I’m reading either 1 biography or 1 autobiography + 1 biography on every US President from beginning to current. If there is an autobiography I’ll read that for the president’s own perspective but also a biography for a second account. I have a list already for most of them. I already read my Washington pick and I’m almost finished with the John Adams biography.
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I’m wondering what you think of my list. Any changes or substitutes you would make? Thanks!
* *Washington* by Ron Chernow (finished)
* *John Adams* by David McCullough (almost finished)
* *Autobiography of Thomas Jefferson* by President Thomas Jefferson + *American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson* by Joseph Ellis
* *James Madison: A Biography* by Ralph Ketcham
* *The Autobiography of James Monroe* by President James Monroe + *James Monroe: A Life* by Tim McGrath
* *John Quincy Adams: A Public Life, A Private Life* by Paul C. Nagel
* *American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House* by Jon Meacham
* *Martin Van Buren: The American Presidents Series* by Ted Widmer and Arthur M. Schlesinger
* *Old Tippecanoe: William Henry Harrison and His Time* by Freeman Cleaves
* *John Tyler: The Accidental President* by Edward P. Crapol
* *Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America* by Walter Borneman
* *Zachary Taylor: Soldier, Planter, States of the Old Southwest* by K. Jack Bauer
* *Mallard Fillmore: Biography of a President* by Robert J. Rayback
* *Franklin Pierce: Young Hickory of the Granite Hills* by Roy Nichols
* *James Buchanan: The American Presidents Series* by Jean H. Baker and Arthur M. Schlesinger
* *A. Lincoln: A Biography* by Ronald White
* *Andrew Johnson: A Biography* by Hans L. Trefousse
* *The Complete Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant* by President Ulysses S. Grant + *Grant* by Jean Edward Smith
* *Rutherford B. Hayes: And His America* by Harry Barnard
* *Garfield* by Allan Peskin
* *Gentleman Boss: The Life of Chester Alan Arthur* by Thomas C. Reeves
* *Grover Cleveland: A Study in Courage* by Allan Nevins
* *Benjamin Harrison: Hoosier Warrior (Vol. 1), Hoosier Statesman (Vol. 2), Hoosier President (Vol. 3)* by Harry J. Sievers
* *William McKinley and His America* by H. Wayne Morgan
* *The Autobiography of Theodore Roosevelt* by President Theodore Roosevelt + *Power and Responsibility: Theodore Roosevelt* by William Henry Harbaugh
* *The Life and Times of William Howard Taft: A Biography (2 Volumes)* by Henry F. Pringle
* *Woodrow Wilson: A Biography* by August Heckscher and Katherine Speirs
* *The Shadow of of Blooming Grove: Warren G. Harding and His Times* by Francis Russell
* *The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge* by President Calvin Coolidge + *Calvin Coolidge: The Man from Vermont* by Claude M. Fuess
* *The Memoirs of Herbert Hoover (3 Volumes)* by President Herbert Hoover + H*oover: An Extraordinary Life in Extraordinary Times* by Kenneth Whyte
* *FDR* by Jean Edward Smith
* *The Autobiography of Harry S. Truman* by President Harry Truman + *Truman* by David McCullough
* *Going Home to Glory: A Memoir of Life with Dwight D. Eisenhower* by President Dwight D. Eisenhower + *Eisenhower in War and Peace* by Jean Edward Smith
* *An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy* by Robert Dallek
* *The Vantage Point: Perspectives of the Presidency* by President Lyndon B. Johnson + *Lyndon B. Johnson: Portrait of a President* by Robert Dallek
* *RN: The Memoirs of Richard Nixon* by President Richard Nixon + *Richard Nixon: The Life* by John A. Farrell
* *A Time to Heal: The Autobiography of Gerald R. Ford* by President Gerald Ford + *Gerald R. Ford: An Honorable Life* by James Cannon
* *A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety* by President Jimmy Carter + *His Very Best: Jimmy Carter: A Life* by Jonathan Alter
* *An American Life: The Autobiography* by President Ronald Reagan + *Reagan: An American Journey* by Bob Spitz
* *All the Best, George Bush: My Life in Letters and Other Writings* by President George H.W. Bush + *Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George H.W. Bush* by Jon Meacham
* *My Life* by President Bill Clinton + (biography not selected yet)
* *Decision Points* by President George W. Bush + (biography not selected yet)
* *A Promised Land* by President Barack Obama + (biography not selected yet)
* *Trump Revealed: An American Journey of Ambition, Ego, Money, and Power* by Michael Kranish
* President Joe Biden is still in office (no books selected yet)
by Humpty_Dumps
2 Comments
Can’t help but thanks for the question and sharing your list. I have a similar goal but haven’t made it past the same Washington book yet.
Really, read The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris instead. One of the best written biographies I’ve ever read. It won the Pulitzer for a reason!