Andrew Jackson: His Life and Times
by H.W. Brands
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Book Reviews of Andrew Jackson: His Life and Times
Book Review: Giving Jackson his due
Summary: 4 Stars
While Andrew Jackson was the most prominent American leader between the American Revolution and the Civil War, he gets little exposure compared to the deified founding fathers and the genius of Lincoln. Brand's study does an excellent job bringing out the complete history of Andrew Jackson, who in many ways, is more American than any of the founding fathers. The book describes how Jackson rose from meager beginnings in the rough and tumble American frontier to become the President of the United States. He lacked the refinement of a privileged life and preferred bar fights and shoot-outs to philosophical debates and society balls.
Brand's makes extensive use of original sources, such as personnel letters and first hand accounts. As America's first man of the people, Jackson is depicted as straight talking with an emphasis on action. Brands deserves credit for digging deeper than Jackson's popular image and paints a somewhat insecure man, who was more politically motivated and asute than many gave him credit for.
Brand's book help flesh out some gaps in my knowledge of early 19th century America. In many ways, I believe Jackson was the first in a long line of American Presidents who were elected due to their perceived strength, courage, grittiness, toughness, and preference for action.
Book Review: Quicky review - more may come - and more HAS! - and the FINALE
Summary: 3 Stars
This quick review comes from the first 128 pages as I am in the middle of reading it. I have not found Brands' vocabulary to be as academic as some have stated here. Occasional reference to a dictionary is not a bad thing. The book reads well although not as magnificently as Ron Powers' bio of Mark Twain. Brands thankfully does not have a love affair with a single term such as, for example, Eric Foner's almost obsessive admiration of "hegemony." My main criticism of Brands is his wandering off the track into other stories such as Donelson's trek into Tennessee or Sevier's military experiences. They are interesting but span many pages without a mention of Jackson. Yes, Brands does get there eventually, but peripheral background can and should be presented in shorter form.
Now that I'm past page 300 I can say the book has done nothing but improve. I'll up the rating to four stars. The wandering off the track Brands does in the beginning of the book abates as he goes on.
I've finished now, and I will not change anything I've said above. This is a solid if unspectacular biography of Andrew Jackson. Now that I'm halfway through Robert V. Remini's biography of Henry Clay, I rather wish I had read Dr. Remini's bio of Jackson as he is the better writer.
Book Review: Seriously Lacking
Summary: 1 Stars
This book was not at all what I expected from Brands, who was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for his biography of Benjamin Franklin, First American. In trying to make an academic biography accessible to the reading public, Brands' writing suffers greatly and becomes far too colloquial. At one point, when discussing Indian-White relations, he goes so far as to call the whites "Palefaces." It was a chore to get through, and while it heightened my knowledge of Jackson, nothing was particularly memorable except what I already knew or, perhaps, the actions I disagreed with (his invasion of Florida or his use of martial law after the Battle of New Orleans). Particularly when discussing Jackson's historically far reaching actions, such as kicking the Cherokees out of Georgia, or his battle with Biddle and eventual destruction of the Bank of the United States, Brands does a deplorable job of explaining what happened. Elements of background, and why Jackson did whatever it was he did exactly, as the reader will be confused on that point, are conspicuously missing. I have read similarly poor reviews of another biography by Brands, TR: The Last Romantic, and if First American is at all similar in style, I know why he didn't win that Pulitzer.Book Review: A Good Read on Andrew Jackson
Summary: 4 Stars
Since I live close to the area where Andrew Jackson was born (while I am a native North Carolinian, South Carolina seems to have the most evidence for claiming him as a native born son since one of the pieces of evidence was that Jackson himself claimed to have born in South Carolina), I had natural interest in reading about his life.
Overall I would say the book is a good read - the story gets off to a good start in describing Jackson's early life but does seem to drag on in other periods.
Among the areas covered by Brands include:
1. Jackson's early life and how he was orphaned at an early age.
2. Participation in the American Revolution.
3. Training and experiences as a lawyer.
4. Move to Tennessese.
5. Military experiences with Indians and the War of 1812.
6. Political alliances and his many political enemies.
7. Marriage to Rachel Donelson.
8. Later life.
I would have like to have seen some more maps that pertained to his travels and military battles - doing so would have made it easier to follow some of the narrative.
Still, a good read on "Old Hickory". Recommended.
Book Review: Hickory Switch
Summary: 5 Stars
Brands does a wonderful job of research of one of the countries more popular Presidents. I often wonder if I will be on Earth long enough to get to all the Biographies of the presidents, so I am so glad that I read this one. Jackson not only is involved with the Revolutionary War, but made it through some of the more noted wars like the War of 1812, Battle of New orleans , Indian Wars.... wonderful time period for US Historians. Jackson had a front row seat...
this book will appeal mostly to hard core history readers and might take undaunted courage for those less apt towards such material. Brands gets compared with David McCullough and with good reason, they both have wonderful literary styles. Brands does get into the area of too much detail or too much information, but still a very scholarly work, Bringing Jackson back to us for those of us who didnt have the pleasure to know him personally.
Funny how Jackson was around 50 years after the Declaration Of Independence to know that both Jefferson and Adams would die within hours of each other on July 4, 1826. This book would also appeal to those who are interested in the early years of our country. gotta love it.