Yanek Mieczkowski – författare

A reappraisal of the brief presidency of Gerald Ford, called to leadership in the midst of scandal, stagflation, and an energy crisis.   For many Americans, Gerald Ford evokes an image of either an unelected president who abruptly pardoned his corrupt predecessor or an accident-prone klutz spoofed on Saturday Night Live. In this book, Yanek Mieczkowski reexamines Ford’s two and a half years in office, showing that his presidency successfully confronted the most vexing crisis of the postwar era.   Viewing the 1970s primarily through the lens of economic events, Mieczkowski argues that Ford’s understanding of the national economy was better than any modern president’s; that he oversaw a dramatic reduction of inflation; and that he attempted to solve the energy crisis with judicious policies. Throughout his presidency, Ford labored under the legacy of Watergate. Democrats scored landslide victories in the 1974 midterm elections, and within an anemic Republican Party, the right wing challenged Ford’s leadership, even as pundits predicted the GOP’s death. Yet Ford reinvigorated the party and fashioned a 1976 campaign strategy against Jimmy Carter that brought him from thirty points behind to a dead heat on election day. Drawing on numerous personal interviews with former President Ford, cabinet officials, and members of the Ninety-fourth Congress, Mieczkowski presents the first major work on Ford in more than a decade, combining the best of biography and presidential history to paint an intriguing portrait of a president, his times, and his legacy.   “This ambitious work calls for a reexamination of the Ford presidency in light of the formidable challenges he faced upon taking office. A welcome and important addition to the literature on the Ford presidency.” ―Library Journal

History has not been kind to Gerald Ford. His name evokes an image of either America''s only unelected president, who abruptly pardoned his corrupt predecessor, or an accident-prone man who failed to provide skilled leadership to a country in domestic turmoil. In Gerald Ford and the Challenges of the 1970s, historian Yanek Mieczkowski reexamines Ford''s two and a half years in office, showing that his presidency successfully confronted the most vexing crises of the postwar era.

Surveying the state of America in the 1970s, Mieczkowski focuses on the economic challenges facing the country. He argues that Ford''s understanding of the national economy was better than that of any other modern president, that Ford oversaw a dramatic reduction of inflation, and that his attempts to solve the energy crisis were based in sound economic principles. Throughout his presidency, Ford labored under the legacy of Watergate. Democrats scored landslide victories in the 1974 midterm elections, and the president engaged with a spirited opposition Congress. Within an anemic Republican Party, the right wing challenged Ford''s leadership, even as pundits predicted the death of the GOP. Yet Ford reinvigorated the party and fashioned a 1976 campaign strategy against Jimmy Carter that brought him from thirty points behind to a dead heat on election day.

Mieczkowski draws on numerous personal interviews with the former president, cabinet officials, and members of the Ninety-fourth Congress. In his reassessment of this underrated president, Ford emerges as a skilled executive, an effective diplomat, and a leader with a clear vision for America''s future. Working to heal a divided nation, Ford unified the GOP and laid the groundwork for the Republican resurgence in subsequent decades. The first major work on the former president to appear in more than ten years, Gerald Ford and the Challenges of the 1970s combines the best of biography and economic, social, and presidential history to create an intriguing portrait of a president, his times, and his legacy.

Now in its second edition, The Routledge Historical Atlas of Presidential Elections covers each race for the presidency with brisk, lively narratives up to the election of 2016.

Filled with more than 100 full-color maps and illustrations, this updated volume is an indispensable resource for learning about the suspense-filled races to gain America’s highest office. Distinguished presidential historian Yanek Mieczkowski captures intriguing details about candidates, issues, and campaigns, allowing readers to experience the drama of every contest. The colorful maps that put state-by-state results at readers’ fingertips show geographic voting trends during the country’s history. The presidency is America’s greatest political prize, and this book describes how candidates have won it—including changes in electoral strategies and campaign practices over the years. This text offers a treasure trove of historical information, such as:

This book is essential reading for students of American history and the U.S. presidency.

Now in its second edition, The Routledge Historical Atlas of Presidential Elections covers each race for the presidency with brisk, lively narratives up to the election of 2016.

Filled with more than 100 full-color maps and illustrations, this updated volume is an indispensable resource for learning about the suspense-filled races to gain America’s highest office. Distinguished presidential historian Yanek Mieczkowski captures intriguing details about candidates, issues, and campaigns, allowing readers to experience the drama of every contest. The colorful maps that put state-by-state results at readers’ fingertips show geographic voting trends during the country’s history. The presidency is America’s greatest political prize, and this book describes how candidates have won it—including changes in electoral strategies and campaign practices over the years. This text offers a treasure trove of historical information, such as:

This book is essential reading for students of American history and the U.S. presidency.