In many ways, Saturday, April 27, was the most consequential day in the 1844 presidential election. By the time the sun set, a presumptive presidential aspirant found himself confronting an emerging political issue that significantly threatened his chances of winning the White House, while another had virtually ended his chances of being nominated by his … Continue reading The Day That Changed the 1844 Presidential Election
Symbolic Violence Against U.S. Presidents
Symbolic violence against U.S. presidents isn't new, but it's also not healthy in today's political climate.
The Significance of the USS Princeton Tragedy
On a cold Wednesday afternoon, as the USS Princeton passed Mount Vernon on its return to Washington, Secretary of the Navy Thomas Gilmer asked for a final demonstration of one of its new guns—the "Peacemaker"—in honor of George Washington. The gun's breech exploded to the left, killing six men, including Gilmer and Secretary of State … Continue reading The Significance of the USS Princeton Tragedy
What I Learned from Writing Who Is James K. Polk?
People sometimes ask me what new things I learned from writing a book. Early in my career, my answers were long, so much so that I came to recognize the glazed-over eyes that were my sign to wrap things up. As a senior scholar (still a label I am finding hard to accept!), I'm still … Continue reading What I Learned from Writing Who Is James K. Polk?
The Books That Influenced Who Is James K. Polk?
Every historian is indebted to the scholarship of those who came before them. I provided a lengthy bibliographical essay at the end of Who Is James K. Polk, but I wanted to highlight a few books that were crucial to its structure and arguments. Robert Elder, Calhoun: American Heretic (Basic Books, 2021). Amy S. Greenberg, … Continue reading The Books That Influenced Who Is James K. Polk?
It Takes a Village
As you can see, I found a nice surprise waiting for me on Friday. It's always nice to hold in completed physical form what has so far only appeared on screen or in marked-up printouts. The old adage "it takes a village" certainly applies when it comes to publishing a book. It's why I always … Continue reading It Takes a Village
Books for Spring 2024
Historical Methods Michael J. Salevouris and Conal Furay, The Methods and Skills of History: A Practical Guide, 4th ed. (Wiley Blackwell, 2015) ISBN 9781118745441 Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 9th ed. (University of Chicago Press, 2018) ISBN 9780226430577 Conspiracy Theories Michael D. Gambone, Modern Conspiracies in America: Separating Fact from Fiction (Rowman … Continue reading Books for Spring 2024
The Origin of Who Is James K. Polk?
Ultimately, I arrived at the same conclusion with which I started: the 1844 presidential election was an overlooked, yet crucial, step move toward the Civil War.
Review of Lay This Body Down
This is the Gideon Stoltz mystery I've been waiting for. The first two installments in the series, A Stranger Here Below (reviewed here) and Nighthawk's Wing (reviewed here), were interesting and suspenseful in their own right, but Charles Fergus has pulled everything together in Lay This Body Down. This third book sees Stoltz wrestling with … Continue reading Review of Lay This Body Down
Books for Fall 2023
Historical Methods Michael J. Salevouris and Conal Furay, The Methods and Skills of History: A Practical Guide, 4th ed. (Wiley Blackwell, 2015) ISBN 9781118745441 Jill Lepore, The Whites of Their Eyes: The Tea Party’s Revolution and the Battle over American History (Princeton Univ. Press, 2011) ISBN 9780691153001 Kate L. Turabian, Student’s Guide to Writing College Papers, 5th ed. (University of … Continue reading Books for Fall 2023
Jacksonian America: Society, Personality, and Politics 