WHY NOT A BIOGRAPHY

I have always felt that the best biographies are those that emphasize the humanness of their subjects and that they do so in an objective manner. This is not an easy task since, in my opinion, it would be difficult to approach the subject without any emotional attachment – why bother to do the research if you were not interested? That notwithstanding, the best biographies do convey the thoughts and feelings of the subject as they apply to the time period in which subject lives. They do not use the current standard of behavior and thought to make judgments of the person being written about.
I must say that my favorite kinds of biographies are those that focus on the lives of American Presidents. Since there have been 42 men who have served in this office (and in January of 2009, 43), one can imagine that there are quite of few biographies out there to choose from. Do yourself a favor and pick a few of them up and get to know the people who have served in the nation’s highest office. You will find that they have flaws and foibles like you and me that go along with much of the ability that allowed them to attain the office of President.
A good place to start is none other than Mount Rushmore. Here are two biographies for each man on that rocky face in South Dakota:
Washington: The Indispensable Man – James Thomas Flexner
His Excellency: George Washington – Joseph Ellis
The Road to Monticello: The Life and Mind of Thomas Jefferson – Kevin J. Hayes
Twilight at Monticello: The Final Years of Thomas Jefferson – Allen Pell Crawford
Lincoln – David Herbert Donald
With Malice Toward None: A Life of Abraham Lincoln – Stephen B. Oats
Theodore Roosevelt: A Life – Nathan Miller
Theodore Rex – Edmund Morris
Happy reading!