President McKinley: Architect of the American Century

This is an excellent book on the 25th President of the US as well as of the last decade of the 19th century. If you are interested in US history, this explains both the man (McKinley, from how he rose to become a popular leader, and then president) and the issues of the times (tariffs, gold and silver as standards for the currency, Hawaii, the Spanish-American War, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines). It also provides a portrait of First Lady Ida and the rise of Theodore Roosevelt. My only criticism is that at a few points, it gets deep in the weeds of the politics and politicians from the time. This will give you a solid understanding of how President McKinley's administration was a major step towards the US becoming the global superpower it became. My advice is to first read "A Man of Iron" (by Troy Senik) first, then this. - Gregory Bullock, author of "HISTORY IN FEWER WORDS, Vol. 1: THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD