Martin Van Buren

Children's Literature

Martin Van Buren was elected to be the eighth president of the United States at a time when the nation was on the cusp of grave social problems. A rather uneducated man from rural New York, Van Buren had a history of excellent service in state and national government. A man who entered the White House as a widower, Van Buren came to rely upon his daughter-in-law, Angelica, to serve as the hostess for White House gatherings. Despite Van Buren's experience as a politician, issues such as the Amistad affair, economic dysfunction, Indian wars, and slavery dogged his administration. After one term in the presidency, Van Buren was not reelected. However, Martin Van Buren continued to be a political force for the rest of his life until his death in 1862. Martin Van Buren's life and times is fodder for this illustrated biography. As part of the "MyReportLinks.com Presidents" series this is a valuable research tool that will allow students to better understand a rather enigmatic political figure. Although the author's writing style could be crisper, this is a workmanlike study of a somewhat obscure president. Youngsters completing a project on American President's or the pre-Civil War era will find this a useful research aid. 2002, Enslow, Romaneck