great day, showing the essential nature of the partnership between them. However, this essay does not use Mariah Vance's remininscences, though written very much later that the 1850s, which show Mary Todd Lincoln as addicted to paregoric (which contained opium) and subject to alternating fits of drugged lassitiude, and withdrawal-induced sickness. However, even the Vance memoirs (she was the Lincoln's servant) are not entirely negative on Mary Lincoln.

   Other essays cover the Lincoln youth, his fascination with death, his status as war leader and finally his image in American art. The enigma is somewhat clarified but somehow the enigma, and the continuing fascination, remains.




3. The US is so protective of Formosa. Why should China not use the Lincoln example. The solution to an area wanting to secede is to reduce it to rubble cause the death of one million people, civilian and military, declare total war on both the military and civilian population. Once conquered, the cause of the war is to say that Formosa cannot be independent, is that Formosa is no longer a part of China. Install military dictators, take away the vote of most of the citizens and dictate that they must approve certain amendments to the constitution, even though they are not a part of China, before they can re-enter the union. During the conflict shred the constitution, lock up millions without benefit of trial, and close any news outlet that does not agree with the destruction of Formosa. Once the destruction of Formosa is over most certainly the victors write the history and within 100 years or less the current president of China will be considered one of the greatest presidents of China. So it takes Formosa 80 years to recover we will always know how evil they were for wanting to attain self determination.

   Most certainly the Founders of this Republic seceeded from the British Empire. What was the diference?




4. Reread your history, hun. Or at least try thinking about it from a different angle.

   Great book, by the way.




5. What were Lincoln's views on death, afterlife and religion? Did he really have a loveless marriage? Would things have been different if he and Jeff Davis had swapped places?
   
   Speculative thought, and some answers, are to be found in this new volume, along with a wealth of perspective of Lincoln in artwork.
   
   The reason I only four-starred this book is that the body copy of text, before the artwork appendices, is only about 160 pages. This book could have used at least 50, if not 100, pages of additional meat on his bones.
   
   AND, this is LINCOLN! It's not like that would have been that hard to do.

5 comments about A Woman of Egypt.

1. When I bought this bough I had no real idea about the life of a woman in the Moslem world; this book gave me an interesting insight. Furthermore, I think it is a fascinating book by a fascinating woman



2. may be it's too late to read this book (out of print or unavailable edition) but I think it is a excellent book written by a courageous woman. In fact, it's not easy to be a woman and specially a president's husband in some arabic countries. However, I just want to remark that the Tunisian president never refugiated in Egypt, as written in the book.



3. I've never wrote a review before but I thought A Woman of Egypt was so interesting that I couldn't resist. This book gives you an inside look at a lady who was constantly in the public eye in Egypt and wanted to see change. I thought it very courageous some of the things she did and tried to do in Egypt as the first lady. I believe Jehan Sadat spoke from her heart. You will find it hard to put this book down, I know I did! I have resided in Cairo for some years now and I can see what Jehan Sada was trying to do from a different light. Well done Mrs. Sadat!



4. I was living in Saudi Arabia with my husband for several years. Last summer, a German friend of mine gave me this book translated into German. I was completely captivated by the contents of which I knew very little and the interesting way Ms. Sadat wrote about her life. It was definitely a revelation to me how deeply rooted the problems in the Middle East between Egypt and Isreal were already at the time. Whether this my suggestion belongs into this review or not: I wished the book was made more public - I could not find it this past summer anywhere in a bookstore. (Competitive store)only showed the German title. Every American should read the book in order understand the unsurmountable problems between Jews and Arabs in the region to this day.
   As to Madame Sadat: What a courageous, dedicated women she was in a Muslim country, combining her deep faith with her progressive ideas.



5. Jehan Sadat is an extraordinary and courageous woman. I was amazed to read about all of the wonderful programs she created for her country, including cooperatives for women, educational facilities, communities for the disabled, and home communities for orphans. She served tirelessly on local political committees and charitable committees, including Egypt's version of the Red Cross. The fight for women's right to divorce and vote in elections was so important to her that she risked her own family relationships but constantly asking her husband (to his annoyance) to support her agenda until he gave in. Sadat accomplished all these things and much more while raising three children, pursuing a graduate degree in Arabic literature, and supporting her husband, president of Egypt. _A Woman of Egypt_ is not just about Sadat, however; the book discusses Egyptian politics, especially Egypt's relationship to Israel and the US. After reading Sadat's book, I've come to understand the complexities between US-Israel and Arab relations. Sadat is even-handed and fair in assessment of the political situations--she does not condemn her enemies just because they are her enemies. I found her to be an admirable woman and her husband to be an incredible man--the first Muslim leader to actively seek peace with Israel. My favorite line from the book is (paraphrased): They say my husband was ahead of his time, but how can a man who lived only for peace be ahead of his time?

1 comments about Time: Hugh Sidey's Portraits of the Presidents: Power and Personality in the Oval Office.

1. This is a photographic summary of the last several presidents up to Clinton. The selection of photos is good and includes several rare and unique pictures. Hugh Sidey, the author is the expert on presidential history at Time Inc (he writes a weekly column for the magazine) and thus the text is outstanding. Really the only downside to this book is the price - for the sheer size of the book its pricey. Still, if you are a presidential history buff, and particularly interested in photography you will want this book in your library.

5 comments about Martin Van Buren : The Romantic Age of American Politics (Signature Series).

1. This is a very readable and interesting book that deals with the long and highly political life of Martin Van Buren. He comes off very well as a hard-working, fair and moral politician who practically establishes the democratic party as a well-oiled machine for both New York state and the United States. I have now read multiple books about the first eight presidents and he can hold his own with almost all of them so far. Highly recommended.



2. It is hard to tell how a man will do as President based on his experience. Some figures with virtually no political experience became good Presidents, such as Washington and Lincoln; others were failures such as Grant or Hoover. On the other hand, political experience is no guarantee of success: John Quincy Adams and James Buchanan had decent resumes going into office and had miserable presidencies. Martin Van Buren, one of the most politically talented of all Presidents, was not an utter failure, but he didn't shine in office either.

   In Niven's biography, we follow Van Buren from his impoverished roots through his rise in New York state government. Although not perfect, Van Buren had enough political astuteness and the right sort of temperment to help create and lead a party machine and elevate New York's prominence on a national level. Becoming a trusted advisor to Andrew Jackson and a member of his cabinet eventually led to his Vice Presidency and then the Presidency. With a major financial crash occurring right as he got into office, Van Buren was struggling right off the bat, and wound up serving only a single term; nonetheless, in an era of one-term presidents (from 1837 to 1861, no president was re-elected), Van Buren was hardly thrown into ignonimy after his defeat; instead, he remained a powerful member of the Democratic party for the next two decades.

   Niven's biography is generally favorable although he doesn't hide Van Buren's flaws. We learn of a man who was not a great ideologue but was one of the most masterful politicians of his era, holding his own with the often more prominent figures such as Jackson, Calhoun, Clay and Webster. He also wound up being a prominent figure in the anti-slavery movement, even running on the Free-Soil ticket at one point.

   At times, however, this biography is a bit ponderous and often focuses so much on the political part of Van Buren's life that the personal part is pushed aside. Thus, although this may be the best Van Buren biography available (it may also be the only one), I cannot give it a full five stars. Nonetheless, this is overall a very good book and worth reading if you are interested in this period of history.




3. Like others, I've set out to read at least one biography on each American President. This particular biography is extremely well researched. A myriad of detail about Martin Van Buren and his times is presented. It's not the book if you are looking for a brief summary of the highlights of Van Buren's career, but if you are looking for detail it's great. Occasionally I got a little lost, probably due to my relative ignorance of the political figures and movements of those times. You form a definite picture of the little magician with both flaws and strengths brought forward. The one significant historical event that I didn't read about was the interaction of Van Buren with the early Mormons, of which I have read some very interesting things elsewhere.



4. I came away from this book with a new appreciation for Martin Van Buren--who was certainly much more than the Jackson coattail rider I thought previously. This is THE definitive biography of Martin Van Buren, but I agree with the other reviewers that some of the many and DETAILED accounts of the political machinations in New York at the time were a bit much. That's really the only complaint I had about the book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and recommend it highly if you really want to know Van Buren.



5. I am currently reading a biography of every President in order. I realize with Martin Van Buren I am entering a long period of obscure Presidents, but very much looking forward to learning more about the chief executives between Jackson and Lincoln. Based on Amazon reviews, I decided that John Niven's biography was the best and most comprehensive choice.
   
   Thankfully, I have not been disappointed. John Niven has written a readable and extremely well researched biography of our eigth President. I was most impressed with the depth of detail Niven has included and the voluminous research it undoubtedly required. Niven has clearly succeeded in covering the public life of Martin Van Buren comprehensibly and succinctly from his early days in New York politics to his final years as an active participant in the political turmoil leading to the Civil War.
   
   The thoroughness this volume achieves regarding the political side of Van Buren's life comes at a price, however. At times this book is a dull read and seems to provide more detail, especially in the first third of the book dealing with New York machine politics, than most readers are likely to want or need. The book also does not delve very deeply into the personal side of Van Buren's life, although given that Van Buren's entire life revolved around politics (certainly far more than any previous President) this leaves fewer gaps than one might expect.
   
   In summation, this is an excellent biography of Van Buren, though Niven obviously intended it to be a scholarly treatment meant primarily for academic level study. This biography is easy to read and well organized, though not the type of book you that you will likely want to read twice.

5 comments about Lincoln At Home : Two Glimpses of Abraham Lincoln's Family Life.

1. Lincoln idoloters will inevitably try to manufacture something to idolize in this tragic, dark, tormented figure whose desperation was so great that Alfted Taylor Bledsoe, who resided at Globe Tavern simultaneously with the Lincolns, whose law office was next to Lincoln, who joined with Lincoln in Whig politican, and who taught Lincoln the use of the broadsword when Lincoln's indiscretion caught him in the Shield's affair, could only bring forth the deepest empathy for his suffering. It was Mrs. Bledsoe who carried for Mrs. Lincoln and Robert Lincoln post-partum. And, it was Dr. Bledsoe whose monumental Was Davis a Traitor (1968) reveals as well an any the shaky and erronous philosophical base of Mr. Lincoln's perversion of the constitutional compact. Lincoln, a despairing infidel, a spiritualist, a rabid story steller and ranconteur, a white supremist and segregationist, but masterful in argument before a jury and, in fact, honest in personal dealings, the type of person who, according to Dr. Bledsoe, did not so much as plant a tree at his dwelling.



2. Lincoln idoloters will inevitably try to manufacture something to idolize in this tragic, dark, tormented figure whose desperation was so great that Alfted Taylor Bledsoe, who resided at Globe Tavern simultaneously with the Lincolns, whose law office was next to Lincoln, who joined with Lincoln in Whig politican, and who taught Lincoln the use of the broadsword when Lincoln's indiscretion caught him in the Shield's affair, could only bring forth the deepest empathy for his suffering. It was Mrs. Bledsoe who carried for Mrs. Lincoln and Robert Lincoln post-partum. And, it was Dr. Bledsoe whose monumental Was Davis a Traitor (1968) reveals as well an any the shaky and erronous philosophical base of Mr. Lincoln's perversion of the constitutional compact. Lincoln, a despairing infidel, a spiritualist, a rabid story steller and ranconteur, a white supremist and segregationist, but masterful in argument before a jury and, in fact, honest in personal dealings, the type of person who, according to Dr. Bledsoe, did not so much as plant a tree at his dwelling.



3. Lincoln idoloters will inevitably try to manufacture something to idolize in this tragic, dark, tormented figure whose desperation was so great that Alfted Taylor Bledsoe, who resided at Globe Tavern simultaneously with the Lincolns, whose law office was next to Lincoln, who joined with Lincoln in Whig politican, and who taught Lincoln the use of the broadsword when Lincoln's indiscretion caught him in the Shield's affair, could only bring forth the deepest empathy for his suffering. It was Mrs. Bledsoe who cared for Mrs. Lincoln and Robert Lincoln post-partum. And, it was Dr. Bledsoe whose monumental work Was Davis a Traitor (1968) reveals as well an any the shaky and erronous philosophical base of Mr. Lincoln's perversion of the constitutional compact. Lincoln, a despairing infidel, a spiritualist, a rabid story steller and ranconteur, a white supremist and segregationist, but masterful in argument before a jury and, in fact, honest in personal dealings, the type of person who, according to Dr. Bledsoe, did not so much as plant a tree at his dwelling.



4. Noted Historian Donald, the author of the classic "Lincoln" biography, has adequately captured the kindness and inner beauty of our 16th President and his love of family in this slim, but well-written volume.

   The book is divided into two parts, an essay written originally as a speech before former President Bush on Lincoln's domestic life in the White House - how he and the First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln coped with the agony of war and the tragic loss of their son Willie.

   The second part of the book comprises all of the known letter correspondence between President Lincoln, and his wife and sons - and vice versa. Here we find that Robert Lincoln clearly was not too thrilled about his father becoming the Republican Presidential nominee in 1860, how Abraham Lincoln clearly fussed and agonized over son's Tad's missing (but eventually found) goat, all the more poignant because of Willie's death, and the tragic fire that claimed Willie's pony (not mentioned in this book). Or how Lincoln seemingly dispassionately mentioned in his correspondence to his wife the loss of Mary Todd Lincoln's Brother-In-Law, the Confederate General Ben Hardin Helm at the battle of Chickamauga.

   Donald has given us a beautifully presented and written book, a worthy gift to the Lincoln and Civil War reader - the only reason why I gave it four stars instead of five was that it is too pricey for a non fleshed-out biography, but would definitely be worth the fifth star at a bargain-based price.




5. I'm not sure what T. Rogers who gave two reviews is talking about. Is he even reviewing THIS book? Anyway, I'll have to agree with one reviewer. No matter how you look at it, this book had $$$$$$ on it. David Donald wrote probably the greatest biography of LINCOLN in the last 40 years. Why something so shallow and pricey as this? As ABBA would say "money, money, money" - David Donald has not only sold the reader short, he has sold his own ability short. Anyone that can produce some of the prior works he has on Lincoln, and then this. Hey, this book isn't that bad as a gift (which it was for me), or something in the $1.00 bargain bin, not a bad deal at all. However, don't spend your hard earned money paying $30 (insane), $10 or even $5 on this book. Its ok, but not over $1 ok. Listen, for five dollars, I'd rather be looking over my five Dollar Lincoln instead of the five dollar Lincoln book. If your ever at a $1 book sale, I recommend! If you get it as a gift read it.

1 comments about An Honest Calling: The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln.

1. In An Honest Calling attorney Mark E. Steiner makes good use of his professional training and years spent in helping to compile Lincoln's legal papers.
   
   Study of Lincoln's law career has long been hampered by the scattered nature of Lincoln's court documents throughout Illinois and the Midwest. Now they are gathered together, and Steiner has made a fine presentation of what they reveal about Lincoln's "day job," which may have consumed as much of his time as politics did. Steiner deals with Lincoln's law practice in general and with some individual cases revealing Lincoln's handling of particular issues (including slavery and railroad corporations). Civil and criminal practices are covered.
   
   This is an excellent introduction to Lincoln's law practice, and will also interest persons seeking information about the influence of attorneys on the Western frontier.

1 comments about Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the Making of Modern America (Library of American Biography Series) (Library of American Biography).

1. In his introduction, Allan Winkler states that this was a book that he had wanted to write for his entire academic career, a desire rooted both in his longtime interest in the era and his respect for other volumes in the Library of American Biography series. He goes on to cite two volumes in particular - Edmund Morgan's The Puritan Dilemma: The Story of John Winthrop (Library of American Biography) and John Morton Blum's Woodrow Wilson and the Politics of Morality (Library of American Biography) - as ones that particularly impressed him.
   
   Sadly, this book suffers by comparison to those earlier works. Part of the problem lies in Winkler's effort to grapple with the particulars of Franklin Roosevelt's life, one that included the longest presidency in American history, during which he lead the nation through the twin crises of the Great Depression and the Second World War. Such a career is filled with detail, and often Winkler seems overwhelmed by it all. All too often, the text degenerates into a litany of developments, with little overarching or explanatory analysis. Winkler's writing contributes to this, as he serves up standard prose containing no hint of the passion for his subject that he describes in his introduction.
   
   As a result, Winkler's book doesn't measure up to the lofty standards of the series set by the volumes he cites as his inspiration. Though not a bad work, it fails to capture its legendary subject, losing him instead in the minutiae of his career. Readers seeking an introduction to Franklin Roosevelt and who desire such details will not be let astray, but anyone seeking a greater sense of the man and his achievements would do well to look elsewhere.

5 comments about Bush Country: How George W. Bush Became the First Great Leader of the 21st Century---While Driving Liberals Insane.

1. An Untalented Young Mr. Podhoretz owes his position to his father. By himself he is a shallow thinker of a strange category of neocons who would like us to invade the world (themselves, they would not serve) and invate the world.
   A strange policy of keeping our borders open, so that any terrorist can and does enter upon payment of $5K to coyote, while at the same time have our army in Arab lands defending their borders.



2. Three years on, with Podhoretz himself repudiating Bush's views, and with Bush's approval ratings hovering around 30%, it seems clear that Bush cannot be considered a "Great" anything, let alone a leader of the 21st Century. The failures of his Administration are too lengthy and obvious--not to mention depressing--to document. It is small wonder that this hagiography has plummeted down the Amazon sales list like a lead brick dropped from a plane.
   
   In years to come, I suspect that many conservatives will attempt to explain that they really, truly didn't like Bush, or trust him, or believe that he was a "real" conservative in the Reagan mold--we can already see the revisionism beginning as I write this. But when there are books like this out there, it's going to be mighty difficult for Podhoretz and his ilk to run away from their record. I suspect, however, that they will try anyway.



3. Sure, this tome deals with its chief subject quite nicely. But what I really would like to see (in subsequent editions?) is a version that uses more absorbent paper.
   Seriously, one reads, or more appropriately goes through, this book in that "special" room. Is it too much to ask for paper with greater absorbency?
   Think of the readers, and their needs for cleanliness when contemplating the legacy of this character.



4. As I distinctly recall, Bush's campaign slogan was NOT "I will drive liberals insane". It was "I'm a uniter, not a divider."



5. I heard an interview on Christian radio with the author plugging the book. I knew nothing about the book, and doubted many people held the views expressed at this point in history. So naturally I came onto Amazon to see just how old this book is. 2004. Another example of Christian radio's utter lack of concern whether what they throw on the air is true or correct, just put on anything that happens to be laying around however old and currently inapplicable. It was allegedly a call in show also, they did not bother to mention that calls would not be taken because it was previously recorded...or that it was recorded long ago, or that the speaker did not currently subscribe to the beliefs expressed. Don't believe a thing on "Christian" radio, don't donate money, or patronize their advertisers. They are hypocrites, they are not doing the Lord's work.

5 comments about Andrew Jackson and the Bank War: A Study in the Growth of Presidential Power (Norton Essays in American History.).

1. Remini's book, Andrew Jackson and the Bank War, is a very good book in the way of information. Although it is not a "page turner," it satisfies in giving the information. I would not have purchased this book except it is needed for my American History course.



2. This has to be one of the most boring books I have ever read in my life, therefore making it a waste of my time to read it. I would not have bought the book unless if I wouldn't have had to write an essay on it for my History 1050 class. I do not recommend this book for casual reading, in fact, I do not recommend this book at all. However, if you are involved in History as a profession, or if you are excited by History, then this is a book for you. It provides tons of information, but to me it is all irrelevant. If you are a college student with many other things to do like myself, I will personally tell you right now to leave this book on the shelf.



3. After reading Bray Hammond's "Banks and Politics in America" and his trenchant critique of the Jacksonian assault on the Second Bank of the United States (BUS), I was interested to learn how Robert Remini, a historian known for his pro-Jackson tilt, responded to that attack on the Old Hero.

   The answer is: he responded with a crisp, cogent and remarkably fair and insightful history of the struggle over the BUS.

   The BUS had a profound political, economic, and social impact on American life during its short life (1816-1836). In his book, however, Remini seeks to address just one side of the controversy: the political. He concedes that there was much good in the BUS from a strictly economic perspective and destroying it without a concrete plan to replace the monetary institution undoubtedly did harm to the American economy as a whole. But, Remini argues, it was the political implications of the War - not the Panic of 1837 or the subsequent failure to adopt central banking in the US for nearly a century - that had the more far-reaching consequences.

   It has been argued that Jackson was the first modern president. It is undeniable that the power of the presidency took a giant leap forward during Jackson's two-terms and Remini shows that those monumental gains in power came mostly during and because of the Bank War.

   In particular, Remini argues that the Bank War is directly responsible for three areas of enhanced presidential power: 1) the use of the veto to reject legislation for purely political rather than constitutional reasons, thus inserting the president into the legislative process and, in effect, making his opinion count for two-thirds of both Houses of Congress; 2) even though Remini believes that the majority of Americans didn't support the president's stance on the BUS, Jackson made the election of 1832 a referendum on the bank issue and claimed henceforth that he represented the will of the people and was there one representative; and 3) Jackson's sacking of Secretary of the Treasury Duane for his refusal to remove the government deposits from the BUS exerted the president's right to remove Cabinet members at will, further strengthening the executive's grip over the government.

   In short, there is stunning agreement between Remini and Hammond on a number of issues. For instance, Remini concedes that Jackson's veto of the BUS re-charter in July 1832 was pure demagogic class baiting with indefensible charges against the BUS's operations. He also rejects the notion that Jackson's re-election was a popular show of support for his attack on the BUS and he credits Nicolas Biddle with running an efficient, although by no means perfect, central banking organization. Thus, on economic grounds, Remini really sides with Hammond. But, Remini maintains, the economics of the issue was a distant second to the politics of issue. The cause of the War was political - namely, Jackson's refusal to bend or even appear to bend to a political challenge - and the most significant results of the War were political. Remini's case is sound.




4. It's a hoot to read and as much at home on the beach as in the classroom. Sounds like the one fellow who slammed it in another review here just didn't want to take the course in which it was required reading. (I am very conscious of writing skill and have used Amazon to diss a number of extremely well researched books because they are poorly written. Sacred cows I do not recognize.) Remini takes what should be a deadly dull topic - banking - and turns it into a drama (and comedy) describing the clash between two bone-headed men: Pres. Andrew Jackson and Bank of the United States president, Nicolas Biddle. That clash changed the United States forever. Highly recommended.



5. Remini comes to the conclusion that the Bank was not all bad, it was simply a political struggle between Jackson and Biddle. I don't agree. It's a good detailed acount of the events, and I'd recommend it for such, but if you're a supporter of hard money (the Jackson position) you may consider looking elsewhere or complementing this reading. I'd recommend Murray Rothbard. He addresses some of the authors (mis)information on hard money in "A History of Money and Banking in the US."
   
   It's great to read a book about the President actually checking the power of the Congress and Court in a struggle over what's authorized in the Constitution. A President disagrees with a Supreme Court ruling, and actually challenges it. Not something that happens anymore, and that's unfortunate.