by Jared Cohen
First published 2019
Jared Cohen examines eight Americans who reached the presidency through succession rather than election. The American presidency has gained and lost influence since Washington's era. Cohen focuses on how individual character shaped national destiny when these men assumed power after incumbent deaths. John Tyler took office when William Henry Harrison died thirty days into his presidency. Tyler faced party expulsion and impeachment threats. Millard Fillmore replaced Zachary Taylor and fired the entire cabinet while supporting Clay's 1850 compromise. Andrew Johnson succeeded Lincoln but aligned with Confederate remnants during Reconstruction. Chester Arthur overcame assassination plotting accusations to reform civil service. Theodore Roosevelt dismantled monopolistic trusts. Calvin Coolidge quietly managed Harding administration scandals. Harry Truman surprised observers by proving capable after Franklin Roosevelt's death. Lyndon Johnson advanced civil rights legislation but struggled with Vietnam policy. Cohen demonstrates how these unelected leaders transformed American history through their decisions and personalities.
Genres: biography, history, 20th-century, american, non-fiction, 21st-century, 19th-century, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-figures, political-drama
Period: 19th-Century, 20th-Century
528 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster