[ePub] The President Is Dead!: The Extraordinary Stories of the Presidential Deaths; Final Days; Burials; and Beyond by Louis L. Picone in Arts-Photography

Review

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. The President is Dead is a fascinating look at the Men in the Oval OfficeBy Susan GrimesIf you are at all intrigued by the men we Americans have called president--this book will give you yet another insight into their personalities. their quirks and weaknesses and their final days. The book reports each presidents final days and actually days (and in some cases years) after death. Many of the presidents returned quietly to citizen status--and some did not. You will be surprised to see how these men handled their post-presidential years when you read this book.Picone starts each Presidents section with a summary of such things as "last words" and "place of death" and even how many times each president was dug up and reburied. The President sections are in the chronological order of their deaths not their terms of office. The longest time between presidential deaths was more than 20 years between the death of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. The shortest time between presidential deaths was Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. And there is plenty more to learn--I could not stop reading this book.What I found most fascinating? That as you will read through this book. you will see how the culture of America changed in the attitude toward presidential death and how it should be addressed. Picone presents such a fascinating late life history of our presidents that you will be planning to visit some of the post-presidential homes and burial sites . no doubt.If I had one complaint it was in the Kennedy section--I felt a little "icky when I read that the cause of death was listed as "Bullet to the Head". I was 11 years old on that day in 1963. and it was an "icky" day.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A Very Grave Subject: sortaBy Tom FIf youre a fan of presidential history in all its forms this is a great addition to your personal library - paper or electronic. Concisely written and beautifully illustrated. Picone thoroughly researched many details and actually visited many death and gravesites of our presidents so he offers some useful information on that aspect.This book doesnt just cover the chief executives who died in office (as traumatic as those events can be in ANY age). he chronicles the obsequies for ex-presidents: what they were doing when death struck; their burial arrangements; the elaborate ceremonies and monuments; and many interesting asides on reburials and public access to the graves.Today most presidents are buried on their libraries grounds so if youre touring and plan to pay your respects it may cost you some coin. that and how long the POTUS has been dead. A couple of details struck me. a photo of Picone risking life and limb by posing in the middle of Constitution Avenue. once the location of the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station. where Charles Guiteau "put a stalwart in office" by shooting James Garfeld in the back (along with his doctors incompetence).The photos of the next assassination site. present-day Buffalo. New York. where William McKinley was shot by Leon Czolgosz. at the long-gone Temple of Music at the Pan-American Exposition. Two decades later at former president TRs funeral service. his son Archie went to the back of the church and brought a grief-stricken and formerly estranged President William Howard Taft to the front with the family. saying he was "one of them."Also the pathos of LBJs final days struck a chord. and that his casket was transported to Washington. for his turn under the Rotunda. in the very same 707 he took the Oath of Office next to JFKs widow a decade earlier. Theres scores of interesting tidbits of long forgotten leaders. Another note was Picone visited dead President (and Garfields Veep) Chester A. Arthurs once posh address (and death site) on Lexington Avenue. New York. which is now a rundown apartment building fronted by a deli/spice store. He does what ANY of us trivia leaden PITAs would do by desperately sharing the Arthur connection with the owner. who to his credit at least knew (or pretended to know) a POTUS once owned his building.To open another can of worms the author speculates convincingly that the 21st President was. GASP! Canadian born and UNQUALIFIED for office. though prolly because he was a Republican. switching birth certificates with a dead brother wouldnt be impeachable then (or today). Perhaps a secret stash of papers is lying in wait at the spice store.Life was less complicated then for foreign usurpers I guess. So whether youre American. Canadian. Kenyan or Russian. this is a fun book. God knows. this is an era where some fun is really needed. especially in our gallery of presidents. I hope some late 21st century historian is as deft as Picone. especially when they find Putins spyware at the future 50-story transient hotel and bodega at 721ndash;725 Fifth Avenue.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. i figured if the man likes history and especially likes our presidential history then he would like this bookBy dredgrayit was a gift for my step father who hates reading. and guess what? he really enjoys this book. i figured if the man likes history and especially likes our presidential history then he would like this book. and i was right