Reviews

"The best survey of Pierce's presidency available."--Library Journal"Gara shows Pierce as a personable politician of limited ability who lacked the vision and leadership necessary to master the events of his time. There is no comparable previous study."--Choice

"This detailed, insightful, and unsparing study of Franklin Pierce's storm-tossed presidency sharpens our understanding of one of the most crucial chapters in American history. Drawing upon his own original research and a sophisticated examination of the rich secondary literature on the troubled 1850s, Gara has produced a book of genuine interest to specialists and general readers alike."--Richard H. Sewell, author of Ballots for Freedom: Antislavery Politics in the United States, 1837-1860"Gara's portrayal of Franklin Pierce as a tragic and complex figure is skillfully done. His major contribution, however, lies in his analysis of American politics and foreign policy during the 1850s. Especially compelling is his analysis of 'young America's' obsession with Central American and the Caribbean--an obsession that not only illuminates our past and our present, but, God forbid, our future."--Richard O. Curry, author of The Border States during Reconstruction