Worst. President. Ever.

James Buchanan, the POTUS Rating Game, and the Legacy of the Least of the Lesser Presidents

By: Robert Strauss

Narrated by: Tom Perkins

Worst. President. Ever. flips the great presidential biography on its head, offering an enlightening - and highly entertaining - account of poor James Buchanan's presidency to prove once and for all that, well, few leaders could have done worse.

But author Robert Strauss does much more, leading listeners out of Buchanan's terrible term in office - meddling in the Dred Scott Supreme Court decision, exacerbating the Panic of 1857, helping foment the John Brown uprisings and "Bloody Kansas", virtually inviting a half-dozen states to secede from the Union as a lame duck, and on and on - to explore with insight and humor his own obsession with presidents, and ultimately the entire notion of ranking our presidents. He guides us through the POTUS rating game of historians and others who have made their own Mount Rushmores - or Marianas Trenches - of presidential achievement, showing why Buchanan easily loses to any of the others, but also offering insights into presidential history buffs like himself, the forgotten "lesser" presidential sites, sex and the presidency, the presidency itself, and how and why it can often take the best measures out of even the most dedicated men.

©2016 Robert Strauss (P)2016 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Strauss maintains a light tone, but doesn't sacrifice substance in offering solid historic detail and insights into American politics as the country careened toward civil war." ( Publishers Weekly)

Best Bio On the Worst President Ever

This was well done and I enjoyed the humor of the author. The narrator did a great job bringing it to life.

this was a good bio

I wish Audible had a Presidential Biography like this for the 3 Presidents before JB

One of the most entertaining biographies I’ve read.

This biography truly surprised me on how well it’s written. I’ve been going through all the presidents biographies in a row, yet I found this book to be possibly my favorite so far. The writer put a lot of heart into this book, with personal stories that where very relevant to Buchanan. Definitely recommend reading. I will be purchasing this book.

A Most Interesting Story

This is not just a hit piece on James Buchanan, it is far more. This is a biography combined with shrewd analysis and comparisons of many presidents, and a wealth of fascinating vignettes of 19th century America.
The tone of the book is that of a teacher who reluctantly, but necessarily has to fail a student at the end of a school year: 'He's a good kid, but he just kept screwing up until there was no saving his grade.'
The insights into what makes a president successful make this book one which read and studied.
I learned much and was challenged in my own life about leadership, and decision-making, and judging others.
Highly recommended!

Very engaging and informative

I picked this book wondering whether there was anything good to say about the 15th president. Strauss has written an entertaining book that explains Buchannan without apologizing for him. His personal asides enhanced the story.