Consecutive Book Reviews for a Non-Consecutive President
Reviewing Matthew Algeo's and Troy Senik's biographies of Grover Cleveland
When president-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated the second time on January 20th, he will not be the first president to serve two, non-consecutive terms. In both 1885 and 1893, Grover Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th president of the United States, was inaugurated. The interim inauguration was that of Benjamin Harrison, the man who defeated him in the 1888 election. If this is ringing any bells about the current White House situation, well, obviously you’ve been reading the news.
To better put into context the situation we are currently experiencing in the the 2010s and 2020s, which undoubtedly will be written about for decades to come, I wanted to review two books about Cleveland and his historic, but soon-to-be no longer singular, presidency. One book was truly an excellent read: informative, entertaining, enlightening. The second book was interesting, but notably less profound, unfortunately.
To begin with the lesser of the works, The President is a Sick Man by Matthew Algeo, published in 2011, tells the story of E. J. Edwards, a young, enterprising reporter working for the Philadelphia Press, who broke the news. This reporter, to put it lightly, went through hell to report this news. On top of that, the unique perspective on investigative reporting of the 1890s is great, especially for someone like me, who is interested in the intersections of news and history. Doesn’t this sound great? It’s vaguely true crimey, historical, and the book has the political intrigue we all craved, even before Game of Thrones gave us all that and more.
Of course, The President is a Sick Man, unfortunately, falls flat. The narrative is not particularly engaging, the historical research is not impeccable, and the characters, though extremely interesting in real life, tend to fall flat. While one of those aspects might be forgivable, the combination does not translate to a particularly compelling book, despite fantastic subject matter. This leads to a rather disappointing reading experience from Algeo’s book.
Fortunately, Troy Senik’s 2022 full biography of Cleveland A Man of Iron, has all of the aspects lacking in Algeo’s book and more. Starting with Cleveland’s birth and childhood, rather than his presidency and return to office, Senik writes not only about what happens but what it meant. In his book, there was a sense of the overall feel of the nation at the time, or at least how Senik presents it (and backs it up with copious primary and secondary sources). While relying on Algeo’s book for the sections delving into the cancer Cleveland had, beyond that, Senik’s work is more well rounded, as well as better researched and written.
Perhaps this comes from the subject matter; and note, this isn’t exactly an apples to apples comparison. Algeo writes what is known as a microhistory: a piece on such a niche topic, small matter, or seemingly inconsequential part of our broader history, it is more novelty than history. There have been some notable microhistories in recent years: 2002’s Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky comes to mind, or Dan Egan’s history of the element phosphorus in The Devil’s Element (published 2023). Some of these books are really good: on my personal shelf, I have a book on the history of bookmaking - it’s a real page turner! (Yes, the pun was intended, but there wasn’t any sarcasm included.) And this microhistory or biography that Algeo offers is in that same vein, but it does not deliver. Even to a former news reported and current historian, very eager to learn about hidden presidential illnesses or White House comeback bids (ring any bells, fellow politicos?), The President is a Sick Man didn’t do it.
Senik, on the other hand, offers a much more common biography. There is no singular event that changed someone’s life, nor is there a particular way to consider it. Rather, the man we know Cleveland as today: honest, responsible, conservative, rational, democratic, unyielding, comes from a place we know is distinctly his. That is because only Cleveland is Cleveland. Rather than the political intrigue that kind of falls flat in Algeo’s book, Senik, why still presenting a popular history rather than an academic treatise, shows us Cleveland as himself.
Don’t get me wrong, Algeo’s work is worth reading, especially if the topics mentioned above (presidential illnesses, comeback bids, secrecy, etc.) are of interest. But if a more well rounded portrait of Cleveland’s life is what you seek, or a broader look into the life of a late 1800s everyman (for Cleveland was truly an everyman, one of the last we’ve had as president), try Senik’s book instead. You won’t be disappointed.
Books reviewed: Algeo, Matthew. The President is a Sick Man: Wherein the Supposedly Virtuous Grover Cleveland Survives a Secret Surgery at Sea and Vilifies the Courageous Newspaperman Who Dared Expose the Truth. Chicago, Illinois: Chicago Review Press, 2011.
Senik, Troy. A Man of Iron: The Turbulent Life and Improbable Presidency of Grover Cleveland. New York City, New York: Threshold Editions, 2022.