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Presidential hopefuls frequently claim they are qualified because their job experience is the same as a great president. However they ignore the failed presidents who shared the same pathway. This book evaluates all the presidents systematically to determine how prior professional experience influences presidential performance.

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1. Political Pathways to the Presidency 2. Generally Popular: Military Experience 3. Heir Apparent: Vice Presidents 4. Washington Insiders: Members of Congress 5. From the Governor´s Mansion to the White House: Governors 6. A Little Something Extra: National Appointees 7. The Business of the Presidency: Non-Political Experience 8. Modeling Greatness: Evaluating the Pathways to the Presidency

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"Theresa Marchant-Shapiro provides an exceptional analysis of a previously underexamined matter: how previous professional experience relates to presidential greatness. A must read for all scholars of the American presidency." - Mark D. Brewer, Professor of Political Science, University of Maine, USA

"In a unique blending of political history and relevant statistics, Theresa Marchant-Shapiro has provided a valuable portrait of the how pre-presidential political career patterns impact retrospective performance assessments. This book helps to explain how two centuries of varying routes to the White House may account for why some presidents succeed in office while others do not." - Garrison Nelson, Professor of Political Science, University of Vermont, USA

"Which life experiences prepare people to become skillful presidents? That should be a topic that interests every voter. But too often we rely on anecdotes cherry-picked from presidential biographies to form our opinions. This book brings a historically knowledgeable, balanced, and thoughtful approach to the topic instead. It is an important step forward in the study of the presidency." - Christopher H. Achen, Professor of Politics, Princeton University, USA

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Theresa Marchant-Shapiro is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Southern Connecticut State University, USA. She teaches courses in leadership and mass political behavior. She recently published Statistics for Political Analysis. Her current research addresses how the roles of leaders change in the context of overlapping organizations.

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