Standing on a Volcano: The Life and Times of David Rowland Francis

By Harper Barnes

Book Overview

David R. Francis was a brash, plain-spoken man whose political savvy guided him to positions of prominence at all levels of American government. He served as both mayor of St. Louis and governor of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1883982138
• ISBN13: 9781883982133
• Release Date: November 2001
• Publisher: Southern Illinois University Press
• Length: 528 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.9" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

As exciting as a spy novel

Journalist Harper Barnes' biography of David Rowland Francis, American politician and diplomat whose career ranged from St. Louis in America's heartland to the depths of Russia during the Bolshevik revolution (1917-19), is full of surprises. As the youngest mayor of St. Louis and governor of Missouri at the turn of the 20th century, he lead progressive Democrats and fathered the St. Louis World's Fair in 1903-04. Appointed ambassador to Russia by President Woodrow Wilson, he endured terrible hardships during its revolutionary period, aided by his articulate and loyal friend and valet, African-American Philip Jordan. Much of the Russian story reads like an exciting spy novel. Wonderfully researched and well written, it is a compelling account that enriches both United States' and international history. It captivates the reader and offers heretofore unknown insights into not only a remarkable American but United States foreign policy at a pivotal time in world history.