Volume 1: New Hampshire's Favorite Son
From the hills of New Hampshire, to the halls of congress, to the battlefields of the Mexican War, and, ultimately, to the white house, this account of the rise of Franklin Pierce tells the triumphant and tragic story of our most obscure president.
Where to find it... |
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Book ReviewsDead Presidents with Anthony Bergen on May 28, 2011 - REVIEW: Peter A. Wallner’s two-volume Franklin Pierce biography Bestpresidentialbios.com with Steve on February 8, 2014 - Review of “Franklin Pierce: New Hampshire’s Favorite Son” by Peter Wallner |
Author InterviewsC-SPAN with Brian Lamb on October 25, 2004 - Book Discussion on Franklin Pierce: New Hampshire's Favorite Son NBCNEWS.com on February 16, 2004 - Giving a former president a second look |
Other Media
Our War by Mike Pride on May 16, 2013 - Why couldn't Franklin Pierce just keep his mouth shut? NETSTATE - Franklin Pierce (1804-1869) nhmagazine.com by Darren Garnick on February, 2013 - America's Worst PEZident? |
Testimonial
"Wallner's admirable first volume is the best treatment of Pierce's pre-presidential years to appear in print."
~ Thomas A. Horrock, Historical New Hampshire, Spring 2005
Volume 2: Martyr for the UnionPresident Franklin Pierce faced unscrupulous and corrupt politicians, comically inept diplomats, violent adventurers, fanatical reformers, fraud, and speculation within an increasingly divided and contentious nation. Nevertheless, his administration had a few significant achievements. Through it all an honest president never lost faith in the American people, in the union, or the constitution.
Franklin Pierce is invariably rated among the least successful presidents in U.S. history. Wallner's interpretation of the Pierce administration sheds new light on the forces at work in antebellum America which impeded the hardworking and honest 14th president, thus hastening the disintegration of the two-party system and worsening the sectional conflict over slavery. In the process, this second volume of Franklin Pierce offers new insights into the Kansas-Nebraska Act and "bleeding" Kansas, U.S. attempts to acquire cuba, relations with Great Britain, and the 1850's phenomenon of filibusters and Know-Nothingism. The story of Franklin Pierce concludes with a complete account of his post-presidential years, particularly the reasons behind Pierce's hostility to the Lincoln administration and his opposition to the Civil War. The result is a highly readable narrative that challenges the myths which abound regarding this most misunderstood former president. Where to find it... |
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Book ReviewsBOOKISH on February 16, 2013 - Book Review: Franklin Pierce - Martyr for the Union by Peter Wallner Bestpresidentialbios.com with Steve on February 14, 2014 - Review of “Franklin Pierce: Martyr for the Union” by Peter Wallner |
Author Interviewsfosters.com by John Koziol on October 28, 2007 - Author takes fresh look at Pierce boston.com by Holly Ramer on May 21, 2010 - N.H. can now bank on one of its own |
Other Mediamental_floss by David Holzel on November 19, 2007 - Five Amazing Facts About Franklin Pierce (in honor of his 203rd birthday) Laurel and Elmo by Rick Segal on July 21, 2013 - Franklin Pierce: New Hampshire’s Favorite Son, and Martyr for the Union, Two Vols., by Peter A Wallner |
A Look Inside...
More Testimonials
"The highly readable narrative of New Hampshire politics, Washington social life, and the personal lives of leading politicians rests on sound scholarship."
~ J.C. Arndt, Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries, April 2005
"This important biography finally introduces us to Pierce the man, and gives us the context we lacked to understand the enigma of Franklin Pierce."
~ Jayme Simoes, Pierce Bicentennial Commission Chair