Showing results for "James" in Presidents & Heads of State

The best one-volume biography of Madison’s life, Ketcham’s biography not only traces Madison’s career, it gives listeners a sense of the man. As Madison said of his early years in Virginia under the study of Donald Robertson, who introduced him to thinkers like Montaigne and Montesquieu, "all that I have been in life I owe largely to that man." It also captures a side of Madison that is less rarely on display.

He was the only sitting member of the House of Representatives elected President to date, but he served only about half a year in the office. He was the second president in less than 20 years felled by an assassin’s bullet. Yet James A. Garfield, a man little known outside his own party before his “dark-horse” nomination by the Republican Party in 1880, was significant in a number of ways. Garfield’s short term marked the first entrance of a “reformist” strain into the presidency that sought to root out corruption and political favoritism in government.

The extraordinary life of James Monroe: soldier, senator, diplomat, and the last Founding Father to hold the presidency, a man who helped transform thirteen colonies into a vibrant and mighty republic. “A first-rate account of a remarkable life.” —Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize-winning author...

James Madison: A Biography inspects the life of the fourth president of the United States. This short yet complete biography by author Steven Wallace studies Madison’s 85 years of life from his birth in 1751 to his death in 1836. This biography includes many of James Madison’s ideas and accomplishments. James Madison has long captured the imagination and interest of the American people with both his personal and political history, and this biography showcases the most interesting facts of his life. 

James Monroe: A Biography examines the life of the fifth president of the United States. James Monroe promoted growth at a time when the advancement of the young United States had slowed down. This brief but thorough biography by author Steven Wallace covers Monroe’s life - from his birth into a wealthy family until his death. This biography also discusses Monroe’s feud with Thomas Jefferson, his battle alongside George Washington, and his many other friendships with well-known historical figures.

A major new biography of the fourth U.S. president, from New York Times–bestselling author Lynne Cheney James Madison was a true genius of the early republic, the leader who did more than any other to create the nation we know today. This majestic new biography tells his story. Outwardly...

An intellectual biography of James Madison, arguing that he invented American politics as we know it  How do you solve a problem like James Madison? The fourth president is one of the most confounding figures in early American history; his political trajectory seems almost intentionally...

Uncover the incredible lives and legacies of the most important presidents of all time. Inside this biography bundle, you’ll explore the unique and influential lives of five founding fathers and the earliest US presidents. From the American Revolution and the signing of the Declaration of Independence to the Constitution and the era of good feelings, the early years of America’s history are marked by powerful figures, military feats, and legacies which impact America to this very day.

In Bosom Friends: The Intimate World of James Buchanan and William Rufus King, Thomas J. Balcerski explores the lives of these two politicians and discovers one of the most significant collaborations in American political history. He traces the parallels in the men's personal and professional lives before elected office, including their failed romantic courtships and the stories they told about them. Unlikely companions from the start, they lived together as congressional messmates in a Washington, DC, boardinghouse and became close confidantes. 

Discover the remarkable life of James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States and a founding figure of American history. From his service in the Revolutionary War to his presidency during the Era of Good Feelings, this comprehensive biography explores his political career, personal...

Explore the life and legacy of James Madison, America’s fourth president and a central architect of the U.S. Constitution. This concise biography follows his early life, political career, presidency, leadership during the War of 1812, and lasting influence on the United States...

This full account is of Polk's important pre-presidential career. Since Polk was immersed in so many of the major political developments of his day, and after 1835 the fateful emergence of sectional animosities-his biography is also a history of his generation’s political experience. Professor Sellers has combined the elements with a sure hand, bringing out Polk’s character-his ambition, his determination, his faith in the electorate-and the nature of his friends, his enemies, and the times in which he moved.

In 1784, Thomas Jefferson struck a deal with one of his slaves, 19-year-old James Hemings. The founding father was traveling to Paris and wanted to bring James along for a particular purpose - to master the art of French cooking. In exchange for James's cooperation, Jefferson would grant his freedom. Thus began one of the strangest partnerships in United States history

Told from multiple points of view - including those of James and Dolley Madison and a British admiral - this is the true story of the burning of the White House in 1814. It's unimaginable today, even for a generation that saw the Twin Towers fall and the Pentagon attacked. It's unimaginable because in 1814, enemies didn't fly overhead; they marched through the streets, and for 26 hours in August, the British enemy marched through Washington, DC, and set fire to government buildings, including the US Capitol and the White House.

In this lively and compelling biography, Harlow Giles Unger reveals the dominant political figure of a generation. A fierce fighter in four critical Revolutionary War battles and a courageous survivor of Valley Forge and a near-fatal wound at the Battle of Trenton, James Monroe (1751 - 1831) went on to become America's first full-time politician, dedicating his life to securing America's national and international durability.

"...David Timson narrates this sweeping history of the court of King James I...Timson's emotionally demonstrative tones echo throughout this complex study of Villiers and the British court, adding suspense to every turn..." — AudioFile Magazine An absorbing account of the conspiracy to kill...

Discover the remarkable life of James A. Garfield... James A. Garfield was the 20th President of the United States. He held that title for only a few brief months before falling victim to an assassin’s bullet. Like Abraham Lincoln before him, Garfield was cut down by a gunman before his vision could be realized. Yet while Lincoln is immortalized, Garfield has been all but forgotten, a fate as unfair as the one that ended his life. In his short life, Garfield established himself as a well-known figure in American politics.

From the Revolutionary War to his death in 1831, James Monroe's life was dominated by partisan politics. Monroe not uniquely among the American founders hated political parties, even writing that he "always considered their existence as the curse of the country." Yet his career saw the rise, fall, and rebirth of American political parties.

A sweeping reexamination of the Founding Father who transformed the United States in each of his political “lives”—as a revolutionary thinker, partisan political strategist, and president “In order to understand America and its Constitution, it is necessary to understand James Madison...

The 20th US president, James A. Garfield, served for only 200 days before his untimely death. His widowed mother raised Garfield in poverty on an Ohio farm. He served as a general in the Civil War before serving his country in the House of Representatives. A passionate man, Garfield had many priorities when elected president - he wanted to reduce the national debt, build up education, and ensure Civil Rights were granted to all freed slaves. Yet his death came too quickly when a madman with a personal vengeance shot him, and a fumbling doctor failed to save his life.