Presidents' portraits fail to grip

The Presidents, by Stephen Graubard, Allen Lane, €36.00.

The Presidents, by Stephen Graubard, Allen Lane, €36.00.

The US presidential election is like the World Cup of politics.

Every four years, people who normally have no interest in the subject suddenly sit up and take notice, often becoming self-styled experts in the process.

For a few heady weeks last autumn, it seemed that everyone on the planet had an opinion as to whether or not George W Bush should be re-elected. The ...