Reviews
"This lucid, fascinating, and beautifully written account invites us to reconsider the place in history of William Howard Taft. Professor Lurie covers Taft's career up to the point when he achieved his life's goal: the Supreme Court. The book is a superb achievement a major study of an important and often misunderstood figure in American political and legal history." Lawrence M. Friedman, Stanford Law School, "Lurie has written extensively and authoritatively on legal, military, and constitutional subjects. With Taft he has chosen a biographee very suited to his own talents." -Walter Nugent, The Journal of American History, "In this pithy and engaging study of William Howard Taft's political career, Jonathan Lurie argues convincingly that Taft was more progressive than previous historians have recognized and that Taft accurately characterized himself as a progressive conservative. Lurie demonstrates that Taft's vision of a vigorous federal role in promoting the public interest inspired his progressive policies on tariff reform, conservation of natural resources, labor, federal administration, and antitrust enforcement. By explaining why Taft's presidency was much more than a mere interlude between the progressive presidencies of Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson, Lurie's superb book should kindle greater appreciation for Taft among historians and general readers alike." -William G. Ross, Cumberland School of Law, Samford University, "This lucid, fascinating, and beautifully written account invites us to reconsider the place in history of William Howard Taft. Professor Lurie covers Taft's career up to the point when he achieved his life's goal: the Supreme Court. The book is a superb achievement-a major study of an important and often misunderstood figure in American political and legal history." -Lawrence M. Friedman, Stanford Law School, "For too many years, William Howard Taft's one term as president has been dismissed, along with him, as a failure, overshadowed by the two men who came before and after him. Jonathan Lurie's lucid re-examination of Taft's presidency will give everyone pause for thought, and historians will have to take another look at the Taft White House in terms of Taft's own description of himself as a 'progressive conservative.' A very well done book." -Melvin I. Urofsky, Virginia Commonwealth University, "This insightful book by a significan scholar will certainly provide scholars of the US presidency with a very valuable source. Essential." -Choice, "This well-written and engaging account of Taft's relationship with Theodore Roosevelt and his career up to 1921 (the first volume, of a planed two-volume study of Taft) constitutes a significant revision of the literature. Lurie demonstrates that Taft was, as he claimed to be, an important 'progressive conservative' who achieved and protected more 'progressive' measures than had Roosevelt, while simultaneously defending the Supreme Court's role and authority. A tour de force." Peter Karsten, University of Pittsburgh, "Jonathan Lurie traces the life of President William Howard Taft from his birth in 1857 to his appointment as chief justice of the Supreme Court in 1921." -Walter Nugent, The Journal of American History, "In this pithy and engaging study of William Howard Taft's political career, Jonathan Lurie argues convincingly that Taft was more progressive than previous historians have recognized and that Taft accurately characterized himself as a progressive conservative. Lurie demonstrates that Taft's vision of a vigorous federal role in promoting the public interest inspired his progressive policies on tariff reform, conservation of natural resources, labor, federal administration, and antitrust enforcement. By explaining why Taft's presidency was much more than a mere interlude between the progressive presidencies of Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson, Lurie's superb book should kindle greater appreciation for Taft among historians and general readers alike." William G. Ross, Cumberland School of Law, Samford University, "This well-written and engaging account of Taft's relationship with Theodore Roosevelt and his career up to 1921 (the first volume, of a planed two-volume study of Taft) constitutes a significant revision of the literature. Lurie demonstrates that Taft was, as he claimed to be, an important 'progressive conservative' who achieved and protected more 'progressive' measures than had Roosevelt, while simultaneously defending the Supreme Court's role and authority. A tour de force." -Peter Karsten, University of Pittsburgh, "For too many years, William Howard Taft's one term as president has been dismissed, along with him, as a failure, overshadowed by the two men who came before and after him. Jonathan Lurie's lucid re-examination of Taft's presidency will give everyone pause for thought, and historians will have to take another look at the Taft White House in terms of Taft's own description of himself as a 'progressive conservative.' A very well done book." Melvin I. Urofsky, Virginia Commonwealth University
Table of Content
Part I. To the Presidency: 1. The early years; 2. Judge, justice, and justices, 1887-1900; 3. Perambulations and preparation in the Philippines: Roosevelt and Taft; 4. The unwilling heir, 1904-8; Part II. The Presidency: 5. President Taft: tensions, turmoil, travel, and travail, 1909-10; 6. Justices and jockeying, 1910; 7. At the brink of the break, 1911; 8. The split, 1912; 9. Relief, rejuvenation, and renewal, 1913-21; 10. Epilogue.
