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Title details for Lives of the Presidents by Kathleen Krull - Available

Lives of the Presidents

Fame, Shame (And What the Neighbors Thought)

by Kathleen Krull
John C. Brown
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
Which president barked likes a dog—and why did another bark like a seal? Who threw lavish dinner parties with twenty-nine courses—and who was so disliked that his parties were boycotted? Which president had eighty pairs of pants? And which liked to remove his pants (and everything else) for a dip in the pool, expecting everyone around him to skinny-dip too? The presidents of the United States have been different not only in politics, but also as people. Kathleen Krull looks at our nation's fearless leaders with the eye of a gossipy neighbor, dishing the dirt on bad habits, bad fashion, and bad manners (and more than a few good things in between).

  • Creators

  • Series

    Lives of . . .

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    January 4, 2011

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781935430575
      • File size: 88147 KB
      • Duration: 03:03:38

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      The minutiae of daily life often make history come alive for young people. Kathleen Krull recounts ordinary, everyday details about each U.S. president, from George Washington to Bill Clinton. Sometimes it's household gossip (Jefferson's favorite foods), sometimes confidences of friends (Lincoln's able storytelling), often tidbits of family life (Amy Carter's tree house). Narrator John Brown gives these glimpses into the personal lives of historic figures a lively reading, much as a classroom teacher might. His pacing keeps the steady flow of sketches fresh, although listeners may not want to take all 42 presidents in one session. Adults can also enjoy the trivia--some is new and some remembered from media coverage of the modern presidents. R.F.W. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from August 31, 1998
      Krull (Lives of the Writers; Lives of the Athletes) has a proven knack for delivering generous dollops of covert asides along with fun facts and pertinent information when it comes to profiling famous figures. This latest effort does not disappoint. Beginning with her debunking of the myth that George Washington had wooden teeth, Krull briskly moves through the list of White House inhabitants, discussing their personality quirks and qualifications for elected office (or seeming lack thereof) as well as offering tidbits about their marriages and love lives, favorite foods and pastimes, family pets and, of particular import these days, scandals. She goes so far as to mention that President Clinton has "admitted privately that he has had affairs," and hints at his reputation as a womanizer. Presidents whose terms had major historical significance and more recent chiefs of state are given longer entries (two to three pages) while the others receive paragraphs. All, however, are written up in the same chatty and intriguing tone. In watercolor-and-colored-pencil paintings, Hewitt, in her signature style, depicts each president with a very large head and smaller body. Background scenery and dress suggest the historical era and significant details about the man; those presidents with a full-page portrait include an inset, smaller portrait of the First Lady in the top left corner of the painting. Young readers will find many of the school-report essentials here--birthplaces and dates, number of terms in office--and plenty of items that will surely entertain as well as educate. Ages 8-12.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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