William Henry Harrison (The American Presidents, #9) by Gail Collins

William Henry Harrison by Gail Collins
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I've rarely been less inspired by a historical biography. It's not the author's fault. There just isn't much material. He's definitely still above average (he got elected, after all), but he was a pandering, flip-flopping, professional politician. He's the first presidential candidate to campaign for himself (which is normal now, but frowned up back then). He's also the only president not to have his wife move into the White House, the only president not to appoint a federal judge and the first president to die in office. Of course, all this was due to his having made the longest inaugural speech (record still stands), and not wearing a coat, leading to pneumonia, and his death 31 days later.

Oh, and he's the only president to have a grandson who also became president (Benjamin Harrison).

So all in all, many firsts, but none of them due to extraordinary achievements.




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