James buchanan biography books

There are numerous books on James Buchanan, and it comes with good reason, aside from serving immediately before the Civil War as America’s fifteenth President (1857-1861), he remains the only President to be elected from Pennsylvania and to remain a lifelong bachelor.

“The test of leadership is not to put greatness into humanity, but to elicit it, for the greatness is already there,” he remarked.

In order to get to the bottom of what inspired one of America’s most consequential figures to the height of political power, we’ve compiled a list of the 5 best books on James Buchanan.

James Buchanan by Jean Baker

Almost no president was as well trained and well prepared for the office as James Buchanan.

He had served in the Pennsylvania state legislature, the U.S. House, and the U.S. Senate; he was Secretary of State and was even offered a seat on the Supreme Court. And yet, by every measure except his own, James Buchana