2012 was a year of prolific reading, for me at least. Most of my reading catered to my ![]()
potus_geeks interest, and I managed to read the books I had planned on at the start of the year and more. Following is a list of the books I read in 2012 which were ![]()
potus_geeks themed (linked to their page on Amazon.com):
1. 1920: The Year of Six Presidents by David Pietrusza
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2. Four Hats in the Ring: The 1912 Election and the Birth of Modern American Politics by Lewis J. Gould
3. William Henry Harrison (the American Presidents Series) by Gail Collins
4. A Magnificent Catastrophe: The Tumultuous Election of 1800, America's First Campaign by Edward J. Larson
5. FDR, Dewey and the Election of 1944 by David M. Jordan
6. Nixon's Darkest Secrets: The Inside Story of America's Most Troubled President by Don Fulsom
7. Write It When I'm Gone: Remarkable Off-The-Record Conversations with Gerald R. Ford by Thomas M. DeFrank
8. The Presidencies of James Garfield and Chester A. Arthur by Justus Doenecke
9. Founding Rivals: Madison vs. Monroe, The Bill of Rights and the Election that Saved a Nation by Chris DeRose
10. 1948: Harry Truman's Improbable Victory and the Year That Transformed America by David Pietrusza
11. Re-Electing Lincoln: The Battle for the 1864 Presidency by John C. Waugh
12. Chester Alan Arthur: The American Presidents Series by Zachary Karabell
13. William McKinley: The American Presidents Series by Kevin Phillips
14. John Quincy Adams: A Life by Harlow Giles Unger
15. Rutherford B. Hayes: Warrior and President by Ari Hoogenboom
16. The Man Who Saved the Union: Ulysses Grant in War and Peace by H. W. Brands
17. Gentleman Boss: The Life of Chester Alan Arthur by Thomas C. Reeves
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The best books from this list were probably the following:
1. The Man Who Saved the Union: Ulysses Grant in War and Peace
2. John Quincy Adams: A Life
3. Gentleman Boss: The Life of Chester Alan Arthur
4. 1920: The Year of Six Presidents
I'm not sure whether or not I'll broaden my reading tastes in 2013 or not. There are still a lot of books in my![]()
potus_geeks library waiting to be read, and more that will be published. But following is a list that I'd like to tackle in 2013 at a minimum:
1. Mutual Contempt: Lyndon Johnson, Robert Kennedy, and the Feud that Defined a Decade by Jeff Shesol: a book about the bitter political feud between Lyndon Johnson and Robert F. Kennedy.
![Mutual-Contempt]( "Mutual-Contempt")
2. Franklin Pierce: Martyr for the Union by Peter Wallner: It was a Christmas present and I like reading about the obscure Presidents
3. Eisenhower in War and Peace by Jean Edward Smith: I've been meaning to read something by Smith and Ike is such an interesting subject.
4. Zachary Taylor: Soldier, Planter, Statesman of the Old Southwest by K. Jack Bauer: another Christmas present, and I think Taylor would have been a strong President if he had lived longer.
5. The Death of American Virtue: Clinton vs. Starr by Ken Gormley: I've read excepts from this book and it looks like it has a lot of information not generally known.
6. Collision 2012: Obama vs. Romney and the Future of Elections in America by Dan Balz: This book about the 2012 election is due for release on August 6th.
7. Millard Fillmore: Biography of a President by Robert J. Rayback: Fillmore is another oddball who has a number of interesting contradictions.
8. New York Times columnist Peter Baker has a new book coming out next year about George W. Bush. I don't know what it's called, but it was on the Times list of best biographies of presidents. [Edit-April 6, 2013: The book and it's release date have now been announced. The title is Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House and it will be released on October 22, 2013.]
9. Impeached: The Trial of President Andrew Johnson and the Fight for Lincoln's Legacy by David O. Stewart: The fight between Johnson and the Radical Republicans that almost cost Johnson his job.
![1206073]( "1206073")
10. Washington’s Crossing by David Hackett Fischer: Next December I hope to finally follow![]()
seaivy's suggestion and read this book for Christmas.
![KPLOct12]( "KPLOct12")
So what was your best POTUS read this year, and which ones are you planning to read in 2013?
potus_geeks interest, and I managed to read the books I had planned on at the start of the year and more. Following is a list of the books I read in 2012 which were potus_geeks themed (linked to their page on Amazon.com):1. 1920: The Year of Six Presidents by David Pietrusza
2. Four Hats in the Ring: The 1912 Election and the Birth of Modern American Politics by Lewis J. Gould
3. William Henry Harrison (the American Presidents Series) by Gail Collins
4. A Magnificent Catastrophe: The Tumultuous Election of 1800, America's First Campaign by Edward J. Larson
5. FDR, Dewey and the Election of 1944 by David M. Jordan
6. Nixon's Darkest Secrets: The Inside Story of America's Most Troubled President by Don Fulsom
7. Write It When I'm Gone: Remarkable Off-The-Record Conversations with Gerald R. Ford by Thomas M. DeFrank
8. The Presidencies of James Garfield and Chester A. Arthur by Justus Doenecke
9. Founding Rivals: Madison vs. Monroe, The Bill of Rights and the Election that Saved a Nation by Chris DeRose
10. 1948: Harry Truman's Improbable Victory and the Year That Transformed America by David Pietrusza
11. Re-Electing Lincoln: The Battle for the 1864 Presidency by John C. Waugh
12. Chester Alan Arthur: The American Presidents Series by Zachary Karabell
13. William McKinley: The American Presidents Series by Kevin Phillips
14. John Quincy Adams: A Life by Harlow Giles Unger
15. Rutherford B. Hayes: Warrior and President by Ari Hoogenboom
16. The Man Who Saved the Union: Ulysses Grant in War and Peace by H. W. Brands
17. Gentleman Boss: The Life of Chester Alan Arthur by Thomas C. Reeves
The best books from this list were probably the following:
1. The Man Who Saved the Union: Ulysses Grant in War and Peace
2. John Quincy Adams: A Life
3. Gentleman Boss: The Life of Chester Alan Arthur
4. 1920: The Year of Six Presidents
I'm not sure whether or not I'll broaden my reading tastes in 2013 or not. There are still a lot of books in my
potus_geeks library waiting to be read, and more that will be published. But following is a list that I'd like to tackle in 2013 at a minimum:1. Mutual Contempt: Lyndon Johnson, Robert Kennedy, and the Feud that Defined a Decade by Jeff Shesol: a book about the bitter political feud between Lyndon Johnson and Robert F. Kennedy.
2. Franklin Pierce: Martyr for the Union by Peter Wallner: It was a Christmas present and I like reading about the obscure Presidents
3. Eisenhower in War and Peace by Jean Edward Smith: I've been meaning to read something by Smith and Ike is such an interesting subject.
4. Zachary Taylor: Soldier, Planter, Statesman of the Old Southwest by K. Jack Bauer: another Christmas present, and I think Taylor would have been a strong President if he had lived longer.
5. The Death of American Virtue: Clinton vs. Starr by Ken Gormley: I've read excepts from this book and it looks like it has a lot of information not generally known.
6. Collision 2012: Obama vs. Romney and the Future of Elections in America by Dan Balz: This book about the 2012 election is due for release on August 6th.
7. Millard Fillmore: Biography of a President by Robert J. Rayback: Fillmore is another oddball who has a number of interesting contradictions.
8. New York Times columnist Peter Baker has a new book coming out next year about George W. Bush. I don't know what it's called, but it was on the Times list of best biographies of presidents. [Edit-April 6, 2013: The book and it's release date have now been announced. The title is Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House and it will be released on October 22, 2013.]
9. Impeached: The Trial of President Andrew Johnson and the Fight for Lincoln's Legacy by David O. Stewart: The fight between Johnson and the Radical Republicans that almost cost Johnson his job.
10. Washington’s Crossing by David Hackett Fischer: Next December I hope to finally follow
seaivy's suggestion and read this book for Christmas.
So what was your best POTUS read this year, and which ones are you planning to read in 2013?