Which president broke the law to prevent enslaved people from being freed? Who said, "When the president does it,that means it's not illegal"? Why does America have a president? From the heated debates among the framers of the Constitution in 1787 over an "elected king," to the creation of the presidency, and on through rich profiles of each man who has held the office, New York Times bestselling author Kenneth C. Davis takes readers on a guided tour of American history. Examining each chief executive, from the low lights to the bright lights, the memorable to the forgettable and the forgotten, Davis tells all the stories, offering rich anecdotes about real people. He also charts the history of the presidency itself, debunking myths and grading the presidents from A+ to F. For history buffs and history-phobes alike, this entertaining book may change your understanding of the highest office in the land throughout more than two hundred years of history.

Presents, in question and answer format, a history of the United States from the exploration of Christopher Columbus to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Which president was also a movie star? What happened five days after the Union won the Civil War? What food did Americans think was poisonous until Thomas Jefferson ate some? Hail to the chief! Here's your chance to learn all about the presidents' important political achievements, their nicknames, hobbies -- even what kind of foods they ate. Best-selling author Kenneth C. Davis packs fun facts and cool quotes into his signature question-and-answer format. Who knows? After you learn so much about the presidents, maybe you will want to run for office someday, too!

Charts the course of each U.S. president's term, presenting biographical information, administration milestones, and an analysis of each leader's legacy as commander-in-chief.

Forty-four presidents One White House And hundreds of grand facts about our country’s leaders Which president was also a movie star? (see page 56) What happened five days after the Union won the Civil War? (see page 28) What food did Americans think was poisonous until Thomas Jefferson ate some? (see page 12) Hail to the chief! Here’s your chance to learn all about the presidents’ important political achievements, their nicknames, hobbies—even what kind of foods they ate. Bestselling author Kenneth C. Davis packs fun facts and cool quotes into his signature question-and-answer format. Who knows? After you learn so much about the presidents, maybe you will want to run for office someday, too!

Presents facts about each president accompanied by cartoon-style illustrations to serve as memory aids and quizzes to reinforce information.

Every president has had a unique and complicated relationship with the intelligence community. While some have been coolly distant, even adversarial, others have found their intelligence agencies to be among the most valuable instruments of policy and power. Since John F. Kennedy's presidency, this relationship has been distilled into a personalized daily report: a short summary of what the intelligence apparatus considers the most crucial information for the president to know that day about global threats and opportunities. This top-secret document is known as the President's Daily Brief, or, within national security circles, simply "the Book." Presidents have spent anywhere from a few moments (Richard Nixon) to a healthy part of their day (George W. Bush) consumed by its contents; some (Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush) consider it far and away the most important document they saw on a regular basis while commander in chief. The details of most PDBs are highly classified, and will remain so for many years. But the process by which the intelligence community develops and presents the Book is a fascinating look into the operation of power at the highest levels. David Priess, a former intelligence officer and daily briefer, has interviewed every living president and vice president as well as more than one hundred others intimately involved with the production and delivery of the president's book of secrets. He offers an unprecedented window into the decision making of every president from Kennedy to Obama, with many character-rich stories revealed here for the first time.