From a childhood steeped in poverty, violence, and patriotic pride, Andrew Jackson rose to the heights of celebrity and power. The first popularly elected president, he won admiration by fighting corruption, championing the common man, shaping the power of the executive office, and preserving the fragile union of the young United States.

Yet Jackson's ruthless pursuit of what he believed to be "progress" left indelible stains on the nation's conscience: broken treaties and the Trail of Tears are among Old Hickory's darker legacies.

Vivid detail and unflinching analysis characterize Albert Marrin's fascinating rendering of the adventurous life, painful complexity, and continuing controversy that define the Age of Jackson.