First Fathers

The Men Who Inspired Our Presidents

Harold I. Gullan

• Publisher: Trade Paper Press
• Year: 2004
• ISBN:
  9781620459447
• Edition: 1
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Historical Biographies
• Index: History

A compelling introduction to the fathers of America's presidents
After so much literature about first ladies and first families, here finally is a fascinating book focused on the fathers of our presidents. This lively and entertaining account of 44 disparate men reveals how they inspired, motivated, and influenced sons who ultimately ascended to the presidency. They include two who were themselves presidents, John Adams and George H. W. Bush, as well as two stepfathers, those of Gerald Ford and Bill Clinton. First Fathers captures the whole range of the American experience--from utter destitution to immense wealth, from enormous success to abject failure, unified by a common thread--the restless, ambitious, quintessentially American pursuit of happiness.

Harold I. Gullan, PhD (Philadelphia, PA), is a distinguished presidential scholar and the author of the highly praised Faith of Our Mothers, on the mothers of American presidents, and The Upset That Wasn't, on the dramatic 1948 election.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• By Way of Introduction
• 1 Fathers of Founders
• 2 The First Line
• 3 Dramatic Departure
• 4 Patriots and Pioneers
• 5 Soil of Greatness
• 6 Ambition’s Sterner Stuff
• 7 “Tell the Truth”
• 8 “One Must Live for the Living”
• 9 “My Will Is the Better Man”
• 10 “You Have Only to Persevere”
• 11 “I Hate to Go Away”
• 12 “Most Generous and Kindly of Men”
• 13 From the Heart of America
• 14 “We Don’t Want Any Losers”
• 15 “A Man Who Loved His Fellow Man”
• 16 “He Hears the Trains Go By”
• 17 “Why Not the Best?”
• 18 “Duty and Service”
• 19 “The Name Doesn’t Matter”
• 20 “If You Need Me, I’m Here”
• In Conclusion
• Some Books Eve Found Helpful
• Index