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The Presidency of Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison was an early proponent of American expansion in the Pacific, a key figure in such landmark legislation as the Sherman Anti-Trust Act and the McKinley Tariff, and one of the Gilded Age's most eloquent speakers. Yet he remains one of our most neglected and least understood presidents. In this first interpretive study of the Harrison administration, the authors illuminate our twenty-third president's character and policies and rescue him from the long shadow of his charismatic secretary of state, James G. Blaine.
An Ohio native and Indiana lawyer, Harrison opened the second century of the American presidency in a rapidly industrializing and expanding nation. His inaugural address reflected the nation's optimism: "The masses of our people are better fed, clothed, and housed than their fathers were. The facilities for popular education have been vastly enlarged and more generally diffused. The virtues of courage and patriotism have given proof of their continued presence and increasing power in the hearts and over the lives of our people."
But the burdens and realities of his office soon imposed themselves upon Harrison. The biggest blow came at midterm with the Republicans' devastating losses in the 1890 congressional elections. In an era of congressional dominance, those losses eroded Harrison's position as a legislative advocate--at least, for domestic issues.
His impact in foreign affairs was more lasting. One of the highlights of this study is its revealing look at Harrison's visionary foreign policy, especially toward the Pacific. Socolofsky and Spetter convincingly demonstrate that although Harrison's ambition to acquire the Hawaiian Islands was not realized during his presidency, his foreign policy was a major step toward American control of Hawaii and American expansion in the Far East.
An Ohio native and Indiana lawyer, Harrison opened the second century of the American presidency in a rapidly industrializing and expanding nation. His inaugural address reflected the nation's optimism: "The masses of our people are better fed, clothed, and housed than their fathers were. The facilities for popular education have been vastly enlarged and more generally diffused. The virtues of courage and patriotism have given proof of their continued presence and increasing power in the hearts and over the lives of our people."
But the burdens and realities of his office soon imposed themselves upon Harrison. The biggest blow came at midterm with the Republicans' devastating losses in the 1890 congressional elections. In an era of congressional dominance, those losses eroded Harrison's position as a legislative advocate--at least, for domestic issues.
His impact in foreign affairs was more lasting. One of the highlights of this study is its revealing look at Harrison's visionary foreign policy, especially toward the Pacific. Socolofsky and Spetter convincingly demonstrate that although Harrison's ambition to acquire the Hawaiian Islands was not realized during his presidency, his foreign policy was a major step toward American control of Hawaii and American expansion in the Far East.
280 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 1987
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 3, 2022
2.5 stars. Reviewing this biography is tough. I didn't enjoy the book. This is not the authors' fault. They just did not have much subject matter.
Foreign policy was the most interesting part of B. Harrison's presidential term. The struggle over the future of Hawaii was a major topic. Harrison found it distasteful that the white planters were struggling to wrest command of the government away from the native people. He also knew that the islands were important to the USA's defense and trade. It's a shame his party didn't give B. Harrison the support he needed to fend off Grover Cleveland for a second term. Harrison comes across as an honorable and intelligent person.
I've already completed a biography of Cleveland covering both terms (interrupted by B. Harrison). So next I'll be reading about William McKinley.
Foreign policy was the most interesting part of B. Harrison's presidential term. The struggle over the future of Hawaii was a major topic. Harrison found it distasteful that the white planters were struggling to wrest command of the government away from the native people. He also knew that the islands were important to the USA's defense and trade. It's a shame his party didn't give B. Harrison the support he needed to fend off Grover Cleveland for a second term. Harrison comes across as an honorable and intelligent person.
I've already completed a biography of Cleveland covering both terms (interrupted by B. Harrison). So next I'll be reading about William McKinley.
January 14, 2015
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“The Presidency of Benjamin Harrison” by Homer Socolofsky and Allan Spetter was published in 1987 and is part of the American Presidency Series (from the University Press of Kansas). Socolofsky was a history professor at Kansas State University for more than four decades; he died in 2005 at the age of 83. Spetter is a retired professor at Wright State University.
As its title suggests, this biography is far more focused on Benjamin Harrison’s presidency than any other aspect of his life. But while the book opens with Harrison’s inauguration, it does quickly review his road to the White House including his youth, Civil War service and nascent political career. Though far too brief a summary to form part of a comprehensive biography, this survey of his pre-presidency is excellent.
The book’s core mission is the critical analysis of Harrison’s presidency, and from its earliest pages it is abundantly clear the authors are up to the task. Socolofsky is responsible for the discussion related to domestic affairs and Spetter tackles foreign affairs. They weave together a consistently compelling and often interesting review of Harrison’s term in the White House.
The authors systematically dissect Harrison’s presidency and are usually careful to supplement key points with an abundance of historical context. They review and appraise his performance broadly: in directing domestic policy and foreign affairs, in his role as Republican party leader and in his role making federal appointments (principally patronage- and judiciary-related).
The authors clearly did not set out to write a narrative or popular history of the Harrison administration and there is little flowery language or descriptive scene-setting to enhance the journey. But neither did they draft a stiff, academic text designed to appeal only to PhD candidates.
This 208 page biography is concise and impactful; points are made clearly and directly (even when the underlying issue is complex) and in few chapters is there a superfluous sentence. As a result, readers of nearly any background will come away with an excellent sense of Harrison’s strengths and weaknesses as president – even if the journey is less colorful than had Chernow or McCullough authored the book.
Because the text relies on contributions from two authors, the possibility exists that divergent writing styles could impact the reading experience. Fortunately that is not an issue; transitions between sections, though not always perfect, are generally seamless.
It is quickly obvious that the authors chose to analyze Harrison’s presidency topically rather than chronologically. If haphazardly executed, this approach can prove frustrating as the reader attempts to mentally place major historical events into proper sequence. In this case, however, the presentation is clear and the opportunity for confusion is limited.
The most disappointing aspect of this biography is that, by design, it fails to provide a comprehensive review of Harrison’s life. But supplementing this text with a thorough review of Harrison’s early life is straightforward – several biographies exist which can fill this gap. (The first two volumes of Harry Sievers’s series immediately spring to mind!)
Overall, “The Presidency of Benjamin Harrison” proves a useful and surprisingly interesting review of Benjamin Harrison’s presidency. It lacks the narrative appeal of many popular biographies and its coverage of Harrison’s early life, though valuable, is quite brief. But this biography performs its principal mission extremely well; its coverage of Harrison’s presidency is smart, efficient and rewarding.
Overall rating: 3¾ stars
“The Presidency of Benjamin Harrison” by Homer Socolofsky and Allan Spetter was published in 1987 and is part of the American Presidency Series (from the University Press of Kansas). Socolofsky was a history professor at Kansas State University for more than four decades; he died in 2005 at the age of 83. Spetter is a retired professor at Wright State University.
As its title suggests, this biography is far more focused on Benjamin Harrison’s presidency than any other aspect of his life. But while the book opens with Harrison’s inauguration, it does quickly review his road to the White House including his youth, Civil War service and nascent political career. Though far too brief a summary to form part of a comprehensive biography, this survey of his pre-presidency is excellent.
The book’s core mission is the critical analysis of Harrison’s presidency, and from its earliest pages it is abundantly clear the authors are up to the task. Socolofsky is responsible for the discussion related to domestic affairs and Spetter tackles foreign affairs. They weave together a consistently compelling and often interesting review of Harrison’s term in the White House.
The authors systematically dissect Harrison’s presidency and are usually careful to supplement key points with an abundance of historical context. They review and appraise his performance broadly: in directing domestic policy and foreign affairs, in his role as Republican party leader and in his role making federal appointments (principally patronage- and judiciary-related).
The authors clearly did not set out to write a narrative or popular history of the Harrison administration and there is little flowery language or descriptive scene-setting to enhance the journey. But neither did they draft a stiff, academic text designed to appeal only to PhD candidates.
This 208 page biography is concise and impactful; points are made clearly and directly (even when the underlying issue is complex) and in few chapters is there a superfluous sentence. As a result, readers of nearly any background will come away with an excellent sense of Harrison’s strengths and weaknesses as president – even if the journey is less colorful than had Chernow or McCullough authored the book.
Because the text relies on contributions from two authors, the possibility exists that divergent writing styles could impact the reading experience. Fortunately that is not an issue; transitions between sections, though not always perfect, are generally seamless.
It is quickly obvious that the authors chose to analyze Harrison’s presidency topically rather than chronologically. If haphazardly executed, this approach can prove frustrating as the reader attempts to mentally place major historical events into proper sequence. In this case, however, the presentation is clear and the opportunity for confusion is limited.
The most disappointing aspect of this biography is that, by design, it fails to provide a comprehensive review of Harrison’s life. But supplementing this text with a thorough review of Harrison’s early life is straightforward – several biographies exist which can fill this gap. (The first two volumes of Harry Sievers’s series immediately spring to mind!)
Overall, “The Presidency of Benjamin Harrison” proves a useful and surprisingly interesting review of Benjamin Harrison’s presidency. It lacks the narrative appeal of many popular biographies and its coverage of Harrison’s early life, though valuable, is quite brief. But this biography performs its principal mission extremely well; its coverage of Harrison’s presidency is smart, efficient and rewarding.
Overall rating: 3¾ stars
April 19, 2019
I have finished slogging my way through Homer Soc0lofsky's The Presidency of Benjamin Harrison. This was neither an interesting nor easy read. I made this choice quite a while ago, when I first started reading the presidential biographies and chose not to read the highly recommended 3 volume set by Siever (I am saving that time investment for a much more interesting man, like Teddy Roosevelt). This book focused only on the presidency of Harrison, with a small amount of personal history provided. Socolofsky organized the presentation of Harrison's four year presidency, not in chronological order, but rather by topics such as Domestic Programs, Foreign Policy, and the President's Travels. I found this approach rather disjointed, as the author apparently chose to write so succinctly that much of the information was not grounded in other events occurring at the time. He included a chapter, The Passing of the Civil War Generation, which read much like an obit column of the time. Little in the chapter had to do with Harrison, but oddly enough I found it to be one of the more interesting parts of the book, as it illustrated the end of the romantic era of the Civil War. Sorry I did not chose Calhoun's short biography instead.
Harrison was the centennial president. He and the Republicans swept back into power by the stoking of working man's fear that a change in the tariff policy might result in job loses to cheaper overseas labor (sound familiar??). The Fifty First Congress, controlled by Republicans and lead by a Republican President, took this as a mandate to legislate the Republican platform. The election was not as lopsided as might appear because 6 states were added to the Union between November 1889 and July 1890: North and South Dakota, Montana, Washington, Idaho, and Wyoming, bolstering the Republican power. This congress in 300 days enacted more legislature than any other congress, the most significant being the Sherman Antitrust Act, the Silver Purchase Act, and the McKinley Tariff Act. Harrison had managed however to alienate much of the power of the Republican congress by his appointments. He was by nature a bit of a loner and made most of his decisions with little input from Republican leaders which put their noses out of joint. Added to that fact, he belatedly invited Blaine, who considered himself a power behind the throne, to be Secretary of State, but the two of them never seemed to figure out how to pull together in harness, which added to dysfunction. Perhaps Blaine was frustrated that his fourth bid for the Presidency was unsuccessful, and his health was beginning to fail. The nation, observing so many major changes and feeling the tension within the Republican Party, decided in the 1890 election to sweep out Republicans, leaving Harrison for the last two years of his term with a contentious Democratic congress. Socolofsky points out that Harrison, frustrated on the domestic front, then turned his attention internationally, with his policies paving the way for a more aggressive promotion of the United States in foreign affairs. During this time, he negotiated a treaty with Great Britain over fishing and sealing rights (a very detailed chapter that truly did not capture my attention), a heated contest with Chile that almost broke out into a war, a continued search for a Pan American treaty that would allow for a canal to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and the establishment of a treaty with Hawaii to provided the US with a foothold in the Pacific. As Harrison's presidency winds down, the effects of the legislation of the 51st congress is beginning to take full effect and Cleveland on his return to office will inherit the depression of 1893. And now, back to Cleveland.
Harrison was the centennial president. He and the Republicans swept back into power by the stoking of working man's fear that a change in the tariff policy might result in job loses to cheaper overseas labor (sound familiar??). The Fifty First Congress, controlled by Republicans and lead by a Republican President, took this as a mandate to legislate the Republican platform. The election was not as lopsided as might appear because 6 states were added to the Union between November 1889 and July 1890: North and South Dakota, Montana, Washington, Idaho, and Wyoming, bolstering the Republican power. This congress in 300 days enacted more legislature than any other congress, the most significant being the Sherman Antitrust Act, the Silver Purchase Act, and the McKinley Tariff Act. Harrison had managed however to alienate much of the power of the Republican congress by his appointments. He was by nature a bit of a loner and made most of his decisions with little input from Republican leaders which put their noses out of joint. Added to that fact, he belatedly invited Blaine, who considered himself a power behind the throne, to be Secretary of State, but the two of them never seemed to figure out how to pull together in harness, which added to dysfunction. Perhaps Blaine was frustrated that his fourth bid for the Presidency was unsuccessful, and his health was beginning to fail. The nation, observing so many major changes and feeling the tension within the Republican Party, decided in the 1890 election to sweep out Republicans, leaving Harrison for the last two years of his term with a contentious Democratic congress. Socolofsky points out that Harrison, frustrated on the domestic front, then turned his attention internationally, with his policies paving the way for a more aggressive promotion of the United States in foreign affairs. During this time, he negotiated a treaty with Great Britain over fishing and sealing rights (a very detailed chapter that truly did not capture my attention), a heated contest with Chile that almost broke out into a war, a continued search for a Pan American treaty that would allow for a canal to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and the establishment of a treaty with Hawaii to provided the US with a foothold in the Pacific. As Harrison's presidency winds down, the effects of the legislation of the 51st congress is beginning to take full effect and Cleveland on his return to office will inherit the depression of 1893. And now, back to Cleveland.
May 22, 2021
A much too concise biography of a concise presidency
I understand that the intention of the American President Series is to focus almost exclusively on a president's time in office. It is a shame that the authors couldn't invest a dozen or so pages on each side of the administration to present the events that inspired the subject to earnestly seek the presidency and likewise how the presidency affected them after their service. As a member of the most exclusive club ever, even a seemingly inconsequential president possessed qualities that allowed them to achieve one of the most powerful positions ever conceived and warrants a more detailed examination of that life.
Historians generally rate the Harrison Administration as midpack, being neither a great or terrible president. Regardless, he was a consequential president as his administration bridged not only the first two centuries but the evolution of the nation from a domestically focused to a globally dominating power. As the centennial president, serving 100 years after the beginning of the Washington Administration, Harrison was the last of the Civil War Generals to serve in the presidency. He was also the only president to serve between the two terms of the same president, replacing and being replaced by Democrat Grover Cleveland. His closest associates insisted that he only intended to serve a single term and only agreed to accept the nomination to dissuade his chief party rival and Secretary of State James Blaine from receiving the nomination. But though he was not reelected, he significantly shaped the direction of the Republican Party and the nation that two World Wars forged and honed.
He set about transforming a delapitated and neglected wooden navy into a steel one intending to push that sea force off shore into the Caribbean and Pacific. He wanted to bring greater wealth to the silver laden states of the West, admitted six new states to the Union and celebrated his accomplishments by staging a two month, 9,000 mile train trip through the south, along the west and returned to Washington vis the Midwest states, giving over 90 extemporaneous speeches along the way. He challenged the growing fear of corporate monopoly by championing the Sherman Antitrust Act.
As the Grandson of a President and the Great Grandson of a signer of the Declaration of Independence, Harrison was profoundly aware of the role his family played in history. Driven by the belief that he was born to lead, he did not shy from leadership nor shrink from the power granted him. That included bringing about the promise of assuring life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to all of America's sons and daughters as a champion of civil rights, one of the last of the Lincoln era Republicans who strove to strengthen the rights of blacks in the South.
As we assess the last four years which will be noted in history of a failed Republican Administration, it is good to know that, at one time, the GOP represented the optimism of America versus the self centered and resentful party of grievance that it has become. There is hope that, despite the seeming inconsequential assessment of his Administration, Harrison can serve to represent how truly aspirational the Republican Party can be.
I understand that the intention of the American President Series is to focus almost exclusively on a president's time in office. It is a shame that the authors couldn't invest a dozen or so pages on each side of the administration to present the events that inspired the subject to earnestly seek the presidency and likewise how the presidency affected them after their service. As a member of the most exclusive club ever, even a seemingly inconsequential president possessed qualities that allowed them to achieve one of the most powerful positions ever conceived and warrants a more detailed examination of that life.
Historians generally rate the Harrison Administration as midpack, being neither a great or terrible president. Regardless, he was a consequential president as his administration bridged not only the first two centuries but the evolution of the nation from a domestically focused to a globally dominating power. As the centennial president, serving 100 years after the beginning of the Washington Administration, Harrison was the last of the Civil War Generals to serve in the presidency. He was also the only president to serve between the two terms of the same president, replacing and being replaced by Democrat Grover Cleveland. His closest associates insisted that he only intended to serve a single term and only agreed to accept the nomination to dissuade his chief party rival and Secretary of State James Blaine from receiving the nomination. But though he was not reelected, he significantly shaped the direction of the Republican Party and the nation that two World Wars forged and honed.
He set about transforming a delapitated and neglected wooden navy into a steel one intending to push that sea force off shore into the Caribbean and Pacific. He wanted to bring greater wealth to the silver laden states of the West, admitted six new states to the Union and celebrated his accomplishments by staging a two month, 9,000 mile train trip through the south, along the west and returned to Washington vis the Midwest states, giving over 90 extemporaneous speeches along the way. He challenged the growing fear of corporate monopoly by championing the Sherman Antitrust Act.
As the Grandson of a President and the Great Grandson of a signer of the Declaration of Independence, Harrison was profoundly aware of the role his family played in history. Driven by the belief that he was born to lead, he did not shy from leadership nor shrink from the power granted him. That included bringing about the promise of assuring life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to all of America's sons and daughters as a champion of civil rights, one of the last of the Lincoln era Republicans who strove to strengthen the rights of blacks in the South.
As we assess the last four years which will be noted in history of a failed Republican Administration, it is good to know that, at one time, the GOP represented the optimism of America versus the self centered and resentful party of grievance that it has become. There is hope that, despite the seeming inconsequential assessment of his Administration, Harrison can serve to represent how truly aspirational the Republican Party can be.
March 30, 2021
It's difficult to enjoy a book like this. First, it was written by two authors. One took the domestic policy and one the foreign policy. That division of labor definitely showed in the writing style and, more annoyingly, the book's organization. It never flowed in a seamless chronological line, which caused some frustration on my part. Second, this isn't a biography, but rather a discussion only of Harrison's presidency. In that sense, I come away knowing very little about the man and more about Harrison the Chief Executive. Which brings me to my third point: Harrison just isn't that interesting. Not only was he a dour guy in person, he also dealt with very few issues that crackle off the pages of history (or of this book). The best treatment in the book by far was the discussion of his trade policies, which were anti-free trade but also allowed for reciprocity with some trading partners. But like so many things in his tenure, the new tariffs never really amounted to much due to mid-term electoral losses for Republicans. Similarly, Harrison signed the Sherman Antitrust Act, which is a big deal for us lawyers. But he never tried to enforce it, rendering what could be a key accomplishment something for a future president to use. If there is one positive thing that can be said for Harrison, it's his commitment to election fairness in the South. Like most presidents back then, however, he was committed to congressional supremacy in the field of legislation. But I give him credit for making his views known publicly.
Some other things stick out to me. This is one of the first presidential biographies where either the subject or the author perfectly encapsulates a coming era. Harrison was a staunch supporter of a combative foreign policy and I could see in him the imperialist leanings that will dominate the end of the 1890s. On that note, Harrison's commitment to the navy likely bore fruit later in the decade in the war against Spain, so he deserves credit for that. And as the book points out, he also served when many famous Civil War figures passed away. No doubt, the country felt like it had moved into a new era with the Civil War a memory for many (but obviously not for all). That was an interesting aspect of this read.
Otherwise, the book is primarily a recitation of every event (including every presidential trip) that occurred during the Harrison presidency. For that reason, I can only recommend it to someone who is, as I am, trying to read a biography of every president.
NB: Republicans in 1890 rushed six new states into the union, which led to a bunch of new senators and undoubtedly helped Republicans for a while. An instructive example for current times.
Some other things stick out to me. This is one of the first presidential biographies where either the subject or the author perfectly encapsulates a coming era. Harrison was a staunch supporter of a combative foreign policy and I could see in him the imperialist leanings that will dominate the end of the 1890s. On that note, Harrison's commitment to the navy likely bore fruit later in the decade in the war against Spain, so he deserves credit for that. And as the book points out, he also served when many famous Civil War figures passed away. No doubt, the country felt like it had moved into a new era with the Civil War a memory for many (but obviously not for all). That was an interesting aspect of this read.
Otherwise, the book is primarily a recitation of every event (including every presidential trip) that occurred during the Harrison presidency. For that reason, I can only recommend it to someone who is, as I am, trying to read a biography of every president.
NB: Republicans in 1890 rushed six new states into the union, which led to a bunch of new senators and undoubtedly helped Republicans for a while. An instructive example for current times.
June 18, 2018
I have a passion for United States history; I would have to in order to achieve my goal of reading a biography on every U.S. President. I often think nonfiction works are riveting when others would find them unreadably boring. I see rich context and I love understanding the background of each person and the role it plays in their decision making process, but others see nothing more than an encyclopedia that should be used as a reference, but not continuous reading. The book they are imagining is this book; “The Presidency of Benjamin Harrison.”
It’s important to note that the authors never set out to write a full-fledged biography. They gave a brief summary of his life and lead-up to the presidency, but the main intention was a detailed analysis of Benjamin Harrison’s Presidential Administration. Authors Homer E. Socolofsky and Allan B. Spetter decided to break up the book into sections (Foreign Policy, Domestic Policy, Travel, etc) rather than by chronology, and they cover an impressive range of issues throughout; however, these two facts combined with very dry writing styles yielded something that reads more like a dictionary than a readable work of nonfiction. There are certainly points of this work that piqued my interest, including Harrison’s role in the passing of the Sherman Anti-Trust act, the rapid industrialization of America in the 1890’s, the buildup of the U.S. Navy, and Harrison’s appointment of Henry Billings Brown to the Supreme Court (Brown wrote the decision in Plessy vs. Ferguson which established court backing of ‘separate but equal’ segregation laws). The issue with this work is that those points of interest are inherent to the presidency of Harrison, not the writing of the authors. In fact, they do little more than introduce you to these points in much the same way I am here, where the introduction is nice but the juicy detail should be found elsewhere.
This work was never going to be a thriller or even a traditional biography, but I expected much more. Overall, it took me almost an entire calendar year to read because I could not motivate myself to pick it up and work my way through the dry pages. And while the authors certainly deserve more credit for the historical content than I am giving them, what they set out to do just does not mesh with my preferences for a readable historical work.
It’s important to note that the authors never set out to write a full-fledged biography. They gave a brief summary of his life and lead-up to the presidency, but the main intention was a detailed analysis of Benjamin Harrison’s Presidential Administration. Authors Homer E. Socolofsky and Allan B. Spetter decided to break up the book into sections (Foreign Policy, Domestic Policy, Travel, etc) rather than by chronology, and they cover an impressive range of issues throughout; however, these two facts combined with very dry writing styles yielded something that reads more like a dictionary than a readable work of nonfiction. There are certainly points of this work that piqued my interest, including Harrison’s role in the passing of the Sherman Anti-Trust act, the rapid industrialization of America in the 1890’s, the buildup of the U.S. Navy, and Harrison’s appointment of Henry Billings Brown to the Supreme Court (Brown wrote the decision in Plessy vs. Ferguson which established court backing of ‘separate but equal’ segregation laws). The issue with this work is that those points of interest are inherent to the presidency of Harrison, not the writing of the authors. In fact, they do little more than introduce you to these points in much the same way I am here, where the introduction is nice but the juicy detail should be found elsewhere.
This work was never going to be a thriller or even a traditional biography, but I expected much more. Overall, it took me almost an entire calendar year to read because I could not motivate myself to pick it up and work my way through the dry pages. And while the authors certainly deserve more credit for the historical content than I am giving them, what they set out to do just does not mesh with my preferences for a readable historical work.
November 14, 2023
This is the first bio in The American Presidency Series that I have read. It will be my last.
The purpose of this series is to narrate short histories of Presidents, focusing strictly on their terms of office. As a result, it is nearly impossible for the reader to get a feel for the person and explanatory context for key issues is truncated. This is not the gold standard bio for Benjamin Harrison like Harry Sievers’ 1100 page, 3 volume biography. (I refuse to invest the $150 or time on this 1 term president-“Sorry, Ben”)
The writing here is stiff and matter of fact and there is much superfluous detail. For example, there is an entire 26 page chapter on Harrison travels around the country. Here is a typical paragraph: “Harrison went to sleep in his private car near Deer Park on the night of 20 August, his 56th birthday, and it was attached to a Baltimore and Ohio train at 6:00 am the next morning. A brief stop was made at Cincinnati and arrival in Indianapolis was at 9:00pm.” (Snore)
Harrison faced no major crises. His domestic battles were normal political differences over tariffs, currency, political appointments, anti trust, and labor unrest. His foreign policy was perhaps the beginning of America’s military muscle flexing, using his expanded Navy to intimidate Chile and put the US in a controlling position for a future Isthmus canal, as well as pursuing a naval base in Hawaii. Other ‘major’ issues involved seal fishing conflict with Canada/Great Britain off Alaska coast and arguing with Germany over safety of US pork exports.
The best part of this bio is probably the description of Harrison’s Presidential personality : “He was always a loner; his sound intellect and extemporaneous speaking ability were impaired by lack of imagination, an absence of personal magnetism, & by a reserved, icy, and aloof manner. He was a poor delegator and with absolute confidence in himself, he yielded only when under great pressure. He displayed a superb ability in analyzing problems but none in the management of men.”
Harrison was the grandson of William Henry Harrison, joining the Adamses and Bushs as directly related Presidents (the Roosevelts were distant cousins).
The purpose of this series is to narrate short histories of Presidents, focusing strictly on their terms of office. As a result, it is nearly impossible for the reader to get a feel for the person and explanatory context for key issues is truncated. This is not the gold standard bio for Benjamin Harrison like Harry Sievers’ 1100 page, 3 volume biography. (I refuse to invest the $150 or time on this 1 term president-“Sorry, Ben”)
The writing here is stiff and matter of fact and there is much superfluous detail. For example, there is an entire 26 page chapter on Harrison travels around the country. Here is a typical paragraph: “Harrison went to sleep in his private car near Deer Park on the night of 20 August, his 56th birthday, and it was attached to a Baltimore and Ohio train at 6:00 am the next morning. A brief stop was made at Cincinnati and arrival in Indianapolis was at 9:00pm.” (Snore)
Harrison faced no major crises. His domestic battles were normal political differences over tariffs, currency, political appointments, anti trust, and labor unrest. His foreign policy was perhaps the beginning of America’s military muscle flexing, using his expanded Navy to intimidate Chile and put the US in a controlling position for a future Isthmus canal, as well as pursuing a naval base in Hawaii. Other ‘major’ issues involved seal fishing conflict with Canada/Great Britain off Alaska coast and arguing with Germany over safety of US pork exports.
The best part of this bio is probably the description of Harrison’s Presidential personality : “He was always a loner; his sound intellect and extemporaneous speaking ability were impaired by lack of imagination, an absence of personal magnetism, & by a reserved, icy, and aloof manner. He was a poor delegator and with absolute confidence in himself, he yielded only when under great pressure. He displayed a superb ability in analyzing problems but none in the management of men.”
Harrison was the grandson of William Henry Harrison, joining the Adamses and Bushs as directly related Presidents (the Roosevelts were distant cousins).
October 23, 2019
finding a decent biography of some of the lesser known presidents is no mean feat. often one's only options are times books' american presidents series (which are generally very good, if too brief) or a hefty reprint of some decades old work that, in addition to the anticipated bias towards its subject, brings challenges in terms of it's different context for culture, ethics and morality.
on occasion i have dipped into the university of kansas' american presidency series when neither of the above options were available - or if i just didn't feel like plowing through a 900 page biography. and while i can highly recommend the andrew johnson volume, this particular work is very disappointing. less a cohesive history than a series of separate essays on different aspects of harrison's presidency, the book fails to bring to life the challenges facing the 23rd president, leaving him a cypher to the reader and the era he navigated the nation through, unintelligable. some sections are little more than laundry lists of events, while others rehash events covered in previous sections without adding insight or illumination.
and while i realize that not every president is a lincoln or washington, there is always drama, there are always challenges, and there are always decisions that have impact for decades to come. and through deft analysis and explication of these things, not only does a portrait of even the most anonymous president emerge, but a deeper understanding of america does as well. that the authors of this volume failed to deliver in this opportunity is disappointing, but i look forward to other writers taking up the challenge in the future.
on occasion i have dipped into the university of kansas' american presidency series when neither of the above options were available - or if i just didn't feel like plowing through a 900 page biography. and while i can highly recommend the andrew johnson volume, this particular work is very disappointing. less a cohesive history than a series of separate essays on different aspects of harrison's presidency, the book fails to bring to life the challenges facing the 23rd president, leaving him a cypher to the reader and the era he navigated the nation through, unintelligable. some sections are little more than laundry lists of events, while others rehash events covered in previous sections without adding insight or illumination.
and while i realize that not every president is a lincoln or washington, there is always drama, there are always challenges, and there are always decisions that have impact for decades to come. and through deft analysis and explication of these things, not only does a portrait of even the most anonymous president emerge, but a deeper understanding of america does as well. that the authors of this volume failed to deliver in this opportunity is disappointing, but i look forward to other writers taking up the challenge in the future.
December 2, 2022
Recommended if reading biographies of presidents.
It seemed that each chapter was more of an essay written about that particular topic. Some chapters (essays) were better/more interesting than others. It did not have a flow to it.
I did learn a fair amount about Harrison's administration. I would have preferred more about his youth and especially personal life (who he was, why he believed and acted the way he did.
The authors did a good job of describing and illuminating the historical context around Harrison and the times he lived in.
I'm sure it's not the best biography of the president, but it will do if one is reading a bio for each president.
It seemed that each chapter was more of an essay written about that particular topic. Some chapters (essays) were better/more interesting than others. It did not have a flow to it.
I did learn a fair amount about Harrison's administration. I would have preferred more about his youth and especially personal life (who he was, why he believed and acted the way he did.
The authors did a good job of describing and illuminating the historical context around Harrison and the times he lived in.
I'm sure it's not the best biography of the president, but it will do if one is reading a bio for each president.
July 26, 2019
It wasn't very long so that's a plus, and I did learn some interesting facts as I always do when reading presidential bios. The thematic approach didn't work well for this book as it led to repetition of information. I would have preferred chronological writing with information on his pre-presidential years, especially his activities in the Civil War. But it was definitely better than reading a multi volume work!
October 22, 2019
‘The Presidency of Benjamin Harrison’ is a well-written, concise account of this underrated man and president. The authors devoted 5% - 10% of the book to Mr. Harrison‘s pre-presidential years, so we get a clear picture of the policies, trials, and tribulations of Mr. Harrison’s four years in office. I felt the authors were fair, balanced, and objective in their analyses. 4 stars, recommended but not essential reading.
November 3, 2019
This book suffers a lot because of the way the chapters are organized. The author does not go in chronological order. He organizes the information around topics which causes you to jump around quite a lot. For me, this causes the book to fall just below average.
September 19, 2022
Like reading a president’s CV over 200 pages. But some of the stories are of interest which leaves it at 3 stars.
March 29, 2012
The Gilded Age didn't produce much of presidential timber, and Benjamin Harrison is an example of that. Though authors Homer Socolofsky and Allan Spetter argue that he is more influential than is credited, they do so largely by suggesting areas in which later presidents took up Harrison's banner (for instance, the Panama Canal, the acquisition of Hawaii, and the beginning of American imperialism).
Basically, Harrison's one term appears to have been dominated by the same few issues that in modern eyes are hardly the stuff of greatness: the handing out of political spoils, the tariff and trade, and currency and the coining of silver.
On the positive side, Harrison, a Civil War Republican, was a genuine supporter of civil rights legislation and backed during his term a landmark elections bill that failed in Congress:
"This contest was the last time that sectional bitterness and anger exploded in the nineteenth century. It was the last significant attempt in that century to provide equal political rights for the American Negro. Civil-rights legislation of that era was abandoned, with no resuscitation of Negro political rights until the 1930s and later. Restrictive provisions in state constitutions and oppressive Jim Crow laws developed rapidly throughout the South; elsewhere there was apathy on the issue of Negro rights. Republican efforts to do something for the Negro suddenly and dramatically stopped. However, Harrison began a presidential tradition of making routine statements in opposition to lynching.
"Only President Harrison and a few of the senators, such as Hoar, Edmunds and Chandler, 'really cared about the plight of the party in the South or the fate of the Negro.' To Senator George F. Hoar the defeat of Lodge's elections bill indicated that national will and duty had failed. The chance to settle the issue by peaceable means had been lost."
Then again, here is what Harrison had to say about the West Coast's virulent racism against the Chinese:
"During the campaign in 1888, Harrison was regarded by some California newspapers as the pro-Chinese candidate of the Republican party. Friends quickly advised him that an anti-Chinese-immigration position on the West Coast was almost as important as the tariff question or the remonetization of silver. So Harrison explained in his letter of acceptance of the Republican nomination that 'the objections to Chinese immigration are distinctive and conclusive, and are now so generally accepted as such that the question has passed entirely beyond the stage of argument .... Such amendments or further legislation as may be necessary and proper to prevent evasions of the laws and to stop further Chinese immigration would also meet my approval."
Basically, Harrison's one term appears to have been dominated by the same few issues that in modern eyes are hardly the stuff of greatness: the handing out of political spoils, the tariff and trade, and currency and the coining of silver.
On the positive side, Harrison, a Civil War Republican, was a genuine supporter of civil rights legislation and backed during his term a landmark elections bill that failed in Congress:
"This contest was the last time that sectional bitterness and anger exploded in the nineteenth century. It was the last significant attempt in that century to provide equal political rights for the American Negro. Civil-rights legislation of that era was abandoned, with no resuscitation of Negro political rights until the 1930s and later. Restrictive provisions in state constitutions and oppressive Jim Crow laws developed rapidly throughout the South; elsewhere there was apathy on the issue of Negro rights. Republican efforts to do something for the Negro suddenly and dramatically stopped. However, Harrison began a presidential tradition of making routine statements in opposition to lynching.
"Only President Harrison and a few of the senators, such as Hoar, Edmunds and Chandler, 'really cared about the plight of the party in the South or the fate of the Negro.' To Senator George F. Hoar the defeat of Lodge's elections bill indicated that national will and duty had failed. The chance to settle the issue by peaceable means had been lost."
Then again, here is what Harrison had to say about the West Coast's virulent racism against the Chinese:
"During the campaign in 1888, Harrison was regarded by some California newspapers as the pro-Chinese candidate of the Republican party. Friends quickly advised him that an anti-Chinese-immigration position on the West Coast was almost as important as the tariff question or the remonetization of silver. So Harrison explained in his letter of acceptance of the Republican nomination that 'the objections to Chinese immigration are distinctive and conclusive, and are now so generally accepted as such that the question has passed entirely beyond the stage of argument .... Such amendments or further legislation as may be necessary and proper to prevent evasions of the laws and to stop further Chinese immigration would also meet my approval."
February 4, 2012
This book is an excellent summation of the Benjamin Harrison presidency and covers the tumultuous changes that were occurring in the 1890's. Harrison was the last of the civil war presidents to achieve the presidency and led with a military like clarity that was reminiscent of Grant. Harrison broke the rules of Gilded Age politicians by appointing a cabinet of unknowns and not answering to party machines and stalwarts alike. He was the true commander in chief managing the army at a time during the end of the Indian Wars and Wounded Knee as well as beginning the building of a navy that would allow McKinley to begin an American "empire". Benjamin Harrison also served as his own secretary of state due to the illness of Blaine allowing Harrison unprecedented control that Gilded Age presidents did not typically have. Overall this book hones in on these topics and more following the Harrison presidency and how it impacted America. It is an excellent and brief summation of an important Gilded Age president and well worth the read.
August 2, 2023
Benjamin Harrison is not among America's best remembered Presidents. In this study of his presidency, the authors show that Harrison deserves to be remembered for his aggressive foreign policy which laid the foundation for those policies pursued by William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt, his role in modernizing and rebuilding the navy, adding six new states, creating the first national forests, and presiding over one of the most active congresses in the 19th century which produced among other laws the Sherman Anti-Trust Act.
November 23, 2014
I'm giving this book three stars as a courtesy. It is very competently written, and organized by topic instead of by chronology (which I like, if the author's writing style doesn't support prose with any kind of narrative). Socolofsky can't help the fact that Benjamin Harrison was very, very boring, though. This is an excellent book on the presidency of Benjamin Harrison. It's still an incredibly tedious read.
February 29, 2016
Talked more about the times and a lot about what role James G Blaine didn't play as Sec of state. At times I thought it was a book about Blaine or the relationship between the two and not bio on Harrison
May 29, 2016
This book helped me fall asleep. All the tariff talk bored me to tears. I will need to revisit I Harrison later. Hopefully, I can find a more lively read.
On to another presidential assassination.
On to another presidential assassination.
August 16, 2008
Still the best single volume biography of the forgotten, enigmatic and pious 23rd President from Indiana.
April 24, 2014
im sure it is a good but i just was not interested in it that much.
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