Bland Ambition: From Adams to Quayle--The Cranks, Criminals, Tax Cheats, and Golfers Who Made It to Vice President

by Steve Tally

Profiles the individuals who have become vice president of the the United States

Genres: History

404 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1992

Reviews

[Nicholas Whyte · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3210734.html

Published in 1992, the subtitle of the book lays it out: From Adams to Quayle - the Cranks, Criminals, Tax Cheats, and Golfers Who Made it to Vice President. There's lots of fascinating historical trivia here, including sidebars on the Twelfth Amendment, the provisions for succession and Alexander Stephens, but there is a rather wearyingly cynical tone throughout which I felt was one of the precursors to today's sorry state of affairs of a lack of trust in politicians generally. Y

[Mark · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately, the smarmy style overwhelmed the interesting information.

[Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

An irreverent look at the vice presidency

In Bland Ambition: From Adams to Quayle - the Cranks, Criminals, Tax Cheats and Golfers Who Made it to Vice President , Steve Tally looks at America's vice presidents and gives us the inside scoop on each of these men's foibles and character flaws. The chapters are short and sweet and hilarious!

Tally introduces us to Vice Presidents who assumed that they were really assistant presidents, vice presidents who never really showed up to work, vice presidents who showed up to work but really shouldn't have bothered and vice presidents who never really grasped the idea that they were supposed to work with their presidents to get things passed through the Congress.

For the researcher paper writers out there, Tally's work would be inappropriate to use as the main source of your information, but it would make a fantastic book to add that little bit of extra to make your paper more interesting to read!

This was truly an enjoyable read. I borrowed mine from the library but I'm adding it to my wish list because I want to have a copy of my own!

http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/

[Jfarley]

I enjoy, most of all, stories and histories that prove that the founders of our country, and those that came after, are just normal people, with normal people foibles.



Add in some dirtbaggery, and I'm in heaven.



A brief history of the nobodies, and a few somebodies, that have held the most worthless job ever devised.

[Evan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A history of every U.S. Vice-President up until Dan Quayle (at least, in my edition). There are lots of interestings facts here, but I was highly irritated at the author's insistence on making each and every VP look like some sort of incompetent boob.

[Mark Desrosiers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I forgot about this amazing book: it's hilarious!

And educational too!

[Jenna]

Very entertaining. It would be nice to have more historical context included in the entries about the Vice Presidents, but I suppose part of the book's charm is that it's a quick and easy read.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Breezy and without too many overbearing facts and figures. From Adams through Quayle, most chapters are merely character sketches. Surely these men must have had some credentials, right? Maybe not...

[Jayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun way to learn about American vice presidents - and the presidents with whom they served.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good year coming up to reread this gem...

[David Bustamante · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. I would like to find my copy and reread.