Description
Book SynopsisExamines the leadership styles of the earliest presidents, men who served at a time when it was by no means certain that the American experiment in free government would succeed.
Trade Review"Greenstein does an excellent job of providing short biographies of each president covered, as well as placing their presidencies into the context of their times, making this book a no-nonsense guide to the characters of these seven presidents, and an examination of the characteristics that the author believes served them well and poorly during their time in office. An interesting addition to the study of the presidency, I would recommend Inventing the Job of President."--Stefan Fergus, Civilian Reader "This fine volume will prove interesting for scholars of the presidency, but its accessible style and fluid prose make it ideal for the undergraduate and general reader as well. Highly recommended."--David A. Crockett, Register of the Kentucky Historical Society "[E]legant and clear ... a captivating and ... easy-to-digest lecture... Inventing the Job of President is a valuable resource for both presidential scholars and for those who had ever read anything about the subject."--Mihail Chiru, CEU Political Science Journal "The book's obvious originality lies in Greenstein's application of a single framework to the leadership styles of the early presidents. In so doing, the book usefully brings together information in a systematic way, emphasizing the enduring features of political leadership in any epoch and whetting the reader's appetite to know more about the subject. It is a relatively inexpensive book, and students and general readers will find it an accessible introduction to the early presidency. Seasoned scholars will find the book more useful as a comparative analysis of the early presidents. It is certainly a book that every presidential scholar will want to read."--Political Studies Review "This latest addition to the Greenstein corpus will find a receptive audience in scholars of the Presidency and those interested in leadership and American political history. Highly recommended."--Stephen K. Shaw, Library Journal "In this brief text, eminent scholar Greenstein examines the role the first seven presidents of the U.S. played in establishing the presidency as an institution."--Choice
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations ix Chapter 1: The Presidential Difference in the Early Republic 1 Chapter 2: The Foundational Presidency of George Washington 9 Chapter 3: John Adams: Absentee Chief Executive 25 Chapter 4: Thomas Jefferson and the Art of Governance 35 Chapter 5: The Anticlimactic Presidency of James Madison 51 Chapter 6: The Political Competence of James Monroe 63 Chapter 7: The Political Incompetence of John Quincy Adams 75 Chapter 8: Andrew Jackson: Force of Nature 85 Chapter 9: Presidents, Leadership Qualities, and Political Development 96 Appendix Background on the Early Presidencies 105 Notes 123 Further Reading 137 Acknowledgments 151 Index 153
