Salmon P. Chase: A Biography

a balanced view of chase...a vivid sketch of one who moved through 'turbulent years as a majestic figure with an air of conscious superiority that many found repellent'...Niven's scholarship is impeccable. His writing is deft....presents a fascinating case study of the relationship between personal ambition and social progress. * Lexington Herald Leader, *
John Niven adds significantly to our understanding not just of Chase, but of the political and moral context of the mid-nineteenth century...Combining outstanding research with novel-like prose, Niven's work will likely tower for years to come as the definitive biography of Salmon P. Chase. * The Historian *