Henry F. Pringle (1897–1958)

I would have laughed at anyone telling me an 1,100 page, 2-volume biography of U.S. president William Howard Taft would turn out to be a page turner, especially after just finishing Edmund Morris's three-volume masterpiece on Theodore Roosevelt. But I'd have been wrong. Henry Pringle's massive work isn't on the same level as Morris's, but it's a wonderful book nonetheless, and Pringle makes Taft a richly human character. Taft obviously appeals to Pringle (though their apparent political show more differences are somewhat obvious), and he gives great insight into the man who reluctantly became president and lost both esteem and his greatest friendship in doing so. Taft is not a tragic figure, as Roosevelt in some ways was. But there are disappointments in his life that saddened him, and it is pleasant to see how this good man, a conservative Republican, ended his life and career with enormous prestige and honor, respected by even his ardent political opponents. Pringle's book is a long one, but a rewarding and enjoyable one to read. show less

1522 The Life and Times of William Howard Taft: A Biography Volume One, by Henry F. Pringle (read 20 June 1979) This is not well-written, and is by no means the type of biography I revel in, but I just kept reading because it is still interesting. I pretty much know much of what it concerns, but it has been a long time since I've read in the period, and it was a logical followup to The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, which I just read, even though that book ended in 1901.

1532 The Life and Times of William Howard Taft: A Biography Volume Two, by Henry F. Pringle (read 23 Aug 1979) This covers Taft's life from 1912 to March 8, 1930, the day he died. It was poorly organized, naive, and just a lousy biography. Its coverage of Taft's Chief Justiceship was hopelessly laymanic and sophomoric. Why did I read such poorly written books?

The Life and Times of William Howard Taft: A Biography Volume One, by Henry F. Pringle. This is not well-written, and is by no means the type of biography