Walter Stahr — William Howard Taft: A Great American Life - With David O. Stewart — at Conn Ave
Walter Stahr discusses his biography *William Howard Taft: A Great American Life* in conversation with David O. Stewart. The event reassesses Taft’s legacy beyond his presidency, emphasizing his decades of public service, his judicial career, and his transformative tenure as chief justice of the United States.
Taft served as a judge in Ohio and on the federal Sixth Circuit, became America’s first civilian governor of the Philippines, joined Theodore Roosevelt’s cabinet, and won the presidency in 1908. Stahr’s biography examines the challenges Taft faced in the White House, including tariffs, immigration, labor unrest, colonial policy, free trade with Canada, the Mexican Civil War, the national deficit, and government efficiency. It also covers Taft’s defeat in 1912, his later involvement in public causes such as the League of Nations, and his second career as the most influential chief justice since John Marshall, including his role in giving the Supreme Court greater control over which cases it heard.
When: Saturday, November 21, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.
Venue: Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Tickets: Free, with first-come, first-served seating.
Featured speakers: Walter Stahr and David O. Stewart
Walter Stahr: Stahr is a New York Times bestselling author whose previous books include *Seward: Lincoln’s Indispensable Man*, *Stanton: Lincoln’s War Secretary*, and *John Jay: Founding Father*. He has twice received the Seward Award for Excellence in Civil War Biography and practiced law in Washington and Asia for more than two decades. He graduated with honors from Stanford University and Harvard Law School.
David O. Stewart: Stewart is the author of eleven award-winning and bestselling books of history and historical fiction. He received the Washington Independent Review of Books’ Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023. His latest fictional series, the Overstreet Saga, draws on family stories told by his mother. He lives in Maryland.
Related book: *William Howard Taft: A Great American Life* by Walter Stahr is available for preorder in hardcover for $35.00, with publication scheduled for November 10, 2026.
Accessibility: To request accommodations or ask about accessibility, email events@politics-prose.com, ideally at least one week before the event. The organizers will make an effort to accommodate requests received up to the event time.