WALTER R. BORNEMAN

POLK

The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America

Random House, 2008, 424 pages

   Now availble in:

Trade Paperback; Audio and E-book formats

A major political biography of an unsung President, who won a war, transformed the government, and doubled the U.S.—all in four years.

FROM THE DUST JACKET:

Borneman is a trailblazer in the mold of his subject…producing a volume that can stand with all but the very best presidential biographies.”. Louisville Courier-Journal

Winner of the

2008 Tennessee History Book Award

2008 Colorado Book Award

in Biography

As Andrew Jackson’s closest protégé, James K. Polk won one of the most contested elections in American history. Once in office, he welcomed Texas into the union, bluffed the British out of Oregon, and went to war with Mexico to grab California and the Southwest. As he doubled the United States, Polk expanded the powers of the presidency. And, true to his word, stepped down after one term.

Borneman narrates Polk’s career with careful attention to the context of his times—momentous years characterized by national debates over the banking system, divisive tariffs, the gnawing question of slavery, and the siren call of expansionism. He tells the story of the key figures around Polk: an aging Andrew Jackson, ex-president Martin Van Buren, would-be president Henry Clay, and a young Whig from Illinois named Abraham Lincoln. And despite popular myths, Borneman overturns Polk’s “dark horse” label, painting an indelible portrait of one of America’s most astute and powerful presidents.

Book TV  from the Polk Home,

Columbia, Tennessee

Walt’s “Five Best Books by American Presidents” at Washington Post.com: