{"product_id":"great-american-presidents","title":"Great American Presidents","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Twelve Who Transformed the Nation\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSeries Title:\u003c\/b\u003e Volume I of THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY SCORECARD Series\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor: \u003c\/b\u003eAllan J. Lichtman\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Bancroft Press\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDistributor:\u003c\/b\u003e SCB Distributors\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublication Date: \u003c\/b\u003eSeptember 22, 2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13 (Hardcover): \u003c\/b\u003e978-1-61088-731-1\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePage Count: \u003c\/b\u003e598 pages\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat \/ Trim Size:\u003c\/b\u003e 6 x 9 in, Hardcover with jacket\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe historian behind the \u003cb\u003eKeys to the White House\u003c\/b\u003e introduces the \u003cb\u003eTen Keys to Presidential Greatness\u003c\/b\u003e and uses them to identify the twelve presidents—from George Washington to Ronald Reagan—who truly transformed the presidency and the nation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWhat makes a great American president? Moral purity—or decisive action? Vision—or results? Popular acclaim—or the hard, often ruthless ability to seize crisis and bend history's arc? In Great American Presidents , renowned historian Allan J. Lichtman offers a bold, unsentimental answer. Moving beyond polls, rankings, and reputation, he applies a rigorous new framework—the Ten Keys to Presidential Greatness—to assess twelve presidents who did more than occupy the Oval Office: they transformed the presidency and the nation itself. From George Washington to Ronald Reagan, Lichtman examines leaders who reshaped America during moments of profound upheaval: the founding of the Republic, continental expansion, civil war, economic collapse, world war, and the Cold War. These presidents differed sharply in temperament, ideology, background, and method. Some inspired through soaring rhetoric; others governed through relentless legislative force. What unites them is not virtue, popularity, or consensus—but impact. Each chapter blends vivid narrative history with visual and analytical tools that invite readers to engage actively with the material. Timelines trace the arc of each presidency. “Lichtman's Lens” sidebars illuminate pivotal decisions, power shifts, and hidden strategies. Comparative frameworks place presidents in dialogue across centuries. Lichtman's conclusions are often surprising. Washington's greatness rests not only on symbolism but on precedent. Jefferson's ideals collide with empire. Jackson expands democracy while entrenching injustice. Lincoln saves democracy by wielding near-autocratic power. Franklin Roosevelt builds the modern American state while testing its moral limits. Johnson emerges as one of the most consequential presidents in history because of the scale and durability of his achievements. Crucially, Great American Presidents does not confuse greatness with goodness. Many of these leaders were deeply flawed. Some defended slavery, sanctioned injustice, or overreached disastrously. Yet history, Lichtman argues, does not measure presidents by purity of motive. It measures them by consequence. Clear, authoritative, and visually intelligent, this book offers a sweeping and timely guide to how presidential power has actually worked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBIOGRAPHY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAllan J. Lichtman is a preeminent American historian, political analyst, and Distinguished Professor of History at American University. He is best known for creating “The Keys to the White House,” the renowned presidential-election prediction system. A frequent commentator on CNN, MSNBC, FOX News, and his YouTube livestream, Lichtman is the author of numerous acclaimed books on American politics and history. He has also served as an expert witness in more than 110 civil-rights and voting-rights cases.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';\"\u003e“An absorbing, illuminating study… Lichtman’s clear-eyed appraisals eschew partisanship, hagiography, and knee-jerk outrage… His deftly argued rankings invite disagreement but always reward readers with insight, knowledge, and a spirit of common purpose. Great for fans of: Doris Kearns Goodwin’s \u003ci\u003eLeadership: In Turbulent Times\u003c\/i\u003e, Ronald Grunner’s \u003ci\u003eWe the Presidents.\u003c\/i\u003e”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman Bold','serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-variant: small-caps;\"\u003e—Publishers Weekly \/ BookLife\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“An important and thoroughly engaging read, filled with vivid anecdotes and little-known history.” —Bob Schieffer, longtime CBS News correspondent “No one knows presidents like Allan Lichtman. He shows who made a difference—and how.” —Alan Wheat, former U.S. Congressman “A thoughtful and compelling study of presidents who wielded power decisively and left behind a transformed country.” —Mark Updegrove, Chairman \u0026amp; CEO, LBJ Foundation “Rich political insights—essential fodder for American history classrooms and book club debates.” —Midwest Book Review “A welcome step in evaluating presidents on a comparative scale and according to defined criteria.” —Alvin S. Felzenberg, Ph.D. “A sweeping, eye-opening exploration of how America became what it is today.” —Carol Roberts, M.A., professional indexer “A morally urgent portrait of the presidency, written with elegance, clarity, and conviction.” —Michael Rosario-Muriel, Loyola University Maryland\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bancroft Press","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":50361734332630,"sku":null,"price":32.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ebook","offer_id":50361734365398,"sku":null,"price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0838\/9748\/3478\/files\/GreatAmericanPresidentsFrontCoverHighRez081026at1253.jpg?v=1788426844","url":"https:\/\/shop.bancroftpress.com\/products\/great-american-presidents","provider":"Bancroft Press","version":"1.0","type":"link"}