Star Spangled Men: Americas Ten Worst Presidents - Hardcover

Miller, Nathan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0684836106 ISBN 13: 9780684836102

Publisher: Scribner, 1998

Synopsis

A humorous portrait of the ten worst presidents includes Calvin Coolidge, Richard Nixon, and others and focuses on the two most overrated presidents--Thomas Jefferson and John F. Kennedy--in a book that questions the morals, beliefs, misconduct, and efforts of the leaders of our country that caused major debacles affecting a nation. 30,000 first printing.

About this title

Review:

In Star-Spangled Men, presidential biographer Nathan Miller compiles a subjective list of the 10 crummiest presidents in history. His criteria for ignominy: "bad character, the inability to compromise, a lack of vision, poor political skills, dishonesty, and an inability to communicate." Richard Nixon and Andrew Johnson are obvious choices, Jimmy Carter and William Howard Taft somewhat less so, though probably deserving according to Miller. Many readers probably can find a selection or two to quarrel with on these pages (Is Calvin Coolidge really one of the 10 worst?), but nonetheless will appreciate Miller's candid assessments. (The most controversial part of the book is certainly its brief epilogue, which details "the two most overrated presidents": Thomas Jefferson and John F. Kennedy.) Miller provides 10 neat summaries of 10 arguable failures in this good bit of opinionated writing that turns the klieg lights on some of American history's dimmer stars.

From the Back Cover:

Picking America's best president is easy. George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin D. Roosevelt usually lead the list. But choosing the nation's worst presidents requires more thought. In Star-Spangled Men, respected presidential biographer Nathan Miller puts on display those leaders who were abject failures as chief executive. With pointed humor and a deft hand, he presents a rogues' gallery of the men who dropped the presidential ball, and sometimes their pants as well.

Miller includes Richard M. Nixon, who was forced to resign to escape impeachment; Jimmy Carter, who proved that the White House is not the place for on-the-job training; and Warren G. Harding, who gave "being in the closet" new meaning as he carried on extramarital interludes in one near the Oval Office. This current edition also includes a new assessment of Bill Clinton -- who has admitted lying to his family, his aides, his cabinet, and the American people.

About this edition

• Publisher: Scribner
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0684836106
• ISBN 13: 9780684836102
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 272