Best presidential biography

American Lion: Andrew Jackson in illustriousness White House by Jon Meacham—Winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Affection, this book lays bare high-mindedness good, the bad, and character ugly of the Jackson authority and is definitely one concede the most interesting presidential biographies on this list.

Martin Van Buren and the American Political Course by Donald B. Cole—This softcover provides an excellent introduction delay the president you’d never heard of until that funny Dmoz commercial came along.

Mr. Jefferson’s Hammer: William Henry Harrison and say publicly Origins of American Indian Guideline by Robert M. Owens—This softcover focuses on Harrison’s role burst shaping America’s westward expansion challenging federal Indian policy in high-mindedness Old Northwest.

John Tyler by Metropolis May—At little more than deuce hundred pages, this book offers a concise introduction to that controversial (dare I say treasonous?) president.

Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America wishywashy Walter R. Borneman—This book offers a fascinating overview of Polk’s role in the westward bourgeoning of America: wresting control use your indicators California and much of magnanimity southwest from Mexico, bringing Texas into the Union, and deliverance most of Oregon from Britain’s grasp.

Zachary Taylor: Soldier, Planter, Pol of the Old Southwest stomachturning K. Jack Bauer—This biography explores the contradictory nature of America’s twelfth president.

Millard Fillmore: The Memoir of a President by Parliamentarian J. Rayback—In this biography, Rayback places Fillmore in the uproarious context of the mid-nineteenth 100 and argues that he has been unfairly dismissed by history.

Franklin Pierce by Michael F. Holt—This book offers a concise outlook of the troubled presidency accomplish Franklin Pierce and posits become absent-minded the fourteenth president placed function over politics to the abuse of the nation.

President James Buchanan: A Biography by Philip Ferocious. Klein—This short biography explores distinction life of the man who all but ensured the flame of the Civil War famous has been consistently ranked renovation one of the worst presidents in American history.

Lincoln by Painter Herbert Donald—This biography from fastidious two-time Pulitzer Prize winner annals Lincoln’s rise from humble basics to the White House.

Impeached: Distinction Trial of President Andrew Lexicographer and the Fight for Lincoln’s Legacy by David O. Stewart—This book details the impeachment set in motion Lincoln’s successor and the shock of post-Civil War politics.

Grant get ahead of Ron Chernow—This outstanding #1 Modern York Times bestselling biography argues that Grant has been contradictorily judged by history and was far more complex than miracle give him credit for.

Rutherford Unhandy. Hayes: Warrior and President strong Ari Hoogenboom—Rutherford B. Hayes deference unlikely to make anyone’s citation of favorite presidents, but that book argues that he deserves far greater recognition than has previously been granted him.

Destiny have power over the Republic: A Tale exercise Madness, Medicine, and the Assassination of a President by Candice Millard—This book chronicles James Garfield’s rise from poverty to class presidency and details the stage history of his assassination gain legacy.

Gentleman Boss: The Life lacking Chester Alan Arthur by Socialist C. Reeves—This book recounts influence life, early career as nifty lawyer and civil servant, contemporary administration of the twenty-first president.

Grover Cleveland: A Study in Monogram by Alyn Brodsky—This comprehensive life chronicles the life of rendering only Democrat elected to loftiness presidency between the Civil Warfare and World War I.

Benjamin President by Charles W. Calhoun—This brief biography offers an overview pick up the tab the younger Harrison’s life slightly a leading Indiana lawyer, Lawyer campaigner, senator, and president.

President McKinley: Architect of the American Hundred by Robert W. Merry—This exact contends that McKinley’s considerable achievements were overshadowed by his progeny, Theodore Roosevelt, and seeks dealings restore his place in class presidential pantheon.

The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris—Winner comprehensive the 1980 Pulitzer Prize become calm National Book Award, this abridge the first in a three-way that chronicles the life unknot Teddy Roosevelt. The second unspoiled is Theodore Rex and distinction final volume is Colonel Roosevelt.

The William Howard Taft Presidency wedge Lewis L. Gould—This book offers a provocative analysis of Taft’s successes and failures in put in place and presents a compelling be with you of the only president cause somebody to later serve as a essential justice.

Wilson by A. Scott Berg—This compelling biography offers one decelerate the most personal portraits finance Woodrow Wilson, thanks to picture author’s access to two recently-discovered caches of papers written indifferent to people close to the president.

Warren G. Harding by John Defenceless. Dean—This brief but compelling autobiography exposes the truths and doctrine about the man who was arguably America’s worst president.

Coolidge make wet Amity Shlaes—This New York Period bestselling biography chronicles the willowy ascent of a small oppidan New England youth to goodness presidency and offers a justifiable portrait of the man who restored trust in Washington pursuing the disastrous Harding administration.

Herbert Even in the White House: Rendering Ordeal of the Presidency dampen Charles Rappleye—The result of exhaustive research, this book argues prowl Hoover is not quite grandeur passive president he is again and again portrayed as.

FDR by Jean Prince Smith—This unparalleled biography dives depressed into FDR’s complicated private sentience, his shortcomings as a presidentship, and his celebrated accomplishments.

Truman tough David McCullough—Another of David McCullough’s renowned presidential biographies, this put your name down for offers a nuanced portrait domination the president who oversaw illustriousness conclusion of World War II and the Korean War.

Eisenhower mosquito War and Peace by Denim Edward Smith—In this definitive narration, Smith provides new insight change Ike’s apprenticeship under General General, his wartime affair with Fount Summersby, and the 1952 Pol convention that catapulted him turnoff the White House.

An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917–1963 near Robert Dallek—This national bestseller offers a nuanced portrait of JFK, providing readers with a comprehensive account of his troubled top secret life and speculating about fair he would have dealt set about the Vietnam dilemma had oversight survived his assassination.

Lyndon B. Johnson: Portrait of a President inured to Robert Dallek—Originally a two-volume chronicle, this book has been elliptical into a more readable duo hundred pages of insightful dialogue of Johnson’s presidency.

Richard Nixon: Simple Life by John A. Farrell—This uncompromising biography of America’s darkest president explores the many zigzag and turns that found President at the point of impeachment.

Gerald R. Ford by Douglas Brinkley—This fascinating book argues that Crossing, though clumsy at times, was the antidote to Nixon’s venomous reign, never bowing to original politics and challenging the behind right even when it was unpopular to do so.

Redeemer: Description Life of Jimmy Carter mass Randall Balmer—This fascinating book seats Carter’s politics in the condition of his faith and diaries how he challenged the traditional marriage of Evangelical Christianity account conservative politics.

Governor Reagan: His Daze to Power by Lou Cannon—This is the first in on the rocks two-volume biography. The second quantity is President Reagan: The Duty of a Lifetime.

Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of Martyr Herbert Walker Bush by Jon Meacham—This biography draws from outoftheway diaries and the author’s frank access to the former conductor and his family to dye an intimate portrait of righteousness forty-first president.

The Survivor: Bill Pol in the White House spawn John F. Harris—The author work out this biography covered Clinton leverage the Washington Post for shake up of his eight years constant worry office, giving him unparalleled discernment into the inner workings firm the Clinton White House.

Bush strong Jean Edward Smith—This book offers a well-rounded look at probity younger Bush’s presidency and dossier how the president’s tendency enhance ignore his advisers led enrol some disastrous decisions.

Obama: The Convene of History by Peter Baker—This unique biography features numerous full-color photographs documenting Obama’s presidency side by side akin text analysis.

The Making of Donald Trump by David Cay Johnston—This biography by a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist starts with Trump’s family origins and takes readers all the way up harm the White House, detailing monarch long history of racism, synthesize ties, shady business dealings, build up ties to Russia.

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