Exploring the American Presidency through 50 Historic Treasures

by Kimberly A. Kenney

No person in the world is more recognizable than an American president. These men are larger than life, and as the leader of the free world they have the opportunity to shape history in ways that most of us cannot imagine. Some objects, such as the Resolute desk, Air Force One, or the presidential seal, are symbolic of the position itself, but each president has at least one artifact that largely defines his life and his presidency. For example, George Washington’s ill-fitting dentures plagued him for most of his life, affecting the very image of his face that we have all come to recognize. Millions of Americans were comforted by Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “fireside chats” as he spoke into a radio microphone during the Great Depression and World War II. John F. Kennedy memorialized a coconut husk, with a message he wrote after his PT boat was destroyed in the Pacific Ocean, into a paperweight he kept on his desk in the Oval Office. Bill Clinton appeared on late night television playing the saxophone to appeal to younger voters.



Exploring the American Presidency through 50 Historic Treasures brings together significant artifacts from the lives of the men who have led our nation through times of great prosperity and terrible tragedy. When we look at our presidents through the lens of the material culture they left behind, it humanizes them and creates relevance to our own lives. This book features full-color images of 50 artifacts that were chosen by the very people who work at presidential sites and historical museums, stewarding the legacies of our presidents.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, American History

217 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 15, 2023

Reviews

[Timothy S. Henson · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a presidential history buff, this book was right up my alley. It was quite interesting how the author was able to choose one item to represent each U.S. President. The book is a quick read and does not lull the reader into boredom. I highly recommend this book for anyone that enjoys American history or studying the U.S. Presidency.

[Josh Liller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure who started the 'the history of [something] through N objects' genre of museum exhibits and books, but it's been going on for at least a couple decades. I picked up this book because I spotted it on the New Nonfiction shelf at my local library.

One object is selected for each of the 45 individuals that have been President of the United States, plus 5 other artifacts used by many presidents. Cleveland's two non-sequential terms and FDR's 3+ consecutive terms still only get one object. Most objects only get 3 pages.

The objects are very much a mixed bag. There are inspired choices like a decapitated figurehead of Andrew Jackson and a skeleton key belonging to Warren Harding. Some are pretty obvious but very solid choices: Washington's dentures, Truman's 'The Buck Stops Here" sign, and a MAGA hat for Trump. Some of the choices seemed pretty dull such as furniture and a pen. A few are connected to the individual, but not their time as president. I thought the weakest entry was for Chester Arthur: a Tiffany screen, or more accurately a painting depicting the screen decades after Arthur left office.

I think the best audience for this book are people with a limited knowledge of the president and those who like presidential trivia.

[Meenakshisankar M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written book. With help from the staff of various presidential libraries or museums, the author has selected one artifact from each president's life that captures not only their own legacy, but also represents a sliver of American history. Very breezy read with so many interesting facts to learn o learn about each president so far. For a history-buff like me, this was a great read! I loved it.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a presidential history buff, this book had a decent amount of info I’d never learned before and was interestingly written. I enjoyed picking it up and reading a chapter or two here or there. How fascinating to be able to take a peek into the archives for each president and see an item that represents them best!