43 Presidents, 43 Books

October 1, 2007 11:42 AM

What are the best and most readable biographies of each American president?

I have decided to embark on a (probably foolish) campaign to read a biography of each and every American president. I ask you hivemind, what are the best biographies for each one? I'm not a historian, so what I'm really looking for is the most accessible readable and informative book on these fellows.

For instance, I have read and enjoyed The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt and Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris and Truman by David McCullough. More suggestions in this vein would be greatly appreciated.

posted by fancypants to media & arts (11 comments total)

Previously.
posted by matkline at 11:51 AM on October 1, 2007

Oh dang it. I searched and everything. Oh well... if there have been any awesome NEW biographies published in the last year or so, I'd be happy to add them to the list.
posted by fancypants at 11:53 AM on October 1, 2007

I just finished William Gienapp's Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America: A Biography, and quite liked it. Didn't see it recommended in the other thread.
posted by AwkwardPause at 12:33 PM on October 1, 2007

No specific recommendations, but in reference to your thread title, you'd only need 42 books, since Grover Cleveland gets counted twice (22nd and 24th) in the listing of presidents due to serving non-consecutive terms.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 12:43 PM on October 1, 2007

Seconding the check out the earlier thread, but don't feel like its a foolish endeavor. I had a coworker who did the exact same thing and I thought it highly commendable. Someday I hope to do the same.
posted by Atreides at 1:02 PM on October 1, 2007

I highly recommend Robert Caro's three volumes on Lyndon Johnson. He hasn't actually covered LBJ's presidential years yet (that's a forthcoming volume), but what's available so far is outstanding.
posted by ewiar at 2:07 PM on October 1, 2007

an unfinished life: john f. kennedy, 1917-1963 by robert dallek is widely considered among the best jfk biographies. dallek also wrote about richard nixon and lyndon b johnson.
posted by brooklynexperiment at 2:21 PM on October 1, 2007

I didn't see Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin on the previous list.
posted by Nelsormensch at 3:21 PM on October 1, 2007

I've also heard good things about Dallek's To Lead a Nation: The Presidency in the Twentieth Century, which is an audio series on cd.
posted by The Straightener at 7:21 PM on October 1, 2007

Richard Reeves' President Kennedy: Profile of Power and President Nixon: Alone in the White House are considered classics; I can personally recommend both, especially the Nixon one. (He also has a newer Reagan biography, which I haven't read.)
posted by raf at 4:49 AM on October 2, 2007

This gentlemen did a similar project. His list is near the bottom of the entry, with the smallest reviews ever.
posted by garlic at 8:29 AM on October 2, 2007