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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThe book is at its best when it discusses the speeches and speechwriters of recent presidents, and the chapter on FDR is superb.... Those who seek a brief, generally well-written and easy read on some of America’s canonical presidents ... will find an enjoyable read in Presidents and Their Pens. * U.S. Studies Online *
James Humes is a political triple threat: skilled strategist, gifted orator, and wonderful writer. Now, in his thirty-eighth manuscript, he draws on all three talents and explains the arts of both presidential speech writing and delivery. Presidents and Their Pens is a must for anyone involved in the political process and those who wish to comprise an informed citizenry. -- Michael Smerconish, SiriusXM radio host, Philadelphia Inquirer columnist, and host of CNN’s Smerconish
A page-turning history of famous ‘pens’ like Alexander Hamilton, John Quincy Adams, and playwright Robert Sherwood, along with less familiar names such as JFK’s Ted Sorensen and Nixon’s wordsmith Ray Price. -- John LeBoutillier, pundit and former Republican Congressman
Historian James Humes is part of a special tradition, that rare family of writers who innately know the power of words and how to use them, especially on behalf of those who lead our country. Presidents and Their Pens merits high praise. -- Liz Trotta, author and Fox News contributor
In Presidents and Their Pens, James Humes intrigues and enthralls with never-before-told stories of U.S. presidents and their speechwriters. -- Warren Adler, author
Table of ContentsIntroduction by Julie Nixon Eisenhower Chapter One—George Washington’s Farewell Address Chapter Two—Thomas Jefferson—A Revolutionary Becomes a Reconciler Chapter Three—James Monroe Defines U.S. Foreign Policy Chapter Four—Andrew Jackson, American Folk Hero Chapter Five—Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address Chapter Six—Grover Cleveland—A Light on a Dark Street Chapter Seven—Theodore Roosevelt’s “Big Stick” Speech Chapter Eight—Pacifist Woodrow Wilson Declares War Chapter Nine—Warren Harding Revisited Chapter Ten—Calvin Coolidge, Philosopher from Vermont Chapter Eleven—FDR—Recovery in Peace and Victory in War Chapter Twelve—Harry Truman Extends America’s Promise Chapter Thirteen—President Eisenhower’s Prophesies Chapter Fourteen—John F. Kennedy—Symbol over Substance Chapter Fifteen—President Lyndon Johnson Declares His Dream for a Great Society Chapter Sixteen—Richard Nixon Mobilizes the Silent Majority Chapter Seventeen—Gerald Ford Shares Healing Words Chapter Eighteen—Jimmy Carter Delivers His “Malaise” Address Chapter Nineteen—Ronald Reagan Becomes the Champion of the Free World Chapter Twenty—George H.W. Bush Delivers His Kinder and Gentler Inaugural Chapter Twenty-One—Bill Clinton Manifests Communication Magic in Oklahoma Chapter Twenty-Two—The Second Bush Issue: An Historic Summons to the Free World Chapter Twenty-Three—Barack Obama, a Promising President? Bibliography
