A Man of Iron

The Turbulent Life and Improbable Presidency of Grover Cleveland

By: Troy Senik

Narrated by: Pete Simonelli, Troy Senik

Length: 12 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

“A thoroughly engaging and enjoyable” (National Review) biography of Grover Cleveland—the honest, principled, and plain-spoken president whose country has largely overlooked him.

“Entertaining and astute” (Booklist), A Man of Iron explores the remarkable life and extraordinary career of Grover Cleveland—one of America’s most unusual presidents and the only one to serve two non-consecutive terms.

Grover Cleveland’s political career—a dizzying journey that saw him rise from obscure lawyer to president of the United States in just three years—was marked by contradictions. A politician of uncharacteristic honesty and principle, he was nevertheless dogged by secrets from his personal life. A believer in limited government, he pushed presidential power to its limits to combat a crippling depression, suppress labor unrest, and resist the forces of American imperialism. A headstrong executive who alienated Congress, political bosses, and even his own party, his stubbornness nevertheless became the key to his political appeal. The most successful Democratic politician of his era, he came to be remembered most fondly by Republicans.

“With prodigious research, rich detail…and lively prose” (The Free Lance-Star, Virginia), A Man of Iron is a compelling and vivid biography joining the ranks of presidential classics such as David McCullough’s John Adams, Ron Chernow’s Grant, and Amity Shlaes’s Coolidge.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Troy Senik. All rights reserved. (P)2022 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

An unusual president

Over three years he went from lower elective office to President of the United States. He tried to end corruption during his political career. An interesting personal life. A Few years later, President Taft was able to fund raise with just one supporter. JP Morgan donated $500,000.

I enjoyed everything about this book!

I enjoyed the content of this book. Grover Cleveland was probably the most honest Democrat ever to grace the White House. His moral compass and his genuine humility make him a unique American and a positively rare American politician. He was not perfect, but reading his life made me wish I could have known him.
I enjoyed the narrator of this book. It perfectly conveyed the story. His inflections enhanced the story in ways I may have missed in print alone.
I enjoyed the composition of this book. Mr. Senick did a superb job of making technical things understandable, and ordinary events enjoyable. I smiled often while listening to this book. I have purposely not been specific in hopes that someone reading this review would be intrigued to read and enjoy the book as much as I have.

The Ethics over Political Gain

Many of the details around the political events of the day are not easy to understand for Cleveland’s era, but are well done in this book. For a political science major and geek I found the time spend very enlightening. Thank you to the author for your research and detail.

A Rare Occupant of the Presidential Office

This book is an outstanding account of a man who grasped the Constitutional limitations on the exercise of presidential power. That the current occupant of the presidency canceled an effort to memorialize Grover Cleveland, among other less well-known president's, provides a fitting commentary on the way in which the current generation has abandoned the idea that the president is to be the guardian of the people's interests instead of an agent for partisan advantage. Before listening to the reading of this book, I knew Cleveland's distinction of being the only American to serve non-consecutive terms as president. I knew of his distinction as the only president to be married in the White House and whose first child was born there. Cleveland won his first presidential election when my wife's grandmother was a year old. But he served in the period between the end of Reconstruction and the early part of the 20th century. This book dispels the haziness of that period and enables a clearer understanding of the policy challenges in the latter years of the 19th century. The author's care in his use of sources and the narrator's pleasant skill in managing the phrasing of the book made listening to it illuminating and enjoyable. I recommend it highly.

Drew Hanks

I was very impressed with this biography. It was not overly detailed, like other biographies on presidents that I’ve read. It focused on the points.

A good example of the president

It seemed to move a little slowly at the beginning and I wasn’t always sure what the time period was.
Overall it is very good and I was definitely do it again

Great debut for Senik

Senik wrote this book beautifully, the book even had some humor, but not so much that it ruined the seriousness of it. Excited to see more from him

The personal aspects were so interesting and was impressed by all the details .

Sometimes the narration was monotone so I could not give it a 5. The most interesting to me was how popular Francis was,and the great lengths Grover went to hiding his cancer from the nation.

Excellent

My family and I love well-written biographies and are fans of McCullough and Chernow, and this ranks with the best! The apt political insight, humor, and turns of phrase are simultaneously enlightening and entertaining.

Overall great read

I really liked it!! I love anything and everything related to presidential narratives! Wonderful inquisitions throughout