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They don't have to be American presidents or political figures. British or European monarchs and politicians are fine. I just want something so detailed that it makes me feel like I knew the subject.
Mary Queen of Scots by Antonia Fraser had amazing research but packed an emotional wallop at the end. I was in floods of tears and depressed for days!
The only other book that deeply affected me was Testament of Youth, an autobiography (up until her marriage) of British pacifist author Vera Brittain about the personal toll of WWI on her life. PBS made a highly acclaimed series based on it which I watched over and over.
I am currently interested in bios of Andrew Jackson and Ronald Reagan. Which would be universally acclaimed as the best?
They don't have to be American presidents or political figures. British or European monarchs and politicians are fine. I just want something so detailed that it makes me feel like I knew the subject.
Mary Queen of Scots by Antonia Fraser had amazing research but packed an emotional wallop at the end. I was in floods of tears and depressed for days!
The only other book that deeply affected me was Testament of Youth, an autobiography (up until her marriage) of British pacifist author Vera Brittain about the personal toll of WWI on her life. PBS made a highly acclaimed series based on it which I watched over and over.
I am currently interested in bios of Andrew Jackson and Ronald Reagan. Which would be universally acclaimed as the best?
Grant
By Ron Chernow
Just finished it recently. It's enormous but excellent.
Just finished it recently. It's enormous but excellent.
I read a biography of Grant by Jean Edward Smith that was very good. Also "Lincoln" by David Herbert Donald is a must read for anyone interested in American history.
Has anybody read Robert Caro's biography of LBJ? I read Caro's "The Power Broker" a biography of New York City's infamous public works czar Robert Moses and that was pretty interesting. Caro is a good writer. But four long volumes on LBJ might get tiring.
You might have better luck posting in the Books forum.
I never heard of those forums. I spend far too much time here.
The problem with a lot of book threads, at least elsewhere, is they tend to recommend crappy popular fiction and romance novels. Ever since I got my degree in Literature, I only read nonfiction. Too much information, too little time.
But keep the suggestions coming. We are a more specialized bunch of readers, so others would like to know.
Did some research and The Life of Andrew Jackson by Robert Remini seemed to be the best book. He originally wrote three volumes for scholars but was convinced to condense it to one for the public. About 400 pages. So much more interesting than I expected, even the description of battles which I thought would bore me. Got it from the library. I would like to go to TN and the southeast to see some of the places that shaped early Americans.
I can see why he was and still is controversial. A complex man with definite ideals that often had dire consequences. Full of contradictions, good and bad. Easy to see how certain groups with an agenda could cherry pick events to suit their agenda but it's not that simple, folks. I know that everything is black and white for the Leftists -- literally -- Jackson had many shades of gray. People who want to rewrite history can't accept that it was a different time with different culture and beliefs.
I never heard of those forums. I spend far too much time here.
The problem with a lot of book threads, at least elsewhere, is they tend to recommend crappy popular fiction and romance novels. Ever since I got my degree in Literature, I only read nonfiction. Too much information, too little time.
But keep the suggestions coming. We are a more specialized bunch of readers, so others would like to know.
I disagree with the whiners; this is an excellent thread. but could not rep you.
I can highly recommend Hamilton by Ron Chernow. It is not only beautifully written, but has lessons to teach on the influence of Hamilton. There's an argument to be made that Hamilton was America's first big government liberal. He gave us our first 'sin tax' (a tax on whiskey).
Another good one is Jean Edward Smith's book on Ike. I read both that and the book by Stephen Ambrose, and found the Smith book to be much better.
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Recommend best political biographies
