Presidential Profiles: from George Washington to G. W. Bush

Presidential Profiles is a book that displays bright and colorful verbal pictures of the forty-two men who have led our country from George Washington to George W. Bush. Unlike many works about the presidents, this one is neither a large tome nor a complex study of presidential policies or historical themes arranged by more or less useful analytical categories. Philip Secor, and acclaimed author and historian, has provided here a useful comparative reference for the beginning student and, at the same time, a "good read" for the history buff. Although there are few footnotes and no extensive bibliography, there are a few books suggested for further reading on each president. Each profile seeks to answer four general questions: (1) What kind of person was (is) he in terms of appearance, temperament, personal habits and idiosyncracies? (2) What was his childhood and early life like and what did he do before becoming president? (3) What did he accomplish as president? (4) What did he do after leaving office and what was the manner of his death? Throughout, special emphasis is placed on personal and social relationships.