![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Unfortunately, neither Taft nor his presidency provides much in the way of exciting raw material, so while Gould’s analysis is intellectually insightful and rewarding it is not particularly captivating or entertaining. Rather than scaring off the reader by foreshadowing possible tedium in the ensuing chapters, these early pages provide a welcome sense of anticipation by demonstrating the author’s extraordinarily thoughtful approach to the topic. Gould begins with an excellent preface summarizing the book’s themes and key conclusions. ![]() Of the book’s 215 pages, just two pages whisk the reader from Taft’s birth to his service in the Philippines, another eight pages hand Taft the Republican nomination for the presidency and just a single page covers his entire seventeen-year post-presidency. Gould is Professor Emeritus of American History at the University of Texas and is the author of several books including “ The Presidency of William McKinley” and “ The Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt.”Īs one would suspect based on its title, Gould’s biography is more a detailed review of Taft’s presidency than a comprehensive survey of his life. “ The William Howard Taft Presidency” by Lewis Gould was published in 2009 and is a member of the American Presidency Series. ![]()
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