“Powerful. . . . A challenging, disturbing portrait of a
democratic hero, and an equally challenging case study of the
democratic system.” —The New York Times
“Rich in insight into Jackson’s personality. . . . Burstein makes
fair on his promise to look dispassionately at this most passionate
of presidents. . . . A very readable, insightful analysis into the
character and evolution of the American republic.” —Plain
Dealer
“Excellent. . . . A must-read for anyone interested in the
presidency or early American history.” –Flint Journal
“A useful, persuasively critical account of the development of
Jackson’s self-image as an honorable patriarch and champion of
righteous government..” —The Washington Post Book World
“Impressive. . . . Persuasive. . . . Argues that the times shaped
Jackson and thrust him into the White House as the first ‘commoner’
elected president because he so personified the young nation’s
bold, brash spirit and sense of destiny.” –The Baltimore Sun
“In his ably drawn portrait…[Burstein] studies Jackson from many
angles: as the orphan of the American Revolution, the self-taught
orator, … and as the lanky husband who loved his stocky wife,
Rachel, touchingly and fiercely.” –The New York Times Book
Review
“Well-researched and well-written.. . . Burstein, with his
longstanding interest in the American mind, wants to show how we
pick our national heroes.” –Chicago Tribune