Interdisciplinary essays on the White House and the lives of first families.

The Constitution of the United States says little about the president's specific duties other than the enforcement of the laws of the land. Combining brilliant scholarship with a lively style, this book reveals how deep-seated forces, inherent in American society and affecting the presidency for over two centuries, have transformed the office created by the framers of the Constitution into the complex, powerful, and responsible institution it is today. The administrations of the "strong" presidents have added to the powers and duties of the office as we know them. In addition, such social and political forces as the growth of political parties, economic and geographic expansion, and the changing nature of the national government have all had their influence on the presidency. These processes are historically traced by the author and illustrated by vivid examples of how they worked in the case of such holders of the office as Washington, Jackson, Polk, Lincoln, the two Roosevelts, and Eisenhower. Every chapter of the book brings a fresh and authoritative approach to an office and an institution that is the subject of searching debates today.

This is a very interesting read about life in the White House by the early inhabitants (prior to 1907), written to show the domestic life of our presidents, their first ladies and often times their relatives and children.

The battle for the White House following the election of November 7, 2000, was one of the major media spectacles in American history. From the uncertainty of election night to Al Gore's concession to George W. Bush's acceptance of the mantle of president-elect, Douglas Kellner demonstrates why the media was culpable in the theft of the presidency, ultimately bringing to power one of the most right wing administrations in American history. By applying critical social theory, cultural studies, and media criticism to buttress his arguments, Kellner concludes that Election 2000 reveals a crisis in contemporary American democracy. A final chapter critically dissects the first 100 days of the Bush presidency, which is emerging as one of the most reactionary in history.

A Companion to Ronald Reagan evaluates in unprecedented detail the events, policies, politics, and people of Reagan’s administration. It assesses the scope and influence of his various careers within the context of the times, providing wide-ranging coverage of his administration, and his legacy. Assesses Reagan and his impact on the development of the United States based on new documentary evidence and engagement with the most recent secondary literature Offers a mix of historiographic chapters devoted to foreign and domestic policy, with topics integrated thematically and chronologically Includes a section on key figures associated politically and personally with Reagan

Numerous studies on various aspects of the issues of the 1960s have been written over the past 35 years, but few have so successfully integrated the many-sided components into a coherent, synthetic, and reliable book that combines good storytelling with sound scholarly analysis.