Description
Book SynopsisThis book, much needed in our public discourse, examines some of the most significant political leaders in American history.
With an eye on the elusive qualities of political greatness, this anthology considers the principles and practices of diverse political leaders who influenced the founding and development of the American experiment in self-government. Providing both breadth and depth, this work is a virtual who's who from the founding to modern times. From George Washington to Frederick Douglass and Elizabeth Cady Stanton to FDR and Ronald Reagan, the book's twenty-six chapters are thematically organized to include a brief biography of each subject, his or her historical context, and the core principles and policies that led to political success or failure. A final chapter considers the rhetorical legacy of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump. Nearly all readers agree that statesmanship makes a crucial difference in the life of a nation an
Trade Review
“American Statesmanship informs readers without trying to give them a set of implausible directions. It shows the failures and successes of actual leaders. It connects their policies, character, and practices to broader questions of morality and prudence.” —James F. Pontuso, author of Nature’s Virtue
"The elusive question of statesmanship—presidential, legislative, and judicial—is handled with thought-provoking originality by an impressive roster of experts in this important volume of essays. In an age in which, more than ever, we need statesmen (and stateswomen) of the caliber described in this collection, here is a book that will serve as both an inspiration and a guide." —Harold Holzer, author of The Presidents vs. the Press and winner of the Gilder-Lehrman Lincoln Prize
"From Abraham Lincoln to Donald Trump, American Statesmanship is a kaleidoscope of the good, the bad, and the ugly and an examination of why, despite the evolution of statesmanship in America, we remain a 'House Divided.' This book is relevant and necessary at this time." —Frank J. Williams, former chief justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court and founding chair of the Lincoln Forum
Table of ContentsIntroduction, Kenneth L. Deutsch
1. George Washington, Gary L. Gregg II
2. Benjamin Franklin , David Tucker
3. Publius, Sean D. Sutton
4. John Adams, Bruce P. Frohnen
5. Thomas Jefferson, Stephanie P. Newbold
6. John Marshall, Phillip G. Henderson
7. Alexander Hamilton, Michael P. Federici
8. Andrew Jackson, Troy L. Kickler
9. Daniel Webster, Johnathan O’Neill
10. John Calhoun, H. Lee Cheek
11. Henry Clay, Hans Schmeisser
12. Abraham Lincoln, Joseph R. Fornieri
13. Frederick Douglass, Peter C. Meyers
14. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Emily Krichbaum
15. Susan B. Anthony, Natalie Taylor
16. Theodore Roosevelt, Jean M. Yarbrough
17. Woodrow Wilson, Christopher Burkett
18. Franklin D. Roosevelt, Will Morrisey
19. Harry S. Truman, Elizabeth Spalding
20. Dwight David Eisenhower, Phillip G. Henderson
21. John F. Kennedy, Patrick J. Garrity
22. Martin Luther King, Giorgi Areshidze
23. Lyndon B. Johnson, William J. Atto
24. Richard Nixon, David Frisk
25. Ronald Reagan, Mark Blitz
26. Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump, Jeff Crouch, Mark J. Rozell
