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Storms Over the Presidency
Choosing the most important moments in the long history of the American presidency is difficult. But here, New York Times bestselling historian Thomas Fleming vividly recreates many of those hours of crisis - from George Washington's fight for peace and the night Abraham Lincoln was almost shot to Ronald Reagan's plea to "tear down this wall" and George W. Bush on September 11, 2001, "the day that changed everything."
127 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 18, 2016
51 people are currently reading
116 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Fleming
127 books149 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Thomas James Fleming was an historian and historical novelist, with a special interest in the American Revolution. He was born in 1927 in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of a World War I hero who was a leader in Jersey City politics for three decades. Before her marriage, his mother, Katherine Dolan Fleming, was a teacher in the Jersey City Public School System.
After graduating from St. Peter's Preparatory School in Jersey City, Fleming spent a year in the United States Navy. He received a Bachelor's degree, with honors, from Fordham University in 1950. After brief stints as a newspaperman and magazine editor, he became a full-time writer in 1960. His first history book, Now We Are Enemies, an account of the Battle of Bunker Hill, was published that same year. It was a best-seller, reviewed in more than 75 newspapers and featured as a main selection of the Literary Guild.
Fleming published books about various events and figures of the Revolutionary era. He also wrote about other periods of American history and wrote over a dozen well-received novels set against various historical backgrounds. He said, "I never wanted to be an Irish American writer, my whole idea was to get across that bridge and be an American writer".
Fleming died at his home in New York City on July 23, 2017, at the age of 90.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Thomas James Fleming was an historian and historical novelist, with a special interest in the American Revolution. He was born in 1927 in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of a World War I hero who was a leader in Jersey City politics for three decades. Before her marriage, his mother, Katherine Dolan Fleming, was a teacher in the Jersey City Public School System.
After graduating from St. Peter's Preparatory School in Jersey City, Fleming spent a year in the United States Navy. He received a Bachelor's degree, with honors, from Fordham University in 1950. After brief stints as a newspaperman and magazine editor, he became a full-time writer in 1960. His first history book, Now We Are Enemies, an account of the Battle of Bunker Hill, was published that same year. It was a best-seller, reviewed in more than 75 newspapers and featured as a main selection of the Literary Guild.
Fleming published books about various events and figures of the Revolutionary era. He also wrote about other periods of American history and wrote over a dozen well-received novels set against various historical backgrounds. He said, "I never wanted to be an Irish American writer, my whole idea was to get across that bridge and be an American writer".
Fleming died at his home in New York City on July 23, 2017, at the age of 90.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 23, 2016
With this book, Thomas Fleming describes 22 incidents that have affected our country and how America's past presidents have successfully addressed each one. In Fleming's own words, each demonstrated "...the leadership that a president can invoke in the name of liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
Beginning with George Washington and ending with George W. Bush, Fleming describes the events that preceded each moment in history. The author allows access to each president's thought process, enabling the reader to gain a deeper insight. In other words, Fleming not only tells us the solution developed for each crisis, he shares how each president came to that conclusion. Even the stories I already had knowledge of were fleshed out, and I came away with a deeper understanding. Each chapter is short and provides just enough information without overloading the reader with unnecessary filler or destroying the author's easy, storytelling style.
What I liked most about the book was learning about the men who were the leaders of America without having to also read about their weaknesses of character. This is not an adventure into muckraking, but an opportunity for the reader to enjoy stories about presidents who had to deal with the tough issues of their times. While many of the history books written in the last few years seem to focus on character defects (as if our leaders were expected to be perfect), "Storms Over the Presidency" presents 22 stories where a president is presented with a tough decision or situation and has to come up with a successful decision. Recommended for everyone.
Beginning with George Washington and ending with George W. Bush, Fleming describes the events that preceded each moment in history. The author allows access to each president's thought process, enabling the reader to gain a deeper insight. In other words, Fleming not only tells us the solution developed for each crisis, he shares how each president came to that conclusion. Even the stories I already had knowledge of were fleshed out, and I came away with a deeper understanding. Each chapter is short and provides just enough information without overloading the reader with unnecessary filler or destroying the author's easy, storytelling style.
What I liked most about the book was learning about the men who were the leaders of America without having to also read about their weaknesses of character. This is not an adventure into muckraking, but an opportunity for the reader to enjoy stories about presidents who had to deal with the tough issues of their times. While many of the history books written in the last few years seem to focus on character defects (as if our leaders were expected to be perfect), "Storms Over the Presidency" presents 22 stories where a president is presented with a tough decision or situation and has to come up with a successful decision. Recommended for everyone.
May 24, 2019
Interesting examples of presidential decisions
These are events of some president’s responses to crises during their administration. Although most, if not all, of these events are known, the is a lot of detail that I had not previously heard of.
These are events of some president’s responses to crises during their administration. Although most, if not all, of these events are known, the is a lot of detail that I had not previously heard of.
October 25, 2016
Great Read
My only disappointment in the book were the 4 chapters on Lincoln. I would have omitted some and combined others so there would have been one chapter to cover the "storms" during his presidency. Ditto for FDR.
My only disappointment in the book were the 4 chapters on Lincoln. I would have omitted some and combined others so there would have been one chapter to cover the "storms" during his presidency. Ditto for FDR.
October 18, 2017
This was a good, short book. It has 22 chapters and less than 200 pages so it doesn't take long to read. The book seems to be well-researched and I didn't find any editing errors which is nice because many times Kindle books will contain far too many editing errors.
This book contains various seminal events in American history which Presidents faced. It begins with George Washington choosing not to support France in a war against England and ends with George W. Bush and 9/11. The epilogue mentions several Presidential crises not given a chapter in the book (such as Watergate and Bill Clinton's impeachment). Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt both got multiple chapters.
At the end of the day, this was a good but not great book. If writing a similar book, I likely would have made different choices (I think you have to include Watergate in a book like this, and if you're going to include Andrew Johnson's impeachment, then Bill Clinton's needs to be included too). But such is the purview of the author, to choose his/her subject material. The book broke no new ground and I really did not learn anything new but for those not as familiar with American history as I am, this would likely be a good read.
This book contains various seminal events in American history which Presidents faced. It begins with George Washington choosing not to support France in a war against England and ends with George W. Bush and 9/11. The epilogue mentions several Presidential crises not given a chapter in the book (such as Watergate and Bill Clinton's impeachment). Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt both got multiple chapters.
At the end of the day, this was a good but not great book. If writing a similar book, I likely would have made different choices (I think you have to include Watergate in a book like this, and if you're going to include Andrew Johnson's impeachment, then Bill Clinton's needs to be included too). But such is the purview of the author, to choose his/her subject material. The book broke no new ground and I really did not learn anything new but for those not as familiar with American history as I am, this would likely be a good read.
October 11, 2019
Fleming Reveals His Prejudice
I have read another Fleming book, which I enjoyed. This one, however, was entirely different. The detail was minimal, prose superficial, written more for high school students. Yet the section I found most distasteful and inaccurate concerned Andrew Johnson's impeachment. Fleming drips with bias. His description of "radicals" is devoid of objectivity, labeling them repeatedly with vile terms. By contrast Johnson is described as a patriot only interested in fulfilling Lincoln's plan for Reconstruction. Well no Dr. Fleming, Lincoln would have been aghast at Johnson's blatantly racist agenda, and you know it.
I have read another Fleming book, which I enjoyed. This one, however, was entirely different. The detail was minimal, prose superficial, written more for high school students. Yet the section I found most distasteful and inaccurate concerned Andrew Johnson's impeachment. Fleming drips with bias. His description of "radicals" is devoid of objectivity, labeling them repeatedly with vile terms. By contrast Johnson is described as a patriot only interested in fulfilling Lincoln's plan for Reconstruction. Well no Dr. Fleming, Lincoln would have been aghast at Johnson's blatantly racist agenda, and you know it.
June 1, 2025
It’s always interesting hearing about certain aspects of the presidents we don’t know about. This book talks about the trial and errors of them. I think the craziest for me is George Bush Hearing about 9/11 while at a elementary school. Definitely needed a lot of composure which he did but it’s tough predicament to be in.
October 18, 2017
A fresh look at significant events during various administrations. The chapters cover George Washington through George W. Bush, and the author touches on Presidents Clinton and Obama in the epilogue.
October 30, 2017
Excellent vignettes
Fleming is his usual self, concise story telling, no agenda just the facts. Most HS history classes would learn a great deal from this book, but honestly it provides too much truth and does not fit the liberal agenda and the standardized tests.
Fleming is his usual self, concise story telling, no agenda just the facts. Most HS history classes would learn a great deal from this book, but honestly it provides too much truth and does not fit the liberal agenda and the standardized tests.
January 1, 2019
Concise, Well Written and to the Point.
This book is an easy read. It doesn’t tie the reader down with too much background. It gets to the crux of the problem facing the President and shows how he handled the problem. It’s very informative without being too long.
This book is an easy read. It doesn’t tie the reader down with too much background. It gets to the crux of the problem facing the President and shows how he handled the problem. It’s very informative without being too long.
June 24, 2020
Interesting read. Good primer. Thought some chapters could have provided a bit more detail.
November 7, 2017
A snapshot of our historical presidents in a moment in time when they faced a crisis. Fleming does an excellent job portraying the crisis and how each president handled it. How they were prepared or unprepared, yet prevailed or failed at the task. Fascinating!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews