Vanity Fair's Presidential Profiles: Defining Portraits, Deeds, and Misdeeds of 43 Notable Americans--And What Each One Really Thought About His Predecessor

by Graydon Carter, Mark Summers (Illustrator), Graydon Carter (Editor)

Forty-three men have held the highest office in the United States, making up an exclusive club of statesmen and sinners, grinds and slackers, winners and losers, Boy Scouts and rogues. They are profiled in incisive and entertaining commentaries written by Vanity Fair contributors Judy Bachrach, David Friend, David Kamp, Todd S. Purdum, and Jim Windolf that tell of their deeds, plumb their characters, and dispense the essential dish about their personal lives. Portraits newly drawn by the acclaimed artist Mark Summers illuminate each of them as vivid individuals. Also revealing remarks-in the presidents' own words-showing what each really thought about the man who had preceded him in the Oval Office, an introduction by Graydon Carter, and a foreword by Washington insider Todd S. Purdum.

From George Washington to Barack Obama, here is a memorable chronicle of America's, and the world's, most powerful men, combining history, biography, art, politics, and gossip--and covering international affairs, domestic affairs, and . . . affairs of the heart--in one small, indispensable volume.


<!--StartFragment--> Advance praise for Vanity Fair’s Presidential Profiles
“I have had the honor of interviewing every U.S. president since Richard Nixon. But oh, how I wish I had had a copy of Vanity Fair’s Presidential Profile s. It is chock full of insights and information I would have relished.”
-Barbara Walters, ABC News

“Just what we’ve come to expect from Graydon Carter and the talented teams he assembles for Vanity Fair projects—a collection of smart, well researched pieces, beautifully illustrated and filled with details and quotes we never seem to find elsewhere. This one is a keeper.”
-Bob Schieffer, chief Washington correspondent, CBS News

“This is the story of who we are, as measured by those we have elected to lead us. White men, overwhelmingly…12 military generals among them. What else does it say about us? This is essential reading— a citizens' guide to American Presidents, written in classic American style. May we learn from all of them…the good, the bad, the ugly.”
-Brian Williams, anchor and managing Editor, NBC Nightly News

“A must read for American history addicts like myself. It's also a fun resource for casual browsers who will enjoy its beautifully rendered illustrations and the pithy essays by America's greatest writers who have assembled biographical highlights and lively anecdotes that bring to life each of our nation's elected executives.”
-Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

“Deftly combines portraits and prose with Vanity Fair ’s unmistakable style. The result is an informative and entertaining chronology of American presidents."
-Vernon E. Jordan, Jr, senior managing director, Lazard Frères & Co. LLC, and chairman of the Clinton-Gore transition team

“A great historical contribution to the American library—an indispensible guide to those who aspire to public office. The Mark Summers illustrations are a magnificent study in character and leadership. Graydon Carter’s and Todd S. Purdum’s contributions are intellectually superb. Having covered ten presidents, I just love the book.”
–Helen Thomas, columnist, Hearst newspapers

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction

112 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Graydon Carter is a Canadian journalist, editor, and publisher best known for his tenure as editor of Vanity Fair from 1992 to 2017. Before joining the magazine, he co-founded the satirical publication Spy in 1986 alongside Kurt Andersen and Tom Phillips. Under his leadership, Vanity Fair became known for its mix of celebrity profiles and investigative journalism, winning 14 National Magazine Awards and earning Carter a place in the Magazine Editors’ Hall of Fame.
Carter's editorial influence extended beyond print, as he played a key role in producing several documentaries, including Public Speaking (2010), His Way (2011), and Gonzo, a film about Hunter S. Thompson. He was also an executive producer of 9/11, a CBS documentary about the September 11 attacks, which won both an Emmy and a Peabody Award. In 2019, he co-launched the newsletter Air Mail with Alessandra Stanley, targeting a global readership.
Beyond journalism, Carter has been involved in the restaurant business, co-owning The Waverly Inn in New York and previously partnering in the historic Monkey Bar. His contributions to media and culture were recognized in 2017 when he was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada.

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting little book. Each page has a lengthy blurb about each president and I felt like I learned a few things that I didn't already know. Thankfully, the book was completed after Obama took office and it ended on a high note. 😉

[Peter Geyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This slim text presents a page of text and a sketch/drawing of each of the Presidents of the United States. The text varies in length according to the person and the sketches have a similarity in style or formality, which I suppose is appropriate, although I found it sometimes wooden.

The statements about each president are clear, concise and to the point, and I appreciated information about some of the men of whom I knew little more than their names

[Joyce Meijs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book years ago when traveling to Washington, DC. After years, catching dust, I finished it within an evening. The design of the book is already monumental.
The contents are beautifully drawn profiles of the Presidents of the USA. It provides a clear and short overview with additional unknown facts aside of the drawings. Absolutely worth your time.

[Lucas Wooten · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a lot of things I didn’t know about the presidents, although the short essays did seem to contain a good bit of opinion and bias. The layout of this book with the portraits brought back great memories from my childhood of my grandmother teaching me every president from flashcards that had a photo on one side and short bio on the other. A good read for American history lovers.

[Celina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting little glimpse into each presidency. The drawings are the real draw.

[Debby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good intro to President's lives.

[Joey Knightbrook · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was a breezy, entertaining read with great portraits, but the writer really let their opinion on each president shine through. I had hoped for a more sober, unbiased piece on each of the presidents

[Craig Patton · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am someone who loves history and has an appreciation for art and while I enjoy the artwork of this book, the content of the book itself is extremely lacking.

I was not expecting in-depth biographies of the Presidents however; I found that the authors of the book seem to paint the Presidents that either did not care for or had an ideological difference with in a somewhat unflattering light. To say nothing to the glowing reviews given to President Obama who had been President just over a year by the time the book came out coupled with the allegation (without any historical proof) that President Buchanan was likely America's first gay President.

I was sadly disappointed in the book and what appeared, at least to this reading, a particular bias in some of the biographies. This could have been as fantastic as the artwork however, the authors have failed to live up to task.

[Johnvano · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very handy volume. Each president gets a simple, one-page overview on the left, and an iconic pencil sketch on the right. It was synergistic, and adequately highlighted what the presidents stood for and accomplished--providing a nice introduction particularly to those not well known to me. I grew in my appreciation for Monroe, Polk, Coolidge, Hoover, and Eisenhower, while trembling a bit at some of the extremes of an old hero (Theodore Roosevelt). Though the book seemed to lean a bit left, especially as the modern presidents were profiled, it was is a sold compilation. It's great to be reaffirmed on the contributions of my favorites (Washington, Madison, Monroe, Lincoln, Grant, Eisenhower, Reagan).

[Haley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provided an in-depth summary of pretty much everything important or unimportant about the presidents and had a lot of information I never knew before. It was great to read about these people who (regardless of whether or not we liked them) sacrificed so much time and effort to run our country. That takes a lot of work. The pencil sketches of the presidents were very historically accurate and were beautiful, well done. The only things I didn't like about this book, costing it a star, was that the text size was almost painfully small and that some of the beginning presidents didn't have as much facts as I would have liked.

[Christin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this today at a thrift store (which is odd since it came out the first of this month, I hope that doesn't mean it's crummy). Short little 1 pg bios on all the president's across from a beautiful profile pic. I plan on leaving it in the car to read while I wait for my son to come out of school.


I loved the idea of this book. Page long synopsis of the president's life and presidency but I was a little disappointed. I felt like it was biased and I just wanted some facts. It was still enjoyable and I am sure I will read it again.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good profiles and good essays. Intro said that they tried to be fair, but didn't quite succeed with some of the presidents. Makes a good book to add to the presidential history lovers' bookshelves.

[sara frances · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book claims that Andrew Johnson said, "It's a damn poor mind that can only think of one way to spell a word." but all the research i did credits Andrew Jackson with this quote. and some of the bios were lame. and the font was small.

[Jason Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cool book. The book contains a short profile of each President that includes highlights, low lights, gossip, and pop culture references along with a fantastic black and white profile sketch. This is a must read for anyone that is even casually interested in the history of the Presidency.

[Donna Stuedeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun read - particularly about the lesser known presidents. Particularly enjoyed the ending where each president is quoted describing the previous president.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good overview of our presidents with wonderful portraits and brief sketches of each one's impact.