I always tended to think of Abraham Lincoln as the person who overcame a less than distinguished political career to become President of the United States, since he was best known for losing a Senatorial race and prior to that had been only a one term Congressman. But then at least Lincoln bested Douglas in the popular vote in Illinois in 1858. But then there are reasons why James K. Polk was the original "Dark Horse" candidate. Polk wanted to be Vice-President of the United States. Having lost a bid for the nomination in 1840 while Governor of Tennessee he proceeded to lose two bids for re-election, which should have ended his political career as well as his dream of being Martin Van Buren's running mate in 1844. Instead he not only ended up as the Democratic candidate, Polk defeated Henry Clay in the election and became arguably the most successful one-term President in the nation's history. Dee Lillegard begins this juvenile biography of Polk for the Encyclopedia of Presidents series with the surprising story of Polk getting the nomination as a compromise candidate.

By the end of the book Lillegard argues that Polk would prove to be the only strong president between Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln, and that his reputation was hurt by the fact that Whig attitudes about his administration prevailed and historians did not recognize the importance of his presidency for almost a century. Lillegard quotes a New York newspaper that praised Polk at his death, less than a year after leaving office: "No man and no administration was ever more assailed, and none ever achieved more." The strength of this book is that young readers will get a sense for the accomplishments of his one term in the White House.

After detailing Polk's youth in Tennessee and his rise in politics from a clerk to Congressman, where he was part of the new-style congressman representing the common man, whose ascendancy would come with the election of Andrew Jackson to the White House. As one of the leading Jacksonians in Congress, Polk would be elected Speaker of the House in 1835 and earn the nickname of "Young Hickory." Ten years later he would be inaugurated as President. Polk's major accomplishments would be in terms of the principle of Manifest Destiny, which would mean securing the Oregon Territory, winning the Mexican War, and acquiring the California ports of San Diego, Monterey, and San Francisco. Students will also be impressed with his deserved reputation as the hardest working President, although this would explain in part his death the year he left office. But the main strength of this book is explaining Polk's accomplishment regarding the National Bank and tariffs.

The book is illustrated with black & white engravings and drawings, as well as some of the earliest photographs in American history. As is usually the case, I am most impressed by the half-dozen political cartoons that capture the passions over the disputes about the National Bank and the Oregon Territory. The back of the book includes a Chronology of American History, which highlights the period from Polk's birth in 1795 to his death in 1849. The end result is that it seems rather suspect that earlier generations were not impressed with a President who ran on a specific agenda, accomplished all of his objectives in one administration, and declined to seek re-election, because readers of this book will certainly be impressed by James K. Polk's political legacy.

For years I've been convinced that James K. Polk was one of our country's most effective presidents and most successful. After reading the two volumes by Eugene I. McCormac, I'm more convinced than ever. I rank Polk as one of the top six (6) presidents this country has ever had. He stated what he wanted emphatically, he fought hard to get them accomplished and in the long run, they were good for the country. It's so sad that his accomplishments were overshadowed by the pending slavery question and his own lack of charisma. Yet, he was great and I rank him along with Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln & Truman. Others would disagree I'm sure, but I believe I'm right. Thanks, McCormac, for such two fine volumes on such a great statesman. Peahillfm@aol.com

A long time ago I was convinced that James K. Polk was the most successful one term President in American history, not that this is something to which anyone elected to the office would actually aspire. The rationale for this appellation was that Polk in 1844 on four specific points, accomplished all of them within the four years of his terms, and declined to run for re-election. However, I learned from this juvenile biography by Ann Graham Gaines for the Our Presidents series that while Polk did indeed have a successful tenure in office, he had promised to only serve one term. He also was becoming so ill that he would die a few months after leaving office. Another cherished belief bites the dust.

From the start Gaines makes it clear that Polk worked hard and accomplished a great deal, long before he was elected President. One of the interesting things about the treatment of Polk's early years is how little is known; e.g., he had surgery when he was 17, but no one knows for what. His political career in Tennessee is easier to document as he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and then became Governor of the state. Young readers will be surprised to learn that not only did Polk lose his bid for reelection in 1841, he was defeated again in 1843. Despite these defeats, and the fact that Polk was hoping to run for Vice-President, he was nominated by the Democrats and elected President in 1844 as the first "dark horse" candidate.

Polk was the youngest president ever elected up to that point in American history. His key policy goals were (1) admitting Texas to the Union; (2) acquiring the disputed area of the Oregon Territory, which spawned the famous "Fifty-four forty or fight" slogan of Polk's campaign, along with the area west to California; (3) establishing a treasury that would handle the nation's money matters; and (4) lowering tariffs to make it chapter for Americans to buy foreign goods. Clearly the idea of "manifest destiny" was the primary goal of the Polk presidency and the amount of territory added to the United States during his term is second only to the Louisiana Purchase. Gaines makes a point of showing how each of these goals was accomplished.

Like all volumes in the Our Presidents series this one is illustrated with historic paintings and etchings, as well as some very early photographs, including the first one ever taken inside the White House of Polk with his Cabinet and one outside with guests including future president, James Buchanan and Dolley Madison. There are sidebars that provide an in-depth look at topics such as Texas, California, and the Mexican War. The margins of the book often include Interesting Facts, such as Polk's political nickname of "Young Hickory." The back of the book contains a Time Line from Polk's birth in 1795 to his death in 1849, a glossary of terms from "allies" to "values," and basic information about the Presidents. This look at James Polk is one of the best in the Our Presidents series, providing a concise case for why his one-term presidency accomplished so much.

James Polk is usually the least familiar president to appear on historians' top 10 lists. But for William Dusinberre, Polk firmly holds a spot near the very bottom. For Dusinberre, Polk and his ideological brethren set the country on a course that unnecessarily led to the Civil War, the violent fall of the South, and the self-destruction of his own class.

Polk annexed Texas and was the instigator of the Mexican American War, which led to acquisition of most of the southwest for the United States. Polk also took the Oregon territory, which encompassed much of what is now the northwestern United States. Dusinberre suggests that there was a certain inevitability to some of this, but the way it all played out, and the final border results were far from certain. Polk's overly aggressive expansionism was, to Dusinberre the worst possible way for the country to stretch from sea to shinning sea because it infused militarism and obstinacy into the debate about the future of slavery.

Dusinberre convincingly argues that Polk's, and the Southern ruling classes' mores about slavery as a tool of social order, southern honor, and states rights were all subservient to the economic benefits reaped by slave owners such as Polk. This economic incentive was so great, that it blinded Polk to what Dusinberre believes to be the inevitable fall of slavery. A more forward-looking advocate of the Southern ruling class could have promoted a plan for a soft landing and perhaps sought alliances with moderates, rather than painting everyone who had any problems with slavery as extreme 'abolitionists.'

Polk's military adventurism, intolerance for even discussion of issues related to slavery, and insistence that slave owners' so-called rights should be expanded (or the South would lose its dominance in the Senate) was coupled by his implicit threat of secession in the event of almost any sort of compromise. Dusinberre argues that before Polk and his war, different gradations of opinion existed in the south, but afterward existed only unithought. The Civil War followed.

SLAVEMASTER PRESIDENT is not really a biography as much as it is a study of how slave ownership may have affected the ideology of pre-Civil War southern Democrats such as and including Polk, and how that ideology in turn contributed to the conditions that led to the Civil War. It is a compelling argument. Dusinberre also achieves a heart-rending description of slave life on the Polk plantation. The book achieves what it set out to do.

Still, I would have liked the book to be a bit more biographical. Dusinberre expains up front that his book 'does not discuss Polk's role as a congressman in President Andrew Jackson's war against the Bank of the United States. Nor does it portray President Polk's part in securing the Tariff of 1846, nor his diplomacy with Britain, which led to the establishment of the northwestern boundary dividing the United States from Canada. These stories,' explains Dusinberre, 'have been told elsewhere.' Maybe they have, but there is remarkably little popular literature on this influential, if wrongheaded president. I am satisfied with Dusinberre's book such that it is, but it also left me wanting to read more about Polk.

James Polk is usually the least familiar president to appear on historians' top 10 lists. But for William Dusinberre, Polk firmly holds a spot near the very bottom. For Dusinberre, Polk and his ideological brethren set the country on a course that unnecessarily led to the Civil War, the violent fall of the South, and the self-destruction of his own class.

Polk annexed Texas and was the instigator of the Mexican American War, which led to acquisition of most of the southwest for the United States. Polk also took the Oregon territory, which encompassed much of what is now the northwestern United States. Dusinberre suggests that there was a certain inevitability to some of this, but the way it all played out, and the final border results were far from certain. Polk's overly aggressive expansionism was, to Dusinberre the worst possible way for the country to stretch from sea to shinning sea because it infused militarism and obstinacy into the debate about the future of slavery.

Dusinberre convincingly argues that Polk's, and the Southern ruling classes' mores about slavery as a tool of social order, southern honor, and states rights were all subservient to the economic benefits reaped by slave owners such as Polk. This economic incentive was so great, that it blinded Polk to what Dusinberre believes to be the inevitable fall of slavery. A more forward-looking advocate of the Southern ruling class could have promoted a plan for a soft landing and perhaps sought alliances with moderates, rather than painting everyone who had any problems with slavery as extreme "abolitionists."

Polk's military adventurism, intolerance for even discussion of issues related to slavery, and insistence that slave owners' so-called rights should be expanded (or the South would lose its dominance in the Senate) was coupled by his implicit threat of secession in the event of almost any sort of compromise. Dusinberre argues that before Polk and his war, different gradations of opinion existed in the south, but afterward existed only unithought. The Civil War followed.

SLAVEMASTER PRESIDENT is not really a biography as much as it is a study of how slave ownership may have affected the ideology of pre-Civil War southern Democrats such as and including Polk, and how that ideology in turn contributed to the conditions that led to the Civil War. It is a compelling argument. Dusinberre also achieves a heart-rending description of slave life on the Polk plantation. The book achieves what it set out to do.

Still, I would have liked the book to be a bit more biographical. Dusinberre expains up front that his book "does not discuss Polk's role as a congressman in President Andrew Jackson's war against the Bank of the United States. Nor does it portray President Polk's part in securing the Tariff of 1846, nor his diplomacy with Britain, which led to the establishment of the northwestern boundary dividing the United States from Canada. These stories," explains Dusinberre, "have been told elsewhere." Maybe they have, but there is remarkably little popular literature on this influential, if wrongheaded president. I am satisfied with Dusinberre's book such that it is, but it also left me wanting to read more about Polk.

While many people try to depict the lives of our past Presidents in four or five hundred pages, this abbreviated view of the life and associations of James K. Polk is a refreshing change. As a history major, this book provides all of the pertinent information required to gain an insightful depiction of this man. It is a must read for anyone interested in Jacksonian America and an entertaining read for thinkers from all walks of life.

When I point out that James K. Polk and Jerry Ford were the two Presidents who promised only what they could deliver and delivered all they promised, people generally reply "James K. Who?" The man who stretched the USA from sea to shining sea has got to be fascinating. All Kudos to the author for a much-needed book.

Particularly fascinating in it is the hilarious story of the negotiation of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which gave us California et al. It proves the Mark Twain saying that God protects fools, drunkards and the United States of America.

Polk is frequently ranked in the top third of US presidents. The years of his presidency fall between Jackson and Lincoln - a period where the presidents around him were generally considered among the worst in history. Polk clearly learned lessons about management and control from the failures of Tyler before him and these lessons led to a most effective presidency. While sectionalism begins to tear apart the preceding presidency and those that followed, the Polk presidency sees a chief executive who manages to be in charge of events during his 4 years. This book was a good read about an import man in a dangerous and exciting time and perhaps a lesson in not promising only to serve one term.