Democracy's Big Day: The Inauguration of Our President 1789-2009

This book is filled with fascinating details about every presidential inauguration in United States history. Most people probably have not given a great deal of thought to inaugurations, but writer Jim Bendat opens the door to a series of intriguing, and sometimes important, details. For example, Abraham Lincoln was the first president to invite a free African American to attend an inauguration. Lyndon Johnson was the first president to be sworn in by a woman. This engaging book provides us with an insight into a wealth of little known facts about American history. Anyone interested in history (or trivia, though there is much more to it than trivia) will be delighted by this book. The writing is lively and spirited. The subject matter is unforgettable. The book is terrific.

Jim Bendat's new revision of Democracy's Big Day is a treasure trove of solid information, little known oddities, and some truly witty tidbits-all of which make reading about the US presidential inauguation great fun while at the same time providing a vast amount of detail about the Big Day. His account of our nation's transition of leadership reveals his excitement and pride in a most informative yet non-partisan way. His breezy vignette style makes for easy reading, where one can turn to any page and learn something new!

This book is my kind of history. It is a collection of stories that takes the reader through Inauguration Day from start to finish through a series of wonderful stories and anecdotes about Presidents from George Washington to George W. Bush. It is just plain fun to read. This book would be enjoyed by any person of any political persuasion, be it liberal, moderate, or conservative. It will remind each of us how extraordinary our country is. Here in the United States politcal power, much of the time, is changed peacefully and without violence. The Civil War, of course, is an exception. Yet even after that conflict--as Bendat notes in one of many, many entertaining and informative anecdotes--an ex-Confederate rebel actually swore in one of our Presidents. Astonishing! We forget in this time of struggle that our country has seldom been without challenge and danger. Yet, as angry as we become with each other, we hold together. E pluribus unum. Highly recommended for those who occasionally become discouraged for whatever reason about our nation. Hope is always with us. And of course highly recommended for history buffs.