Without prior knowledge of American History or politics, James C. Curtis’ biography,
Andrew Jackson and the Search for Vindication may be a difficult read for some audiences.
While the basis of the book is to inform of the events leading up to the birth, followed by childhood, adult life and career of Andrew Jackson; one may also be surprised to have a better understanding of the emotional man who was the United States’ seventh president.
Below are both a negative and positive critique of the Curtis’ biography of Jackson.

One primary reason the book may be a challenging read is due to Curtis’ choice of the how he chose to outline the book. A better read for many would have been to write out the details of Jackson’s life year by year while including significant historical issues.
Instead, Curtis chose to break the book down as a combination of political movements and the major events of Andrew Jackson’s career. In doing so, the reader may find it rather problematic when Curtis ends a chapter in a certain time period then starts the next chapter in a different time period. This is when knowledge of American History plays a key role when reading this book, otherwise the reader may become lost.

While the book may not be the most favorite among certain readers, there is no doubt one can appreciate Curtis’ attempt to make the reader recognize the emotional-driven man behind the nickname “Old Hickory”. One key theme throughout the book is how Curtis allows the readers to understand just how pivotal Andrew Jackson’s early years played in all of his adult life. For example, on page 82 Curtis writes: “Since his [Jackson] adolescent encounter with death, he had felt vulnerable to attack. When threatened, he responded by flying into destructive rage….”