Review: Forty-Four American Boys: Short Histories of Presidential Childhoods

Forty-Four American Boys: Short Histories of Presidential Childhoods by William Walsh My rating: 4 of 5 stars 

Short snippets taken from many different sources combine to form stories on the boyhoods of the forty-five men who have been American Presidents (yes, it includes a chapter on the current occupant of the White House, #45, despite the title). Since this is really a collection of short stories, I decided to read a chapter or two at a time, followed by some research/reading on the subsequent life and presidencies of those profiled before moving on to the next chapter or two. A good way to dive into the American Presidency as a reflection of the personalities that have occupied it, rather than through a lens of policy or politics. A good book for what it is (and what it is is somewhat unique). Picked this up at the gift shop at the Truman Presidential Library when we visited in November 2018.