As Presidents’ Day approaches, it’s a great moment to look beyond the familiar portraits and slogans and explore the presidency in all its complexity.
The books below—available at the Livingston Public Library—reveal presidents as leaders shaped by ambition, crisis, war, scandal, love, power, and life after the White House. From intimate personal letters and behind-the-scenes decision-making to sharp reassessments of legacies and the burdens of leadership, these titles offer fresh, sometimes surprising perspectives on the men who have held America’s highest office and the evolving power of the presidency itself.
Are You Prepared for the Storm of Love Making? Letters of Love and Lust From the White House by Dorothy Hoobler
Our presidents loom so large in history that we often forget they are human. Here is a collection of handwritten love letters that offers a surprising and intimate portrait of the men who occupied the White House. From George Washington to Barack Obama, these are not the presidents we see in history books. Instead, when they courted the women they wanted to marry, or seduced women outside of their marriage, they often showed a side the public did not see—playful, passionate, tender, consumed by desire. Some of the letters are incredibly romantic—and surprisingly so.
Ascent to Power : How Truman Emerged from Roosevelt’s Shadow and Remade the World by David L. Roll
The fascinating story behind the most consequential presidential transition in US history, from Franklin Roosevelt to Harry Truman, and the legacy Truman struggled to overcome to lead America into a new, post-war world.
Becoming Eisenhower : How Ike Rose from Obscurity to Supreme Allied Commander by Michael Lee Lanning
This book tells the story of a young man who pursued the army for its free education but found his calling as an officer, the story of an officer who was initially overlooked but motivated by frustration to make himself the army’s indispensable man, the story of how General Eisenhower carried these experiences to Supreme Command and the presidency.
The Call to Serve : The Life of President George Herbert Walker Bush by Jon Meacham
An intimate, illuminating portrait of the 41st U. S. President, a man many know mainly through his politics. Meacham brings the leader vividly to life, including as a man dedicated to political and moral leadership, and to a life marked by the strong values of integrity and respect for others that Bush learned during his childhood. Bush pursued a life of service to America and to others, including through action in the Pacific during World War II, his political rise to Congressman in Texas, then his serving as U. S. Ambassador to the UN, director of the CIA, Vice President during the administration of Ronald Reagan, and as President. Set against the historical background of periods in America during the 20th and 21st century, this book celebrates the legacy of a man many people do not know, whose bedrock beliefs in honesty and respect for the dignity of others led to a life of leadership viewed as a call to serve.
Citizen: My Life After the White House by Bill Clinton
A powerful, candid, and richly detailed memoir from an American icon, revealing what life looks like after the presidency: triumphs,tribulations, and all.
Combing Through the White House : Hair and its Shocking Impact on the Politics, Private Lives, and Legacies of the Presidents by Theodore Pappas
Discover a fascinating and novel look at the U.S. presidents, the first families, and American history – all through the lens of hair. With meticulous detail, engaging storytelling, and full-color visuals, Pappas combs through American history, teasing out long-forgotten and little-known ways that hair has influenced the presidency and the public and private lives, personal scandals, and tragedies of the men and women who have occupied the White House.
Confronting the Presidents: No Spin Assessments From Washington to Biden by Bill O’Reilly
Every American president, from Washington to Biden: Their lives, policies, foibles, and legacies, assessed with clear-eyed authority and wit, with no-spin commentary on their achievements—or lack thereof. Who best served America, and who undermined the founding ideals? Who were the first ladies, and what were their surprising roles in making history? Which presidents were the best, which the worst, and which didn’t have much impact? How do decisions made in one era, under the pressure of particular circumstances, still resonate today? And what do presidents like to eat, drink, and do when they aren’t working—or even sometimes when they are?
Debunking FDR : The Man and the Myths by Mary Grabar
Grabar exposes the suppressed and distorted facts about FDR’s life and the legends about him (many invented by FDR himself!) promoted by generations of historians. Born into immense wealth and insulated from the struggles of everyday Americans, FDR’s young life was one of vast privilege and mediocre talents. Grabar chronicles FDR’s path to the presidency: his second-rate studies at Harvard, his indifference to law school and the legal profession, and his steady, insouciant rise through the government ranks. You will not think of FDR the same way again.
George Washington and the Creation of the American Republic by William M. Fowler
The book argues that Washington’s greatest contribution was not just military victory, but his role in establishing a stable republican government. McDonald highlights Washington’s commitment to constitutionalism, civilian control of the military, national unity, and a strong but limited federal government. As president, Washington set crucial precedents—respect for the Constitution, peaceful transfer of power, and balancing authority with restraint—that helped legitimize the new republic.
The Highest Calling: Conversations on the American Presidency by David M. Rubenstein
Blending history and anecdote, Rubenstein chronicles the journeys of the presidents who have defined America as it exists now, what they envision for its future, and their legacy on the world stage. Through insightful analysis, he captures our country’s most prominent leaders, the political genius and frays of the presidential role, and the wisdom that emerges from it.
How the Best Did it : Leadership Lessons from our Top Presidents by Talmage Boston
An accessible and insightful explanation of how the most important leadership traits from America’s eight greatest presidents can be implemented by today’s leaders.
In the Arena : Theodore Roosevelt in War, Peace, and Revolution by David S. Brown
Theodore Roosevelt was one of America’s most fascinating presidents, a complex man both publicly and privately. In this sweeping biography, historian Brown takes us on an electrifying journey through Roosevelt’s life-from his privileged New York upbringing to his transformative presidency that reshaped America’s role on the global stage.
JFK: Public, Private, Secret by J. Randy Taraborelli
In this deeply researched presidential biography, Taraborrelli tells John F. Kennedy’s story in a provocative new way by revealing how public moments in his life were so influenced by private relationships with not only his family, but also Jackie’s. But it’s the secret life that also surprises. As Congressman, Senator and finally President, JFK was a magnet for women. With exclusive interviews and meticulous research, Taraborrelli reveals not only the man’s many affairs but also the strength and resolve his wife showed in coping with them.
Life After Power: Seven Presidents and Their Search for Purpose Beyond the White House by Jared Cohen
Cohen explores the untold stories of seven former presidents, in the final chapters of their lives, offering a gripping and illuminating account of how they went from President of the United States one day, to ordinary citizens the next. He tells how they handled very human problems of ego, finances, and questions about their legacy and mortality. He shows how these men made history after they left the White House.
The Power and the Money : The Epic Clashes Between Commanders In Chief and Titans of Industry by Tevi Troy
Troy takes readers on a riveting journey through the biggest battles between CEOs and the nation’s commander in chief. He shows how the vast reach of the federal government has become a critical fact of life for every business, entrepreneur, and innovator and how some of the nation’s most important CEOs forged (and fumbled) relationships with the president. Troy also shows how the most powerful man in the world depends on CEOs. CEOs provide assistance in the form of personnel, policy insights, and campaign cash, but they also become essential foils for presidents, serving as both allies and convenient enemies.
The Presidents and the People : Five Leaders who Threatened Democracy and the Citizens who Fought to Defend It by Corey Lang Brettschneider
This meticulously researched account of assaults on democracy by five presidents who imprisoned critics, spread a culture of white supremacy and committed crimes with impunity shows how citizens like Frederick Douglass, Ida B. Wells and Daniel Ellsberg fought back against presidential abuses of power.
Presidents at War : How World War II Shaped a Generation of Presidents, From Eisenhower and JFK Through Reagan and Bush by Steven M. Gillon
World War II loomed over the twentieth century, transforming every level of American society and international relationships and searing itself onto the psyche of an entire generation, including that of seven American presidents: John F. Kennedy, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush. The lessons of World War II, more than party affiliation or ideology, defined the presidencies of these seven men. They returned home determined to confront any force that threatened to undermine the war’s hard-won ideals, each with their own unique understanding of patriotism, sacrifice, and America’s role in global politics. In Presidents at War, Gillon examines what these men took away from the war and how they then applied it to Cold War policies that proceeded to change America, and the world, forever.
Reagan: His life and Legend by Max Boot
Boot, the distinguished political columnist, illuminates the untold story of Ronald Reagan, revealing the man behind the mythology. Drawing on interviews with over one hundred of the fortieth president’s aides, friends, and family members, as well as thousands of newly available documents.
The Situation Room: The Inside Story of Presidents in Crisis by George Stephenopoulos
Stephanopoulos, the legendary political news host and former advisor to President Clinton, recounts the history-making crises from the place where twelve presidents made their highest-pressure decisions: the White House Situation Room. No room better defines American power and its role in the world than the White House Situation Room. And yet, none is more shrouded in secrecy and mystery. Created under President Kennedy, the Sit Room has been the epicenter of crisis management for presidents for more than six decades. Time and again, the decisions made within the Sit Room complex affect the lives of every person on this planet. Detailing close calls made and disasters narrowly averted, this book takes readers through dramatic turning points in a dozen presidential administrations.
To Rescue the American Spirit: Teddy Roosevelt and the Birth of a Superpower by Bret Baier
Theodore Roosevelt was a one-of-a-kind president whose adventurous life and bold ideals shaped his leadership. From embracing the rugged West and fighting political corruption to leading the Rough Riders in war, Roosevelt gained national fame through courage and action. As president, he brought energy and ambition to the office, advancing reforms and establishing the United States as a global power. Bret Baier’s book portrays a passionate, daring leader who transformed the presidency and left a lasting mark on the nation.
Wiseguys and the White House : Gangsters, Presidents, and the Deals They Made by Eric Dezenhall
This book explores the influence of the mob on presidential power throughout American history. It examines instances where connections between gangsters and presidents have shaped political outcomes and decisions. From Franklin Delano Roosevelt to Richard Nixon to Joe Biden, the mob has been involved in various activities such as assisting with political campaigns, carrying out covert operations, and influencing presidential actions. The book delves into the relationships between mobsters and political leaders, drawing on newly released government records and firsthand accounts to provide a detailed look at these often-hidden connections.
—Archana Chiplunkar, Adult Services & Acquisitions Librarian