A Man of Iron: The Turbulent Life and Improbable Presidency of Grover Cleveland

(Hardback)

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A thoroughly engaging and enjoyable (National Review) biography of Grover Clevelandthe honest, principled, and plain-spoken president whose country has largely overlooked him.

Entertaining and astute (Booklist), A Man of Iron explores the remarkable life and extraordinary career of Grover Clevelandone of Americas most unusual presidents and the only one to serve two non-consecutive terms.

Grover Clevelands political careera dizzying journey that saw him rise from obscure lawyer to president of the United States in just three yearswas marked by contradictions. A politician of uncharacteristic honesty and principle, he was nevertheless dogged by secrets from his personal life. A believer in limited government, he pushed presidential power to its limits to combat a crippling depression, suppress labor unrest, and resist the forces of American imperialism. A headstrong executive who alienated Congress, political bosses, and even his own party, his stubbornness nevertheless became the key to his political appeal. The most successful Democratic politician of his era, he came to be remembered most fondly by Republicans.

With prodigious research, rich detailand lively prose (The Free Lance-Star, Virginia), A Man of Iron is a compelling and vivid biography joining the ranks of presidential classics such as David McCulloughs John Adams, Ron Chernows Grant, and Amity Shlaess Coolidge.

Reviews

Entertainingan enjoyable reconsideration of an underappreciated president.Publishers Weekly
"Senik delivers an entertaining and astute assessment of [Cleveland's] executive actions that explains why historians regularly rate Cleveland highly among U.S. presidents.Booklist
Robust biography of an overlooked president...a capably written introduction to a political leader who, though no rock star, deserves to be better known.Kirkus
"A Man of Iron is a tribute to an incorruptble man, a rare politician who rose above partisanship."Roger Lowenstein,Wall Street Journal
A Man of Iron is better than [previous Cleveland biographies] smarter, more comprehensive, faster-paced, and above all funnier in exactly the kind of sly, underhanded way that best fits its subject. Christian Science Monitor
A Man of Iron is a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable journey through the life and career of the ox-like man who became the only U.S. president to serve two nonconsecutive terms.National Review
"A great read!" Peter Baker, journalist atThe New York Times, via Twitter
"Grover Cleveland was one of the more remarkable presidents in U.S. history, but today he is scarcely remembered, despite being one of a few men to win the popular vote three times. In a new biography, author Troy Senik seeks to remind Americans of his life and work and to explain why Cleveland has largely vanished from the memory of the nation he served."Responsible Statescraft
"A Man of Iron finds the perfect balance between gifty histories and doorstop biographies...Senik packs in many dense discussions of the annexation of Hawaii, the gold standard, Clevelands fraught relationship with Buffalo, and violent labor struggles. Also exemplary is A Man of Irons aphoristic style. Senik sprinkles throughout many insightful reflections of his own..."City Journal
"Senik...fills A Man of Ironwith prodigious research, rich detail on his subjects public and private lives, and lively prose as he profiles the man likely to have been the last conservative Democrat to hold the presidency."The Free Lance-Star

Author Bio

Troy Senik is an author and former White House speechwriter whose writing has appeared in outlets such asTheWall Street Journal,Los Angeles Times,City Journal, and more. A former think tank executive, he is the cofounder of Kite & Key, a digital media company focused on public policy.