Full name: Hail to the Chiefs: Presidential Mischief, Morals, & Malarkey from George W. to George W.

Author: Barbara Holland Year: 1990 Rank: Rating: Original Rating: Pop Rating: Genres/categories: History, Humor, Non Fiction, Politics Purchase/reserch links: LibraryThing Goodreads Amazon ISBNs: 9781579620813 9780345362735 1579620817 034536273X

A compendium of the highlights and lowlights from the careers of our 43 Chief Executives--from George Washington to George Bush Junior--told with wit and accuracy, clearly demonstrating that Presidents are people too. Under the mutton-chop whiskers, behind the bulging waistcoats, Presidents were actually human. Sometimes all too human. For those of us who confuse President Pierce with President Polk, this easily digestible gathering of presidentia will make everything perfectly clear. Along with all the American history anyone really needs to know, anecdotes both endearing and appalling etch our leaders in our memory. Pierce, for instance, "the hero of many a well-fought bottle, " was the one who kept falling off his horse. Jefferson was the one with the tame mockingbird that followed him around, hopping up and down the stairs behind him. Grover Cleveland's neck was so imposing that he could pull his shirt collar off over his head without unbuttoning it. The scowling, unsociable John Quincy Adams was surprised by a lady reporter while swimming naked in the Potomac at dawn, his bald head bobbing above the waters.