AMERICAN LION Andrew Jackson in the White House

Richard McGonagle's warm baritone does much to improve this sometimes chatty and unabashedly pro-Jackson history which focuses, almost exclusively, on the White House from 1829 to 1837. The Jackson presidency, it seems, can be characterized as a series of personal feuds, more or less connected to policy conflict. To his credit, McGonagle makes no attempt to bring to life the authors of the numerous letters, journal entries, and speeches that make up the heart of the book. Rather, he presents the text as it is in an even, accessible tone. The narrow focus of the book, Jackson's presidency, makes it relatively easy for the listener to keep track of the characters. F.C. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2009]