Paul F. Boller, Jr: Presidential Anecdotes (an old book review)
The Lady Loses
The best story about Coolidge's taciturnity, told by his wife, concerns the society woman who said, as she sat down next to him at a dinner party, "You must talk to me, Mr. Coolidge. I made a bet today that I could get more than two words out of you." "You lose," said Coolidge.
How to Charge
Once when Lincoln was in the War Department an officer who was in a big hurry slam-banged into him, then offered "ten thousand pardons" when he saw who it was. "One is enough," smiled Lincoln. "I wish the whole army would charge like that."
-- From Presidential Anecdotes, by Paul F. Boller, Jr.
One of the most curious -- and vexing -- flaws in the U.S. public education system is the way that American history, especially its political history, is taught in all the 50 states. Having attended public schools in the 1970s and 1980s, I still have vivid memories of (a) textbooks with tons of illustrations but dry, boring, and didactic text, (b) history teachers who rarely attempted to get their pupils even remotely interested about, say, the American Revolution, and (c) an overemphasis on certain events to the detriment of others. (For instance, in 12th grade our history teacher spent so much time on the pre-Civil War era that we barely covered World War II; for us, the calendar basically froze on World War II and the Truman Administration.)
Thus it's no wonder that when I ask people if they've read any books by Stephen E. Ambrose or David McCullough. I get these blank expressions that seem to say "Who are those dudes?" Worse, I get eye-rolls of exasperated dismissal when I point out that those two authors write readable and engrossing books about history.
Pity, too, because history, when presented in an entertaining and informative manner, can be terribly fascinating. All a writer (or teacher) has to do is find enough human detail -- preferrably a mix of humor, personality sketches, and notable incidents that highlight a historical figure's strengths and weaknesses as a flesh-and-blood mortal -- and find a suitable format to capture an audience's attention, even if it's for a few hours or even minutes.
Texas Christian University professor Paul F. Boller, Jr. is apparently very much aware of the importance of both approach and format, because in his various works (Presidential Campaigns, Hollywood Anecdotes) he has a knack for choosing the right balance between historical analysis and just the right amount of humorous or just very human detail to grab even the most casual of readers' attention and pass along some knowledge mixed in with amusement.
Presidential Anecdotes is a book of what my journalism professor would have labeled mini-personality profiles about the 41 men who served as America's Chief Executive from 1789 to 1996, "commencing with that aristocratic Virginian, George Washington," and ending with a pre-impeachment, pre-Kosovo Bill Clinton. As Boller himself describes them, " some of the anecdotes are dramatic in nature and some are rather poignant. Most, however, are on the light side." He points out that although few of the occupants of the White House "were noted for their wit and humor," they did say many things that people thought -- and still think -- are funny. And like any good history book that deals exclusively with personalities, Presidential Anecdotes proves that tidbits about our Presidents -- Lincoln's homespun humor, Coolidge's famous taciturnity, FDR's exuberance, Truman's forthright "the buck stops here" attitude, and LBJ's earthiness -- reveal much not only about the men but also about American culture and society as it has evolved over the centuries.
The format of Presidential Anecdotes is similar to Boller's other works: each President has his own chapter, which usually consists of a summary (three to five pages in length) about his Administration, which is followed by -- depending on the President's personality, standing in history, and human interest -- one (Millard Fillmore) to 31 (Lyndon Johnson) anecdotes. As Boller said, most are funny -- see the one about Gerald R. Ford getting locked out of the White House while walking his dog! -- while others, such as the one in which Lincoln says "goodbye" rather than the usual "good night" to one of his aides on the night he went to see (reluctantly) Our American Cousin at Ford's Theater, are sad. The result: a book that a casual reader can read from at random and without getting bored. The style is informative yet never dull-as-watching-grass-grow, and humorous without stooping to low-brow humor or wink-wink-nod-nod innuendoes. As the late NBC News anchorman John Chancellor wrote in the back-cover testimonial for the 1981 edition, Presidential Anecdotes is "fresh and surprising and wonderful fun to read!"
The best story about Coolidge's taciturnity, told by his wife, concerns the society woman who said, as she sat down next to him at a dinner party, "You must talk to me, Mr. Coolidge. I made a bet today that I could get more than two words out of you." "You lose," said Coolidge.
How to Charge
Once when Lincoln was in the War Department an officer who was in a big hurry slam-banged into him, then offered "ten thousand pardons" when he saw who it was. "One is enough," smiled Lincoln. "I wish the whole army would charge like that."
-- From Presidential Anecdotes, by Paul F. Boller, Jr.
One of the most curious -- and vexing -- flaws in the U.S. public education system is the way that American history, especially its political history, is taught in all the 50 states. Having attended public schools in the 1970s and 1980s, I still have vivid memories of (a) textbooks with tons of illustrations but dry, boring, and didactic text, (b) history teachers who rarely attempted to get their pupils even remotely interested about, say, the American Revolution, and (c) an overemphasis on certain events to the detriment of others. (For instance, in 12th grade our history teacher spent so much time on the pre-Civil War era that we barely covered World War II; for us, the calendar basically froze on World War II and the Truman Administration.)
Thus it's no wonder that when I ask people if they've read any books by Stephen E. Ambrose or David McCullough. I get these blank expressions that seem to say "Who are those dudes?" Worse, I get eye-rolls of exasperated dismissal when I point out that those two authors write readable and engrossing books about history.
Pity, too, because history, when presented in an entertaining and informative manner, can be terribly fascinating. All a writer (or teacher) has to do is find enough human detail -- preferrably a mix of humor, personality sketches, and notable incidents that highlight a historical figure's strengths and weaknesses as a flesh-and-blood mortal -- and find a suitable format to capture an audience's attention, even if it's for a few hours or even minutes.
Texas Christian University professor Paul F. Boller, Jr. is apparently very much aware of the importance of both approach and format, because in his various works (Presidential Campaigns, Hollywood Anecdotes) he has a knack for choosing the right balance between historical analysis and just the right amount of humorous or just very human detail to grab even the most casual of readers' attention and pass along some knowledge mixed in with amusement.
Presidential Anecdotes is a book of what my journalism professor would have labeled mini-personality profiles about the 41 men who served as America's Chief Executive from 1789 to 1996, "commencing with that aristocratic Virginian, George Washington," and ending with a pre-impeachment, pre-Kosovo Bill Clinton. As Boller himself describes them, " some of the anecdotes are dramatic in nature and some are rather poignant. Most, however, are on the light side." He points out that although few of the occupants of the White House "were noted for their wit and humor," they did say many things that people thought -- and still think -- are funny. And like any good history book that deals exclusively with personalities, Presidential Anecdotes proves that tidbits about our Presidents -- Lincoln's homespun humor, Coolidge's famous taciturnity, FDR's exuberance, Truman's forthright "the buck stops here" attitude, and LBJ's earthiness -- reveal much not only about the men but also about American culture and society as it has evolved over the centuries.
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