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A Country of Vast Designs: James K. - Hardcover, by Merry Robert W. - Good b
US $11.30
ApproximatelyAU $17.45
Condition:
Good
A book that has been read but is in good condition. Very minimal damage to the cover including scuff marks, but no holes or tears. The dust jacket for hard covers may not be included. Binding has minimal wear. The majority of pages are undamaged with minimal creasing or tearing, minimal pencil underlining of text, no highlighting of text, no writing in margins. No missing pages. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections.
- Buy It NowA Country of Vast Designs: James K. - Hardcover, by Merry Robert W. - Good b
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Located in: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
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eBay item number:146607167105
Item specifics
- Condition
- Type
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780743297431
About this product
Product Identifiers
Publisher
Simon & Schuster
ISBN-10
0743297431
ISBN-13
9780743297431
eBay Product ID (ePID)
72117157
Product Key Features
Book Title
Country of Vast Designs : James K. Polk, the Mexican War and the Conquest of the American Continent
Number of Pages
592 Pages
Language
English
Publication Year
2009
Topic
United States / 19th Century, Military / United States, General, Presidents & Heads of State, Historical, United States / General
Illustrator
Yes
Genre
Biography & Autobiography, History
Format
Hardcover
Dimensions
Item Height
1.6 in
Item Weight
29.7 Oz
Item Length
9.2 in
Item Width
6.2 in
Additional Product Features
Intended Audience
Trade
LCCN
2009-024131
Reviews
"In Polk's single four-year term, the United States added western lands from New Mexico through Washington State. Robert Merry skillfully draws a comprehensive portrait of Polk's extraordinary successes in a time of bitter politics and explains why this intense leader remains underappreciated."-- David O. Stewart, author ofImpeached: The Trial of President Andrew Johnson and the Fight for Lincoln's Legacy, "A crucial architect of modern America, James K. Polk deserves to be elevated out of the mists of history. In this engaging book, Robert Merry does just that, recapturing the passions and personalities of a forgotten era in American life."-- Jon Meacham, author ofAmerican Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House, "Polk was our most underrated President. He made the United States into a continental nation. Bob Merry captures the controversial and the visionary aspects of his presidency in a colorful narrative tale populated by great characters such as Jackson, Clay, and Can Buren."Walter Isaacson, author ofEinstein: His Life and Universe, "Robert Merry's authoritative biography of James K. Polk. . . provides a compelling, perceptive portrait. . . Merry joins his skill at portraiture to thorough scholarship and a shrewd grasp of human nature." The Wall Street Journal, "Bob Merry is a wonderful writer, lively and very clear-eyed, and he tells a fascinating chapter in American history. Long neglected, James K. Polk turns out to be a rich, memorable figure -- a war president whose will to conquest achieved the modern map of America." -- Evan Thomas, author of Sea of Thunder, "[Merry] brings a historian's perspective, a journalist's nose for the story and a novelist's eye to one of our country's most dramatic and defining moments. In strong, precise and elegant prose, Mr. Merry brings the key players of the day to life in terms of both personal characteristics and the causes they personified."--Washingtonian, "Filled with intricate stories of personal conflict, psychological gamesmanship, and unintended consequences. . . one of the most astute and informative historical accounts yet written about national politics, and especially Washington politics, during the decisive 1840s." -- The New York Times Book Review, "Robert Merry's authoritative biography of James K. Polk. . . provides a compelling, perceptive portrait. . . Merry joins his skill at portraiture to thorough scholarship and a shrewd grasp of human nature."The Wall Street Journal, "Polk was our most underrated president. He made the United States into a continental nation. Bob Merry captures the controversial and the visionary aspects of his presidency in a colorful narrative populated by great characters such as Jackson, Clay, and Van Buren."-- Walter Isaacson, author ofEinstein: His Life and Universe, "A crucial architect of modern America, James K. Polk deserves to be elevated out of the mists of history. In this engaging book, Robert Merry does just that, recapturing the passions and personalities of a forgotten era in American life." -- Jon Meacham, author of American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House, "Polk was our most underrated President. He made the United States into a continental nation. Bob Merry captures the controversial and the visionary aspects of his presidency in a colorful narrative tale populated by great characters such as Jackson, Clay, and Can Buren." Walter Isaacson, author of Einstein: His Life and Universe, "In Polk's single four-year term, the United States added western lands from New Mexico through Washington State. Robert Merry skillfully draws a comprehensive portrait of Polk's extraordinary successes in a time of bitter politics and explains why this intense leader remains underappreciated." -- David O. Stewart, author of Impeached: The Trial of President Andrew Johnson and the Fight for Lincoln's Legacy, "Polk was our most underrated president. He made the United States into a continental nation. Bob Merry captures the controversial and the visionary aspects of his presidency in a colorful narrative populated by great characters such as Jackson, Clay, and Van Buren." -- Walter Isaacson, author of Einstein: His Life and Universe, "[Merry] brings a historian's perspective, a journalist's nose for the story and a novelist's eye to one of our country's most dramatic and defining moments. In strong, precise and elegant prose, Mr. Merry brings the key players of the day to life in terms of both personal characteristics and the causes they personified." -- Washingtonian, "Bob Merry is a wonderful writer, lively and very clear-eyed, and he tells a fascinating chapter in American history. Long neglected, James K. Polk turns out to be a rich, memorable figure -- a war president whose will to conquest achieved the modern map of America."-- Evan Thomas, author ofSea of Thunder, "Filled with intricate stories of personal conflict, psychological gamesmanship, and unintended consequences. . . one of the most astute and informative historical accounts yet written about national politics, and especially Washington politics, during the decisive 1840s."--The New York Times Book Review
TitleLeading
A
Dewey Edition
22
Dewey Decimal
973.6/1092 B
Synopsis
When James K. Polk was elected president in 1844, the United States was locked in a bitter diplomatic struggle with Britain over the rich lands of the Oregon Territory, which included what is now Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Texas, not yet part of the Union, was threatened by a more powerful Mexico. And the territories north and west of Texas -- what would become California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and part of Colorado -- belonged to Mexico. When Polk relinquished office four years later, the country had grown by more than a third as all these lands were added. The continental United States, as we know it today, was established -- facing two oceans and positioned to dominate both. In a one-term presidency, Polk completed the story of America's Manifest Destiny -- extending its territory across the continent, from sea to sea, by threatening England and manufacturing a controversial and unpopular two-year war with Mexico that Abraham Lincoln, in Congress at the time, opposed as preemptive. Robert Merry tells this story through powerful debates and towering figures -- the outgoing President John Tyler and Polk's great mentor, Andrew Jackson; his defeated Whig opponent, Henry Clay; two famous generals, Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott; Secretary of State James Buchanan (who would precede Lincoln as president); Senate giants Thomas Hart Benton and Lewis Cass; Daniel Webster and John C. Calhoun; and ex-president Martin Van Buren, like Polk a Jackson protégé but now a Polk rival. This was a time of tremendous clashing forces. A surging antislavery sentiment was at the center of the territorial fight. The struggle between a slave-owning South and an opposing North was leading inexorably to Civil War. In a gripping narrative, Robert Merry illuminates a crucial epoch in U.S. history., When James K. Polk was elected president in 1844, the United States was locked in a bitter diplomatic struggle with Britain over the rich lands of the Oregon Territory, which included what is now Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Texas, not yet part of the Union, was threatened by a more powerful Mexico. And the territories north and west of Texas -- what would become California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and part of Colorado -- belonged to Mexico. When Polk relinquished office four years later, the country had grown by more than a third as all these lands were added. The continental United States, as we know it today, was established -- facing two oceans and positioned to dominate both. In a one-term presidency, Polk completed the story of America's Manifest Destiny -- extending its territory across the continent, from sea to sea, by threatening England and manufacturing a controversial and unpopular two-year war with Mexico that Abraham Lincoln, in Congress at the time, opposed as preemptive. Robert Merry tells this story through powerful debates and towering figures -- the outgoing President John Tyler and Polk's great mentor, Andrew Jackson; his defeated Whig opponent, Henry Clay; two famous generals, Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott; Secretary of State James Buchanan (who would precede Lincoln as president); Senate giants Thomas Hart Benton and Lewis Cass; Daniel Webster and John C. Calhoun; and ex-president Martin Van Buren, like Polk a Jackson prot g but now a Polk rival. This was a time of tremendous clashing forces. A surging antislavery sentiment was at the center of the territorial fight. The struggle between a slave-owning South and an opposing North was leading inexorably to Civil War. In a gripping narrative, Robert Merry illuminates a crucial epoch in U.S. history.
LC Classification Number
E417.M1153 2009
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- c***m (421)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchaseWOW!; I cannot believe this 4 Days to Hawaii! ; AAA+++; Excellent Service; Great Pricing; Fast Delivery-Faster Than Expected to Hawaii!; Shipped 04/19, Sat, Received 04/24 Thur to Hawaii using free shipping; USPS Ground Mail, Paperback Book in Good Condition--Better Than Described ; TLC Packaging; Excellent Seller Communication, Sends updates . Highly Recommended!, Thank you very much!The Great Crash, 1929 - Paperback, by J K Galbraith - Acceptable (#125958575357)
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- m***l (27)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchaseA truly professional business, everything was wonderful about this transaction from the beginning. Instant discount for multiple items, immediate communication, next-day tracking number and shipping, and quick arrival. Items matched photos and exactly as described, and well packaged. It put the fun back in buying books on eBay! I hope they have more books in my interests in the future, definitely worth doing business with them.The Empire Novels - Hardcover, by Asimov Isaace - Good (#145980995911)
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- 04 Nov, 2022
Interesting Book
Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-ownedSold by: second.sale
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Seller feedback (175,485)
- c***m (421)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchaseWOW!; I cannot believe this 4 Days to Hawaii! ; AAA+++; Excellent Service; Great Pricing; Fast Delivery-Faster Than Expected to Hawaii!; Shipped 04/19, Sat, Received 04/24 Thur to Hawaii using free shipping; USPS Ground Mail, Paperback Book in Good Condition--Better Than Described ; TLC Packaging; Excellent Seller Communication, Sends updates . Highly Recommended!, Thank you very much!The Great Crash, 1929 - Paperback, by J K Galbraith - Acceptable (#125958575357)
- f***f (1594)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseExcellent Seller, Goes the Extra Mile. The Seller Was Incredibly Communicative. Smooth Transaction, Shipped Very Quickly, As Advertised; Good Price; Well Packaged & Delivered Within a Few Days. Item in Described Promised Condition, Thank You Very Much!!!!!!!!!!! A+
- m***l (27)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchaseA truly professional business, everything was wonderful about this transaction from the beginning. Instant discount for multiple items, immediate communication, next-day tracking number and shipping, and quick arrival. Items matched photos and exactly as described, and well packaged. It put the fun back in buying books on eBay! I hope they have more books in my interests in the future, definitely worth doing business with them.The Empire Novels - Hardcover, by Asimov Isaace - Good (#145980995911)