Andrew Jackson: His Life and Times

Book Description

In this, the first major single-volume biography of Andrew Jackson in decades, H.W. Brands reshapes our understanding of this fascinating man, and of the Age of Democracy that he ushered in.

An orphan at a young age and without formal education or the family lineage of the Founding Fathers, Jackson showed that the Presidency was not the exclusive province of the wealthy and the well-born but could truly be held by a man of the people. On a majestic, sweeping scale Brands re-creates Jackson’s rise from his hardscrabble roots to his days as frontier lawyer, then on to his heroic victory in the Battle of New Orleans, and finally to the White House. Capturing Jackson’s outsized life and deep impact on American history, Brands also explores his controversial actions, from his unapologetic expansionism to the disgraceful Trail of Tears. This is a thrilling portrait, in full, of the president who defined American democracy.

Customer Reviews:

Superbly crafted biography of our 7th President.......2007-08-30

I am currently reading a biography of every President in order. Brands book on Andrew Jackson has my vote for best one volume Presidential biography I have read thus far.

Brands writing style is fluid and easy to read and the research is solid, all very important components to a biography, but these alone are not what makes this biography so great. Brands real strength lies in the way he balances and crafts his presentation. The narrative of the book is generally chronological but Brands adeptly overlaps chronology where it is helpful to the quality of the narrative and the understanding of the reader. Brands also weaves in background information masterfully, always providing enough as is required to adequately inform the reader's understanding of the main subject but never drifting too far off topic to lose the reader's interest or focus. Brands has also provided just the right balance in terms of the details and themes of Jackson's life he chooses to focus upon, providing a full portrait of Jackson and his life without losing the reader's interest on unimportant details.

In my opinion, Brands biography manages to strike the perfect balance between the reading enjoyment of narrative biography and the more in depth study of a scholarly work. I only wish every President had such a wonderful biography.

A Warring Patriot .......2007-08-06

Brands does an excellent job of bringing Andrew Jackson to life. History records that Jackson was one of the best presidents, yet our educational system says so little of him. He viciously warred with the Indians, yet sought harmonious relations with them. One gets the impression that Jackson could work with you, but if you crossed the line, he would not be your friend. A strong president at a time we needed it. A virtual George Washington. This book is quick reading, detailed and worth keeping for another read later.

Will It Ever End?.......2007-07-08

After reading biographies by such stalwarts as David McCullough and Doris Kearns Goodwin, this one was a big disappointment. It plods along for 560 pages. Far too much detail; the book could have been much shorter. Tiny type size makes the book seem even longer.

Fun and Educational Read.......2007-06-09

Every other man to serve in the White House must be seen as only "half a man" by comparison. Anyone who could fight so many hand-to-hand combats and duels, so successfully lead men into battle, suffer such wounds, British imprisonment, risk everything for the love of a woman, singlehandedly turn the tide of of the War of 1812, hold the nation together and bring, for the first time, true democracy to Washington, deserves the admiration of every American. Jackson's life could so easily be brought to the big screen to remind all of us why this great Republic represents mankind's last great chance on this planet.

his own man..........2007-04-26

Seventh president, hero of the War of 1812, military leader in the Indian wars. When he took an American Army to New Orleans in anticipation of the English landing there, he was surrounded by citizens who had not sworn their loyalty to America. He stood before them and challenged "either stand with us or against us". Old Hickory was as tough as they come and this wonderful book will fill in so many details that you didn't know about Mr. Jackson. He was the first American president who had been a prisoner of war. He stood on principle and eschewed weakness. One of our finest.

Average customer rating:

Newly discovered letter from 1834 discusses the censure of Andrew Jackson
Setting The Record Straight: Remini, Jackson and the Spoils System
Nice and Concise!
A courageous and admirable American hero brought to life
as advertised

The Life of Andrew Jackson
Robert V. Remini
Manufacturer: American Political Biography Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Presidents & Heads of State | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

John Quincy Adams: A Public Life, a Private Life
Henry Clay: Statesman for the Union
John Quincy Adams: (The American Presidents Series)
James Monroe: The Quest for National Identity (Signature Series)
Andrew Jackson: His Life and Times

ASIN: 0945707347

Book Description

The classic one-volume biography of Andrew Jackson

Robert V. Remini's prizewinning, three-volumn biography, The Life of Andrew Jackson, won the National Book Award upon it's completion in 1984. Now, Remini captures the essence of the life and career of the seventh president of the United States in the meticulously crafted single-volume abridgement.

Customer Reviews:

Newly discovered letter from 1834 discusses the censure of Andrew Jackson.......2006-03-26

This is an excellent book, as are all of Professor Remini's books. They are thorough and very easy to read which lends to the excitement of learning history. Recently I purchased a letter from 1834 which refers to the censure of Andrew Jackson. I'm not sure how to contact Professor Remini, but I think he would be very much interested in reading this letter. It was written on April 18, 1834, by Rufus McIntire (1784-1866), City of Washington, and sent to William A. Hayes, South Berwick, Maine, about 21 days after the censure was passed by the Senate. I'll quote sections from this letter, hoping to inspire students of history to read Professor Remini's books.

"You will probably see the Presidents message of protest &c to the Senate which has put that dignified body on the defence & in a passion. They evidently see that the issue is against them unless they can turn it on some collateral issue or some deduced assumption of principles abstractedly from some part of the message. Mr. Leigh has spoken today in which he has shown very clearly that he has not the experience & tact of a politician. He has lived too long in Virginia ever to extend his views beyond the limits & local circumstances of his State except what he gets from books generally of European history & politics. He labored hard today to explain the resolution against which the President protests & says it means no such censure on the President as he supposes. The opposition generally is the Senate manifested as much dissatisfaction with the speech as with the message. Benj Hardin of Ken. of the House - talented & coarse man of the opposition - remarked that of all great men he had ever seen Mr Leigh is the smallest. Mr Leighs defence is the opposite of that set up yesterday by Mr South and who with a harsh'hood & effrontery that shocked every body declared that the resolution was passed as the foundation & basis of legislation. This is in contradiction not only to its language & import but in flat contradiction to every avowal while under discussion. In answer to the objection to its passage as a naked censure without any legislative effect it was urged not that any other legislation was contemplated but upon the duty of the Secy of the Treasury to restore the deposits after this expression that their removal was not approved by both branches. If that alone had been the object - simple expression that they advised to a restorative or disapproved of this removal would have been sufficient."

"Today being, one of those days for private business in the House, has been literally wasted in attempts to get up the appropriation bill & to introduce various resolutions & a call of the House in consequence. The House adjourned at rather an early hour there being so much excitement that there did not appear to be any prospect of business or any good done by continuing longer in Session. Mr Wise attempted to introduce a set of resolutions on the subject of the powers of Congress over the money in the Treasury intended to negative some supposed deduction [declaration?] of principle, contained in the Presidents message - and failing gave notice he should offer them every day during the Session or till recessed - Mr Peytre gave notice also that whenever they were received he should move a substitute by way of amendment of ???? declaring the late vote of the Senate, censuring the President in an impeachable matter alone belonging to the House as the impeaching power, an usurpation & assumption of the prerogatives of the House of Reps by the Senate. So you see the battle is but begun."

"The opposition here speak confidently of carrying Maine at the next election. King is to be candidate f[or] Governor & he says the Jeffersonians will be out against the administration shortly & only delays at present for the sake of saving Mitchell. Is King correct in his avowal & his letters - (letter at least -) to one of his opposition in regard to the Jeffersonians & if so will Mr Seaver go with it? I am pleased with the present appearance of the Ags - It is what I expected - hoped at least but from the complexion of the Jeffersonians I feared would not be seen. A short time must disclose the views of our politicians. I regret to learn so many of our Portland friends are in favor of a national Bank - or rather at present think proper to express it. No other than the constitutional ground will enable us to defeat the ???? of the Bank - all the South who ???? constitutional objections if a bank is to be chartered prefer the old to a new one with like provisions - I can say no more at present but must close - "

Setting The Record Straight: Remini, Jackson and the Spoils System.......2006-03-14

Few Americans have won the mythical status enjoyed by Andrew Jackson. Often portrayed, in his day and since, as the champion of the common man, Jackson came to Washington as an outsider, the first President born outside the thirteen original states, indeed the first president born neither in Virginia nor Massachusetts. Throughout Jackson historiography, Jackson via his policy of `rotation' in office has been accused of instituting the spoils system in American politics. This criticism highlights how Whig myths have come to permeate the historical writing on this subject.

Starting with James Parton in 1860, anti-Jackson historians have followed this criticism, blaming Jackson for replacing a supposed merit system with a partisanship that corrupted the civil service for generations. Despite further research since Jackson's time, many historians have uncritically repeated these accusations without examining the actual record of appointments during the presidency unhappily described by some as "The Reign of Andrew Jackson".

There have been essentially four cycles of studies into the life and Presidency of Andrew Jackson. The first cycle began soon after the death of Jackson with the "liberal patrician" or "Whig" school, who were generally unfavourable towards the policy of rotation. Most familiar is James Parton's classic The "Life of Andrew Jackson". So critical of rotation was Parton that he stated "this single feature of his administration would suffice to render it deplorable rather than admirable." Other members of the "Whig" school include Sumner, Schouler and Von Holst, all very critical of Jackson's policy of rotation. Parton's biography was the standard source on the Jacksonian era, until the second cycle represented by the Progressive Historians, such as John Spencer Bassett's "The Life of Andrew Jackson (1911), which cast Jackson in somewhat of a different light. Bassett reduces the amount of blame put on Jackson for rotation by suggesting that his democratic views made him oblivious to unintentional dangers from partisan appointments. However, the Progressives shared with the Whigs the view that Jackson had brought a spoils system to national politics and that its effects were negative.

Historians in the third cycle of Jacksonian studies, of which Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr.'s "The Age of Jackson" (1945) served as a pivotal work, shifted attention away from Jackson himself towards larger forces in his era. Historians of the third cycle, such as Hofstadter and Hammond, debated the effects of class and culture in determining party differences while showing little interest in evaluating Jackson's rotation policy, though tending to criticise it briefly. No biographies of Jackson discussed the policy of rotation in depth during the next thirty years.

The appearance of Robert V. Remini's three-volume biography of Jackson marked the start of the fourth cycle of interpretation. Based on modern scholarship, Remini covers all aspects of Jackson's life and career, demonstrating his contribution to the great developments of nineteenth century America, particularly empire, freedom and democracy. By returning to first hand sources, Remini shows that the policy of rotation in office has been exaggerated and misunderstood. However, having set himself the remarkable task of producing a thorough study of the life and Presidency of Jackson, Remini did not have the scope for a detailed re-interpretation and re-evaluation of rotation. Since Remini's work there have been many scholarly works on Jackson, but none offer an in-depth reassessment of rotation as touched upon by Remini.

Remini states that Jackson has received a disproportionate share of the blame for the spoils system and that there is a need to disprove the Whig myths, which have come to permeate the historical writings of historians over the generations. Remini was not the first to stress the need for such a revision; in fact a similar plea was expressed by J.R. Poinsett in the "Oration on the life and character of Andrew Jackson, delivered July 4, 1845" when he stated about Jackson, "His instinctive love of justice... gave a high tone to his government and exalted the honor of his country. His hatred of corruption rendered his administration pure.... I will content myself with expressing my belief that in future time the impartial historian will justify both his motives and his conduct on this trying occasion.

Remini offers the reader a great insight into the pioneering mind of one of America's greatest Presidents.

[The above Review is taken in part from 'Andrew Jackson's policy of 'Rotation in Office' by Alexander Rayden. © Copyright 2005 Alexander Rayden, All Rights Reserved].

Nice and Concise!.......2006-03-10

This particular version of Professor Remini's "Life of Andrew Jackson" is a condensation of 3 previous volumes into one highly readable edition. It is just right for those desiring a concise and compact biography of our seventh President without an overload of information and detail. It prominently features the political battles and infighting of the 2 Jackson Administrations, (1828-1836). A prime example is AJ's monumental efforts to dismantle his primary bete noir, The Bank of the United States. Professor Remini also introduces his readers to other key political faces of the early 19th Century as Henry Clay, John Quincy Adams, and "The Magician", future President Martin van Buren. Congress elected Adams President when no candidate secured a majority of electoral votes in the election of 1824. That drove AJ to run for the White House in 1828. Many Americans, including this reviewer, first learned of AJ because of his military exploits. These include his drives against the Indian tribes in Alabama, his expulsion of Spain from Florida and his great victory over the Brits at the Battle of New Orleans in early 1815. That ended the War of 1812. One has to credit the author for accentuating the significance of that conflict, which pushed England off America's back once and for all. One also has to acknowledge Remini for decent maps of AJ's key military battles: Inadequate maps are a sore point with this reader! There are some weaknesses herein: The tone of LAJ is jointly pedantic and fawning. The maps of AJ's territorial additions to the United States are poor and the typesetting is amateurish. Someone forgot to use the space bar. Folks with bifocals will be challenged! Despite the foregoing carping, LAJ is recommended for earnest readers of American history. The author deserves honors for condensing the life of a very prominent 19th century American President and military hero. It's unlikely Remini hired the typesetter! (A closing note: This reviewer visited the Battle of New Orleans site as a tourist. Remini's account of the battle versus that of the Park Service guide are starkly divergent! This reviewer favors the Professor's version of events but it seems strange that the events of that day in 1815 remain in dispute).

A courageous and admirable American hero brought to life.......2005-11-11

If Walt Disney had made a television series based on the life of America's seventh president rather than Davy Crockett, no one would have complained. As portrayed in ANDREW JACKSON: His Life and Times, H.W. Brands offers plenty of action and patriotism to create a compelling "show."

Jackson's is a rags-to-riches story, as was that of many of our early leaders. Born into poverty and orphaned at an early age, Jackson was a fighter since he was a preteen. His early experiences in participating in the fight for independence are harrowing and reminiscent of Mel Gibson's film The Patriot.

Even when he wasn't officially at war, Jackson was not what one would call a man of words. His tenderness toward his wife, Rachel, is shockingly contradicted by the ease with which he would frequently lose his temper; he took umbrage often and found himself enmeshed in numerous feuds and duels.

Jackson's courage under fire was an inspiration to those who fought under him, particularly at the Battle of New Orleans (as if he needed any help, Jackson's victory was immortalized in a hit song by Johnny Horton in the late 1950s).

Brands does a wonderful job explaining political concepts that easily could be deathly dull. He also manages to facilely explain the myriad treaties and alliances (both national and individual) among the British, French, Spanish, and several tribes of Native Americans. The author makes liberal use of letters about life in the States in general, and General Jackson in particular, to emphasize his points without a perception of "lecturing."

Jackson's military success coupled with his love for America augured well in his political aspirations. A real "man of the people," Jackson earned the admiration (not to mention the votes) of his countrymen, helping him to win two terms as president.

Despite the heft of this new biography on "Old Hickory," Brands makes it come to life with a combination of action-packed heroics, massive amounts of research, and a fluid, easy-to-take writing style. Anyone can state facts and try to paint a picture of the "life and times" of any "fill-in-the-blank." The trick is to make it informative without being dull, a feat that Brands pulls off admirably.

If I were a student of history at the University of Texas at Austin, where Brands teaches, I would demand him as my professor. If he can bring all of his curriculum to life as he does in ANDREW JACKSON, he can inspire any of his charges to follow in his footsteps.

--- Reviewed by Ron Kaplan [...]

as advertised.......2005-10-07

superb, concise version of the original three volume set. well worth the money.

The Raven's Bride (Southwest Life and Letters)

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Good Historical Novel
A delightful, interesting view of Sam Houston.

The Raven's Bride (Southwest Life and Letters)
Elizabeth Crook
Manufacturer: Southern Methodist University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Night Journal
The Raven: A Biography of Sam Houston
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The Terror: A Novel

ASIN: 0870743481

Book Description

In 1829, Sam Houston was the thirty-six-year-old governor of Tennessee, and his political horizons seemed limitless. The marriage of this charismatic, ambitious statesman to twenty-year-old Eliza Allen, the daughter of a prominent land-holder, seemed to form the perfect social foundation on which Houston would build his glittering career. But just eleven weeks after the wedding, Eliza suddenly and inexplicably left her new husband, creating a scandal that caused the governor to resign his office in disgrace and embark on an exile that would ultimately deliver him to Texas, and a destiny even grander and more improbable than anyone could have imagined. Through decades of rumor and speculation, Sam Houston and Eliza Allen never revealed the source of their unhappiness, and carried the secret with them to their graves. The Raven's Bride is a brilliantly original novel that unravels this dark romantic mystery while illuminating a vivid and fascinating moment in America's past. In these pages, Sam Houston is presented as he must have been--a heroic figure (called "The Raven" by the Cherokee), vain, flamboyant, magnetic, his outsized personality fueled by a desparate need for love. And Eliza Allen is his match: a prideful, magnificent young woman, both drawn to and disturbed by her husband's grand aspirations. With the investigative acuity of a historian and the profound empathy of a gifted novelist, Elizabeth Crook has created an enthralling portrait of these star-crossed lovers and the vibrant, restless world that brought them together. Richly detailed and splendidly imagined, The Ravens Bride turns a baffling historical conundrum into a complex and deeply affecting love story.

Customer Reviews:

Good Historical Novel.......2000-09-17

This is a good novel about the relationship between Sam Houston and Eliza Allen, who Houston married in 1829. The marriage lasted only a few months, at which time Allen fled Houston to return home to her parents. Neither she nor Houston ever revealed the reason for their breakup, but it destroyed Houston's political career in Tennessee and eventually led to his going to Texas, where he became commander-in-chief of the Texas army when Texas won its independence from Mexico, first president of the Republic of Texas, and governor of Texas when it became a state.

There have been a number of theories advanced as to why Allen fled Houston, but since neither one revealed the reason and the historical record is slim, the event will be forever shrouded in mystery. Crook's novel suggests a very plausible theory, and grows out of an academic research article Crook published in the Southwestern Historical Quarterly, reprinted in its entirety as an appendix to the novel. To Crook, the reason was not a simple one, and it cannot be fully appreciated without reading her book. To anyone interested in the mystery of their relationship, or in the character of Sam Houston, this is a very good read.

A delightful, interesting view of Sam Houston........1999-03-23

A very good historical novel

Jackson's Way: Andrew Jackson and the People of the Western Waters

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good read, but with a warning
Unsubtantiated but Worthwhile Read
A Very Different Account
Jackson, everyman's hero, today's leaders pale by comparison
Jackson's Way

Jackson's Way: Andrew Jackson and the People of the Western Waters
John Buchanan
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Andrew Jackson and His Indian Wars
The Road to Valley Forge: How Washington Built the Army that Won the Revolution
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Empires At War: The French and Indian War and the Struggle for North America, 1754-1763

ASIN: 0471282537

Book Description

Advance Praise for Jackson's Way

"I enjoyed it very much. It's an excellent study . . . of an area and a time period too long neglected by historians . . . provides valuable new information, particularly on the Indians."-Robert Remini, author of The Life of Andrew Jackson

"John Buchanan has written a book that explodes with action and drama on virtually every page. Yet the complex story of the birth of the American West never loses its focus-Andrew Jackson's improbable rise to fame and power. This is an American saga, brilliantly told by a master of historical narrative."-Thomas Fleming, author of Duel: Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, and the Future of America

Praise for John Buchanan's The Road to Guilford Courthouse

"Outstanding popular military history . . . an accomplishment of the same high order as . . . McPherson's Civil War historiography."-Booklist

" A tense, exciting historical account of a little-known chapter of the Revolution, displaying history writing at its best."-Kirkus Reviews

"His compelling narrative brings readers closer than ever before to the reality of Revolutionary warfare in the Carolinas."-Raleigh News & Observer

"A lively, accurate account of a critical period in the War of Independence in the South . . . it deserves a large reading audience."-Don Higginbotham, Professor of History, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Customer Reviews:

good read, but with a warning.......2005-03-07

Buchanan explores in some depth what has been a neglected historical topic: the conquest of the Old Southwest. And, on the whole, he handles primary sources with skill and accuracy. But he confesses that he sometimes dosen't like it when facts interfere with a good story. This is not too big a problem, since he usually tells us when a "good story" might be suspect.

In the early pages he mines the Draper Manuscripts regarding the settlement of Cumberland River. But he should have double checked primary sources to avoid the errors of previous historians, as when he repeats Hariette Arnow's erroneous statement in her book SEEDTIME ON THE CUMBERLAND that old John Buchanan ran into a rail pen and killed "ten" Indians. The actual quote in the Draper manuscripts is that, from a rail pen, Buchanan killed "the" Indian.

But the book is still a good read.

Unsubtantiated but Worthwhile Read.......2004-08-03

For someone so supportive of Jackson, his policies and actions (even when Buchanan himself deems them "going too far"), Buchanan fails to support his arguments. Clearly the author is enamored with the former President. Even during his military career when Jackson frequently disobeyed orders or followed his own code of conduct, Buchanan argues that he has sufficient reason for doing so and his actions were justified. But where is the evidence? By arguing that the Monroe administration was acting covertly to takeover the Floridas, he fails to cite from where he gets such information. There are no references to Monroe's history.
Buchanan has done his homework when discussing Jackson. He cites Jackson's papers and other credible biographies. He gives a well-rounded picture of the life and hardships Jackson endured and how electrifying his personality must have been. However, Buchanan goes a tad too far in arguing that Jackson, even when he broke the law, seized sovereign territory, killed two foreign residents, etc. was acting justly or on behalf of the administration where there is only evidence that he acted on his own accord. If those arguments are to be deemed credible in their own right, Buchanan needs to provide ample evidence that supports Jackson's seemingly arrogant decision-making process. He may have done his homework for Jackson, but the basis of his arguments seem based solely on his admiration for the man and not on historical facts or opinions of those present in that time. In other words, he acknowledges that there are those who call Jackson an Indian-hater or say he wanted to govern as a military dictator (ex. Napoleon), but fails to discredit those notions.

A Very Different Account.......2003-12-12

John Buchanan has written a most interesting book. Spanning the thirty year period 1780-1810 he covers a time of great uncertainty about just what to do with the existing and projected geographical definition of the fledgling United States. Aaron Burr was not the only person to think in terms of separation. Today, driving on Interstate Highways at 70 MPH through the Appalachian Mountains, it is difficult for us to understand just what an impenetrable barrier these mountains really were. No less a figure than Thomas Jefferson thought "whether we remain one confederacy or form into Atlantic and Mississippi confederacies I believe not very important to the happiness of either part."

No wonder then that the people of the west, as the west was then defined, drew so closely together and became such an interdependent, insular block. Surrounded by enemies (Great Britain on the North, Spain to the South and West and indifference from their own countrymen to the East), land locked with no natural outlet for their goods and agricultural products and at constant war with Native Americans, this, the fastest growing segment of the US population, was threatened with extinction. Thus, the setting was a tinder box with a truly separate people ready for that particular leader whose interests were not just aligned with but also coincident with their own.

Andrew Jackson was such a man. This is a story of survival, a story of great personal courage, of a very independent people who hacked their homes and way of life out of a true wilderness. It is a story of how the foundations of the Jacksonian Era were so firmly laid that the 34 year history of the Virginia Dynasty was so completely crushed in American politics that it never resurrected. An oft overlooked, misunderstood or just plain ignored segment of American history, these thirty years in the west were pivotal to the development of early America. Andrew Jackson was truly THE man, a most amazing force to be reckoned with, and an American to the very core of his soul.

Jackson, everyman's hero, today's leaders pale by comparison.......2001-08-18

The reader gets two stories for the price of one in "Jackson's Way." The first 150 pages tell the story of America's expansion West to the Mississippi River with objective and rich detail about the conflict and trials of both settlers and Indians, but little about Andrew Jackson. The book is also a good balance between modern apologists and proponents of manifest destiny. The second story describes Andrew Jackson the soldier and general, mostly Andrew Jackson the consummate leader. I can list with the fingers on one hand the really good books about leadership, this book fits in that count. If you're tired of sniveling and self serving politicians and generals driven more by bureaucracy and pomp than fighting skill and tired of selfish chief executive officers raking in million dollar stock options while laying off thousands of workers without adequate severance compensation then meet Andrew Jackson as described by author John Buchanan. If you teach history and want to see students sitting on the edge of their seats instead of falling asleep then this book is for you too. The story describes in detail battles in the Mississippi River watershed during the war of 1812 culminating with the Battle for New Orleans (1814-15) when we whupped the British tail. Buchanan describes Jackson's leadership traits in a way that readers in virtually any profession can relate.

Jackson's Way.......2001-08-11

Jack Buchanan is a great writer! I was enthralled by this book from the moment 15 year-old Andrew Jackson swept onto the page. Buchanan brings to life the saga of the Old Southwest and the American pioneers. The most interesting element of the book is the portrait you get of Andrew Jackson, who was so loved men voted for him fifty years after his death. Anyone interested in the Presidents or the history of the Old Southwest will want to read this book.

International Handbook of the Religious, Moral and Spiritual Dimensions in Education (International Handbooks of Religion and Education)

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International Handbook of the Religious, Moral and Spiritual Dimensions in Education (International Handbooks of Religion and Education)

Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1402048033

Book Description

In todayâ€™s complex and plural world, there has been, particularly in western cultures, an identifiable change in peoplesâ€™ relationships with religious traditions. Some of these changes have also permeated non-western cultural traditions as they have been exposed to and influenced by television and other media that is dominated by western life styles and contexts. A corresponding movement is a vital resurgence of interest in human spirituality. Traditionally, spirituality has resided and been contained within religious frameworks but while the links between the two areas are still acknowledged by many in the contemporary world, spirituality is perceived by some as an aspect of human life that is distinct from religion. Consequently, many are searching for meaning within and without religious traditions today and seeking answers to ethical and moral questions that have been generated by the knowledge and technological explosion. One outcome is the renewed interest in the religious, spiritual and moral dimensions of education throughout the life cycle.

This International Handbook presents the research and professional practice of scholars who are daily engaged in the consideration of these dimensions in education. The result is a collection of essays which reflects the discipline, in all of its internationality, as it as today. Embedded within the chapters is also an agenda for the future, where the religious, moral and spiritual dimensions in education are proposed as an exciting and challenging way forward for educators at all levels in society. As well, it offers a vision for the emergence of a peaceful and just world.

The Life of Andrew Jackson/3 Volumes in 1

Average customer rating:

A good abridgement

The Life of Andrew Jackson/3 Volumes in 1
Robert V. Remini
Manufacturer: Harpercollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Henry Clay: Statesman for the Union
Andrew Jackson: His Life and Times

ASIN: 0060159049

Customer Reviews:

A good abridgement.......2004-01-18

Remini's text provides the reader with an excellent synopsis of the life and times of Old Hickory while condensing three volumes into one. While the author at times defends the General loyally, Remini attempts to provide details of both Andrew Jackson's many triumphs and pitfalls. for someone trying to become acquainted with this president or Jacksonian American, this is an excellent text. It provides narrative details of the facts and the context surrounding President Jackson, but it is also highly readable. All in all, I would recomend the text highly.

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Life Of Andrew Jackson V3
James Parton
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1428639292

Book Description

In Three Volumes.

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Andrew Jackson His Life & Times
H W Brands
Manufacturer: DOUBLEDAY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UD56QK

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Andrew Jackson Pioneer and President
J. Parlin
Manufacturer: Arcade Bks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

The Boy in the Alamo
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Davy Crockett - Pbk
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ASIN: 0811662632

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Andrew Jackson: His Life and Times

Manufacturer: Books on Tape
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: 1415924635

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