American Caesars

September 1, 2010

It may seem like an impossible task to tackle the lives of 12 Presidents in one book, but Hamilton (senior fellow, McCormack Graduate Sch., Univ. of Massachusettes; JFK: Reckless Youth) makes an admirable attempt. Inspired by Suetonius's The Twelve Caesars, which profiled the first Roman emperors, he tells the story of 20th-century America by looking at its leaders. Each chapter is dedicated to one President and comprises three parts: "The Road to the White House," "The Presidency," and "Private Life." The result is a snapshot of each man's life, political challenges, major accomplishments, and historical legacy. By necessity, the book lacks a certain depth, offering instead highlights and critical moments that shaped each administration. Hamilton deliberately shines a light on his subjects' humanity and imperfections and is frank in his assessments. His admiration for FDR is evident, as is his disdain for George W. Bush. VERDICT Some readers may take issue with Hamilton's opinions about particular Presidents. But as a whole, this is an excellent overview with a novel approach to comparing and contrasting presidential policies and personalities over the past eight decades. Recommended for those interested in American history, current events, and politics.--Michele Martin, Sonoma Acad., Santa Rosa, CA

Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2010
In explicit emulation of Suetonius The Twelve Caesars, Hamilton presents character sketches of U.S. presidents since 1945, excluding Barack Obama. Encompassing their pursuit of power, tenure, and personal lives, emphasizing female relationships with wives and other women, the portraits attempt to reveal the men behind the presidential image. Opinionated but acutely insightful, Hamilton grasps the effects of personal traits on the presidency, as shown in his biographies JFK (1992) and Bill Clinton (two volumes, 2003 and 2007). Summarizing in this work the insatiable carnality of those narcissistic chief executives, Hamilton also cleaves to the maturation in their understanding of leadershipboth JFK and Clinton recovered from serious political mistakes. So describing character traits sterling or dross, and their influence on behavior in office, Hamilton praises FDR, admires Truman (with caveats), grants peace-keeping probity to Ike, and is illusion-free concerning JFK. Considering their successors all lesser presidents, Hamilton ranges from condemnation of LBJ, Nixon, and George W. Bush to ambivalence about Reagan; but biography fans wont equivocate: Hamiltons effrontery in mimicking Suetonius pays off in irreverent, pedestal-toppling prose.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)