The Life of Andrew Jackson

I felt this book went rather easy on Jackson's sins, but it was an interesting and fun read. it seems well researched and I particularly liked the dives into Jackson's political philosophy, which definitely inform my understanding of modern politics.

This is a very readable biography of one of the most important presidents in US history. it provides a compact overview of all aspects of his life and his presidency. It is very sympathetic towards Jackson and leaves you with a very positive impression of Jackson as a man and as a president. What the book does not provide is an analysis of Jackson that evaluates what Jackson did was actually a positive thing for the country and its people. For example, the entire discussion of the fight about the US Bank is sketched as a fight on by Jackson's charisma without any judgement as to whether his destruction of the bank was good or not. Furthermore, almost all footnotes tend to be quotes from Jackson's correspondence which naturally justifies show more and defends all of Jackson's own actions.

This book is nevertheless recommended as an easy introduction to Jackson. It is worth reading today because so many of the things that Jackson did or were involved with still have resonance today. show less

I've never been fan of Andrew Jackson, but I have to say that after reading this my respect for him has grown. While he certainly initiated some policies that I can't agree with, he also was a strong leader who was incredibly effective.

The best one volume book on Jackson that I've read. I was never totally keen on Jackson until reading this book. By looking at his life and the times, he now is one of my favorite people in U.S. history. A great study in his character.

One of the more fascinating presidents/political eras/history