Presidential Biographies discussion

I see that no one has started any discussions in the group, so I figured I will. I just finished Pringle's two-volume epic on Taft, making the 25th book in my quest to read a bio on every President. I am not going in order. Please share with everyone your latest read and how many have your read.

I had a reading project in 2018 to read through biographies of all presidents chronologically. It was a tall order, since some of the books were pretty long, but it was so interesting to experience the overlap in the history telling. I intend to do it again, and read different books than the ones I've read, since there were many I wasn't able to choose. Interested to see what people enjoy!

(I used Steve's website, and his corresponding reviews here on Goodreads, to help me decide which books to read. Such an amazing resource! https://bestpresidentialbios.com/curr...)

Thanks for starting a discussion! I am reading in order of their presidency, and last month I finished #33 Harry Truman. Like Tyler (the commenter here, not the president), bestpresidentialbios is my go-to now--Stephen Floyd is brilliant and his site incredible--but I didn't use it exclusively when I first made my list, so it is a little different from his top picks. I loved Pringle's Taft, and guess what: No bathtub story! I believe that to be merely a myth. My chosen list is my featured shelf on my Goodreads profile, displaying the most recent 11 bios I've read.

I'm also reading the biographies in a chronological order - now reading Rutherford B Hayes by Ari Hoogenboom. I've slowed down this summer and this book is a long one. I've been reading other books as well. I also used Steve's website - so helpful in choosing which books to read. And I also like the overlap in history that I see while reading the books chronologically, especially noting the different approaches used by various authors to tell the same historical events.

Jim, have you looked at reading Rising Star: The Making of Barack Obama

I'm only 3 bios in to this project. I've got Madison next, hoping to read one on him before 2019 comes to a close. I know it's not a very fast pace but I find one bio a year works for me. I also read a lot of other nonfiction and biography/history books, as well as literary fiction and memoir. Currently I'm reading the latest Frederick Douglass bio.

I have planned to read a book on each president in chronological order. I've read quite a few already on many presidents but want to take time to read about each in order and if I can find anything on their wives and VPs, will add that to the bunch. Graduate school reading has kept me from getting a good start. I have Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow on my desk and have started it.

The series of Presidential bios published by Times Pubs. might offer some a quicker excursion through Presidential history-they are good, informative, respected and brief. The James A. Garfield by Dr. Ira Rutkow is superb and appropriate as the poor man spent most of his brief term in agony from a gunshot. These books are cited by biographers in bibliographies of larger works. For myself I devour anything about the Roosevelts and Kennedys, and the frustratingly fascinating Nixon.

For those who enjoy podcasts, the Washington Post did one a few years back called Presidential, and each episode was the story of each president sequentially. I really enjoyed it! It's actually what inspired me to read a biography of each president.

Kmkoppy wrote: "I'm also reading the biographies in chronological order - now reading Rutherford B Hayes by Ari Hoogenboom. I've slowed down this summer and this book is a long one. I've been reading other books..."It will get worse. From post-Lincoln until Teddy it's a total snore. I don't recommend reading them in order. I recommend reading them in order of your interests. I've read 26 so far, great fun, and leaving the order up to me has allowed me to read topical books. For instance, President Trump's favorite president is Andrew Jackson, a perfect reason to read a bio about him, to find out—perhaps—why. But to each their own.

Eric wrote: "It will get worse. From post-Lincoln until Teddy it's a total snore."

I found that to be somewhat true, but with some surprises along the way, and maybe not as bad as the Jackson-to-Lincoln void. I read something else (another genre) between each one to break up any dullness.

How nice to meet all of you! I have loved reading biographies my entire reading life. I formally started my presidential biography project just a couple of years ago. I especially love meaty, scholarly books that cover the president's whole life but are not too dry -- Chernow, McCullough, etc. I want to know what the *person* was like, not merely what he achieved in public life. I am mostly reading them in order, and am ready to begin something on Monroe. I read plenty of other books in between my presidential bios -- I think to give my brain a rest! Thanks to everyone for their suggestions and insights.

The Harry Ammon bio of James Monroe must be going on 45 years old now. Gary Hart did a bio of Monroe in the Presidential series published by Times Pub. That may be the most recent.

Hello everyone! I’m new here so wanted to post something. I have always loved biographies but never even thought about reading one on each US president until recently. I started reading The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris (which has been a great book so far) and that’s where the idea hit me. So my plan is to go back to the beginning; start with Washington and read through each president chronologically.

I started with A Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. I then decided to read a biography of each President. I backed up to Washington & have read through Polk and yet still managed to skip around reading Grant and McKinley. So, on I read....

There is no wrong way to do it, I'd say! While doing it in order, I kind of felt yesterday like I've come full circle a little bit: One my favorite dudes who was president is #6 John Quincy Adams, and now I'm reading Eisenhower in War and Peace, and I read that Ike's son attended JQA [elementary] School in Washington DC. I didn't know there was such a thing! Obviously things were being named for Washington the moment he died, but I haven't heard the name John Q much since reading his bio.

Grant and JQA are probably my favs! I was really surprised at JQA though.

Yes! I was surprised by some of the presidents I really liked. JQA, Grant. Truman. (Pretty much anybody David McCullough writes about must be a new potential star in my eyes.) So many great characters to learn about...

Hello, everyone!☺

Hello, back!

I met JQA’s direct descendent on JQA’s birthday in the church where the Adams are entombed (near Peacefield). Obama sent a wreath to be laid on his tomb by a group of Marines. I shook Mr. Adams’s hand and told him that his ancestors were far better stewards of our democracy than Jefferson and Maddison. Having read about them through many biographies, I am still confident of this opinion.