Book Description
A fresh look at the only president to serve nonconsecutive terms.Though often overlooked, Grover Cleveland was a significant figure in American presidential history. Having run for President three times and gaining the popular vote majority each time -- despite losing the electoral college in 1892 -- Cleveland was unique in the line of nineteenth-century Chief Executives. In this book, presidential historian Henry F. Graff revives Cleveland's fame, explaining how he fought to restore stature to the office in the wake of several weak administrations. Within these pages are the elements of a rags-to-riches story as well as an account of the political world that created American leaders before the advent of modern media.
Customer Reviews:
Informative.......2006-12-12
This book does precisely what it promised to do, and not one thing more... it is a compact, readable, and informative account of the life and times of Grover Cleveland. I would enthusiastically recommend it to anyone whose knowledge about this underrated president is minimal but wishes to learn more; for those who already know a great deal about him, I would recommend those books that explore the details of his life, character, and administration (like the biographies by Allan Nevins or Rexford Tugwell). This book is a primer, nothing more and nothing less.
Praise for an Often-Overlooked President.......2006-06-19
This is a really great addition to the American Presidents Series. The man that historian Henry Graff dusts off for us is deserving of a good deal of respect, and certainly deserves to be remembered for more than simply having served two non-consecutive terms. In these pages we are introduced to a chief magistrate who didn't concern himself with rocking the boat or actively engaging in creating policy. Rather, Grover Cleveland saw his role as one in which he would keep government honest.
Cleveland's greatest responsibility, he felt, was "the public trust" (that is, keeping government's promise of responsible representation of "The People"). That said, he also believed that, while the public should support the government, government was not in charge of supporting the people. This hurt him politically during his second term when the country fell into difficult financial times. He was thus unwilling to have the Federal government step in to enact legislation that might well have made a difference. Here, Cleveland stands in stark contrast to future Presidents (most notably FDR and the New Deal) and reveals himself to be typical of men who governed during America's "Gilded Age." In our retrospective points-of-view, however, we consider this -Cleveland's laid-back response-to be his one remarkable failing.
Cleveland had no great crisis with which to contend, no nation-changing events that might have challenged him into action that would have lifted him into the category of great or near-great presidents. He was no Lincoln. Then again, he didn't need to be.
Mr. Graff's book is easy to read and is a good, brief introduction to a man whose best legacy to the Oval Office was his service as a good and decent man who restored credibility and respect to the Office of President after a series of rather luke-warm, forgettable presidencies.
Integrity.......2006-02-27
Grover Cleveland is best known as the only the president to serve two nonconsecutive terms. While this feat is remarkable, it leaves an unfortunate omission in the life of a remarkable man. In this concise biography, we are allowed a greater insight into this often forgotten president.
In the original era of corrupt politics which included Tammany Hall, Cleveland's integrity and honesty were a welcome relief and made him a shining example as president. Cleveland experienced a meteoric rise to the White House, going from Buffalo's mayor to New York's governor to the Oval office in less than ten years. Decendent of a Presbyterian minister, Cleveland was never able to attend college. However, he was still able to initiate a successful law career.
Cleveland's physical appearance would not have lend him to success in today's political landscape. A noted drinker and lover of food, Cleveland's frame is rumored to have hovered near 300 pounds at its peak. Cleveland was also known to avoid speaking engagements, knowing his time could be better spent at work. It reality, he was a quiet man. Yet his honesty spoke loudly for him in all situations.
Having enjoyed other books in this presidential series, I would advise readers that this series is far from thorough. The authors do have the ability to make even the most dry presidencies seem readable. With only labor strife and silver coinage as the primary controversies of his presidency, this biography of Grover Cleveland is a very good read.
Reputation for honesty.......2005-12-20
Grover Cleveland, due to family responsibilities, never had the opportunity to earn a college degree but, was able to study with a lawyer and become admitted to the bar in the state of New York. He was elected mayor of the city of Buffalo and then, he became governor of the state of New York. Although New York was the state of Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall, he developed a reputation for honesty. Since this series of short presidetial biographies is limited in space, most concentrate on the presidencies of their subject. Here, however, author Henry Graff gives lots of discussion to Cleveland's pepresidential years and it is halfway into the book before he assumes the presidency.I have read about a dozen of the biographies in this series and this one compares favorably with the others.
When Cleveland was elected, he was a bachelor but, eveidentally, he had fathered a child out of wedlock leading to a campaign slogan by his opposition of, "Ma ma where's my pa? Off to Washington ha ha ha." Yes, negative campaigning has deep roots. Nonetheless, as to his conduct of the public offices he held, his reputation was that of scrupulous honesty. While in office, his bachelorhood ended as he married a woman nearly 27 years his junior. She was an active and popular first lady. When he lost his bid for re-election, his young wife Frances proved prophetic when she vowed that he would be elected yet again in four years. All three of his election campaigns were relatively close and when he lost his bid for re-election at the end of his first term to Benjamin Harrison, he actually carried the popular vote while losing the electoral vote.
Cleveland was a relatively conservative president and despite several opportunities, he did not prove to be adventurous in foreign policy as Theodore Roosevelt later would be. One of the key domestic issues of the time was the issue of tariffs. Business interests were for them as they kept prices up but consumers and agricultural interests tended to be against them. To some extent Cleveland straddled a line in this issue but ultimately, protective tariffs were in effect during his two presidencies.
This is a well written, interesting profile of the only Democrat elected president between James Buchanan and Woodrow Wilson. I highly recommend it.
Trying Hard to do Right.......2005-08-12
As the author, Henry Graff, notes in the book's epilogue "Cleveland lives in the national memory today almost exclusively as the president who had two nonconsecutive terms...."This brief work does much to change this erroneous impression.
Upon death of his father, to support his mother and sisters, Cleveland traveled to Buffalo where he read law and was admitted to the bar in 1859 at age 22. During the Civil War, due to family obligations, he legally avoided the military draft by obtaining a substitute to take his place for $150. The author gives an interesting account of Cleveland' political career from assistant district attorney in 1863, to sheriff in 1870, to mayor of Buffalo in January 1882,and finally governor of New York in November 1882. "Old-time politicians were appalled at " Cleveland's being "such a stickler for honesty" as corruption was rife in both major parties. The public as a whole was full of esteem and wonder as Cleveland followed his motto "Good and pure government lies at the foundation of wealth and progress of every community."
Graff writes Cleveland's reputation for integrity made him a national figure. Cleveland became the Democratic candidate for president in 1884. This was the era before candidates addressed nominating conventions nor did they openly campaign. While good political issues needed to be addressed neither party faced these issues. When Cleveland was accused in a paternity situation, he advised the Democratic Party to "Tell the truth." Three words that remain to this day the gold standard reply.
The author gives a concise narration of Cleveland's first term. Cleveland addressed the issues of reform, labor problems, veterans' affairs and the critical issues of currency and the tariff. While Congress refused to lower tariffs that hurt the working class, Cleveland focused national attention on the tariff problem. Perhaps the most important bill passed during Cleveland's first term was the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. Cleveland, a bachelor president, in 1886 at the White House married Francis Folsom twenty-seven years his junior.
In 1888 Cleveland was defeated for reelection. The author states that this was the closest election in American history with Cleveland winning the popular vote but losing the electoral vote. Cleveland's loss was characterized by "a disjointed campaign and lifeless leadership, including his own." In thirteen pages, the text covers Cleveland after the election.
In 1892, the Democratic Party again nominated Cleveland for president. He was reelected on November 8 with the Democrats winning control of both houses of Congress. The author gives a brief account of Cleveland's second term that opened with the depression of 1893. Consequently the administration was faced with labor unrest and monetary problems as Congress refused to lower the tariff. To his credit, he stabilized the currency and stemmed the outflow of gold. Cleveland was battling elements that were changing the national scene in ways he could not approve... and "plainly dictates that right not might should be the rules of.... conduct." In addition, Cleveland was faced with foreign affairs problems between Britain and Venezuela plus the Cuban Civil War. In 1896 the Republican candidate, McKinley, was elected president.
Upon retiring from public office in 1887, Cleveland made himself a part of the Princeton University community. The author observed "He was no longer a partisan politician but a beloved national treasure." Cleveland's last public service was to involve himself in reorganizing the Equitable Life Assurance Society. He died of a heart attack on June 24, 1907; his last words reportedly were "I have tried hard to do what is right."
This short work is easy to read and well worth the efford. Grover Cleveland indeed deserves to be known for more that serving two "nonconsecutive" terms.
Book Description
Grover Cleveland: A Study in Character is the first comprehensive study of our 22nd and 24th president in nearly seventy years. This distinguished leader, the only Democrat elected to the presidency between the Civil War and World War I, rose to political prominence through the ranks of mayor of Buffalo and governor of New York before his election to this nation's highest office. Always concerned with the majority, never the favored few, Cleveland believed his ultimate allegiance was to the nation, not to a political party, and he acted on his strongly-held beliefs throughout his entire political life. At first considered an enemy of labor because of his firm handling of the bloody Chicago Pullman strike, many historians have overlooked Cleveland's numerous accomplishments, including his heroic quest to improve the quality of life for American Indians, his battles against the railroads and big business to prevent the destruction of American land, and his insistence on tariff reduction and remaining on the Gold Standard, which saved the nation from bankruptcy. The only president to be elected to two nonconsecutive terms, Grover Cleveland was the only president to be married in the White House and also the first to have a child in the White House.Brodsky's engrossing work follows Grover Cleveland through his early life in upstate New York, his career as a trial lawyer, mayor, and governor through to his first and second presidencies and his last years as a lecturer and beloved member of the administration at Princeton University. Each chapter will cause readers to reevaluate our perception of this underrated President who, in his dying words said, "I tried so hard to do right," and to evaluate him in the context of his successors.
Customer Reviews:
Help, I lost my Editor!.......2007-05-03
Alyn Brodsky's relentlessly upbeat review of Grover Cleveland should draw a fair amount of critique and interesting argument from historians. The author's point is generally well presented and forcefully argued.
However, as noted in other reviews, Mr. Brodsky makes utterly incorrect, incoherent and useless comparisons assuming the reader of his book on Grover Cleveland is aching to have Brodsky's subject compared (favorably, of course)to modern presidents. It detracts terribly from what, otherwise, is a compelling narrative.
I have not read other reviewers make this point, but I was also perplexed by the vocabulary choices of Mr. Brodsky. I am a reasonably well-read (for goodness sake, I have now read biographies of presidents 1-22/24) person who on occaision will need to look up a word, or learn it in context.
However, at a rate of approximately twice per short chapter, Mr. Brodsky uses words that I don't believe I have ever read before and am certain not a soul has uttered out loud in my presence. This was a 500-page SAT review lesson, but given that I took the SAT about 20 years ago, I could go without.
The flaws in the book are a shame since they are so detracting from an informative, thorough and aggressively argued book.
Essential Read for Gilded Age Historians.......2006-12-14
There are few people who would find the Gilded Age a fascinating time to read about but if you are one of them this biography is perfect. If you are curious about the only honest politician during that era then this is the book for you. Although elected to two terms (non consecutively) see how this democrat filled in the shoes of a largely republican era. This is by far the best biography of Cleveland in print and while some may be turned off by his politicking at the time they fail to realize it was simply the way of things. Cleveland played the political game as honestly as he could and did an excellent job in doing so. Fascinating story about an interesting time in our political history.
The most substantive biography of Grover Cleveland in print.......2006-09-07
There have been two recent biographies of Cleveland taking the same tack: he was a man and a president who shames the recent incombents of the White House. The other is An Honest President: Library Edition by H. P. Jeffers. I thought that this one focused a little more on the issues and Jeffers a little more on the person, although it may be simply that having read this second, the historical details made more of an impression. Despite this generalism, Frances Cleveland is more vividly portrayed in this book. Certainly I thought that Brodsky did a better job of explaining the issues, although Jeffers was a bit more readable.
My history courses in school rarely made it past the Civil War in any detail. We once expended an entire WEEK on the 20th century. Consequently, the last half of the 19th is a particularly vague time for me of robber barons, dollar princesses and nonentity presidents in the East, taking a back seat to the Indian Wars in the West. Cleveland to me was the one who's terms weren't consecutive. I am very pleased to have made his acquaintance in these two books.
Both Brodsky and Jeffers use Cleveland's life to bash recent presidents, a tactic which I don't really approve of, although I must admit to chortling in this case. Jeffers primarily goes after Clinton, which does get a bit repetitious. Brodsky is bipartisan in his complaints, although anything of the sort dates the book rapidly. In a few decades, a new edition would need footnotes explaining the peccadillos to which the authors allude. Of course, it could be argued that books become dated anyway. The readers should consider their own taste.
Brodsky certainly thinks highly of Cleveland, but he is not uncritical, even characterizing him as foolish or self-defeating at times. Brodsky includes appendixes on Cleveland's views on Black Americans and Chinese immigrants and visitors. He concludes that by our standards, he doesn't look good in either case. Brodsky thinks that although he was no better than he should be on these subjects, he did at least have a lack of malice and a sense of fair play even towards people he regarded as inferior. I would have liked a bit more about the Native Americans.
Brodsky's style is occasionally a bit quaint, as though he has picked up the speaking and writing patterns of the time. At other times it is informal, as he throws in various maxims. I mean neither to praise or blame here: it's just how he writes.
Reading this has convinced me that the Republican and Democratic parties are more historically consistent than I thought, despite the swings between what is considered to be liberal and what conservative. This isn't necessarily the good news.
The other current biographies that I am aware of are from series on all the presidents.
I am very glad, and somewhat more optimistic for making Cleveland's acquaintance. Of course, now I suppose we need the debunking bio. Still, I find Cleveland well worth learning about, and I am glad to have more history about a period that I understand too little.
A Biographer with an Agenda which Does Not Include Objectivity.......2006-07-03
The author seems to have two primary purposes for the book: 1. To justify everything that Cleveland did throughout his political career (Cleveland could do no wrong); and 2. To use Cleveland as a vehicle to editoralize on how bad of persons and presidents that Nixon, Reagan, and Bush (first) were.
It is a work that will prove to be disappointing to anyone seeking an objective account of an important president who had strengths and weaknesses as expected for any true leader.
an example of how NOT to write a biography.......2006-01-23
Cleveland's story itself is very interesting, but unfortunately this author butchers the concept of biography so badly that it interferes with the story. This is an excellent example of several things to not do when writing a biography, and serves as a great reminder for why we should appreciate the great ones when they come along. The author excessively editorializes (and very simplistically so at that), inserts his own self into the book too frequently (why at all, I ask?), and often contradicts his own interjected opinions with evidence that a few pages later proves the exact opposite. It gets so muddled on occasion that it is hard to understand how the author came to hold such strong opinions (that for some reason he felt were necessary to include) in the first place. My advice: look elsewhere...I do NOT recommend this book.
Book Description
When in 1911 Phillies pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander set the National League record for wins by a rookie (28), it was a sign of things to come. Alexander went on to win 373 games over his 20-year career, the third highest total in major league history, and he would lead the league in ERA four times, shutouts seven times, complete games six times, and wins six times. But he also became a deeply troubled man. After the Shell-Shocked pitcher returned from World War I, he would battle alcoholism, epilepsy, and personal demons that damaged his reputation and proved disastrous for his life outside of baseball.
This biography sheds new light on the pitcher and the man, focusing on Alexander's personal life, especially his complex relationship with his wife, Aimee, as well as their marriages and divorces. His Hall of Fame career, wartime service, and long decline are also documented.
Customer Reviews:
The story behind the star.......2007-03-05
"Wicked Curve" is the tragic story of an all-time baseball great who would have been held -- then and now -- in greater acclaim if not for his battles with the bottle. There is no telling what Grover Cleveland Alexander could have achieved if not for a minor-league beaning, injuries and hearing loss suffered in World War I and his lifelong association with "John Barleycorn." Biographer John Skipper does a steady and straightforward job of presenting the story behind the star's glories and his descent into poverty and alcoholism. In "Wicked Curve," the reader comes to appreciate the remarkable abilities and achievements of Alexander the Athlete despite the human weaknesses of Alexander the Man. This is a good book for anyone interested in early 20th century baseball.
An Excellent Story by a Great Author!.......2007-01-15
I must confess that John C. Skipper is my favorite baseball author and one of my favorite authors of any genre, so expected to enjoy this book. I anticipated a fact filled story that detailed with great skill the life of a legend, but I didn't expect to be moved to tears by the tragedy and humanness of the life of Grover Cleveland Alexander. John did an amazing job of helping the reader not only understand the life of Alexander, but also feel it. 5 Stars are not enough. I wish I could give Wicked Curve 10.
A compeling story of a man and his life........2007-01-10
"Ol Pete" or Grover Cleveland Alexander lived two lives. He lived a grand life of baseball and then a depraved life of longing for baseball and drink. Some might call it sad in it's totality. Some might feel sorry for the man who at one point in America's baseball history was a "LEGEND". I see simply a man who had to deal with many of life's difficulties. Sometimes he succeeded and did so with magnificence. Sometimes he failed and did so also with devistating squalor.
"Wicked Curve" delves into Alex's greatness as well as his demons. Though this book by John C. Skipper one gets to know one of the greatest pitchers in one of the greatest games just a little bit better.
A Good Book On A Baseball Legend.......2006-11-10
I recently read John Skipper's book on Grover Cleveland Alexander. I enjoy books on early baseball legends, and I felt this book did a nice job reviewing the career of Alexander and his life after baseball. Those of us who love baseball and enjoy the history of the game have always been aware of his troubled life, but this book brought forward new and accurate information of him. I would recommend this book to all baseball fans. My only complaint is that I thought the price was a little high for what is basically an oversized paperback book. If you can get it at your local library and a reduced price copy it would be to your advantage.
Book Description
Grover Cleveland Alexander is one of sport's most tragic heroes. His 373 National League victories set a record which has never since been challenged. His diamond achievements brought him into baseball's Hall of Fame. However, his biblography is not a simple recital of victories on the field. It tells also of his failures off the playing field as an alcoholic and epileptic living out a tortured life.
Customer Reviews:
Ol' Pete's Life - A Rare Glimpse into his Life.......2005-12-18
A favorable trend over the last few years has been biographies appearing on some of the biggest stars in early baseball, ones who have not have their lifes covered previously - Honus Wagner, Walter Johnson, George Sisler, Cy Young, etc. I was glad to see that a biography had been written about Grover Alexander, as there seemed to be contridictions in his life after baseball and too many rumors about his life in baseball. Jack Kavanagh, I believe, has done his best to sort out fact from fiction in Alexander's life through his baseball career; it makes for interesting reading and clears up some misconceptions about incidents in his baseball life and life during baseball. The only weak point in the book is that there isn't a lot said about his life after baseball - but this may be because there isn't a lot of information about that period of his life, and that may be unfair to Kavanagh. Nonetheless, I found myself feeling somewhat embarrassed over the fall of G.C. Alexander after his big-league days were over and the level that he sunk to. But our "heroes" of the big leagues are merely people, subject to the same excesses and faults that we all are, and no matter of the problems of Alexander should be judged too harshly by us. This is a good book, entertaining and probably as thorough a biography as we have at this point, or may have at all. Alexander has been overlooked as a great pitcher and a biography about him is overdue - read, enjoy and learn.
A VERY SAD TALE ABOUT A GREAT PITCHER.......2003-03-23
THIS IS THE STORY ABOUT ONE OF THE LEGENDARY PITCHERS OF THE GRAND OLD GAME. A TREMENDOUS ON THE FIELD SUCCESS AND OFF THE FIELD FAILURE. HIS 1926 WORLD SERIES IS LEGENDARY AS IS HIS STORIED CAREER. BUT HIS OFF THE FIELD DRINKING AND EPILEPSY IS VERY SHOCKING AND GUT WRENCHING. I WONDER WHAT SORT OF CAREER HE COULD HAVE HAD IF HE DIDN'T HAVE TO FIGHT THE DEMON OF ALCOHOLISM. ALEX'S PLAYING DAYS ARE DONE IN GREAT DETAIL, JUST WISH MORE WAS AVAILABLE ABOUT HIS PRIVATE LIFE. BUT A WELL DONE JOB BY THE AUTHOR. A MUST READ FOR BASEBALL HISTORY FANS.
A trageic story of baseball's greatest pitchers.......2001-07-09
I have undertaken the quest to read biographies of the past baseball heroes, and wanted to know more about Ol' Pete, so this book was an exact match.
I became a aware of a few editing mistakes, there is a picture caption that claims GCA won 26 games as a rookie yet the statistics show he won 28.
During a 3 page span there were a few mathematical mistakes dealing with GCA and surpassing Matty's career wins record. Page 110 said Pete needed 9 wins to pass Matty, then a few pages later it said GCA won his 6 game, 1 more needed to tie Matty. Certainly with the Mattty record changed later, this was just clearly an over site with numbers, hopefully it will be corrected with the paperback version up-coming.
A handful of the old-time players were certainly tragic firgures, and I guess Fitzgerald was right, when he said "Show me a hero and I'll write you a tragedy."
If you enjoyed this book, try the following: 1. Matty: An American Hero 2. Fouled Away: The Baseball tragedy of Hack Wilson 3. Rogers Hornsby: A Biography
Too much trival detail.......1999-12-05
I have always wondered why there was not more written about this early hero of baseball who seemed to have such a sad and tragic life, and was very excited when I found this book. Jack Kavanagh did a wonderful job of researching the ins and outs of Ol' Pete, and reading of his life and hardships was very informative. But I believe he allowed the book to drag just a bit by trying to include too much detail about meaningless games.
Ol' Pete...So Great And Yet So Sad.......1998-11-18
Reading this book was difficult. Not difficult to read, but difficult to accept. Hard to imagine that one of baseball's most loved and storied legends had such a difficult life. A well written and well researched book. Kept me interested from beginning to end. When I finally closed the book, I could not help but sigh. A sigh of such sadness will overcome you. Truly a sad outcome for such a gifted pitcher.
Book Description
Grover Cleveland, who served as both the twenty-second and the twenty-fourth president of the United States, dominated the American political scene from 1884 to 1896. Viewed at one time as a monument of presidential courage, Cleveland has over the past generation been dismissed by historians as a "Bourbon Democrat," the symbol of that wing of the Democratic party devoted to preserving the status quo and protecting the interests of the propertied. In this revisionist study, Richard Welch takes a fresh look at the Cleveland administrations and discovers a man whose assertive temperament was frequently at odds with his inherited political faith.
Although pledging public allegiance to a Whiggish version of the presidency, Cleveland's aggressive insistence on presidential independence led him to exercise increasing control of the executive branch and then to seek influence over Congress and national legislation. Quick to denounce governmental paternalism and the centralization of political power, Cleveland nevertheless expanded the authority of the national government as he revised federal land and Indian policies in the West and ordered the army to Chicago during the 1894 Pullman strike. For all his fears of constitutional innovation, he was neither a champion of big business nor unaware of the problems posed by the post-Civil War economic revolution. He signed the Interstate commerce Act, warned against the growing power of industrial combination, advocated voluntary federal arbitration of labor-management disputes, and fought the monopolization of western lands by railroad an timber corporations.
Welch places Cleveland's battles on behalf of tariff revision, civil service reform, and the gold standard within the context of the conundrum of a strong president who usually failed to gain the cooperation of Congress or the Democratic party. Cleveland reinvigorated the American presidency and reestablished an equilibrium between the executive and legislative branches of the federal government, but by his obdurate enmity to the silverites and the "agrarian radicals," he helped assure the division and defeat of his party in the election of 1896. Welch demonstrates that Cleveland's achievements and failures as a political leader were attributable to an authoritarian temperament that saw compromise as surrender.
Two chapters of the book are devoted to Cleveland's diplomacy, focusing especially on his response to Hawaiian and Cuban revolutions and the boundary dispute between Venezuela and Great Britain. Welch takes issue with the currently popular thesis that U.S. diplomacy in the last decade of the nineteenth century displayed a concerted governmental effort to solve domestic economic problems by expanding foreign markets in East Asia and Latin America.
In addition to providing insights into the character of one of our more interesting presidents, this reassessment of Grover Cleveland's historical legacy shows clearly that the Cleveland years served as the essential preface to the development of a modern presidency and to the identification for executive power.
This book is part of the American Presidency Series.
Book Description
Grover Cleveland is known primarily as the only president to be elected to two nonconsecutive terms. But his record as a staunch reformer is equally impressive: from fighting powerful bosses in both political parties and vetoing bills he considered raids on the Treasury to resisting American imperialism and robber barons alike. And when he became embroiled in scandal -- from fathering a child out of wedlock to (legally) evading the Civil War -- he faced his past truthfully and confronted his demons directly.
In graceful and enduring prose, H. Paul Jeffers gives us the first full look at a president whose moral timber and courageous administrations have more to say to today's politicians than perhaps that of any other leader in American history.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting, but..........2005-04-01
Please keep in mind that I think three stars means "Okay" and that "okay" isn't a bad thing.
I didn't know anything about Grover Cleveland. After reading this book, I found that I liked him far more than most Presidents. However, I wish that the book went into greater depth or analyzed his life a bit deeper.
The author makes various comparisons between Cleveland's sexual behaviors to those of Clinton's, which is fine. But I would have liked to have had other comparisons as well.
This is an interesting book and it left me wanting to know more about its subject.
Painless Backgrounder.......2004-01-31
Jeffers provides a painless background on one of the least-remembered Presidents for those who need to fill in the blank spots of their US history timelines. The writing is fluent and the narrative moves quickly. But the book is not for scholars. Important issues of the times, including the Financial Panic of 1893, the free-silver movement, Hawaii and the imperialist impulse, and the growth of organized labor are covered in a few passages or pages. I especially found the discussion of Cleveland's racial attitudes and civil rights policies insufficient; for a President governing during the implementation of Jim Crow, more than a few paragraphs about the issue were warranted. For detailed discussions of those important historical issues, the reader will have to go to more specialized sources.
Too Reverential.......2003-11-03
Something is missing from this picture -- a two-time president, three-time presidential nominee and former New York governor who "never, ever" trimmed his sails for expediency, was "always" honest and consistently stuck to his convictions no matter the political cost? Not credible. To read this book one would think that Grover Cleveland was literally the second coming. The portrait is overly worshipful, completely one-sided, and ultimately unpersuasive. In particular, attempts at comparison to Bill Clinton and "Zippergate" (as the author calls it) fall totally flat and are completely gratuitous. There is little real analysis here, and too much regurgitation of what prior biographers have written.
I don't doubt that Cleveland was a unique politician, a man well-positioned in his time to take advantage of the public's increasing distaste for the spoils system and the fractional and petty squabbles that marked the Republican party from 1868-84 (Stalwarts vs. Half Breeds, Conkling vs. Blaine, Garfield vs. Conkling, etc). The early chapters on Cleveland's meteoric rise from an obscure sheriff to mayor of Buffalo to governor of New York to president in a few short years are fairly interesting. But Cleveland the man, particularly during his two presidential terms, comes across as a wooden, cardboard figure; no real flavor or insight into his personality and character emerges. Some biographies are too heavy on psycho-babble, maybe this book could have used some of that.
A Great Overview of His Life.......2003-02-04
In a quest to read a biography of every American president, I found this one of Cleveland a satisfying and easy read. Jeffers doesn't seek to make the bio an in-depth study of his personal knowledge of English vocabulaly; thus the easier read, a welcome break from the 600-pagers of some other presidents. Although over 300 pages, this biography goes fast and I didn't find myself wishing it would end. It gave the facts truthfully, thoroughly and precisely; and that's what I needed.
Weak.......2003-01-10
The author appears to have done no original research. He quotes so extensively from earlier biographies that I wish I could read one of them instead. Alas, they all seem to be out of print... If you just want an outline of Cleveland's life and presidency, then I suppose this books is okay, but if you want any insight or analysis, look elsewhere.
Customer Reviews:
Classic Study.......2006-07-25
When the dernier cri on Cleveland is 74 years old - and it is - we're all in trouble. Luckily, the crier is Allan Nevins, and you don't get much better than that. This Pulitzer Prize winning biography sets the bar and now, if some aspiring graduate student would just get off MySpace and into the library, we might all benefit from a fresh look at a first-rate president.
Classic biography of a Gilded Age president.......2004-11-11
Though a dominant figure in Gilded Age politics, Grover Cleveland is remembered today primarily as a figure of historical trivia for being the only American president to serve two non-consecutive terms. Such a relegation diminishes his achievements and ignores his role in American history, one that was illuminated by Allan Nevins in his biography of the president.
Born in 1837 to an impoverished Presbyterian minister and his wife, Grover Cleveland worked his way through school as a clerk and teacher before being admitted to the bar in Buffalo in 1859. While building a successful practice he served in a number of local offices, rising to become mayor in 1881. Corruption at the state level brought about a call for reform, and Cleveland was seen as the man to answer it. Elected governor in 1882, he ran an administration noted for both its honesty and efficiency. Over the opposition of Tammany Hall he was selected as the Democratic presidential nominee in 1884 and defeated James G. Blaine in the subsequent election.
Cleveland's first administration was noted for his efforts to enlarge the civil service and thwarting attempts by veterans to raid the Treasury for greater pension benefits. Defeated by Benjamin Harrison in 1888 despite winning the popular vote, he won reelection four years later in a rematch between the two men. Cleveland's second term was marred by an economic depression and political battles over the currency, as well as a series of labor troubles. Cleveland's laissez-faire approach to the economic problems and his administration's support for the Pullman Company in their conflict with strikers (which Nevins blames on Cleveland's attorney general rather than the president) alienated many Americans, and he was repudiated by his party at the 1896 Democratic convention.
Though Nevins exaggerates Cleveland's virtues and minimizes his limitations, this is the best biography of the president. Based on the Cleveland papers (which Nevins edited), it provides a stimulating, well-written portrait of the man and his times that rewards reading today.
Books:
- Heartbeat
- Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany
- Helen Keller: From Tragedy to Triumph (The Childhood of Famous Americans Series)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Wireless# Certification Official Study Guide
- Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862
- Fair Trade and Harmonization, Vol. 2: Legal Analysis
- Cost Accounting: Principles and Applications, Text
- Introduction to Management Science
- Secret Daughter: A Mixed-Race Daughter and the Mother Who Gave Her Away
- Mastering Team Leadership: 7 Essential Coaching Skills
- Cost Acctg Study Guide
- Global Public Goods for Health: Health economic and public health perspectives
- Weeds of the Northern U.S. and Canada: A Guide for Identification
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Chester Alan Arthur (The American Presidents)
Rutherford B. Hayes
Benjamin Harrison (The American Presidents)
William McKinley (The American Presidents)
James A. Garfield (The American Presidents)
![Gentleman Boss: The Life of Chester Alan Arthur ([Signature series book])](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0945707037.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
