James K. Polk: A Resource Guide

Selected Bibliography

Finding Books by and about James Polk

The Library of Congress online catalog contains more than fifteen subject headings for books related to James Polk. To find works on any of these topics, select Basic Search, and enter the words Polk, James K., 1795-1849 into the search box; then choose the Subject Browse option. You will get the list of Polk-related subject headings. Click on any heading to see a list of titles that have that subject heading; and click on any of the titles to access the book's bibliographic record.

From among the hundreds of Polk-related titles in the Library of Congress collections, the bibliography below highlights the most significant editions of works by Polk and a limited selection of biographies and other works particularly useful to general and younger readers.

Selected Works by Polk

Bassett, John Spencer. James K. Polk and His Constituents, 1831-1832. New York, 1922.
LC Call Number: E417 .P75 [Catalog Record]

Bergeron, Paul H. and Herbert Weaver, eds. Correspondence of James K. Polk. Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press, 1969.
LC Call Number: E417 .A4 1969 [Catalog Record]

Nevins, Allan. Polk; The Diary of a President, 1845-1849, Covering the Mexican War, the Acquisition of Oregon, and the Conquest of California and the Southwest. London: Longmans, Green, 1952.
LC Call Number: E416 .P77 1952 [Catalog Record]

Quaife, Milo Milton, ed. The Diary of James K. Polk During His Presidency, 1845 to 1849. Chicago: A. C. McClurg & Co., 1910.
LC Call Number: E416 .P76 [Catalog Record]

Selected Biographies and other Studies of Polk

Bergeron, Paul H. The Presidency of James K. Polk. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1987.
LC Call Number: E416 .B47 1987 [Catalog Record]

Dusinberre, William. Slavemaster President: The Double Career of James Polk. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.
LC Call Number: E417 .D87 2003 [Catalog Record]

Haynes, Sam W. James K. Polk and the Expansionist Impulse. New York: Pearson Longman, 2006.
LC Call Number: E417 .H39 2006 [Catalog Record]

Leonard, Thomas M. James K. Polk: A Clear and Unquestionable Destiny. Wilmington, Del: S.R. Books, 2001.
LC Call Number: E417 .L4 2001 [Catalog Record]

Mayo, Louise A. President James K. Polk: The Dark Horse President. New York: Nova History Publications, 2006.
LC Call Number: E417 .M1154 2006 [Catalog Record]

McCormac, Eugene Irving. James K. Polk: A Political Biography to the Prelude of War, 1795-1845. Newton, Conn.: American Political Biography Press, 1995.
LC Call Number: E417 .M12 1995 [Catalog Record]

McCoy, Charles Allan. Polk and the Presidency. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1960.
LC Call Number: E417 .M15 [Catalog Record]

Morrel, Martha McBride. "Young Hickory," the Life and Times of President James K. Polk. New York: E.P. Dutton, 1949.
LC Call Number: E417 .M67 [Catalog Record]

Nelson, Anna Kasten. Secret Agents: President Polk and the Search for Peace with Mexico. New York: Garland, 1988.
LC Call Number: E408 .N45 1988 [Catalog Record]

Seigenthaler, John. James K. Polk. New York: Times Books, 2004.
LC Call Number: E417 .S38 2004 [Catalog Record]

Sellers, Charles Grier. James K. Polk. Vol. 1, Jacksonian, 1795-1843. Vol. 2, Continentalist, 1843-1846. Norwalk, Conn.: Easton Press, 1987.
LC Call Number: E417 .S4 1987 [Catalog Record]

Bibliographies

Sayler, James, comp. Presidents of the United States--Their Written Measure: A Bibliography. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress, 1996.
LC Call Number: Z1249.P7 S29 1996 [Catalog Record]

Younger Readers

Bramwell, Neil D. James K. Polk. Berkeley Heights, N.J.: MyReportLinks.com Books, 2002.
LC Call Number: E417 .B73 2002 [Catalog Record]

Gaines, Ann. James Polk: Our Eleventh President. Chanhassen, Minn: Child's World, 2002.
LC Call Number: E417 .G22 2002 [Catalog Record]

McCollum, Sean. James K. Polk: America's 11th President. New York: Children's Press, 2004.
LC Call Number: E417 .M1155 2004 [Catalog Record]