T. G. Marquis, 476 pages, 1907.

A collection of biographical and historical accounts of the Presidents of the United States from Franklin Pierce through William McKinley, examining the men who occupied the presidency during the second half of the nineteenth century. Written by T. G. Marquis as part of The Nineteenth Century Series, this volume explores the personal backgrounds, political careers, character, and public achievements of American presidents during a period marked by sectional conflict, civil war, Reconstruction, industrial expansion, and the nation's growing international influence.

Beginning with an introductory discussion of the relationship between presidential leadership and American historical development, the book presents accounts of Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Chester A. Arthur, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison, and William McKinley. The narratives trace their early lives, education, entry into public service, political struggles, elections, and presidential administrations, while addressing major controversies and events that shaped their careers.

Drawing upon presidential letters, speeches, contemporary accounts, and statements by associates, Marquis seeks to portray these leaders through both their private lives and public actions. The volume provides a contemporary early-twentieth-century perspective on American presidential history and the political transformation of the United States from the years preceding the Civil War to the close of the nineteenth century.