Books by Robert E. Gilbert

An account of death and illness in the White House. It shows that modern presidents - including Coolidge, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Reagan - all suffered from debilitating medical problems, physical and/or psychological. It examines how they concealed this and the effects on their political lives.

This is the first account of Coolidge's life to compare his behavior before and after this tragedy, and the first to consider the importance of Coolidge's mental health in his presidential legacy. Gilbert carefully documents the dramatic change in Coolidge's leadership style, as well as the changes in his personal behavior.