Reviews
"For anyone interested in the political crisis that led to the war, this is an excellent primer and good reading, too."
--Civil War History (Blog)
"A much needed, and satisfyingly comprehensive, reassessment of the Buchanan Presidency from a variety of informed perspectives. This is one of the must-read political history books of the year."
--Civil War Books and Authors
"Essential reading for a better understanding of the years immediately preceding the Civil War."
--Association for Mormon Letters
"Buchanan is often saddled with the title of 'the worst U.S. president,' blamed for not averting the Civil War. . . . [This] new book . . . hopes to reignite the debate."
--BBC News Magazine
"A portrait of the fifteenth presidents that acknowledges his weaknesses and shortcomings, yet also recognizes that his failures were not universal."
--Civil War Book Review
"A fine complement to earlier work and a timely contribution during the sesquicentennial of the Civil War."
--Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography
"This fine volume demonstrates that Buchanan’s presidency deserves more consideration."
--North Carolina Historical Review
"Buchanan’s management of the secession crisis is at the heart of the book, and its bounty of informed views on his role during this seminal moment in American history is refreshingly diverse. The collection might very well come to be regarded as the most comprehensive and useful reconsideration of the Buchanan presidency."
--The Civil War Monitor
“The impressive set of contributors to the volume… explore diverse aspects of Buchanan’s presidency and offer different judgments of his performance.”
--American Historical Review
"Buchanan's story is a fascinating one."
--WITF Smart Talk
“An especially rewarding book… these essays are written by adept historians at the top of their game, and they make for good reading… The intellectual verve with which the writers dispute Buchanan’s record make those essays especially tempting.”
--The Journal of American History