Investing for Your Child's College Education (The 21st Century Investor)

Average customer rating:
Investing for Your Child's College Education (The 21st Century Investor)

Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739400231

Book Description

Available in paperback for the first time, these three volumes represent the definitive biography of Andrew Jackson. Volume One covers the role Jackson played in America's territorial expansion, bringing to life a complex character who has often been seen simply as a rough-hewn country general. Volume Two traces Jackson's senatorial career, his presidential campaigns, and his first administration as President. The third volume covers Jackson's reelection to the presidency and the weighty issues with which he was faced: the nullification crisis, the tragic removal of the Indians beyond the Mississippi River, the mounting violence throughout the country over slavery, and the tortuous efforts to win the annexation of Texas.

Customer Reviews:

Setting The Record Straight: Remini, Jackson and the Spoils System.......2006-03-14

Few Americans have won the mythical status enjoyed by Andrew Jackson. Often portrayed, in his day and since, as the champion of the common man, Jackson came to Washington as an outsider, the first President born outside the thirteen original states, indeed the first president born neither in Virginia nor Massachusetts. Throughout Jackson historiography, Jackson via his policy of `rotation' in office has been accused of instituting the spoils system in American politics. This criticism highlights how Whig myths have come to permeate the historical writing on this subject.

Starting with James Parton in 1860, anti-Jackson historians have followed this criticism, blaming Jackson for replacing a supposed merit system with a partisanship that corrupted the civil service for generations. Despite further research since Jackson's time, many historians have uncritically repeated these accusations without examining the actual record of appointments during the presidency unhappily described by some as "The Reign of Andrew Jackson".

There have been essentially four cycles of studies into the life and Presidency of Andrew Jackson. The first cycle began soon after the death of Jackson with the "liberal patrician" or "Whig" school, who were generally unfavourable towards the policy of rotation. Most familiar is James Parton's classic The "Life of Andrew Jackson". So critical of rotation was Parton that he stated "this single feature of his administration would suffice to render it deplorable rather than admirable." Other members of the "Whig" school include Sumner, Schouler and Von Holst, all very critical of Jackson's policy of rotation. Parton's biography was the standard source on the Jacksonian era, until the second cycle represented by the Progressive Historians, such as John Spencer Bassett's "The Life of Andrew Jackson (1911), which cast Jackson in somewhat of a different light. Bassett reduces the amount of blame put on Jackson for rotation by suggesting that his democratic views made him oblivious to unintentional dangers from partisan appointments. However, the Progressives shared with the Whigs the view that Jackson had brought a spoils system to national politics and that its effects were negative.

Historians in the third cycle of Jacksonian studies, of which Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr.'s "The Age of Jackson" (1945) served as a pivotal work, shifted attention away from Jackson himself towards larger forces in his era. Historians of the third cycle, such as Hofstadter and Hammond, debated the effects of class and culture in determining party differences while showing little interest in evaluating Jackson's rotation policy, though tending to criticise it briefly. No biographies of Jackson discussed the policy of rotation in depth during the next thirty years.

The appearance of Robert V. Remini's three-volume biography of Jackson marked the start of the fourth cycle of interpretation. Based on modern scholarship, Remini covers all aspects of Jackson's life and career, demonstrating his contribution to the great developments of nineteenth century America, particularly empire, freedom and democracy. By returning to first hand sources, Remini shows that the policy of rotation in office has been exaggerated and misunderstood. However, having set himself the remarkable task of producing a thorough study of the life and Presidency of Jackson, Remini did not have the scope for a detailed re-interpretation and re-evaluation of rotation. Since Remini's work there have been many scholarly works on Jackson, but none offer an in-depth reassessment of rotation as touched upon by Remini.

Remini states that Jackson has received a disproportionate share of the blame for the spoils system and that there is a need to disprove the Whig myths, which have come to permeate the historical writings of historians over the generations. Remini was not the first to stress the need for such a revision; in fact a similar plea was expressed by J.R. Poinsett in the "Oration on the life and character of Andrew Jackson, delivered July 4, 1845" when he stated about Jackson, "His instinctive love of justice... gave a high tone to his government and exalted the honor of his country. His hatred of corruption rendered his administration pure.... I will content myself with expressing my belief that in future time the impartial historian will justify both his motives and his conduct on this trying occasion.

Remini offers the reader a great insight into the pioneering mind of one of America's greatest Presidents.

[The above Review is taken in part from 'Andrew Jackson's policy of 'Rotation in Office' by Alexander Rayden. © Copyright 2005 Alexander Rayden, All Rights Reserved].

Jackson Part 3.......2003-04-10

The final volume in Robert Remini's definitive biography of Andrew Jackson follows the life of the seventh president from the beginning of his second term through the end of his life. In it, we see many of the things that made Jackson one of our most important presidents despite his significant flaws.

Prior to Jackson's presidency, the executive office was much weaker. The designers of the Constitution, with their fears of strong central figures, had intended Congress to be the most powerful of the supposedly co-equal branches. Jackson, however, viewed himself as the sole representative of the people - the only person elected by a nation, not a region - and through various measures such as an expansion of the use of the veto, was able to shift the balance of power. Although the following presidents would be weaker, the presidency as an office had been redefined.

As the book begins, Jackson's second term was beginning and he needed to deal with South Carolina and the Nullification Crisis. Essentially successful with this problem, he also dealt with other issues, including his war with the Bank of the United States and bad relations with France. By many measures, his presidency was a success, but there were a number of negatives as well, in particular his treatment of Indians and his disregard of slavery issues. His appointment of Taney to Chief Justice would eventually lead to the Dred Scott decision. Remini finds more positives than negatives with Jackson, but he doesn't disregard the black marks.

Probably only Washington was as universally adored in his time as Jackson was, and unlike Washington, Jackson was a true man of the people, a populist who courteously met with rich and poor alike. Even after his retirement, his popularity guaranteed his continued political clout, and few Democrats defied his wishes while he was alive.

The three volumes in this biography are around 1300 pages (plus notes and indexes), but Remini is such a good writer that this is far from a burdensome read. There may be shorter biographies of Jackson, but there aren't better. Remini knows this era well (he also has written excellent biographies of Clay and Webster) and he brings it to life.

The final volume in a standard of American history........2002-04-21

If you have read my reviews of the first two volumes in this biography you already know my opinion of Remini and of his subject. Suffice it to say that if you are serious about learning about American history these volumes are for you. Not only are they an excellent introduction to many of the political and social issues of the era but they also allow the reader to wrestle with our national proclivity toward uncritical hero worship. Our past leaders were every bit as complex, as flawed and as human as our current crop .... What follows is a small portion of what I have learned from Remini's hard and honest labors.
Jackson's accomplishments were extraordinary by any standards and some of them are quite ironic. He very much believed in states rights yet he probably did more to strengthen and expand the executive part of the federal government than any President until Franklin Roosevelt. Consider the following (all discussed in Remini's volume):
1. He was the first President to use the pocket veto. He was the first to use the veto power for nonconstitutional reasons. We are so used to our Presidents using the veto because of policy disagreements with legislation that we forget how much of a shift this was in the balance of power as envisioned by the original generation.
2. He reformed every department of the federal government and greatly expanded the bureaucracy as a result. He eliminated much of the graft that was rampant at the time and (at least, gave the impression of) greatly democratizing the civil service by making it more of a meritocracy. All this inevitably led to more people working for the government. A lot more people.
3. Jackson changed the relationship of the various Cabinet members to the President. He was the first to fire a Cabinet member because of a disagreement over policy. Up until then Cabinet officers and ambassadors, because their appointments had to be approved by the Senate, were regarded as being accountable more to Congress than to the President.
This is only a partial list of the ways that Jackson's Presidency changed the stature of the Executive branch of the government.
Jackson's ideology (as I see it) comes from him trying to work out the tensions between his state's rights philosophy with his military experience, which taught him the necessity of a clear uncontested chain of command with his love of and trust in the people. I will comment on only one portion of that dynamic. Like so many of our leaders, the tensions in Jackson's ideology led him into conspiracy theories. He believed in and trusted the American people to always make the right decisions (the ones he would have made) and almost always credited any electoral reverses to cabals acting to befuddle and delude the populace.
As a result, he became one of ablest early advocates of putting a good spin on the issues. Early on in his first term he helped to establish a newspaper that served as the official organ of the administration. Altogether, Jackson was a fascinating and maddening character.
I find myself greatly in the debt of Remini. Jackson has always repulsed me by his blatant racism and his paternalism. Remini has humanized Jackson quite a bit for me. I am more appreciative of Jackson's great accomplishments and I have learned quite a bit of the politics of the time. I will be reading Remini's book on Van Buren next along with Seller's biography of Polk. One of the ways that I evaluate the work of a historian is by how much they increase my interest in further reading on their subject and on the period in question. By this standard, Remini belongs to my first rank of American historians.

Third Volume of a Great Biography.......2002-04-09

Robert Remini completes his biography of Andrew Jackson in an excellent third volume. This biography is very well written and a pleasure to read. Remini is so well versed on his subject and really makes Jackson come to life as one of the major figures in U.S. History. This is as honest account of an individual that I have ever read and have come away with a new found respect for Andrew Jackson.
Remini does not shy away from Jacksons many faults nor does he make excuses for them and he also shows how tender and loyal Jackson can be to those that were family and friends. Remini makes the case that Jackson was the most influential person in shaping the Presidency and government to the modern democracy it is today and I am inclined to agree with him. Jackson had certain convictions on government and policy and would not bow under pressure and reshaped the role of the Presidency despite pressure from Congress. I would definitely recommend this biography to everyone interested in Andrew Jackson as well as those interest in the evolution of our government.

An excellent third volume........2001-09-30

Excellent finish to an excellent 3-volume biography; the first volume took us from Jackson's birth through his tenure as governor of Florida; the second took us from there through the end of his first term as president and his successful bid for re-election. This volume takes us from the beginning of his second term to his death.

As with both previous volumes, the marvellous thing about this book is that Remini provides the reader with sufficient information that it is possible, with nothing more than the information he provides, to disagree with his evaluation of his subject. Clearly, on balance he is much more taken with Andrew Jackson than I am, although there are a few instances in which I actually think that he is too harsh in his judgement. But the marvellous thing is, he gives me sufficient information to make that judgement, an invaluable characteristic in a biographer.

Anyone interested in reading a detailed, in-depth biography of the first truly populist president (whether one considers that a good or a bad thing to say about the man says a lot about one's personality) and the president who appointed Roger Taney, the chief justice responsible for the Dred Scott Decision, to his post as Justice of the Supreme Court, needs to read all three volumes of this set.

Average customer rating:
Andrew Jackson and the Course of American Empire 1767-1821, Freedom 1922-1832, Democracy 1833-1845. Set of Three Books.
Robert V. Remini
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000V0EA1E

Product Description

Foremost Jacksonian scholar lends his talents to reconstructing this age. Master storyteller.

Andrew Jackson Volume Three the Course of American Democracy, 1833 - 1845

Average customer rating:

Andrew Jackson Volume Three the Course of American Democracy, 1833 - 1845
Robert V. Remini
Manufacturer: History Book Club
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000X99I10

Average customer rating:

Andrew Jackson, Volume Three: The Course of American Democracy, 1833-1845

Manufacturer: History Book Club
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GWV37G

Andrew Jackson [THREE VOLUMES] Vol. One: The Course of American Empire 1767-1821; Volume Two: The Course of American Freedom 1822-1832; Vol.Three: The Course of American Democracy 1833-1845

Average customer rating:

Andrew Jackson [THREE VOLUMES] Vol. One: The Course of American Empire 1767-1821; Volume Two: The Course of American Freedom 1822-1832; Vol.Three: The Course of American Democracy 1833-1845
Robert V. Remini
Manufacturer: The Johns Hopkins University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000JL8YJO

ANDREW JACKSON AND THE COURSE OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY, 1833-1845. VOL. III.

Average customer rating:

ANDREW JACKSON AND THE COURSE OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY, 1833-1845. VOL. III.
Robert V. Remini
Manufacturer: Harper & Row,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N7EUBU

Andrew Jackson and the Course of American Democracy, 1833-1845 Volume III

Average customer rating:

Andrew Jackson and the Course of American Democracy, 1833-1845 Volume III
Robert V. Remini
Manufacturer: Harper and Row
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J5LDKC

Customer Reviews:

LIFT NOT THIS BOOK IN HASTE: as it will not soon return to rest.......2007-01-09

Had not Master James Joyce sought "silence, cunning and exile" abroad as an escape from paralysis, but had stayed home to do full battle for his own family's full well-being, had small James Joyce never suffered the profound intellectual, psychological and spiritual trauma of a good Jesuit education from a very tender, impressionable and an early age, he might one day have aspired to write an autobiography as well as this. He might one day have achieved the skill of this record of Dublin life.

When you pick up this book you will not swiftly set it back down. Too hastily it records, quick as the rushing River Liffey, the most brilliant observations, leaving you breathless for more precise information, yet grateful for the wonderful song, as does this writing sing gloriously, sorrowfully, gaily, deeply, full throated, a lusty and a keening song.

This book reads like the RIver Liffey washing its way through dear, dirty Dublin city, flashing brilliant, reflecting all without scorn, carrying her commerce, her sewage, her refuse and the occasional dead body, ever fascinating to regard from over the bridge.

Had Stephan Dedalus himself not sought his lonesome refuge in silence and exile and quiet cunning and inscrutable humor, but thrown himself whole heartedly with all of his might and mind and body and soul into Dublin's life, without paralysis but throbbing with life, he might have hoped to have recorded this present work. Had Dedalus loved, he might have written this book.

Allow this work wash over you like the shining, singing black waters of the River Liffey. Let these waters pass impenetrably, hypnotically, beneath the bridge as you toss bread to the calling gulls below. Watch fascinated these laughing, sobbing, roaring waters pass beneath your bridge as you learn and meditate and reflect, unmoving and still in their wonderful grasp.

You will not quickly let down this book.

Certainly we now require dangling commentary for this song of Dublin. We now need historical texts to supplement our reading of allusions to a history that has been censored, erased, never written, ever oral, but whose speakers now have gone on. Much of this history died under the ice blue cruel pencil of the office of the British Censor at that dark enslaved time, a pencil which so callously and calmly vivisected our living history, and cut out its beating heart alive. Bless for ever the dear and learned and wise and courageous scribe, Sean O'Casey, for what magnanimously little of it he has preserved so well for our benefit herein. No, you will not soon set down this historical, this lyrical text.

Let us rather pursue his clues and singing slight indicationsand recapture our own mighty history, erased by the British opppressor. Let us hold our own history to our greiving, consoled heart like a hero fallen in war, as a babe that is born too soon and is gone, a holding as vain as stopping for our careful examination roaring waters of our mighty mother the River Liffey passing on to the father the sea beneath our dear Dublin bridge.

Take and read, for this is our body. Lift then this book, and laugh, and weep, without full knowledge yet fully illuminated and comforted and consoled and befriended and accompanied by all those who have gone before us.

For, you will not soon set her down again.

Autobiographies; II. Inishfallen, Fare Thee Well, Rose and Crown, Sunset and Evening Star

Average customer rating:

Autobiographies; II. Inishfallen, Fare Thee Well, Rose and Crown, Sunset and Evening Star
Sean O'Casey
Manufacturer: Carroll & Graf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N3LSCI

Book Description

Following on the heels of Superman: The Complete History, author Les Daniels spotlights another famed crime fighter one who is perhaps even more popular than Superman. Batman, the Caped Crusader, the Dark Knight whatever name he goes by, he is recognized by millions of fans as the most enigmatic and complex character in the super hero pantheon. Driven by personal demons, Bruce Wayne has loosed his shadow self on the villainy of Gotham City for 60 years. In celebration of this anniversary, Chronicle Books is proud to offer the first definitive account of Batman's heroic exploits. Les Daniels covers it all from Batman's creation and runaway success in 1939, to the campy antics of the Adam West TV show, to the emergence of Frank Miller's very disturbed and very dark Dark Knight, to the billion-dollar movie franchise and beyond. Illustrated with archival comic book art and rare Batman paraphernalia, Batman: The Complete History also includes a comic book story colored by animator Bruce Timm especially for this book. Designed by Batman fan Chip Kidd, this history will please the hardcore fans, and win many new ones.

Customer Reviews:

Finally! A complete history of the Dark Knight!.......2007-01-08

This book is very thick, nicely done, and chock full of -Holy History Museum, Batman!- lots of amazing photos and comics. It tells you everything you ever wanted to know about Batman. If Bat-History were to be a subject in school, this would be the book in all the desks.

The reason that I only gave it four stars is because there is one very sick-minded and disgusting comic towards the back of the book, that's all about man/woman stuff that no kid should be reading. I tore it out as soon as I saw it, because it's a flaw in this otherwise amazing and beautifully constructed book on the Dark Knight. Also, go through this book with a black marker before giving it as a gift- there are some pictures in it of women who need to learn how to dress themselves better!

All in all, a PRICELESS volume.

Fine History of the Caped Crusader.......2006-07-23

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Les Daniel's history of the Batman concept as expressed in comic books and strips, television shows (animated and live action) and movies. As a young child I took great delight in the Adam West TV show--blissfully unaware of how really campy it was--the comic books, of course, and all of the Batman paraphernalia that was available in the 1960s. I picked up this book for nostalgia's sake, and did not expect it to be a very sophisticated treatment of the subject. It just looked visually like a lot of fun.

So, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Daniels takes his subject very seriously indeed. He plumbs the cultural antecedents of the Batman concept, and describes its realization in the comic book. He meticulously details the process in which the comic book stories and art for Batman were accomplished over the decades, paying particularly close attention to the key artists and writers involved in the process. He carefully explains the changes--subtle or not--made to the Batman concept over time, and reveals the business and artistic philosophies behind these changes.

It's fascinating to see how this cultural icon evolved over time, like a pendulum moving back and forth from the dark and creepy to the silly and campy. Daniels reveals Batman's role in the 1950s debate over the morality of comic books, and he explains how Batman's creative team sought to deflect criticism that Batman and Robin's relationship was suspect by introducing a "family" for Batman, including a Batgirl and a Batwoman.

Daniels deftly addresses both the art and writing of Batman and the hugely popular cultural phenomenon Batman has been over the decades. It might have been tempting, from a commercial standpoint, to have given a lot more attention to the live action television show and the recent movies, but Daniels treats all manifestations of the Dark Knight rather evenly.

I can understand the concern, expressed by others here, that the busy layout of the book distracts the reader. Admittedly, as I mentioned above, it was that eye candy that attracted me to the book in the first place. And, for me, I did not find all the illustrations and sidebars unpleasant distractions in a book devoted to such a primarily visual topic.

I highly recommend this delightful, and well researched and written book, to all readers who have an undying fondness for the Batman cultural icon.

Excellent overview of the Batman's history.......2005-12-19

This book chronicles in great detail the history of the Dark Knight, from his comic book debut in 1939 to the various media incarnations of today. While this book does not include Batman Begins or the Justice League animated series, everything that came before is laid out in vivid detail, with some excellent photographs by collector Chip Kidd, who previously collaborated with author Daniels on Batman: Collected, a book about the various Batman products that have been marketed and sold over the years. This is an excellent item to own for fans of Batman of any age (reading skills desirable). Final grade - A

Horrible design........2005-07-09

This is a real tough book to describe. It's packed with great comics art, paintings, photos, animation art, rare interviews and information. There's a ton of Bat-material from every media, and a comprehensive chronology of the Caped Crusader's comic chronicles. BUT--the layout is strictly a frenzy of "look what I can do with Quark!" Copy jumps several pages at a time to accomodate ridiculously enlarged Bat-heads and sidebars, completely derailing the reading experience. I know some may consider this chaos trendy and artistically modern, but its just the same old "pop art" condescension towards "kiddie books." Obviously readers cannot cope with page after page of words and relevant illustrations, so the "Award Winning Designer" has pumped up the volume with lots of big cropped images and 7-inch wide columns of copy in reverse-type sidebars (the nuns should whack his knuckles with a ruler for that alone--"BAD, BAD, designer.") Content is definitely A+. Presentation is strictly art school C-. This book is worth it for the rare and exciting artwork, but it really could have been so much better. When will the comic companies stop being so ashamed of their product? Books like this just contribute to the presumption that comics are hyperactive adolescent trash and the readers are unsophisticated cattle with the attention-span of gophers who will buy any incomprehensible crap that insults them. Wait a minute...

DC also released a calendar book using the same design aesthetic. Guess what? Same cluttered, crappy, childish look. My advice? Don't buy either product and let them choke on a couple thousand copies. Problem is, they won't blame the design, and will just assume that the Batcraze is over. You really can't win, because the "designer" probably has an MA, and we're all just stupid comic fans. Guess who can't be wrong?

Life & Times of the Dark Knight.......2005-05-13

This book serves as a comprehensive "biography" of Batman's long and wonderful existence looking out for the good folks of Gotham City. From creator Bob Kane's conception of the hero in 1939 to the campy TV series starring the venerable Adam West, up through the more recent movies (good and bad), and the very dark Dark Knight of Frank Miller, no stone is left unturned.

The book covers all phases of the character and his various transformations and includes some excellent comic book art (the book's strength), movie stills and photos of rare and unusual collectibles.

If you're a fan of comic book art or simply love the character as I do, this is an enjoyable and entertaining book.

Batman : The Complete History: The Life and Times of the Dark Knight

Average customer rating:

Batman : The Complete History: The Life and Times of the Dark Knight
Les; Kidd, Chip Daniels
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Batman | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000OLWB66

Average customer rating:

Batman: The Complete History The Life and Times of the Dark Knight
Les; Kidd, Chip Daniels
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books Llc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Batman | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000MYSERA

Book Description

The only existing set of histories of 3 great Canadian Northeast Indian chiefs and the sea otter fur trade.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books