Old Hickory: Andrew Jackson and the American People

Albert Marrin should have stayed in junior high as a teacher. That way maybe we would have a lot more history lovers in America! Since he chose another career path, I am very happy that he continues to write for young people (now more kids can learn to love history!). As usual, Marrin does an excellent job not only of presenting an memorable character, but explaining the events surrounding his life. I would not recommend this book for younger than at least 7th or 8th grade, but I would recommend it even for adults who want a readable, clear explanation of Old Hickory and his times! Thanks again Mr. Marrin!

While I have heard great things about Albert Marrin's books, this is the one and only so far that I have read. But yes, it is true: Albert Marrin is a fantastic author and historian who presents the good and bad of this controversial president come alive for young adult readers--or anyone else that would read this. First off, it's a great-looking book, which is pretty much why I wanted it in the first place. Marrin organized everything very well, showing the different phases of Old Hickorie's life and then his policies. There are plenty of labeled drawings to add a little bit extra to the present discussion. I especially liked how Marrin approached the subject of Andrew Jackson. While this president was certainly beloved by many people, it's quite possible that he would have been completely despised today save by those our society already completely despises. Simply put, he was a racist, one who put whites above everyone else, namely blacks and Native Americans. He was against the abolitionists and this was the guy who inniated the infamous Cherokee "Trail of Tears." And yet Jackson was pretty much a product of his time and that is all anyone can do about it, whether we liked his views or not. Despite this abhorencies, Jackson did plenty of good, plenty of shaping of the new nation. Even though it is clear that Marrin hated many aspects of Andrew Jackson he did appreciate many others. Jackson was a champion of the common people and believed that it was their liberty he was elected to preserve. That shows, for good and bad, all throughout this book. It's well-written and well-researched, and Marrin is careful not to take sides.