Mr. Leuchtenburg’s thorough journey with the 20th-century presidents yields a sometimes dense narrative. Deleting all the quotations from historians famous and obscure would have removed many extraneous names and insider references that most readers will not get...But surely Mr. Leuchtenburg has earned the right to deal with the presidents as seems best to him, given his rich research, abundant insights and distinguished career. As current presidential candidates woo Iowa caucus-goers, tramp through the snows of New Hampshire, and eventually turn south for Super Tuesday, they each could benefit from reading Mr. Leuchtenburg’s informed and wise treatments of men who once held the office they now seek with such ardor.
Overall, this book is an inviting triumph: the erudition of a distinguished historian, the elan of a master craftsman, the accessibility of a popular writer.
The mass of material in this 812-page volume may deter some potential readers, and Leuchtenburg undercuts his own impressive research job with inexplicable factual errors...
