Zachary Taylor (1997) by K. Jack Bauer is a meticulously researched biography of the 12th U.S. President, published by Easton Press. This deluxe volume, bound in full leather with gilt accents and moiré silk endpapers, offers both scholarly depth and collectible prestige.
Bauer, a noted military historian, focuses on Taylor’s dual legacy:
- “Old Rough and Ready” – His gruff leadership in the Mexican-American War (1846–48), where his victories at Palo Alto and Buena Vista made him a national hero.
- Reluctant President – His 16-month Whig presidency (1849–50), cut short by death, during which he clashed with Congress over slavery’s westward expansion (opposing the Compromise of 1850) and faced early secession threats.
The book challenges myths (e.g., his alleged assassination by arsenic) while highlighting Taylor’s contradictions—a slaveholder who resisted slavery’s spread, a nonpartisan leader thrust into partisan chaos. Easton’s edition includes archival portraits and Bauer’s signature analysis of 19th-century military politics.
For Easton Press presidential bios, try Grant (2017) by Ron Chernow or Washington: A Life (2010). For Taylor’s era, see A Country of Vast Designs (2009) on Polk’s expansionism.
