by Irving Bernstein (1996)
The presidency of Lyndon Johnson was a pivotal moment in twentieth-century American history. From the decisive social programs of the Great Society, to the triumph of the Civil and Voting Rights Acts, to the catastrophe of the Vietnam War and domestic unrest, it was an era of dramatic accomplishment and wrenching tragedy. In Guns or Butter, renowned historian Irving Bernstein brings those five climactic years of the sixties vividly to life, from the moment Lee Harvey Oswald aimed a rifle from the window of the Texas School Depository to the tense ballot-counting that put Richard Nixon in the White House in 1968. From the dark moments after Kennedy's assassination in 1963, to the heady days of legislative victories of 1965, to the bloody crescendo of riots, assassinations, and military battles in 1968, Johnson's administration was a defining moment in modern American history. In Guns or Butter, Irving Bernstein brilliantly captures both the events and the meaning of those momentous years. Aside from its historical value, this book has major current significance. The legislative program Newt Gingrich and his Republican colleagues introduced in 1995 was designed to repeal the Great Society. Before doing so, members of Congress and the interested public should understand Lyndon Johnson's vision and the legislation that was enacted during the sixties. Guns or Butter provides that critical information.
Oscar and Lilian Handlin
A compassionate account of Lincoln's life focuses on his struggle for intellectual development, his early years as a lawyer and his election to Congress, and the successes and sorrows of his later years.
Richard Norton Smith
Repeatedly during his eight years as president, George Washington saved the infant republic from the factionalism and the involvement in foreign wars that threatened its existence. He skillfully moderated the feuds among his cabinet -- especially those between Hamilton and Jefferson -- and achieved his own political ends by seeming to be above politics. His actions and character defined the very nature of the presidency and, even more than the Constitution itself, made the new American government work. Better than any biographer before him, Richard Norton Smith gives us the "living" Washington, a working politician beset by crises, a masterly manager of men and events, anything but the time-worn marble monument. - Back cover.
James Cannon
"This is a comprehensive narrative account of the life of Gerald Ford written by one of his closest advisers, James Cannon. Written with unique insight and benefiting from personal interviews with President Ford in his last years, Gerald R. Ford: An Honorable Life is James Cannon's final look at the simple and honest man from the Midwest."--Publisher's website.
L. Edward Purcell
The Vice Presidents is an expertly written, multiauthor compendium that narrates and explains the lives and careers of America's 45 vice presidents. It is an essential guide for anyone seeking a complete understanding of the development and workings of the United States government, and a great read for those who are fascinated by the interplay of politics and power. The Vice Presidents contains 45 biographies written by prominent experts and scholars; a detailed chronology of the political history of the United States from the Revolution to the second term of Vice President Al Gore; suggested further reading about each vice president; cross-references, a bibliography, and an index; and portraits of all 45 vice presidents.