Presidential Courage: Brave Leaders and How They Changed America 1789-1989 (2007)

I heard Beschloss speak recently at a local college, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
He sounded just like his book: anecdotal, marginally interesting, uninspired.
If you're a serious student of history, you don't need this book on your shelf. For public school students, it could be an appealing way to start learning about presidential history. ( )

An set of interesting arguments for a select few presidents. Of course, the heavy hitters in presidential history are presented, but some of the decisions that are brought up and argued are not as well known. This adds to the overall effect of the book. ( )

Very informative but the author's writing style is not that good. Random and unrelated (but informative) information(or trivia) suddenly appearing out of nowhere can be distracting to the reader. Informative book, but not that well-written. I still recommend it though to anyone interested in presidential history ( )

"Don't be afraid!" was George Washington's near-to-last utterance, to the worried doctor at his bedside. The essential founding father's counsel is understood by well-known historian Beschloss (The Conquerors: Roosevelt, Truman and the Destruction of Hitler's Germany) to set an example for future presidents. Beschloss outlines how several occupants of the Oval Office—including Jackson, Lincoln, Roosevelt, FDR, Truman, Kennedy and Reagan—combined courage with wisdom to change the future of the country, notwithstanding the slings and arrows they earned. Despite its unpopularity at the time, for instance, Reagan's "strong beliefs combined with his optimism" led him to pursue the policy to abolish nuclear weapons, which helped bring down the Soviet empire peacefully. None of the author's heroes were saints, but rather flawed men sustained by friends, families, conviction and religious faith. With contenders for 2008 already lining up, this well-timed book might, the author hopes, persuade some to take the kinds of "wise political risks that Presidents once did."Perhaps. But knowledgeable readers should look elsewhere for genuine historical insight. The author's broad brushstrokes necessarily restrict him to painting nuanced individuals and complex times in only basic primary colors, and there is little that has not been said before—in some cases, many times. The author plays up religion in all cases. While it was certainly a basis for the character of many presidents, the credence it is given in this book is a little unsettling. The book, while attempting to show men making tough, unpopular but necessary decisions, exposes our presidents as unsavory, selfish politicians bent on public opinion and reelection more than the welfare of the country. The narrative and history-lite presentation of the facts left me soured on this book. It did not live up to its title and was an exercise in annoyance. ( )

I'm not sure how someone who knows nothing about American history and the events described in this book could possibly follow what is going on from incident to incident. Bescholss essentially collects as series of historical "sound bites" and writes a connect-the-dots type of narrative around the endless quotes he collected for this volume. It is a superficial rendering of important events in American Presidential history lack depth and analysis. It is truly a book for the modern television age.

In the book's favor, it is a good book to keep in the bathroom for a quick daily read. ( )