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The Honest Book of Presidents: The Men Who Shaped America
A guide to the fascinating history of the American presidency from top experts.
Only the most remarkable Americans have been granted the title, President of the United States. In this short keepsake volume, PragerU’s world-renowned historians, political thinkers, and bestselling authors will give you a glimpse into those remarkable Americans’ inspiring stories, recounting the history that too often goes untold.
Covering every president from Washington to Trump, The Honest Book of Presidents refutes the revisionist historical narratives now dominant in the education system, and shows how our leaders formed and preserved the ideals of the nation’s founding. It covers many of the key facts from presidential history, such as John Adams’ pivotal role behind the scenes in the Revolution, why Warren Harding is overlooked while his vice president is underrated, and how Lincoln changed history in two minutes. You’ll learn how these leaders and others overcame their vices with virtue, achieved victory in war, and formed new political parties—Republicans, Democrats, and Whigs included.
We owe our liberty to these leaders. They set America on the path we still follow, and they had complex lives, often full of contradictions and trials. The Honest Book of Presidents is a unique overview of American history. You’ll be glad you read it, and more deeply thankful to be an American.
Only the most remarkable Americans have been granted the title, President of the United States. In this short keepsake volume, PragerU’s world-renowned historians, political thinkers, and bestselling authors will give you a glimpse into those remarkable Americans’ inspiring stories, recounting the history that too often goes untold.
Covering every president from Washington to Trump, The Honest Book of Presidents refutes the revisionist historical narratives now dominant in the education system, and shows how our leaders formed and preserved the ideals of the nation’s founding. It covers many of the key facts from presidential history, such as John Adams’ pivotal role behind the scenes in the Revolution, why Warren Harding is overlooked while his vice president is underrated, and how Lincoln changed history in two minutes. You’ll learn how these leaders and others overcame their vices with virtue, achieved victory in war, and formed new political parties—Republicans, Democrats, and Whigs included.
We owe our liberty to these leaders. They set America on the path we still follow, and they had complex lives, often full of contradictions and trials. The Honest Book of Presidents is a unique overview of American history. You’ll be glad you read it, and more deeply thankful to be an American.
- GenresHistory
288 pages, Hardcover
Published November 4, 2025
66 people are currently reading
69 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 12, 2025
Prager U is not an actual university or school. This book is a work of fiction not facts. This is unsettling in the world of books and information that Harper Collins would publish something like this.
November 26, 2025
The title of this book grabbed my attention right away. After reading the description, I knew I wanted to pick it up. Seeing the words Honest and Presidents together made me curious—how could those two ideas really go hand in hand?
The book gives each presidential term its own chapter, and if a President served more than once, their terms are separated, which makes things really easy to follow. I’m not a Presidential historian, but I do have a background in history, and I found the material about the early Presidents' stories I have previously read, and new, genuinely engaging information. Even if you don’t know much about our country’s early leaders or the office itself, there are plenty of interesting and surprising details throughout the book that keep it enjoyable.
I’ve had some trouble with what seems like bias in how the more recent presidencies are described. Maybe it’s because I lived through those years and saw some of the effects firsthand, or maybe it’s simply because I’m not looking at things the way a historian might. I’m not a scholar, just someone who genuinely enjoys learning about the past. And I really believe that if we don’t take history seriously, we’re bound to repeat it.
I would give this book more stars if it weren't for the bias shown in the final chapters of the book.
The book gives each presidential term its own chapter, and if a President served more than once, their terms are separated, which makes things really easy to follow. I’m not a Presidential historian, but I do have a background in history, and I found the material about the early Presidents' stories I have previously read, and new, genuinely engaging information. Even if you don’t know much about our country’s early leaders or the office itself, there are plenty of interesting and surprising details throughout the book that keep it enjoyable.
I’ve had some trouble with what seems like bias in how the more recent presidencies are described. Maybe it’s because I lived through those years and saw some of the effects firsthand, or maybe it’s simply because I’m not looking at things the way a historian might. I’m not a scholar, just someone who genuinely enjoys learning about the past. And I really believe that if we don’t take history seriously, we’re bound to repeat it.
I would give this book more stars if it weren't for the bias shown in the final chapters of the book.
February 4, 2026
Each of the blurbs is by a different person, so the tone varies more wildly than I've ever seen in any book claiming to be historical. Some of the contributors take their jobs seriously, but others are so painfully transparent in their political allegiances that they don't even pretend to hold onto even the slightest notions of objectivity. Older presidents are given much more respectful entries due to the fact that no one would dare raise a stink about ol' Rutherford B. Hayes or Millard Fillmore. But once you get to FDR, all bets are off. And once you get to Biden? Woof. Niall Ferguson really sold out his intellectual credibility for this book; it's rather sad.
If you want an honest book about the Presidents with short essays on each, you best look elsewhere. Start with The Complete Book of US Presidents.
If you want an honest book about the Presidents with short essays on each, you best look elsewhere. Start with The Complete Book of US Presidents.
January 11, 2026
Every Citizen Should Read This Book
I appreciated how tastefully each president was treated. It was a daunting task but worth the effort. The book achieves its goal of providing a fundamental understanding of each president during his time in office. Having lived and participated during the time from Eisenhower to our present day, I was a little disappointed in the handling of issues during the Eisenhower years. He was the first president to actively address civil rights since reconstruction. Truman may have commanded segregation of the armed forces, but Eisenhower made it happen and then singlehandedly dessegregated Washington D.C. Twice, during his two terms of office, he sponsored civil rights legislation only to have it gutted by LBJ,Storm Thurmond, JFK,and the Dixiecrats. His subsequent vetting and appointments of Federal judges helped insure civil rights legislation when it was finally passed. You cannot justifiably talk about him without addressing his commitment of troops to Little Rock, Arkansas to guarantee admittance of black students to Central High School.
I appreciated how tastefully each president was treated. It was a daunting task but worth the effort. The book achieves its goal of providing a fundamental understanding of each president during his time in office. Having lived and participated during the time from Eisenhower to our present day, I was a little disappointed in the handling of issues during the Eisenhower years. He was the first president to actively address civil rights since reconstruction. Truman may have commanded segregation of the armed forces, but Eisenhower made it happen and then singlehandedly dessegregated Washington D.C. Twice, during his two terms of office, he sponsored civil rights legislation only to have it gutted by LBJ,Storm Thurmond, JFK,and the Dixiecrats. His subsequent vetting and appointments of Federal judges helped insure civil rights legislation when it was finally passed. You cannot justifiably talk about him without addressing his commitment of troops to Little Rock, Arkansas to guarantee admittance of black students to Central High School.
January 22, 2026
This book consists of a short (less than 1,000 words) essay on each individual who has held the office of U.S. President. As the essays are short, only brief biological information about the individual is provided before the essayist proceeds to comment on particular/unique aspects of the individuals. While I knew much of the information regarding the most famous (Washington, Jefferson Lincoln, T.R. FDR) and the recent presidents, it was the updates on those presidents who don’t get much “air time” in most history classes I found interesting. The format of the book makes for a very quick read and while each essayist clearing has a bias, I felt they did a reasonable job of covering the good and the bad of each president.
October 11, 2025
Prager "University" isn't a university, but rather a right-wing YouTube channel associated with Christian nationalist views. It's not a reliable source of information (the page I link to provides a detailed explanation of this point), and Harper should be ashamed of publishing a book promoting it.
ETA: What do you know, Harper is owned by News Corp. So no surprise it would be party to this vile project.
ETA: What do you know, Harper is owned by News Corp. So no surprise it would be party to this vile project.
November 16, 2025
A brief overview of all the Presidents
Each President is discussed very briefly. Although I have read books on several Presidents, I now learned just enough about some I would never have thought about, so that I now want to delve deeper into them.
Each President is discussed very briefly. Although I have read books on several Presidents, I now learned just enough about some I would never have thought about, so that I now want to delve deeper into them.
January 5, 2026
All the things you didn't know
Enjoyed learning about the lives and accomplishment of all our presidents. The format was bite size, giving me the basics without bias. It was a good refresher course in civics.
Enjoyed learning about the lives and accomplishment of all our presidents. The format was bite size, giving me the basics without bias. It was a good refresher course in civics.
November 26, 2025
A required read to understand our Commander in Chiefs
A can’t put down until finished read, please continue you read it all. Then ruminate on what you’ve just finished
A can’t put down until finished read, please continue you read it all. Then ruminate on what you’ve just finished
January 4, 2026
Interesting reviews but
The presidential reviews were interesting but the reviewing authors accomplishments were unnecessarily long and should have been in the appendix.
The presidential reviews were interesting but the reviewing authors accomplishments were unnecessarily long and should have been in the appendix.
January 28, 2026
This should really be called "The subjective collection of essays kind of about presidents."
January 31, 2026
Probably geared for a younger reader, this book still provides brief, accurate assessments of the Presidents.
February 19, 2026
Basic info on all Presidents, yet more than most know
Fun quick read. If you want the basics presented fairly, this book is for you. If you want all the details, look elsewhere.
Fun quick read. If you want the basics presented fairly, this book is for you. If you want all the details, look elsewhere.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews