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Woodrow Wilson
438 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1958
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August 2, 2015
http://bestpresidentialbios.com/2015/...
“Woodrow Wilson: American Prophet” and “Woodrow Wilson: World Prophet” constitute Arthur Walworth’s two-volume Pulitzer Prize-winning series on Wilson. Both volumes were published in 1958 and they are often sold together as one document. Walworth was a graduate of Yale and worked at Houghton Mifflin before becoming an author. He died in 2005 at the age of 101.
Walworth apparently undertook the mission to complete a biography of Woodrow Wilson at the behest of Harvard professor Arthur Schlesinger, Sr. When completed (after a decade of research by Walworth) this biography represented the most substantial effort on Wilson since Ray Stannard Baker completed an eight-volume study of Wilson in 1939.
The first volume (“American Prophet”) follows Wilson from childhood to the third year of his presidency while the second volumes follows the build-up to World War I, Wilson’s reluctant engagement in the global conflict and his efforts at ensuring an enduring peace. Wilson’s post-presidency was covered efficiently (in about a dozen pages) but effectively.
The earliest impression this biography offers is one of reverence – not for Wilson himself (which the author may have intended) but for the historical value of the biography itself. The painstaking work Walworth undertook to meticulously reassemble Wilson’s life is obvious. And Walworth’s portrayal of Wilson, while generally flattering, also exposes many of his flaws.
Three sections of the biography stand out. The lengthy review of Wilson’s tenure as Princeton’s president is fascinating and may provide the most insight into Wilson’s character. The discussion relating to Wilson’s deliberations as he assembled his presidential cabinet proves equally compelling. And the numerous pages devoted to Wilson’s peace-related efforts are excellent.
However, much about this biography fails to meet a modern non-academic reader’s expectations. One thing is immediately obvious to the reader: this is not fluid, descriptive prose written with a contemporary audience in mind. Instead, it is relatively “old-school”: scholarly and stiff, detailed and dry. Few chapters are so tantalizing that the reader is tempted to skip a meal in order to push further ahead.
More importantly, this often seems less a biography of Wilson than a history text which happens to focus on the world as seen from Wilson’s perspective. And while Walworth carefully documents the important historical events that penetrated Wilson’s political sphere, there seldom seems an appreciation for – or an examination of – broader historical context.
Walworth’s coverage is appropriately reflective of the fact that Wilson’s presidency was dominated by events relating to World War I. But there is scant evidence Wilson possessed a domestic policy agenda at all. And even in the global sphere, the discussion of war is so narrowly focused on Wilson that one never gets any sense of the war’s horror or enormous human cost; it is presented as little more than an academic concept.
Finally, Walworth fails to convey to the reader a sense of who Wilson really was. Family members are mentioned in passing but never become important figures in the drama. There is little mention of his closest friends, and even his important political allies such as Colonel House generally linger in the shadows. And Mary Hulbert Peck, with whom Wilson is rumored to have had an affair, appears only long enough to be recognized as a personal muse rather than a possible romantic interest.
Overall, Arthur Walworth’s two-volume biography of Woodrow Wilson is a carefully crafted and remarkably detailed recitation of Wilson’s life. Unfortunately it proves too dry and academic for most readers and provides little insight into Wilson himself, or his family. And while it is often enlightening, it is also frequently exhausting and tedious.
Overall rating: 3 stars
“Woodrow Wilson: American Prophet” and “Woodrow Wilson: World Prophet” constitute Arthur Walworth’s two-volume Pulitzer Prize-winning series on Wilson. Both volumes were published in 1958 and they are often sold together as one document. Walworth was a graduate of Yale and worked at Houghton Mifflin before becoming an author. He died in 2005 at the age of 101.
Walworth apparently undertook the mission to complete a biography of Woodrow Wilson at the behest of Harvard professor Arthur Schlesinger, Sr. When completed (after a decade of research by Walworth) this biography represented the most substantial effort on Wilson since Ray Stannard Baker completed an eight-volume study of Wilson in 1939.
The first volume (“American Prophet”) follows Wilson from childhood to the third year of his presidency while the second volumes follows the build-up to World War I, Wilson’s reluctant engagement in the global conflict and his efforts at ensuring an enduring peace. Wilson’s post-presidency was covered efficiently (in about a dozen pages) but effectively.
The earliest impression this biography offers is one of reverence – not for Wilson himself (which the author may have intended) but for the historical value of the biography itself. The painstaking work Walworth undertook to meticulously reassemble Wilson’s life is obvious. And Walworth’s portrayal of Wilson, while generally flattering, also exposes many of his flaws.
Three sections of the biography stand out. The lengthy review of Wilson’s tenure as Princeton’s president is fascinating and may provide the most insight into Wilson’s character. The discussion relating to Wilson’s deliberations as he assembled his presidential cabinet proves equally compelling. And the numerous pages devoted to Wilson’s peace-related efforts are excellent.
However, much about this biography fails to meet a modern non-academic reader’s expectations. One thing is immediately obvious to the reader: this is not fluid, descriptive prose written with a contemporary audience in mind. Instead, it is relatively “old-school”: scholarly and stiff, detailed and dry. Few chapters are so tantalizing that the reader is tempted to skip a meal in order to push further ahead.
More importantly, this often seems less a biography of Wilson than a history text which happens to focus on the world as seen from Wilson’s perspective. And while Walworth carefully documents the important historical events that penetrated Wilson’s political sphere, there seldom seems an appreciation for – or an examination of – broader historical context.
Walworth’s coverage is appropriately reflective of the fact that Wilson’s presidency was dominated by events relating to World War I. But there is scant evidence Wilson possessed a domestic policy agenda at all. And even in the global sphere, the discussion of war is so narrowly focused on Wilson that one never gets any sense of the war’s horror or enormous human cost; it is presented as little more than an academic concept.
Finally, Walworth fails to convey to the reader a sense of who Wilson really was. Family members are mentioned in passing but never become important figures in the drama. There is little mention of his closest friends, and even his important political allies such as Colonel House generally linger in the shadows. And Mary Hulbert Peck, with whom Wilson is rumored to have had an affair, appears only long enough to be recognized as a personal muse rather than a possible romantic interest.
Overall, Arthur Walworth’s two-volume biography of Woodrow Wilson is a carefully crafted and remarkably detailed recitation of Wilson’s life. Unfortunately it proves too dry and academic for most readers and provides little insight into Wilson himself, or his family. And while it is often enlightening, it is also frequently exhausting and tedious.
Overall rating: 3 stars
October 3, 2023
From Scholar to President
#woodrowwilsonamericanprophet , the first in a #1959 #pulitzerprizeforbiography two-volume biography of #unitedstatespresidentn#woodrowwilson by #arthurwalworth , is a comprehensive, albeit glowing examination of the life of the #28thPresident dives deep into the early life and rise to power of this southern son of a preacher man. Born in #virginia and raised in the #americansouth during the #americancivilwar , his formative years saw the war that the southern states started through secession and the political, social and economic impacts of #reconstruction which he considered a victimization of the people of the South. He sought solace through scholarship, receiving degrees from #princeton and #johnshopkins and writing a well respected book on government which prompted his rise to the presidency of Princeton. It was here that he got the attention of #democraticparty leaders looking to return to national prominence with a new kind of Democrat, one with a modern vision with a passion for reform exemplified in his efforts to democratize and modernize higher education with an attempt to make colleges more egalitarian rather than elite. Granted, his vision didn't necessarily include women and non-white males as part of the academic rank and file though he he was part of the original faculty of #brynmawrcollege , a Pennsylvania Women's college where he was well respected though he often clashed with feminist dean #mcareythomas . Regardless, his educational and democratic efforts propelled him into the office of #newjerseygovernor and Democratic standard bearer that swept him and the party into.a Washington majority in #1912 where he was elected to the Presidency with a Democratic Supermajority.
This volume ends with his first term and his second marriage, having been widowed by the love of his life and principal political advisor, #ellenaxsonwilson who died in the second year in office. Frankly, when you read about how Wilson truly preferred the company of women, particularly his wife and daughters and his numerous female friends and cousins who surrounded him, you do get a general sense of his decency. You also come to understand how his colleagues, cabinet members and biographers come to idolize him as both this volume and the previous biography I read by his #secretaryofthenavy #josephusdaniels clearly demonstrate his brilliance and vision for abetter nation and world.
#volumetwo , #woodrowwilsonworldprophet will take us through his second term, #worldwari , his second marriage to #edithwilson and her influence in his last days of decline.
#woodrowwilsonamericanprophet , the first in a #1959 #pulitzerprizeforbiography two-volume biography of #unitedstatespresidentn#woodrowwilson by #arthurwalworth , is a comprehensive, albeit glowing examination of the life of the #28thPresident dives deep into the early life and rise to power of this southern son of a preacher man. Born in #virginia and raised in the #americansouth during the #americancivilwar , his formative years saw the war that the southern states started through secession and the political, social and economic impacts of #reconstruction which he considered a victimization of the people of the South. He sought solace through scholarship, receiving degrees from #princeton and #johnshopkins and writing a well respected book on government which prompted his rise to the presidency of Princeton. It was here that he got the attention of #democraticparty leaders looking to return to national prominence with a new kind of Democrat, one with a modern vision with a passion for reform exemplified in his efforts to democratize and modernize higher education with an attempt to make colleges more egalitarian rather than elite. Granted, his vision didn't necessarily include women and non-white males as part of the academic rank and file though he he was part of the original faculty of #brynmawrcollege , a Pennsylvania Women's college where he was well respected though he often clashed with feminist dean #mcareythomas . Regardless, his educational and democratic efforts propelled him into the office of #newjerseygovernor and Democratic standard bearer that swept him and the party into.a Washington majority in #1912 where he was elected to the Presidency with a Democratic Supermajority.
This volume ends with his first term and his second marriage, having been widowed by the love of his life and principal political advisor, #ellenaxsonwilson who died in the second year in office. Frankly, when you read about how Wilson truly preferred the company of women, particularly his wife and daughters and his numerous female friends and cousins who surrounded him, you do get a general sense of his decency. You also come to understand how his colleagues, cabinet members and biographers come to idolize him as both this volume and the previous biography I read by his #secretaryofthenavy #josephusdaniels clearly demonstrate his brilliance and vision for abetter nation and world.
#volumetwo , #woodrowwilsonworldprophet will take us through his second term, #worldwari , his second marriage to #edithwilson and her influence in his last days of decline.
September 28, 2020
I first read Walworth's 2-volume Wilson before I read Berg's more recent Wilson (2006). I would recommend the latter more. It is far more dimensional, and I came away with a more initimate knowledge of the subject.
But this book does have its commendable qualities. For one, Walworth actually interviewed those who knew Wilson, giving him more detail and insight on some matters. But I also felt as if Walworth glossed over the racial issues, which, for Wilson, is not something you can ignore unless you are so blindly worshipful you refuse to see the dirt on your subject's clothes. It's not that Walworth doesn't mention them; he just doesn't go into great detail. I learned far more about those issues in Berg's book. For instance, Walworth hardly mentions the Brith of the Nation screening at the White House, whereas Berg dives into the background and the subsequent events (which are NOT what is presented in most circles.) Wilson didn't know the content of the movie and only screened it at the behest of an acquaintance from his years at John Hopkins. He sat silently through the screening and released a statement afterward that condemned the KKK and lynching. All this information is available through a cursory glance at Wikipedia. Wilson isn't blameless on race relations, since he certainly permitted the segregations of the departments, which set blacks back decades. Wilson himself certainly imbibed the southern view of the inferiority of blacks. But that shouldn't require a presentation of history.
I mention that story partly to set the record straight and partly to illustrate the detail in Berg's book but lacking in Walworth's American Prophet and volume II World Prophet. That being said, I also found other quotes and stories in Walworth's book not present in Bergs (Walworth's 2 volumes are 1000 pages, Berg's about 700.) For instance, Walworth has a quote from Wilson saying he ran in 1916 because "that man [former Sec of State William Jennings Bryan] cannot be president." A part from Bryan's pacifism, Wilson found Bryan not a very good manager or politician. Bryan was one hell of an orator, but that was about it.
I don't regret reading the Walworth books. In fact, I'm glad I read them first before Berg's. Together, I immersed myself in Wilson probably more than one person should. But if you want to read a book on Woodrow Wilson, go for Berg's. You won't regret it.
But this book does have its commendable qualities. For one, Walworth actually interviewed those who knew Wilson, giving him more detail and insight on some matters. But I also felt as if Walworth glossed over the racial issues, which, for Wilson, is not something you can ignore unless you are so blindly worshipful you refuse to see the dirt on your subject's clothes. It's not that Walworth doesn't mention them; he just doesn't go into great detail. I learned far more about those issues in Berg's book. For instance, Walworth hardly mentions the Brith of the Nation screening at the White House, whereas Berg dives into the background and the subsequent events (which are NOT what is presented in most circles.) Wilson didn't know the content of the movie and only screened it at the behest of an acquaintance from his years at John Hopkins. He sat silently through the screening and released a statement afterward that condemned the KKK and lynching. All this information is available through a cursory glance at Wikipedia. Wilson isn't blameless on race relations, since he certainly permitted the segregations of the departments, which set blacks back decades. Wilson himself certainly imbibed the southern view of the inferiority of blacks. But that shouldn't require a presentation of history.
I mention that story partly to set the record straight and partly to illustrate the detail in Berg's book but lacking in Walworth's American Prophet and volume II World Prophet. That being said, I also found other quotes and stories in Walworth's book not present in Bergs (Walworth's 2 volumes are 1000 pages, Berg's about 700.) For instance, Walworth has a quote from Wilson saying he ran in 1916 because "that man [former Sec of State William Jennings Bryan] cannot be president." A part from Bryan's pacifism, Wilson found Bryan not a very good manager or politician. Bryan was one hell of an orator, but that was about it.
I don't regret reading the Walworth books. In fact, I'm glad I read them first before Berg's. Together, I immersed myself in Wilson probably more than one person should. But if you want to read a book on Woodrow Wilson, go for Berg's. You won't regret it.
October 22, 2025
Wilson is a classic case of both/and. He was a supreme idealist, super-smart and man of deep faith who could also be short-sighted, petty and naive. He possessed political skills that sometimes advanced his mostly progressive program and at other times completely failed him. He attracted fierce loyalty and deep love, but also scorn and bitter rejection. He was an early progressive in many economic areas (in favor of low tariffs, antitrust enforcement, an independent Fed, income tax) but was slow on women's suffrage and never shook his Southen roots on racial issues. Walworth barely covers the latter two issues, which in these days would likely have his Pultizer for the bio pulled.
Lastly, despite some historic successes, Wilson's plans for moderninzing Princeton and the peace that would follow WWI - the US never signed the Treay of Versailles or joind his beloved League of Nations - failed.
This is an old-school bio. IT's dry and history- rather than character-based. It does not remove the warts, but doesn't dwell on them either. Walworth was clearly in thrall of his subject. And based on numerous position and Wilsoni quotes, it's difficult to deny Walworth's designation of Wilson as "The Prophet."
- "America may be said to have just reached her majority as a world power. The stage is set, the destiny disclosed... We cannot turn back. We can only go forward, with lifted eyes and freshened spirit, to follow the vision. It was of this we dreamed at out birth. America shall in truth show the way. The light streams upon the path ahead, and nowhere else."
- "What the Germans used were toys compared to what would be used in the next war."
- "I can predict with absolute certainty that within another generation there will be another war if the nations of the world do not concert the method by which to prevent it." In that clash, "not a few hundred thousand fine men from America will have to die, buts as many million as are necessary to accomplish the final freedom of the world."
Lastly, despite some historic successes, Wilson's plans for moderninzing Princeton and the peace that would follow WWI - the US never signed the Treay of Versailles or joind his beloved League of Nations - failed.
This is an old-school bio. IT's dry and history- rather than character-based. It does not remove the warts, but doesn't dwell on them either. Walworth was clearly in thrall of his subject. And based on numerous position and Wilsoni quotes, it's difficult to deny Walworth's designation of Wilson as "The Prophet."
- "America may be said to have just reached her majority as a world power. The stage is set, the destiny disclosed... We cannot turn back. We can only go forward, with lifted eyes and freshened spirit, to follow the vision. It was of this we dreamed at out birth. America shall in truth show the way. The light streams upon the path ahead, and nowhere else."
- "What the Germans used were toys compared to what would be used in the next war."
- "I can predict with absolute certainty that within another generation there will be another war if the nations of the world do not concert the method by which to prevent it." In that clash, "not a few hundred thousand fine men from America will have to die, buts as many million as are necessary to accomplish the final freedom of the world."
October 27, 2017
There is a hidden reward in reading well researched and well written history. One finds out that things in 1917 were not dramatically different than things are today. The costumes and slang may differ, but as Wilson himself said, government has been owned by a select wealthy few since Andrew Jackson was president. Wilson was a man who not only understood his era, but he also had a great vision for the future.
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