Potus Geeks 2020 Review: The Year in Books
One would think that 2020 would have offered an abundance of time for reading and yet for some reason, there weren't as many books reviewed in this community in the past 12 months as in other years. Personally I found myself reading a lot of books on subjects unrelated to this community and therefore fewer reviews were posted here. Still there were a number of wonderful literary works on Presidents and their Presidencies that came out in 2020 and that were reviewed. Here is a profile of 10 of those, as well as an honorary mention list of some of those that are still on the "to read" pile.
1. James Monroe: A Life by Tim McGrath (reviewed here in this community): Monroe is one of my favorite presidents, and yet he is perhaps the most overlooked of the revolutionary war era presidents, especially for someone who had such a life of accomplishment and service. In 586 pages, McGrath is thorough both in his accounts of the events of Monroe's life and times, and in his careful examination of his subject. Those aspects of this biography that make Monroe look like a remarkable leader originate from Monroe's own actions and his character. There are no elements of sycophancy, hero worship or embellishment in McGrath's retelling of Monroe's story. The author does not shy away from the more complex aspects of his subject's life, and he is also not shy about about describing those times when he believes that Monroe was either indecisive or just plain wrong. The author's integrity and intellectual honesty, as well as his thoroughness that make this such an outstanding biography and my personal choice for best book on Presidential history in 2020.
2. Dewey Defeats Truman: The 1948 Election and The Battle for American's Soul by A. J. Baime (reviewed here in this community): The story of the 1948 Presidential election and Harry Truman's unprecedented and unexpected victory is one that has been told many times by many able historians (including David Pietrusza, Zachary Karabell and many others). Trumanologist A.J. Baime provides an intelligent and insightful play-by-play of the election, including the lead up to the campaigns, the conventions, the thrilling whistle stop campaigning, the strategies and speeches of all four candidates, and the tense last-minutes of the race. Of special interest is the contrast between the well-funded Republican campaign machine, and the jerry-rigged Democratic campaign, whose war chest was always running on fumes, and whose candidate seemed to compose his popular speeches on the fly as his train sped from town to town. The author provides an especially good analysis of why the result stunned and shocked so many, including how and why a forgotten bureaucracy known as the Commodity Credit Corporation played an important role in the outcome of the election. Dewey would later say, "The short answer on the election was that the farmers switched, and that's that". Of course there's much more to it than that, and Baime touches all the bases in telling the remarkable story of this election, doing so in just over 350 pages.
3. The next few books on this list come from the University of Kansas Press's wonderful American election series. This was an election year after all, and a nice break from politics was a study of history. The best of the bunch in my opinion was The Last Lincoln Republican: The Presidential Election of 1880 by Benjamin T. Arrington (reviewed here in this community.) Arrington is the manager of the James A. Garfield National Historic Site in Mentor, Ohio. His admiration for the site's honoree is apparent, and while this occasionally raises questions about the objectivity of one or two of the conclusions reached in the book, overall this is a superb academic analysis of one of the most fascinating presidential elections, one which took place at a pivotal time in US history. The author skillfully and efficiently considers on all of important issues and facets of the contest, doing so in a concise 186 pages. Arrington describes the challenges faced by the candidates in attempting to hold together the various factions within their respective parties, their actions in an era when presidential candidates were expected to be neither seen nor heard during the campaign, and the issues that shaped the outcome of what would result in the closest election in popular vote in history to date.
4. Another fascinating election is the 1840 campaign, where the slogan "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too" originated. The story of that campaign is told in Richard Ellis's volume on that election entitled Old Tip vs. The Sly Fox: The 1840 Election and the Making of a Partisan Nation (reviewed here in this community.) The 1840 presidential election is remembered as the "carnival campaign", a contest in which the Whig Party revolutionized how races for the presidency were run, with colorful slogans, giant rolling balls and log cabins, and lots of hard cider. It was the beginning of the era of "spin." Not so fast, says author Richard J. Ellis. In a meticulously researched analysis of this epic battle for the White House, Ellis dispels many of these myths and misconceptions, and carefully makes the case that it wasn't the songs and that hoopla that decided the 1840 election. In 1840, much as was the case in 1992, it was, to quote James Carville's famous phrase, "the economy, stupid." If you enjoy post-election analysis, you will especially appreciate the author's careful post-mortem analysis of the results of this campaign.
5. Next on the election analysis parade is The Election of the Evangelical: Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford and the Presidential Contest of 1976 by Daniel K. Williams (reviewed here in this community.) Williams does an outstanding job of describing the historical and political setting in which this election took place, the post-Watergate era, when Richard Nixon had resigned in disgrace, and Gerald Ford appeared to be an honest breath of fresh air in a stale White House, for a few months at least, until Ford's controversial pardon of his predecessor seemed to cost him whatever goodwill he might have had. After that the Republicans were soundly thrashed in the 1974 mid-term elections and Ford trailed badly in the polls (by as much as 40% according to some surveys). Williams adeptly explains why the presidential election that should have been a cakewalk for the Democrats turned out to be anything but, with the candidates scored almost even in election day polls. Williams gives a very thorough and intelligent description of these contest and of the strategies of all of the campaigns as well as their stumbles and gaffes. He provides an excellent description of the nominating process, the general election campaign, and the various voting demographics that the candidates courted, successfully or otherwise. He also examines the historical significance and impact of this election, and how its events shaped the state of modern politics.
6. Finally, the U of Kansas Press decided to combine two elections into one book, namely Bill Clinton's two victories in 1992 and 1996. The book is entitled Clinton's Election: 1992, 1996 and the Birth of a New Era of Governance by Michael Nelson (reviewed here in this community. Each of these elections deserve their own volume, especially 1992, so that was a bit of a disappointment. The book is all about transition. It describes how the Democratic Party went from running a series of weak left-leaning candidates (Carter, Mondale and Dukakis) trounced in the three consistent elections, and how it changed lanes to choose a centrist southern Governor who was able to separate himself from the herd of "more of the same" opponents and grab the middle of the political road. That candidate was able to secure an unlikely victory by abandoning traditional Democratic Party positions (on such things as welfare reform, capital punishment and gun control), taking many issues away from conservative Republicans in order to win two successive elections. It is about Clinton's personal transition as a political Lazarus, going from someone known only as a political Lothario to becoming the self-proclaimed "Comeback Kid". A major theme running throughout the book (dissected in detail in the book's final chapter) is the transition in presidential politics, the "birth of a new era of government" referred to in the book's title. Nelson considers the various combinations and permutation when the same or different political parties control the White House and Congress, and how this has led to a transition from a climate of political compromise and horse-trading to one of intense polarization, politics as we know it today.
7. The next two books on this list are each about aspects of the life of George Washington, one just prior to his presidency and one after. The first, entitled A Crisis of Peace: George Washington, the Newburgh Conspiracy and the Fate of the American Revolution (reviewed here in this community) by David Head, tells the story of a crisis often overlooked by historians, the Newburgh Conspiracy, and how the future of the nation was threatened with the potential loss of the crucial element of civilian control of the army. The book details how a second American revolution almost occurred, this one by soldiers against their government. The author describes how the steady leadership of the army's Commander-in-Chief, General George Washington, averted a crisis in what was perhaps the greatest post-war challenge confronting the new nation. In 1782 Congress had promised Continental officers a lifetime pension of half their pay when they were discharged. In Philadelphia, where Congress met, financier Robert Morris had stopped army pay in 1782 as a cost-saving measure, promising that when the war finally ended the arrears would be made up. Professor Head tells the story of how this issue was a prominent topic of debate in Congress and in the army camp at Newburgh, and how numerous memos and petitions from soldiers had failed to bring about any significant action to address soldiers' needs. This book is superbly researched. The author carefully delves into the correspondence of the major actors in the drama. The letters and motives of leading members of Congress are also scrutinized. Their frustrations and machinations in dealing with those states refusing to approve efforts to reward the soldiers and to finance the cost of the war by tariffs and taxation are palpable to the reader from the author's thoughtful descriptions. Professor Head succeeds in bringing to life the story of a little-known but important piece of American history, at a time when the union of the newly independent nation was fragile. He educates the reader about the important contribution of those who held it together at this pivotal time in its history.
8. Washington's End: The Final Years and Forgotten Struggle by Jonathan Horn (reviewed here in this community) tells the story of the post-presidential life of George Washington. After a life of service as commander of the Revolutionary armed forces, and two terms as president, George Washington was only able to enjoy a few years at his beloved home of Mount Vernon in Virginia. As Horn points out, when one is as iconic and legendary as George Washington was, retirement was easier said than done. Although the revolution had been over for more than a decade, the times were still precarious. As much as we may think that politics are polarized today, things weren't all that different in the years following Washington's exit from the presidency. Political divisions continued between the Federalists led by Alexander Hamilton and the Republicans (also known in what now seems like schizophrenic terminology as Democrats) led by Thomas Jefferson. John Adams, though technically and ideologically a Federalist, faced disloyalty from his cabinet, and was despised by his both fellow Federalist Hamilton and his former friend Jefferson, as he tried to steer a middle course between those who wanted an alliance with France and those who wanted war with their former ally. This is a well researched and well written account of an overlooked period in the life of Washington, followed by an account of how the city that bore his name developed after his passing. Horn has a good style of writing, with vivid descriptions of events, giving the reader a strong sense of the mood of the times and the personalities of the players. He does so thoroughly, but without unnecessary verbiage, managing to give a complete picture of Washington's final years in just 225 pages. Even the hard to please first president would approve of what Horn has accomplished in this work. Tis well.
9. This isn't exactly on point as presidential literature, but Good Economics for Hard Times (reviewed here in this community) by the Nobel prize winning husband and wife team of Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo deserves a place on this list for its analysis of some of the most important economic policies of recent presidencies such as free trade, globalization, tariffs and protectionism, and tax breaks for the wealthy. The authors tackle such perplexing issues as the economic impacts of immigration and refugee migration, trade wars, the widening income gap, the pros and cons of universal basic income, how the increasing presence of artificial intelligence will affect the job prospects of present and future generations, what to make of slowing rates of growth in developed nations and even the economics of climate change. It is apparent that the authors have researched these topics extensively as this book cites studies and projects from around the globe, providing examples of early indicators of successes in other nations, as well as looking at some historical failures. The book does not offer a panacea for the economic challenges which now present themselves. But if elections ever become about policy and not personalities, this is a great source for intelligent discussion of how to face the economic future with compassionate and empathy.
10. Years after breaking the news about the Watergate scandal, veteran reporter Bob Woodward is still using in influence to get up close and personal interviews with sitting presidents, begging the question of why on earth they talk to him, when his pen is so devastating? In Rage (reviewed here in this community, President Donald Trump agreed to a series of 17 interviews with Woodward, who has written about every President since Richard Nixon, in preparation for this book. The interviews were cordial, and in them the President is sometimes rambling, sometimes blunt. When the President learns that the book is due to be available in the fall, just as the election campaign is in full swing, he tells Woodward that he suspects that the book will be an attempt to smear him and that Woodward is just another cog in the left-wing media machine that is out to get him, adding that if Woodward is fair, the book will be a success, but otherwise it will be a dismal failure. Woodward promises to let the facts speak for themselves and for the most part he does so, save for an epilogue in which the veteran newsman tells the reader what he really thinks about the president. Woodward concludes that the 2020 election will be a referendum on how President Trump has handled the Covid-19 pandemic. Readers of this book will debate whether or not Woodward has crossed the line from reporting "just the facts" to taking a side and make their own assessment, but it is a remarkable chronicling of current events for historic preservation.
I'm currently in the middle of reading President Without a Party: The Life of John Tyler by Christopher J. Leahy and a review will be forthcoming. Other works on my to-read pile include:
1. The Zealot and the Emancipator: John Brown, Abraham Lincoln, and the Struggle for American Freedom by H. W. Brands. Brands is such a terrific author and his telling of the story of the parallel lives of Abraham Lincoln and John Brown should be fascinating.
2. Imperfect Union: How Jesse and John Frémont Mapped the West, Invented Celebrity and Helped Cause the Civil War by Steve Inskeep. Inskeep's earlier work Jacksonland was a masterpiece, so this should be equally outstanding.
3. Reaganland: America's Right Turn 1976-1980 by Rick Perlstein: Perlstein has such a wonderfully readable style, even if he is a little too liberal in his word usage (among other things some might say.) This will be a great follow up to his earlier books Nixonland and The Invisible Bridge.
4. Lincoln on the Verge: Thirteen Days to Washington by Ted Widmer: Widmer, an outstanding historian, tells the story of President-elect Abraham Lincoln's dangerous journey from his home in Springfield, Illinois, to the White House at a tense time in American history.
5. First in Line: Presidents, Vice-Presidents and the Pursuit of Power by Kate Anderson Brower: a look at the modern era Vice Presidents from Richard Nixon to Mike Pence.
6. A Promised Land by Barack Obama: Barack Obama's latest autobiography is 770 pages, and that's just volume one. I'll get to this, but perhaps not right away.
Finally, there is one more book that I would love to recommend. I haven't read it yet, but my copy is on order and I will read it because its author never disappoints in writing exceptional works about presidential history, or in anything else he writes. Too Long Ago: A Childhood Memory, A Vanished World is the story of author David Pietrusza's boyhood in Amsterdam, New York. This will rise to the top of the "to read" pile on its arrival.
I hope you had an enjoyable year of reading in 2020. So many great books, so little time. Here's to another year of great reading for
potus_geeks in 2021.
1. James Monroe: A Life by Tim McGrath (reviewed here in this community): Monroe is one of my favorite presidents, and yet he is perhaps the most overlooked of the revolutionary war era presidents, especially for someone who had such a life of accomplishment and service. In 586 pages, McGrath is thorough both in his accounts of the events of Monroe's life and times, and in his careful examination of his subject. Those aspects of this biography that make Monroe look like a remarkable leader originate from Monroe's own actions and his character. There are no elements of sycophancy, hero worship or embellishment in McGrath's retelling of Monroe's story. The author does not shy away from the more complex aspects of his subject's life, and he is also not shy about about describing those times when he believes that Monroe was either indecisive or just plain wrong. The author's integrity and intellectual honesty, as well as his thoroughness that make this such an outstanding biography and my personal choice for best book on Presidential history in 2020.
2. Dewey Defeats Truman: The 1948 Election and The Battle for American's Soul by A. J. Baime (reviewed here in this community): The story of the 1948 Presidential election and Harry Truman's unprecedented and unexpected victory is one that has been told many times by many able historians (including David Pietrusza, Zachary Karabell and many others). Trumanologist A.J. Baime provides an intelligent and insightful play-by-play of the election, including the lead up to the campaigns, the conventions, the thrilling whistle stop campaigning, the strategies and speeches of all four candidates, and the tense last-minutes of the race. Of special interest is the contrast between the well-funded Republican campaign machine, and the jerry-rigged Democratic campaign, whose war chest was always running on fumes, and whose candidate seemed to compose his popular speeches on the fly as his train sped from town to town. The author provides an especially good analysis of why the result stunned and shocked so many, including how and why a forgotten bureaucracy known as the Commodity Credit Corporation played an important role in the outcome of the election. Dewey would later say, "The short answer on the election was that the farmers switched, and that's that". Of course there's much more to it than that, and Baime touches all the bases in telling the remarkable story of this election, doing so in just over 350 pages.
3. The next few books on this list come from the University of Kansas Press's wonderful American election series. This was an election year after all, and a nice break from politics was a study of history. The best of the bunch in my opinion was The Last Lincoln Republican: The Presidential Election of 1880 by Benjamin T. Arrington (reviewed here in this community.) Arrington is the manager of the James A. Garfield National Historic Site in Mentor, Ohio. His admiration for the site's honoree is apparent, and while this occasionally raises questions about the objectivity of one or two of the conclusions reached in the book, overall this is a superb academic analysis of one of the most fascinating presidential elections, one which took place at a pivotal time in US history. The author skillfully and efficiently considers on all of important issues and facets of the contest, doing so in a concise 186 pages. Arrington describes the challenges faced by the candidates in attempting to hold together the various factions within their respective parties, their actions in an era when presidential candidates were expected to be neither seen nor heard during the campaign, and the issues that shaped the outcome of what would result in the closest election in popular vote in history to date.
4. Another fascinating election is the 1840 campaign, where the slogan "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too" originated. The story of that campaign is told in Richard Ellis's volume on that election entitled Old Tip vs. The Sly Fox: The 1840 Election and the Making of a Partisan Nation (reviewed here in this community.) The 1840 presidential election is remembered as the "carnival campaign", a contest in which the Whig Party revolutionized how races for the presidency were run, with colorful slogans, giant rolling balls and log cabins, and lots of hard cider. It was the beginning of the era of "spin." Not so fast, says author Richard J. Ellis. In a meticulously researched analysis of this epic battle for the White House, Ellis dispels many of these myths and misconceptions, and carefully makes the case that it wasn't the songs and that hoopla that decided the 1840 election. In 1840, much as was the case in 1992, it was, to quote James Carville's famous phrase, "the economy, stupid." If you enjoy post-election analysis, you will especially appreciate the author's careful post-mortem analysis of the results of this campaign.
5. Next on the election analysis parade is The Election of the Evangelical: Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford and the Presidential Contest of 1976 by Daniel K. Williams (reviewed here in this community.) Williams does an outstanding job of describing the historical and political setting in which this election took place, the post-Watergate era, when Richard Nixon had resigned in disgrace, and Gerald Ford appeared to be an honest breath of fresh air in a stale White House, for a few months at least, until Ford's controversial pardon of his predecessor seemed to cost him whatever goodwill he might have had. After that the Republicans were soundly thrashed in the 1974 mid-term elections and Ford trailed badly in the polls (by as much as 40% according to some surveys). Williams adeptly explains why the presidential election that should have been a cakewalk for the Democrats turned out to be anything but, with the candidates scored almost even in election day polls. Williams gives a very thorough and intelligent description of these contest and of the strategies of all of the campaigns as well as their stumbles and gaffes. He provides an excellent description of the nominating process, the general election campaign, and the various voting demographics that the candidates courted, successfully or otherwise. He also examines the historical significance and impact of this election, and how its events shaped the state of modern politics.
6. Finally, the U of Kansas Press decided to combine two elections into one book, namely Bill Clinton's two victories in 1992 and 1996. The book is entitled Clinton's Election: 1992, 1996 and the Birth of a New Era of Governance by Michael Nelson (reviewed here in this community. Each of these elections deserve their own volume, especially 1992, so that was a bit of a disappointment. The book is all about transition. It describes how the Democratic Party went from running a series of weak left-leaning candidates (Carter, Mondale and Dukakis) trounced in the three consistent elections, and how it changed lanes to choose a centrist southern Governor who was able to separate himself from the herd of "more of the same" opponents and grab the middle of the political road. That candidate was able to secure an unlikely victory by abandoning traditional Democratic Party positions (on such things as welfare reform, capital punishment and gun control), taking many issues away from conservative Republicans in order to win two successive elections. It is about Clinton's personal transition as a political Lazarus, going from someone known only as a political Lothario to becoming the self-proclaimed "Comeback Kid". A major theme running throughout the book (dissected in detail in the book's final chapter) is the transition in presidential politics, the "birth of a new era of government" referred to in the book's title. Nelson considers the various combinations and permutation when the same or different political parties control the White House and Congress, and how this has led to a transition from a climate of political compromise and horse-trading to one of intense polarization, politics as we know it today.
7. The next two books on this list are each about aspects of the life of George Washington, one just prior to his presidency and one after. The first, entitled A Crisis of Peace: George Washington, the Newburgh Conspiracy and the Fate of the American Revolution (reviewed here in this community) by David Head, tells the story of a crisis often overlooked by historians, the Newburgh Conspiracy, and how the future of the nation was threatened with the potential loss of the crucial element of civilian control of the army. The book details how a second American revolution almost occurred, this one by soldiers against their government. The author describes how the steady leadership of the army's Commander-in-Chief, General George Washington, averted a crisis in what was perhaps the greatest post-war challenge confronting the new nation. In 1782 Congress had promised Continental officers a lifetime pension of half their pay when they were discharged. In Philadelphia, where Congress met, financier Robert Morris had stopped army pay in 1782 as a cost-saving measure, promising that when the war finally ended the arrears would be made up. Professor Head tells the story of how this issue was a prominent topic of debate in Congress and in the army camp at Newburgh, and how numerous memos and petitions from soldiers had failed to bring about any significant action to address soldiers' needs. This book is superbly researched. The author carefully delves into the correspondence of the major actors in the drama. The letters and motives of leading members of Congress are also scrutinized. Their frustrations and machinations in dealing with those states refusing to approve efforts to reward the soldiers and to finance the cost of the war by tariffs and taxation are palpable to the reader from the author's thoughtful descriptions. Professor Head succeeds in bringing to life the story of a little-known but important piece of American history, at a time when the union of the newly independent nation was fragile. He educates the reader about the important contribution of those who held it together at this pivotal time in its history.
8. Washington's End: The Final Years and Forgotten Struggle by Jonathan Horn (reviewed here in this community) tells the story of the post-presidential life of George Washington. After a life of service as commander of the Revolutionary armed forces, and two terms as president, George Washington was only able to enjoy a few years at his beloved home of Mount Vernon in Virginia. As Horn points out, when one is as iconic and legendary as George Washington was, retirement was easier said than done. Although the revolution had been over for more than a decade, the times were still precarious. As much as we may think that politics are polarized today, things weren't all that different in the years following Washington's exit from the presidency. Political divisions continued between the Federalists led by Alexander Hamilton and the Republicans (also known in what now seems like schizophrenic terminology as Democrats) led by Thomas Jefferson. John Adams, though technically and ideologically a Federalist, faced disloyalty from his cabinet, and was despised by his both fellow Federalist Hamilton and his former friend Jefferson, as he tried to steer a middle course between those who wanted an alliance with France and those who wanted war with their former ally. This is a well researched and well written account of an overlooked period in the life of Washington, followed by an account of how the city that bore his name developed after his passing. Horn has a good style of writing, with vivid descriptions of events, giving the reader a strong sense of the mood of the times and the personalities of the players. He does so thoroughly, but without unnecessary verbiage, managing to give a complete picture of Washington's final years in just 225 pages. Even the hard to please first president would approve of what Horn has accomplished in this work. Tis well.
9. This isn't exactly on point as presidential literature, but Good Economics for Hard Times (reviewed here in this community) by the Nobel prize winning husband and wife team of Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo deserves a place on this list for its analysis of some of the most important economic policies of recent presidencies such as free trade, globalization, tariffs and protectionism, and tax breaks for the wealthy. The authors tackle such perplexing issues as the economic impacts of immigration and refugee migration, trade wars, the widening income gap, the pros and cons of universal basic income, how the increasing presence of artificial intelligence will affect the job prospects of present and future generations, what to make of slowing rates of growth in developed nations and even the economics of climate change. It is apparent that the authors have researched these topics extensively as this book cites studies and projects from around the globe, providing examples of early indicators of successes in other nations, as well as looking at some historical failures. The book does not offer a panacea for the economic challenges which now present themselves. But if elections ever become about policy and not personalities, this is a great source for intelligent discussion of how to face the economic future with compassionate and empathy.
10. Years after breaking the news about the Watergate scandal, veteran reporter Bob Woodward is still using in influence to get up close and personal interviews with sitting presidents, begging the question of why on earth they talk to him, when his pen is so devastating? In Rage (reviewed here in this community, President Donald Trump agreed to a series of 17 interviews with Woodward, who has written about every President since Richard Nixon, in preparation for this book. The interviews were cordial, and in them the President is sometimes rambling, sometimes blunt. When the President learns that the book is due to be available in the fall, just as the election campaign is in full swing, he tells Woodward that he suspects that the book will be an attempt to smear him and that Woodward is just another cog in the left-wing media machine that is out to get him, adding that if Woodward is fair, the book will be a success, but otherwise it will be a dismal failure. Woodward promises to let the facts speak for themselves and for the most part he does so, save for an epilogue in which the veteran newsman tells the reader what he really thinks about the president. Woodward concludes that the 2020 election will be a referendum on how President Trump has handled the Covid-19 pandemic. Readers of this book will debate whether or not Woodward has crossed the line from reporting "just the facts" to taking a side and make their own assessment, but it is a remarkable chronicling of current events for historic preservation.
I'm currently in the middle of reading President Without a Party: The Life of John Tyler by Christopher J. Leahy and a review will be forthcoming. Other works on my to-read pile include:
1. The Zealot and the Emancipator: John Brown, Abraham Lincoln, and the Struggle for American Freedom by H. W. Brands. Brands is such a terrific author and his telling of the story of the parallel lives of Abraham Lincoln and John Brown should be fascinating.
2. Imperfect Union: How Jesse and John Frémont Mapped the West, Invented Celebrity and Helped Cause the Civil War by Steve Inskeep. Inskeep's earlier work Jacksonland was a masterpiece, so this should be equally outstanding.
3. Reaganland: America's Right Turn 1976-1980 by Rick Perlstein: Perlstein has such a wonderfully readable style, even if he is a little too liberal in his word usage (among other things some might say.) This will be a great follow up to his earlier books Nixonland and The Invisible Bridge.
4. Lincoln on the Verge: Thirteen Days to Washington by Ted Widmer: Widmer, an outstanding historian, tells the story of President-elect Abraham Lincoln's dangerous journey from his home in Springfield, Illinois, to the White House at a tense time in American history.
5. First in Line: Presidents, Vice-Presidents and the Pursuit of Power by Kate Anderson Brower: a look at the modern era Vice Presidents from Richard Nixon to Mike Pence.
6. A Promised Land by Barack Obama: Barack Obama's latest autobiography is 770 pages, and that's just volume one. I'll get to this, but perhaps not right away.
Finally, there is one more book that I would love to recommend. I haven't read it yet, but my copy is on order and I will read it because its author never disappoints in writing exceptional works about presidential history, or in anything else he writes. Too Long Ago: A Childhood Memory, A Vanished World is the story of author David Pietrusza's boyhood in Amsterdam, New York. This will rise to the top of the "to read" pile on its arrival.
I hope you had an enjoyable year of reading in 2020. So many great books, so little time. Here's to another year of great reading for
potus_geeks in 2021.