Review of “Washington” by Douglas Southall Freeman (Harwell abridgment)
Richard Harwell’s abridgment of Douglas Southall Freeman’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 7-volume series on George Washington was published in 1968, fifteen years …
Tag Archives: American history
Review of “President without a Party: The Life of John Tyler” by Christopher Leahy
Christopher J. Leahy’s “President without a Party: The Life of John Tyler” was published earlier this year. It is the …
Review of “Grant” by Ron Chernow
Ron Chernow’s “Grant” was published in 2017 to almost immediate acclaim and was named a Top 10 Book of the …
Review of “James Monroe: A Life” by Tim McGrath
Released on May 5, “James Monroe: A Life” by Tim McGrath is the first comprehensive exploration of Monroe’s life in …
Review of “Herbert Hoover in the White House” by Charles Rappleye
“Herbert Hoover in the White House: The Ordeal of the Presidency” by Charles Rappleye was published in 2016, just a …
Happy Presidents’ Day 2020!
About 7 years ago I embarked on a great adventure: to read the best biographies of every U.S. president and …
Review of “Man of Destiny: FDR and the Making of the American Century” by Alonzo Hamby
Alonza Hamby’s “Man of Destiny: FDR and the Making of the American Century” was published in 2015 and is one …
Related Reading: “Seward: Lincoln’s Indispensable Man” by Walter Stahr
Seward: Lincoln’s Indispensable Man by Walter Stahr 720 pages Simon & Schuster Published: September 2012 “Seward: Lincoln’s Indispensable Man” by …
Waiting for…Robert Caro
Based on emails I regularly receive, as well as comments posted to this site, I know that many of you …
Review of “Thomas Jefferson: A Life” by Willard Sterne Randall
Willard Sterne Randall’s “Thomas Jefferson: A Life” was published in 1993. Randall spent the first seventeen years of his professional …
Related Reading: “The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin” by H.W. Brands
The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin by H. W. Brands Published: September 2000 H. W. Brands’ …
Review of “James Madison: A Life Reconsidered” by Lynne Cheney
Lynne Cheney’s “James Madison: A Life Reconsidered” was published in 2014, about a year after I read four biographies of …
Related Reading: “The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy” by David Nasaw
The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy by David Nasaw Published: November 2012 David Nasaw’s …
Review of “John Quincy Adams: Militant Spirit” by James Traub
James Traub’s “John Quincy Adams: Militant Spirit” was published in 2016, about three years after I read four other biographies …
Related Reading: “Henry Clay: Statesman for the Union” by Robert Remini
Henry Clay: Statesman for the Union by Robert Remini Published: October 1991 Of all the interesting non-presidents I met during …
My Journey Through the Best Presidential Biographies 