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We the Presidents: How American Presidents Shaped the Last Century
Rather than a traditional presidential history, We The Presidents focuses on a century of presidencies from Warren G. Harding to Donald J. Trump and how their presidencies have shaped today’s America, and the world. Many of today’s critical issues including immigration, inflation, income disparity, civil discord, and the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East all had their roots in earlier presidencies. Ronald Gruner’s engaging and straightforward writing describes how presidencies over the last century have shaped today’s America from the Emergency Immigration Act of 1921 to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020. The award-winning We The Presidents is more than an absorbing read; it is a great education on the issues which have shaped the American century up to the present day when democracy, both in America and around the world, faces yet another crucial test of its resilience and strength. “Essentially reading for every conscientious citizen.” – U.S. Review of Books
648 pages, Paperback
Published January 11, 2022
134 people are currently reading
5022 people want to read
About the author
Ronald Gruner
3 books29 followersRonald Gruner founded and served as the chief executive of three successful technology firms over his forty-year career. Taken from his business experience, Gruner published We The Presidents in 2022.
We The Presidents is a non-partisan presidential history which explores how the policies of American presidents over the last century from Warren G. Harding to Donald J. Trump have affected America, and the world, today.
The author has taken a similar approach with his second book, COVID WARS. Rather than ideology, Gruner objectively discusses how America’s divided public health policies affected COVID death rates, personal freedoms, and the national economy.
Gruner lives with his wife, Nancy, in Naples, Florida where he is a consistently poor golfer.
We The Presidents is a non-partisan presidential history which explores how the policies of American presidents over the last century from Warren G. Harding to Donald J. Trump have affected America, and the world, today.
The author has taken a similar approach with his second book, COVID WARS. Rather than ideology, Gruner objectively discusses how America’s divided public health policies affected COVID death rates, personal freedoms, and the national economy.
Gruner lives with his wife, Nancy, in Naples, Florida where he is a consistently poor golfer.
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January 11, 2022
A number of historical books cover American Presidents, but none is as singularly focused as Ronald Gruner’s new book We The Presidents. Mr. Gruner’s experience as an accomplished executive and founder of several technology companies has resulted in a much different perspective of presidential history. His focus on one hundred years of U.S. presidential history is shown primarily through an economic lens. Beginning with Warren Harding in 1921 and ending with Donald Trump in 2021, Mr. Gruner’s book, rather than examining a single presidential administration in isolation, establishes the many connections linking presidential administrations.
It’s an ambitious task for a writer to undertake a massive work that will reside on the same bookshelf, so to speak, as Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Leadership: In Turbulent Times or The Complete Book of US Presidents by Bill Yenne. Ronald Gruner is neither an academic nor a seasoned historical writer, but his book offers readers three qualities that have been lacking in many of the recent books touching upon the presidential office: neutrality, accuracy and above all else, respect. (Who could forget the avalanche of historical books disparaging Donald Trump and cashing in on his tumultuous presidency?)
With Mr. Gruner’s book, there is no sensationalism. Devoid of yellow journalism, crackpot exaggeration, the propagation of false accusations, and the churn of the rumor mill, Gruner’s book is an antidote to the American Political Industry that has sharply divided America. Much of the nation’s news media has become overtly politicized, forcing Americans to select their news sources based on their political views by reading or listening to the media pundits who already echo their beliefs. Add think tanks, political hacks and lobbyists, academic curricula, legions of P.R. and marketing firms, and experts who are paid by partisan groups to promote the political and economic ideology of their sponsors. Whom can you believe?
Just give me the facts is a rallying cry heard from the Red and the Blue, the Left and the Right, Democrats and Republicans, Conservatives and Liberals, et al. Regardless of political affiliation, most people do want to know the truth—they want facts without editorializing. Mr. Gruner intentionally minimizes using political labels or referring to political affiliations. He invites us into a narrative that is borne of public service, exploring presidents from a neutral position. Gruner is a citizen in every sense of the word with a moral conscience. A lover of history and a deft researcher, he sets the record straight. He focuses on effects rather than root causes, and on results rather than partisan politics. Can any book about U.S. presidents completely steer clear of politics? You decide.
While We The Presidents is largely storytelling by the numbers, neutral anecdotes backed by hard data reveal the cracks and fissures that have always existed in our democracy. The complex interests of our nation have always embraced divergent, if not contentious, points of view, even going back to our founding fathers. Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton belonged to the Federalist Party and supported a strong federal government, whereas Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, who belonged to the Republican Party, supported states’ rights. From Harding to Trump, there has always been tension between capital and labor, progressives and conservatives, and the proponents for big government or small government. Racism, Protectionism, Discrimination, and anti-Immigration policy have been around for longer than a hundred years.
The clear patterns that were established among multiple presidential administrations are explored. For example, several Presidents have used very similar political platforms and campaign slogans. In the 1920s, Warren Harding campaigned on two platforms that were joined at the hip: “A return to Normalcy” and “America First.” Sixty years later, to counter the drift away from Americanism, Ronald Reagan ran on “Let’s make America Great Again,” just a tad similar to Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign promise to “Make America Great Again.” Mr. Gruner’s analysis of Warren Harding extols his accomplishments and dispels Malcolm Gladwell’s assertion that Harding just looked presidential. President Harding signed bills that laid the foundation for the Veterans Administration, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Medicaid. To counter racism, Harding risked the support of his white southern base by telling a crowd that democracy is a lie unless you stand for equality…. After the devastation of WWI and the Spanish influenza pandemic, Harding did indeed provide Americans with a return to normalcy.
The economic decisions implemented among presidential administrations are firmly grounded in taxation. Mr. Gruner chronicles the long history of Americans vehemently opposed to being taxed. Ratification of the 16th amendment in 1913 is when congress imposed a permanent income tax. (Andrew Mellon was appointed Secretary of the Treasury by President Harding in 1921, and continued to serve under Presidents Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover.) Andrew Mellon’s taxation theory, known as supply-side economics, emphasizes debt reduction, tax reduction, especially reduced taxes for business, and a balanced budget. Later, in post-modern times, supply-side economics, also known as “trickle down economics,” was also ascribed to Arthur Laffer, often called the Laffer Curve, and favored by Presidents Reagan and Trump.
Herbert Hoover had been in office less than a year when the stock market crashed. President Hoover and Treasury Secretary Mellon deliberately chose not to intervene. “Prosperity cannot be restored by raids upon the public treasury,” Hoover famously proclaimed. A year later banks failed, business profits collapsed, and unemployment nearly tripled. The Great Depression turned Herbert Hoover and Andrew Mellon into victims of their own prior successes—both men believed in laissez-fair capitalism unhindered by an intrusive government. Hoover’s rugged individualism still prevails today and influences the debate over the role in government in education, healthcare and social programs.
The flip side of supply-side economics is supply-demand economics and is sprung in large part from the thinking of the economist John Maynard Keynes, who argued that governments should solve problems in the short run rather than wait for market forces to fix things over the long run. President Franklin D. Roosevelt came to power in 1933, when fear had paralyzed the country and the nation was in the stranglehold of the Great Depression. If business wasn’t hiring, then government would. Roosevelt’s New Deal increased Americans purchasing power, established liberating labor regulations and created a safety net of unemployment insurance, pension plans, and workmen’s compensation. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) put 8.5 million back to work. Roosevelt became the nation’s largest employer. The Social Security Act and the Glass-Steagall Act were both signed into law.
The long litany of presidents following FDR is examined from an economic perspective, ranging from the Gross National Product (GNP) to the debt ceiling each president inherited upon coming into office and what each president left behind as his final legacy. Other metrics of comparison, ranging from the rates for unemployment and poverty to crime and home ownership, are also firmly set forth and rigorously scrutinized.
Herbert Hoover vs FDR—today American presidential economic policy remains divided and tends to fall in line, following the economic policies established by either the laissez-faire, small government approach (supply-side) of Herbert Hoover or the hands-on, big government approach (supply-demand) of FDR. Examining the complex budgetary and spending issues that have beset every presidential administration illustrates the two divergent economic theories, supply-side economics (Andrew Mellon, Milton Friedman, Arthur Laffer) or supply-demand economics (John Maynard Keynes), that have been consistently spearheaded by each president. Today’s demands for universal healthcare, free college education, renewable energy and basic guaranteed income are similar to the benefits provided by Roosevelt’s New Deal. It will be interesting to see which economic theory (supply-side or supply-demand) will prevail.
Presidential economic policy is not necessarily governed by partisan affiliation. (Generous tax cuts were initiated by Democratic Presidents Kennedy and Clinton.) Of great interest, though, is Mr. Gruner’s assessment of social security. For many years social security took in more money than it distributed in pensions. Social security paid for much of Ronald Reagan’s increased defense spending, Bill Clinton’s budget surpluses, and George W. Bush’s Middle East wars. As baby boomers retire in droves, Government is now grappling with how to repay those massive loans to keep social security afloat. President George W. Bush’s plan to privatize social security in 2005 failed. President Trump had indicated in 2020 if he was reelected, he intended to eliminate employee payroll taxes—that would completely exhaust the social security trust by 2026. Again, it will be interesting to see in the long run which economic theory will prevail and determine what happens to social security.
In Mr. Gruner’s final analysis, every President of the United States has done some good, and has left a long-lasting economic legacy even in the midst of horrific challenges such as war, economic collapse and health crises. We The Presidents succeeds in showing us that it is possible to focus on outcomes instead of causes; on results rather than politics; on economics rather than ideology and on the connections linking presidential administrations rather than a single isolated presidency. While the book’s epilogue leaves us in the throes of the Covid Pandemic, the U.S. withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, and the January 6th Insurrection, fasten your seatbelts and stay tuned—this could be the neutral, fact-driven subject matter of Mr. Gruner’s next book.
It’s an ambitious task for a writer to undertake a massive work that will reside on the same bookshelf, so to speak, as Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Leadership: In Turbulent Times or The Complete Book of US Presidents by Bill Yenne. Ronald Gruner is neither an academic nor a seasoned historical writer, but his book offers readers three qualities that have been lacking in many of the recent books touching upon the presidential office: neutrality, accuracy and above all else, respect. (Who could forget the avalanche of historical books disparaging Donald Trump and cashing in on his tumultuous presidency?)
With Mr. Gruner’s book, there is no sensationalism. Devoid of yellow journalism, crackpot exaggeration, the propagation of false accusations, and the churn of the rumor mill, Gruner’s book is an antidote to the American Political Industry that has sharply divided America. Much of the nation’s news media has become overtly politicized, forcing Americans to select their news sources based on their political views by reading or listening to the media pundits who already echo their beliefs. Add think tanks, political hacks and lobbyists, academic curricula, legions of P.R. and marketing firms, and experts who are paid by partisan groups to promote the political and economic ideology of their sponsors. Whom can you believe?
Just give me the facts is a rallying cry heard from the Red and the Blue, the Left and the Right, Democrats and Republicans, Conservatives and Liberals, et al. Regardless of political affiliation, most people do want to know the truth—they want facts without editorializing. Mr. Gruner intentionally minimizes using political labels or referring to political affiliations. He invites us into a narrative that is borne of public service, exploring presidents from a neutral position. Gruner is a citizen in every sense of the word with a moral conscience. A lover of history and a deft researcher, he sets the record straight. He focuses on effects rather than root causes, and on results rather than partisan politics. Can any book about U.S. presidents completely steer clear of politics? You decide.
While We The Presidents is largely storytelling by the numbers, neutral anecdotes backed by hard data reveal the cracks and fissures that have always existed in our democracy. The complex interests of our nation have always embraced divergent, if not contentious, points of view, even going back to our founding fathers. Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton belonged to the Federalist Party and supported a strong federal government, whereas Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, who belonged to the Republican Party, supported states’ rights. From Harding to Trump, there has always been tension between capital and labor, progressives and conservatives, and the proponents for big government or small government. Racism, Protectionism, Discrimination, and anti-Immigration policy have been around for longer than a hundred years.
The clear patterns that were established among multiple presidential administrations are explored. For example, several Presidents have used very similar political platforms and campaign slogans. In the 1920s, Warren Harding campaigned on two platforms that were joined at the hip: “A return to Normalcy” and “America First.” Sixty years later, to counter the drift away from Americanism, Ronald Reagan ran on “Let’s make America Great Again,” just a tad similar to Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign promise to “Make America Great Again.” Mr. Gruner’s analysis of Warren Harding extols his accomplishments and dispels Malcolm Gladwell’s assertion that Harding just looked presidential. President Harding signed bills that laid the foundation for the Veterans Administration, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Medicaid. To counter racism, Harding risked the support of his white southern base by telling a crowd that democracy is a lie unless you stand for equality…. After the devastation of WWI and the Spanish influenza pandemic, Harding did indeed provide Americans with a return to normalcy.
The economic decisions implemented among presidential administrations are firmly grounded in taxation. Mr. Gruner chronicles the long history of Americans vehemently opposed to being taxed. Ratification of the 16th amendment in 1913 is when congress imposed a permanent income tax. (Andrew Mellon was appointed Secretary of the Treasury by President Harding in 1921, and continued to serve under Presidents Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover.) Andrew Mellon’s taxation theory, known as supply-side economics, emphasizes debt reduction, tax reduction, especially reduced taxes for business, and a balanced budget. Later, in post-modern times, supply-side economics, also known as “trickle down economics,” was also ascribed to Arthur Laffer, often called the Laffer Curve, and favored by Presidents Reagan and Trump.
Herbert Hoover had been in office less than a year when the stock market crashed. President Hoover and Treasury Secretary Mellon deliberately chose not to intervene. “Prosperity cannot be restored by raids upon the public treasury,” Hoover famously proclaimed. A year later banks failed, business profits collapsed, and unemployment nearly tripled. The Great Depression turned Herbert Hoover and Andrew Mellon into victims of their own prior successes—both men believed in laissez-fair capitalism unhindered by an intrusive government. Hoover’s rugged individualism still prevails today and influences the debate over the role in government in education, healthcare and social programs.
The flip side of supply-side economics is supply-demand economics and is sprung in large part from the thinking of the economist John Maynard Keynes, who argued that governments should solve problems in the short run rather than wait for market forces to fix things over the long run. President Franklin D. Roosevelt came to power in 1933, when fear had paralyzed the country and the nation was in the stranglehold of the Great Depression. If business wasn’t hiring, then government would. Roosevelt’s New Deal increased Americans purchasing power, established liberating labor regulations and created a safety net of unemployment insurance, pension plans, and workmen’s compensation. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) put 8.5 million back to work. Roosevelt became the nation’s largest employer. The Social Security Act and the Glass-Steagall Act were both signed into law.
The long litany of presidents following FDR is examined from an economic perspective, ranging from the Gross National Product (GNP) to the debt ceiling each president inherited upon coming into office and what each president left behind as his final legacy. Other metrics of comparison, ranging from the rates for unemployment and poverty to crime and home ownership, are also firmly set forth and rigorously scrutinized.
Herbert Hoover vs FDR—today American presidential economic policy remains divided and tends to fall in line, following the economic policies established by either the laissez-faire, small government approach (supply-side) of Herbert Hoover or the hands-on, big government approach (supply-demand) of FDR. Examining the complex budgetary and spending issues that have beset every presidential administration illustrates the two divergent economic theories, supply-side economics (Andrew Mellon, Milton Friedman, Arthur Laffer) or supply-demand economics (John Maynard Keynes), that have been consistently spearheaded by each president. Today’s demands for universal healthcare, free college education, renewable energy and basic guaranteed income are similar to the benefits provided by Roosevelt’s New Deal. It will be interesting to see which economic theory (supply-side or supply-demand) will prevail.
Presidential economic policy is not necessarily governed by partisan affiliation. (Generous tax cuts were initiated by Democratic Presidents Kennedy and Clinton.) Of great interest, though, is Mr. Gruner’s assessment of social security. For many years social security took in more money than it distributed in pensions. Social security paid for much of Ronald Reagan’s increased defense spending, Bill Clinton’s budget surpluses, and George W. Bush’s Middle East wars. As baby boomers retire in droves, Government is now grappling with how to repay those massive loans to keep social security afloat. President George W. Bush’s plan to privatize social security in 2005 failed. President Trump had indicated in 2020 if he was reelected, he intended to eliminate employee payroll taxes—that would completely exhaust the social security trust by 2026. Again, it will be interesting to see in the long run which economic theory will prevail and determine what happens to social security.
In Mr. Gruner’s final analysis, every President of the United States has done some good, and has left a long-lasting economic legacy even in the midst of horrific challenges such as war, economic collapse and health crises. We The Presidents succeeds in showing us that it is possible to focus on outcomes instead of causes; on results rather than politics; on economics rather than ideology and on the connections linking presidential administrations rather than a single isolated presidency. While the book’s epilogue leaves us in the throes of the Covid Pandemic, the U.S. withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, and the January 6th Insurrection, fasten your seatbelts and stay tuned—this could be the neutral, fact-driven subject matter of Mr. Gruner’s next book.
October 31, 2022
The longtime technology executive Ronald Gruner has written a remarkably thorough book that examines the achievements of every U.S. president from Warren Harding to Donald Trump. I found his research to be impeccable, as he wields an enormous amount of economic data in making his arguments about the state of the U.S. economy during each president's time in office. Some of his findings were new to me, even as someone who has taught both halves of the U.S. History survey numerous times. For instance, he finds that although the unemployment rate remained high through the end of the 1930s during Franklin Roosevelt's presidency, it would not have been reasonable to expect that rate to decline to the low single digits by the end of the decade. He also finds that population demographics hampered Barack Obama's efforts to achieve economic growth during the 2010s, and that historians must account for this as well as the effect of Obama's policies. The book is filled with detailed statistics in making such arguments, which may not appeal to all readers. But Gruner has succeeded in offering a non-partisan look at all presidents over the past century and history teachers like myself should be thankful for his objective and thoroughly researched findings.
March 21, 2022
In We the Presidents author Ronald Gruner has comprehensively written about more than a dozen American presidents, covering every significant aspect of their presidency and the impact they had in the United States and the world at large. The author did not just talk about the former presidents’ policies and politics, but he also touches on their personal lives, ideologies, and the roles they played. I love that the author wrote about both popular presidents and those whose history is not widely known.
Author Ronald Gruner is a great teacher of history, as he takes the reader through significant events chronologically, explaining how one event affected the next. Reading this book will make you appreciate democracy and get you interested in America as a nation and its significance to world superpowers. This fascinating book is easy to follow as the author uses simple language. You will come across complex jargon, but Ronald Gruner defines and further breaks down new vocabulary and words that are not familiar to the average reader. From presidents Warren G. Harding, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Nixon, Reagan, Obama, and Donald Trump, Ronald Gruner has everything you need to know about these once powerful men and how they shaped the nation and global politics while they were in power.
Reading about the seventeen presidents was a fascinating experience, as the author also included fun facts and bits of their personalities that are not known by many. Ronald Gruner is objective. The author is rational and non-biased. His reasoning is clear, and one can only help but admire how Ronald Gruner views issues. After reading this book, you realize how hectic it can be to be the Commander In Chief of a nation. I appreciate the author, for he, without bias, highlighted both the wins and failures of the presidents. The discussions on the status quo and current global affairs were eye-opening. The author writes about different crises in the world, the war on terror, democracy, the military, NATO, and much more. I especially enjoyed the arrangement of chapters where each chapter covers an individual president because I thought this helped the reading.
We the Presidents: How American Presidents Shaped the Last Century is an overview biography of the last seventeen presidents of the United States of America, and their accomplishments and failures. Without focusing on political parties the author gives readers a non-biased but intriguing overview of American history.
Author Ronald Gruner is a great teacher of history, as he takes the reader through significant events chronologically, explaining how one event affected the next. Reading this book will make you appreciate democracy and get you interested in America as a nation and its significance to world superpowers. This fascinating book is easy to follow as the author uses simple language. You will come across complex jargon, but Ronald Gruner defines and further breaks down new vocabulary and words that are not familiar to the average reader. From presidents Warren G. Harding, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Nixon, Reagan, Obama, and Donald Trump, Ronald Gruner has everything you need to know about these once powerful men and how they shaped the nation and global politics while they were in power.
Reading about the seventeen presidents was a fascinating experience, as the author also included fun facts and bits of their personalities that are not known by many. Ronald Gruner is objective. The author is rational and non-biased. His reasoning is clear, and one can only help but admire how Ronald Gruner views issues. After reading this book, you realize how hectic it can be to be the Commander In Chief of a nation. I appreciate the author, for he, without bias, highlighted both the wins and failures of the presidents. The discussions on the status quo and current global affairs were eye-opening. The author writes about different crises in the world, the war on terror, democracy, the military, NATO, and much more. I especially enjoyed the arrangement of chapters where each chapter covers an individual president because I thought this helped the reading.
We the Presidents: How American Presidents Shaped the Last Century is an overview biography of the last seventeen presidents of the United States of America, and their accomplishments and failures. Without focusing on political parties the author gives readers a non-biased but intriguing overview of American history.
July 26, 2024
Overall, this is a good history read. Gruner goes in depth into the economy under each president, Harding through Trump, and gives an overview of each’s policies, successes, failures, scandals, and highlights. There are some events that were skipped that I wish weren’t (e.g., the Rwandan Genocide during the Clinton years), but, for the most part, the major points for each POTUS were covered.
I noticed several typos and grammatical errors throughout the book. I read it on Kindle, so that could have been why.
I noticed several typos and grammatical errors throughout the book. I read it on Kindle, so that could have been why.
June 21, 2023
Great book about the Presidents from Warren Harding to Donald Trump. It talks about their administration and their accomplishments, and how the times affected each administration.
There's a slight biased towards the left starting with Eisenhower, but other than that, it's very informative.
There's a slight biased towards the left starting with Eisenhower, but other than that, it's very informative.
December 20, 2022
This is a great quick read for anyone wanting to know about presidents, from Harding to Trump. It touches on their personal lives and goes in-depth on the issues they faced while president and how it affected the U.S. The author gives the reader knowledge about race relations, job creation, taxes, wars economics, cultural and much more. I found the authors work non-bias, clearly written with facts about the accomplishments and failures of each president.
It may be a little intimidating at first, but the beauty of this book is that you can just pick a president that you're interested in and learn. Each chapter is devoted to a particular president. I have my copy on my Kindle, which is perfect for me, as I wasn’t having to lug around a thick book everywhere I went. Highly recommended.
It may be a little intimidating at first, but the beauty of this book is that you can just pick a president that you're interested in and learn. Each chapter is devoted to a particular president. I have my copy on my Kindle, which is perfect for me, as I wasn’t having to lug around a thick book everywhere I went. Highly recommended.
August 12, 2022
We the Presidents: How American Presidents Shaped the Last Century,” by author Ronald Gruner, explores the fascinating line of the Presidents of the United States of America. The author goes into great detail, starting with Presidents Warren G. Harding all the way to Donald J. Trump, from the year 1921 to the present date; over 100 years of this country’s leadership!
“We The Presidents,” breaks down each administration, its adopted policies, and how those policies affected the country, whether positively or negatively. In addition, the book analyzes how this country came to be what it is now, both from a domestic standpoint and as a global power.
Economics, job creations, race relations, wars, taxes, and conceivably all of this country’s ills or gains are revealed with a “no holds barred” interpretation. The author also points out, through archived records, graphs and statistics, and factual footnotes, the changes this country has gone through since its existence as an experiment of what we call a democracy!
“We The Presidents,” is indeed an in-depth explanation of the office of the “Presidency.” Being a historian sleuth myself, I only knew the facts of a couple of the Presidents, mainly the most talked about ones. But having read this book throughout, let me say quickly what will stand out immediately; every President’s decisions are intertwined with the next. Either the incoming President rejected the former’s policies or embraced them.
The author brilliantly points out these types of examples: how President Warren G. Harding’s affair outside his marriage all the way to President Donald H. Trump’s claim of a stolen election does in fact “trickle” down directly or indirectly into our lives. The author is keenly aware that America’s choices at the election box are critical to the evolvement of this country’s prosperity, or lack of it! The small tidbits and idiosyncrasies of the elected Presidents are revealed as well; making one laugh as well as learn “how we got here” as a country.
“We The Presidents,” is detailed, but fun to read. It’s clear the amount of research involved in developing this tome. I must confess, my interest in reading this book in the beginning was, well let’s just say I was a little hesitant, because most historians only focus on a particular President failures or successes. But this author’s work is clearly non-bias, matter of fact, in your face facts! He simply reports the facts of how this country is what it is now through the various Presidents, their behaviors and integrity or lack thereof. Through it all, the United States remains the most blessed democracy in the world and I, for one, wouldn’t desire to live anywhere else. Readers will be enchanted with this book! 5 Stars easily!
“We The Presidents,” breaks down each administration, its adopted policies, and how those policies affected the country, whether positively or negatively. In addition, the book analyzes how this country came to be what it is now, both from a domestic standpoint and as a global power.
Economics, job creations, race relations, wars, taxes, and conceivably all of this country’s ills or gains are revealed with a “no holds barred” interpretation. The author also points out, through archived records, graphs and statistics, and factual footnotes, the changes this country has gone through since its existence as an experiment of what we call a democracy!
“We The Presidents,” is indeed an in-depth explanation of the office of the “Presidency.” Being a historian sleuth myself, I only knew the facts of a couple of the Presidents, mainly the most talked about ones. But having read this book throughout, let me say quickly what will stand out immediately; every President’s decisions are intertwined with the next. Either the incoming President rejected the former’s policies or embraced them.
The author brilliantly points out these types of examples: how President Warren G. Harding’s affair outside his marriage all the way to President Donald H. Trump’s claim of a stolen election does in fact “trickle” down directly or indirectly into our lives. The author is keenly aware that America’s choices at the election box are critical to the evolvement of this country’s prosperity, or lack of it! The small tidbits and idiosyncrasies of the elected Presidents are revealed as well; making one laugh as well as learn “how we got here” as a country.
“We The Presidents,” is detailed, but fun to read. It’s clear the amount of research involved in developing this tome. I must confess, my interest in reading this book in the beginning was, well let’s just say I was a little hesitant, because most historians only focus on a particular President failures or successes. But this author’s work is clearly non-bias, matter of fact, in your face facts! He simply reports the facts of how this country is what it is now through the various Presidents, their behaviors and integrity or lack thereof. Through it all, the United States remains the most blessed democracy in the world and I, for one, wouldn’t desire to live anywhere else. Readers will be enchanted with this book! 5 Stars easily!
February 6, 2025
Ronald Gruner’s “We the Presidents” offers a unique and insightful look at the evolution of American leadership, focusing on the impact of presidential decisions rather than just their political ideologies. Drawing from his experience as a successful executive, Gruner brings a pragmatic approach to history, emphasizing economic outcomes, administrative continuity, and the broader effects of each presidency on the nation’s trajectory.
What sets this book apart is its focus on results over rhetoric. Instead of dwelling on political partisanship, Gruner examines how economic policies, governance strategies, and leadership styles have shaped modern America. The connections he draws between administrations—showing how one presidency influences the next—create a compelling narrative that highlights the continuity of history rather than treating each president as an isolated figure.
His writing style is engaging and accessible, making complex political and economic issues understandable for a wide audience. Whether you’re a history enthusiast or someone looking for a fresh perspective on U.S. presidents, We the Presidents is a thought-provoking read that challenges conventional narratives and provides a deeper appreciation for the long-term effects of presidential leadership.
What sets this book apart is its focus on results over rhetoric. Instead of dwelling on political partisanship, Gruner examines how economic policies, governance strategies, and leadership styles have shaped modern America. The connections he draws between administrations—showing how one presidency influences the next—create a compelling narrative that highlights the continuity of history rather than treating each president as an isolated figure.
His writing style is engaging and accessible, making complex political and economic issues understandable for a wide audience. Whether you’re a history enthusiast or someone looking for a fresh perspective on U.S. presidents, We the Presidents is a thought-provoking read that challenges conventional narratives and provides a deeper appreciation for the long-term effects of presidential leadership.
November 8, 2024
This book approaches Presidential history from a different perspective, focusing on the last 100 years (from Harding to Trump, Biden is not included). The connectivity of issues between things which happened decades ago which still affect issues today is informative and enlightening. It seems as though the author was attempting an objective analysis of all of these presidents and their impact on past and current events. For the most part, the author does a good job of being informative and objective. However, it is my feeling that as the author moves closer to current day events, his political biases show in his analyses. While this might distract some from wanting to read this, I would advise there is more good information than biased political analysis so this book is definitely a worthwhile read.
May 11, 2022
Having spent over eight years in the White House, I was very interested to read "We the Presidents: How American Presidents Shaped the Last Century.” The book is exceptionally well written. Author Ronald Gruner uniquely relates the various issues and challenges faced by select presidents and then details how those issues and their outcomes impacted and influenced America. I found the book to be very well researched, and applaud Gruner for how he painted a sobering reality of Presidents, especially the seven that I had personally met. I highly recommend this book!
January 17, 2023
A high level review of the seventeen Presidents of the past one hundred years. Gruner recaps the economic metrics of each administration, I know, "it's the economy stupid." His treatment of the policy decisions, legislation, and leadership qualities gets shorted IMHO. I suppose Gruner's book is a good resource on the history of the economy and maybe that's all he was trying to do. I'll go back to reading full biographies of the Presidents.
June 11, 2022
Interesting analysis of the actions each of the presidents, Harding-Trump took to respond to the situations of the time. And the long term legacies of their decisions. His analysis is based largely on some of the standard economic metrics, like GDP, unemployment, wages, etc. He also compares some presidents' responses to similar conditions.
April 24, 2024
If you are a historian and know a lot about presidents already, there might not be much here you don't know. But if you want to learn more (or maybe just refresh your memory) about some of the important works (and foibles) of presidents starting with Warren Harding and ending with Donald Trump, this book hits the high points.
February 1, 2025
I felt the insights into some of the policies of the presidents and events during their term was covered thoroughly but without the insight of the why in any cases. For me, the book fell flat. Too many comparisons to Reagan with a little too much credit to some of the presidents about the economy.
One huge error was stating that John Garfield was the second president assassinated.
One huge error was stating that John Garfield was the second president assassinated.
May 24, 2022
This is a fascinating review of U.S. history over the past hundred years, looking at the 17 Presidents and how they dealt with and shaped events of their terms. The charts and graphs are helpful in putting the events and policies into perspective.
December 22, 2022
A very comprehensive look at the American Presidents from 1921-2021. This book taught me some new things and reaffirmed some information I already knew. Gruner often looks at the GDP when discussing the Presidents. Very interesting and I'd say mostly non- partisan. A good NF read.
August 20, 2024
Enjoyed the history, learned so much, however there are too many numbers. Converting historical numbers into current day values was overwhelming and boring. Learning the good and bad of each president was interesting and valuable. If you love history like I do this is a worthwhile read.
September 20, 2024
Not your average Bio!
I enjoyed the walk through policy and historical facts. Many look through personal lives while this one takes the unique approach of policy. Ive recommended this book anywhere people will listen to me, and some who wont listen to me but i still recommend it.
I enjoyed the walk through policy and historical facts. Many look through personal lives while this one takes the unique approach of policy. Ive recommended this book anywhere people will listen to me, and some who wont listen to me but i still recommend it.
March 31, 2022
Lovers of history will love this new book which covers in wonderful detail all the Presidents over the last 100 years. Lots of graphs and charts to elucidate the underlying material.
May 22, 2022
Very interesting and impartial history of the pros and cons of each president from the past 100 years.
July 6, 2022
Some of the info is interesting, but the writing style is boring and didn’t keep me engaged.
July 28, 2023
Great read about our presidents
December 18, 2024
Slow at times with all the statistics but overall fascinating read. Great summarization of critical events which effected politics and presidential legacies.
October 30, 2025
This book explains the economic effects of a hundred years of American presidential administrations.
September 18, 2024
A thoughtful look at the politics that shaped the last century.
March 13, 2025
I brought this book at a museum gift shop not expecting much however on reading the book I was pleasantly surprised by its contents. Not only does the book highlight the achievements and challenges of all the presidents from the 20th and 21th century, it also covers a lot of good economic topics ranging from taxation and social security to the 2009 crash in a way which many more economic focus books and authors sometimes struggle to explain without being overly complicated
June 12, 2024
Very informative.
April 2, 2025
Profoundly insightful and analytical study of Harding to Trump 1.0 this is a GREAT BOOK!
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