Читать книгу Calling on the Presidents: Tales Their Houses Tell - Clark Beim-Esche - Страница 1

Calling on the Presidents is a book written by an enthusiast for other enthusiasts, a book of memories and guesses, a book of speculations and revelations. It is a personal journey, yet it is grounded in both historical fact and in actual visits to the locations identified and described in its text.

Authors are often encouraged to define for themselves the audience for which they are writing. I find this easy to do.

I am writing for any reader who is interested in learning more about the men who have served as President of the United States. I am writing for any reader who has enjoyed, or who anticipates the enjoyment of, visiting the homes where Presidents have lived. I am writing for readers who believe, as I do, that these residences can provide a means of deepening their understanding and appreciation of these leaders. And I am also writing for the reader who is willing to entertain the notion that an ordinary American citizen can have worthwhile insights that may not always correspond to the current scholarly opinions regarding the Presidents whose homes he has visited.

Many of my conclusions have little or no relationship to current lists of “The 10 Best (or Worst) Presidents" that are so popular these days. I have particularly enjoyed finding angles or aspects of our most maligned Chief Executives that suggest the need to reassess, even to completely revise, the prevailing opinions regarding the worth of their lives and their administrations.

In writing this narrative account of Carol's and my travels to presidential homes, I often quote directly both from our own conversations and from what guides, docents, National Park Rangers, and other travelers have said to us. Occasionally I have mentioned these folks by name. As I have never used a recording device with which to take notes, I openly confess that any conversations set down here are reconstructions of these moments and not actual transcriptions of anyone's remarks. I have always asked Carol to confirm these recollections, and I have never intentionally misrepresented an idea or an insight that has been shared with us by any of the multitude of wonderful guides we have encountered in our travels. But since I have been a teacher for over 40 years (and on occasion have been misquoted myself), I am also quite aware that a docent or National Park Ranger who recognizes him or herself in this text might say, “I don't recall saying that." Please forgive any lapses of memory or inaccuracies of statement on my part. I have employed this technique of remembering conversations only with the intent of helping readers to relive the discoveries Carol and I experienced in coming to know—and appreciate more fully—the Presidents we were studying.

And what a joy it has been! The project has led us down many roads we would never have otherwise traveled, toward many surprising locales it would have been impossible to anticipate. I am happy to record what has revealed itself to me as a result of my thinking and reading about the lives of these Presidents, together with many hours of wonderful conversations with my wife, brilliant trip planner, and co-enthusiast, Carol, to whom I lovingly dedicate this book. We both encourage you to join us, to become our companions, as we begin Calling on the Presidents. Their homes have many fascinating tales to tell.

One final thought. Although the Presidents in this book are arranged chronologically, I would recommend reading the chapters in any order, according to your interests and/or travel plans. Above all, I hope that you will find your reading experience both enjoyable and thought provoking.

Clark Beim-Esche