Harding, His Presidency and Love Life Reappraised

About the Book

The general opinion of Warren Harding is that he has been justly ranked as the “Worst” of our Presidents, based largely on the corruption that was brought to light after his death. The truth is, however, that he had no personal involvement in any of the scandals perpetrated by members of his Administration, some of whom, like Jess Smith, an unofficial aid to the Attorney General, engaged in notorious grafting that often netted six figure rewards. Harding, by contrast, died a debtor. Neither a lawyer or general, Harding, head of a rural Ohio newspaper, was not considered an appropriate candidate for high office, no less the Presidency. But an awareness of shortcomings, lead to his making a studious effort to overcome them-- successfully, as recorded by leading reporters like William Allen White. As spelled out in this book, there is much to be said on the positive side of Harding’s Presidency. Due recognition is given to his accomplishments. In his first year in office, for example he convened a Disarmament Conference and got Congress to ratify the Four Nation Treaty to reduce naval armament. He also created the Bureau of the Budget. Early on, a New York Times story was headlined “Harding Assumes Real Leadership as Congress lags.” In contrast to his performance as President, handsome Warren was beset by a sex addiction that lead to numerous infidelities, the principal ones being with Carrie Phillips, wife of a friend, and Nan Britton, a hometown admiring young lady, 31 years his junior. Nan’s memoir of an affair which blossomed into love covered the last six years of Harding’s life. Though generally mentioned, and equally suppressed, its intimate content, is, herewith for the first time set forth in detail that reveals a crucial aspect of Harding’s oft mentioned love life.

About the Author

Vita, S. Joseph Krause: I am an Emeritus Professor of English at Kent State University, and have previously taught at the University of Missouri, the College of William and Mary, Ohio State, and the University of Akron. I did my BA (with honors) at the University of Missouri, my MA at Yale and my PhD at Columbia University. I had Fulbright Professorships at Copenhagen University (Denmark) and Tubingen University (Germany). I was Guest Lecturer at several European Universities, some including Lecture Tours @: Coimbra (Portugal), Rome, East and West Germany, and the Netherlands. I have published over 40 articles in major scholarly journals (e.g., PMLA, American Lit., Modern Philology, New England Quarterly, American Quarterly, Early Am. Lit.) on, among others, Whitman, H. James, Twain, Stephen Crane, Harold Frederick, E.W. Howe, W.D. Howells, Hemingway, Steinbeck, Eliot, and C.B. Brown. I did a book, “Mark Twain As Critic,” with Johns Hopkins, and was General Editor of the MLA-sealed Edition of the “Novels of Charles Brockden Brown,” America’s first professional novelist, for which I did “Historical Notes” and a “Historical Essay” for Edgar Huntly, Vol. IV. In World War II, I served as a Combat Infantryman with the 4th Infantry Division, an outfit that made D-Day, liberated Paris, and was first through the Siegfried Line. I Joined them in the latter and went through their two most bitter battles; namely Hurtgen Forest and the Battle of the Bulge (in which we saved Luxembourg) was wounded during our pushing back the Bulge. I have published a Memoir of my experience in Combat entitled, Falling Out and Belonging: A Foot-Soldier’s Life, 2006. My book on Warren Harding is a major effort in my retirement.